Crooked Little Vein: A Novel
by Warren Ellis
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Book Summary Information
Author: Warren EllisEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2007-07-24
ISBN: 0060723939
Number of pages: 288
Publisher: William Morrow
Book Reviews of Crooked Little Vein: A Novel
Book Review: Great, but uncoventional book
Summary: 5 Stars
Through Crooked Little Vein, Warren Ellis has shown once again just why many people regard him as one of the most controversial and sarcastic writers working in any industry right now.
Known for such graphic novels as Transmetropolitan, he brought that same wicked sensibility into his first ever novel, which gives an acount of a journey taken by an old school, down and out private detective named Michael McGill.
At the beginning, he was given, by the current chief of staff, the daunting task of recovering a long lost copy of a second Constitution which, according to this book, was written by the early presidents such as Abraham Lincoln. This book describes McGill's quest in a very stark and perverse manner in which Warren is well known for.
It's wierd and twisted, yes, but I guarantee you, you will be laughing your heart out the moment you read clever things such as Godzilla Bukkake being described in such brillance. You will be loving every such moment, I tell you. It is this superimposition of twisted humor and wierd situations that really make up the soul of the book. And for that, I really congratulate Mr. Ellis. His ghetto style and underground sensibility really made this an enjoyable ride for me.
He has not only made me laugh but he has made me see a side of America I've never seen or heard of in my life. And with such promptness and brevity too.
Highly recommended.
As for the complaints regarding the "paper-thin" plot and "shock value," all I have to say is this - I think Mr. Ellis was going for so much more than just shock value in this book. If you look closer you can tell he was trying to show the readers about the culture of America today and how the government of today is trying to come up with a quick fix, a fix for the societal problems the country is facing. It also has tons of clever sub-culture and pop-culture references which Mr. Ellis is pretty much famous for. So in light of all these points, I think it's fair to say that he has done a good job, and to do such a resonating work on a first novel isn't easy.
Summary of Crooked Little Vein: A Novel
The bestselling comic-book writer of "Authority and Transmetropolitan" brings his trippy and fast-paced style to the publishing world with his first detective novel. A burned-out private detective is enlisted by an army of presidential goons to retrieve the U.S. Constitution...the real one. Following in the steps of Neil Gaiman, "Crooked Little Vein" is packed with action, adventure, and a wild cast of characters that are sure to appease not only hardcore comic fans, but a whole new slew of mystery readers waiting for a surprisingly surreal treat that infuses the madness of the graphic-novel world.Michael McGill is a burned-out private detective who suddenly becomes enlisted by an army of presidential goons to retrieve the Constitution of the United States, but not the one we all know about. This would be the real Constitution (the one with invisible amendments) created by some of the Founding Fathers as a fallback for their great experiment. Along the way, McGill gains a polyamorous sidekick named Trix, gets scared to death by what men do with warm salty water, and descends into a world where crime, sex, and madness all seem to be the same thing.
Full of mind-bending style and packed with a wild cast of characters, Crooked Little Vein infuses Robert B. Parker with Kurt Vonnegut and the madness of the graphic-novel world. A surprisingly surreal treat, it will appeal to hardcore comic fans, mystery aficionados, and all readers looking for a riotous summer reading adventure.
Sample Chapter One of Crooked Little Vein
"Chapter One. I opened my eyes to see the rat taking a piss in my coffee mug. It was a huge brown bastard; had a body like a turd with legs and beady black eyes full of secret rat knowledge."
Crooked Little Vein puts you right in the gutter from the first sentence and doesn't let up. Sample the goods with a look at the complete first chapter, and see if you don't get hooked.
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