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posies23's review against another edition
5.0
Many familiar faces show up to assist Parker and Grofield get the money they left behind at the start of SLAYGROUND. This is Parker at his best, planning heists and not letting anything stop him until he's reached his goal. This book is a real treat for the die-hard fan that has read all the novels, and a nice capstone to the first run of Parker novels.
My highest recommendation. (But don't start here!)
My highest recommendation. (But don't start here!)
jeansbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
duparker's review against another edition
4.0
Great way to end the series. It was bombastic and emphatic in its presentation of gritty life. I think that the only weird thing, to me, was that the crassness of the sex, which has been more covert in other books, was more in your face here. It left an odd taste in my mouth.
ogreart's review against another edition
5.0
This was about twice as long as the rest of the book in the series. There was a lot more story and a much better look at Parker. Bringing back a cast of characters from previous books in the series this was a suspenseful ride from beginning to end.
I wouldn't like to meet Parker in a dark alley if I had anything he wanted.
I wouldn't like to meet Parker in a dark alley if I had anything he wanted.
dantastic's review against another edition
4.0
Short on cash, Parker and Grofield return to Tyler to get some money Parker stashed in an amusement park. But the money isn't there and signs point to the local mob, which is in the midst of a power struggle. Whichever party comes out on top had better remember that when Parker is owed money, he always collects, one way or another...
I'd been waiting for over six months for Butcher's Moon to be reprinted by University of Chicago Press. Was it worth the wait? Hell yes!
Butcher's Moon was the last Parker book of the original run and there's a feel of finality to it. Parker and Grofield go to work getting back the money Parker had to leave behind in Slayground and run afoul of the local syndicate. When Grofield gets shot and taken captive and Parker gets one of his fingers in the mail, Parker takes it personally and calls in a slew of favors.
Practically all of Parker's partners from the previous books who weren't double-crossed and/or killed in the previous volumes show up to lend a hand and share in the score, even Handy McKay. Parker is as relentless and ruthless as ever. The power struggle within the Tyler mob was well done, as was Parker's masterful way of taking them out.
As usual, Stark's clipped style moves the story along with the pace of an out of control freight train. Butcher's Moon is twice the length of most Parker tales and has three or four times as much action. The final shootout at the end is well-worth the price of admission (at the U of C price, not the hundreds the earlier printings fetch.)
"But I'm only the messenger!"
"Now you're the message," Parker said and shot him.
Classic Parker.
Any complaints? Not really, although I was expecting a higher bodycount among Parker's crew. I was half-hoping Parker would leave with the entire take from the score and leave his crew in the lurch. The ending would have been a fitting ending to the entire Parker series but I'm glad Stark wrote eight more, even if it did take him 25 years.
If you're a Parker fan, Butcher's Moon is not to be missed, especially at the Amazon price for this University of Chicago reprint.
I'd been waiting for over six months for Butcher's Moon to be reprinted by University of Chicago Press. Was it worth the wait? Hell yes!
Butcher's Moon was the last Parker book of the original run and there's a feel of finality to it. Parker and Grofield go to work getting back the money Parker had to leave behind in Slayground and run afoul of the local syndicate. When Grofield gets shot and taken captive and Parker gets one of his fingers in the mail, Parker takes it personally and calls in a slew of favors.
Practically all of Parker's partners from the previous books who weren't double-crossed and/or killed in the previous volumes show up to lend a hand and share in the score, even Handy McKay. Parker is as relentless and ruthless as ever. The power struggle within the Tyler mob was well done, as was Parker's masterful way of taking them out.
As usual, Stark's clipped style moves the story along with the pace of an out of control freight train. Butcher's Moon is twice the length of most Parker tales and has three or four times as much action. The final shootout at the end is well-worth the price of admission (at the U of C price, not the hundreds the earlier printings fetch.)
"But I'm only the messenger!"
"Now you're the message," Parker said and shot him.
Classic Parker.
Any complaints? Not really, although I was expecting a higher bodycount among Parker's crew. I was half-hoping Parker would leave with the entire take from the score and leave his crew in the lurch. The ending would have been a fitting ending to the entire Parker series but I'm glad Stark wrote eight more, even if it did take him 25 years.
If you're a Parker fan, Butcher's Moon is not to be missed, especially at the Amazon price for this University of Chicago reprint.
rschmidt7's review against another edition
5.0
This is the last of the original run of Stark’s Parker books, and it would have made a fitting end to the series if it had never been revived a couple decades later. “Butcher’s Moon” is almost twice the length of a normal Parker story, and it’s clear that Donald Westlake (Stark) meant for this to be the last hurrah for Parker.
Returning to the town where he was trapped in the amusement park in “Slayground”, Parker (along with Grofield) embarks on a classic vendetta to recover their $73,000. A fitting book-end to the series started with a similar plot in “The Hunter,” Parker is at his best as a character when he is ruthlessly collecting what he’s owed by the mob. This book contains many of the series’ best elements: the Parker-Grofield partnership, the mob debt, the double-crosses, and the intricately described heists.
To fully enjoy this book, you should read the preceding books in the series because so many supporting characters are brought back. I would highly recommend this to fans of the series, but really, if you’ve read this far in the Parker book, you know what to expect, and you’re in for a great read with this one.
Returning to the town where he was trapped in the amusement park in “Slayground”, Parker (along with Grofield) embarks on a classic vendetta to recover their $73,000. A fitting book-end to the series started with a similar plot in “The Hunter,” Parker is at his best as a character when he is ruthlessly collecting what he’s owed by the mob. This book contains many of the series’ best elements: the Parker-Grofield partnership, the mob debt, the double-crosses, and the intricately described heists.
To fully enjoy this book, you should read the preceding books in the series because so many supporting characters are brought back. I would highly recommend this to fans of the series, but really, if you’ve read this far in the Parker book, you know what to expect, and you’re in for a great read with this one.
remlezar's review against another edition
5.0
I've been slowly reading these books, at a rate of a couple a year or so, for a while. They're always enjoyable - sleazy but well crafted, short and punchy. Of course, some books have been better than others, but Butcher's Moon is something pretty different. It serves as a climax for the entire series, or at least did, until Westlake decided to revisit the character some 20 years after the release of this book. Characters return, Parker breaks some of his own rules, significantly longer page count, and a wild set of heists, and a rescue mission.
Westlake is not what I would call an indulgent author, but Butcher's Moon is him giving himself more room to play and flex his muscles. Butcher's Moon is an absolute blast and would have been a worthy ending to the long running series.
Westlake is not what I would call an indulgent author, but Butcher's Moon is him giving himself more room to play and flex his muscles. Butcher's Moon is an absolute blast and would have been a worthy ending to the long running series.
neilsarver's review against another edition
5.0
I'm in that honeymoon stage of just freshly finishing a book, but right now I feel like this could settle in to be my new favorite Parker book. It really does sum up everything great about the series.
That could be an excuse to re-read some of my other favorites again soon to see how I feel now.
That could be an excuse to re-read some of my other favorites again soon to see how I feel now.
iam_griff's review against another edition
4.0
I haven’t written too many reviews on the Parker novels as they’ve been around for so long that there isn’t much I can add that hasn’t already been covered by better reviewers than myself.
This story was the last of the Parker series for Donald Westlake (or Richard Stark). Having taken a long hiatus from writing this series before deciding to pick it back up 20+ years later & probably would’ve kept on writing them unfortunately his untimely death in 2008 stopped it.
I may pick up this series again & finish off the remaining books, but at this point here feels like a good pause point.
This story was the last of the Parker series for Donald Westlake (or Richard Stark). Having taken a long hiatus from writing this series before deciding to pick it back up 20+ years later & probably would’ve kept on writing them unfortunately his untimely death in 2008 stopped it.
I may pick up this series again & finish off the remaining books, but at this point here feels like a good pause point.
matt4hire's review against another edition
5.0
Probably the grandest of the Parker books. It takes Parker, adds a more Byzantine (than usual) plot, adds actual continuity from nearly every previous book in the series, and mixes it all up. Great, great stuff.