Darwyn Cooke's graphic novel adaptations of Donald E.
Westlake's Parker novels continue with SLAYGROUND. I actually haven't read all
of the Parker novels (I know, I know, I should have by now), but I have read
this one and remember enjoying it very much. It's the one in which Parker,
after a botched armored car robbery, is trapped by gangsters and crooked cops
in a deserted amusement park that's closed for the winter. That's it for the
plot. But as always, Cooke's art and script perfectly capture the ultra-hardboiled
tone of the books. I would never recommend that anybody should read these
instead of the novels, but they make wonderful companion pieces.
This volume also contains a Parker short story "The 7eventh". I'm not sure if it's based on something Westlake wrote or if it's an original by Cooke, but either way it's good as well. I've read all four of these volumes so far and will continue to do so as long as Cooke wants to do them.
This volume also contains a Parker short story "The 7eventh". I'm not sure if it's based on something Westlake wrote or if it's an original by Cooke, but either way it's good as well. I've read all four of these volumes so far and will continue to do so as long as Cooke wants to do them.
3 comments:
That's based on his seventh novel, a really strong one, actually, and one of my favorites. I leafed through it for confirmation a few weeks back.
I've yet to read a Parker novel I haven't liked, and most of them I loved. At this point I think ASK THE PARROT is the only one I haven't read at least once.
Howard Andrew Jones
The Seventh is based loosely on the final moments of the seventh Parker novel, which is one of my personal favorites.
I've read all but one of the Parker novels at least once. I liked them all, and many of them I loved and all will probably read again. One of the few series I thought highly enough of to bother getting a matched set (although that means I'm still waiting for the final volumes to be available IN that matched set).
Howard Andrew Jones
James, if you liked Slayground then you also need to read The Blackbird, a Grofield novel. Both novels start out exactly the same and then go in separate directions when Parker and Grofield get separated. Then you should try Butcher's Moon, which is a sequel to Slayground, and was the last of the old Parker novels before Westlake took a 23 year break on Parker. Butcher's Moon is also the final appearance of Grofield.
Danny
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