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katie_samsock's review against another edition
5.0
If you love historical fiction and have yet to read a book by Kristin Harmel you are SO missing out. I loved this whole thing. I learned a ton about Reims and Champagne France. The best part of this story is the real fallibility of them. There is no one perfect hero. At times I found that hard to deal with because this mistakes made by these guys was partly due to miscommunication and the outcomes were devastating.
You know a book is fantastic when all you can think about is the storyline and you’re counting down to when your kids are in bed so you can find out what happens next. This is one of those gems
You know a book is fantastic when all you can think about is the storyline and you’re counting down to when your kids are in bed so you can find out what happens next. This is one of those gems
dantastic's review against another edition
4.0
When a friend of his wife's comes to them with a problem involving an abusive man, Matt Scudder is on the case. But how can an old man stop a man he's never seen and whose name he doesn't know?
I've been a Lawrence Block fan since I read Grifter's Game and the Matthew Scudder series is one of my favorite series of any genre so when Mr. Block hit me up, this book shot to the top of my stack. When your favorite living crime author hands you a book, you read the damn thing!
One of the best features of the Matthew Scudder series is that Matt ages in real time. In this book, he's been sober 35 years and living comfortably with Elaine, who has joined a support group for former prostitutes. One of her friends needs help quitting the game but one of her old clients won't take No for an answer...
I'm happy to say Lawrence Block (and Matthew Scudder, for that matter) hasn't missed a beat since his last outing. This novella saw me through an oil change and tire rotation and I was actually disappointed that I had to drive home to finish it. Scudder fans of old will approve of how Matt gets things done. It was like running into some old friends and immediately picking up where you left off.
A Time to Scatter Stones was a great chance to catch up with one of my favorite characters and favorite authors. Four out of five stars.
I've been a Lawrence Block fan since I read Grifter's Game and the Matthew Scudder series is one of my favorite series of any genre so when Mr. Block hit me up, this book shot to the top of my stack. When your favorite living crime author hands you a book, you read the damn thing!
One of the best features of the Matthew Scudder series is that Matt ages in real time. In this book, he's been sober 35 years and living comfortably with Elaine, who has joined a support group for former prostitutes. One of her friends needs help quitting the game but one of her old clients won't take No for an answer...
I'm happy to say Lawrence Block (and Matthew Scudder, for that matter) hasn't missed a beat since his last outing. This novella saw me through an oil change and tire rotation and I was actually disappointed that I had to drive home to finish it. Scudder fans of old will approve of how Matt gets things done. It was like running into some old friends and immediately picking up where you left off.
A Time to Scatter Stones was a great chance to catch up with one of my favorite characters and favorite authors. Four out of five stars.
citizen_noir's review against another edition
3.0
Lawrence Block is one of my all-time favorite crime writers, and his character, Matt Scudder, is the reason why. Across 17 novels, and countless other novellas and short stories, I have loved reading not just about the brutal cases that Scudder has solved, but also the ways in which he has grown - and remained sober - over the years.
It has been several years since the last Scudder, and so it was a welcome surprise to hear that Block was releasing A TIME TO SCATTER STONES. Block is the type of writer who makes it all seem so easy; I've read dozens of works by the guy, from hardboiled crime stories to advice for writers, and I'm always amazed at how silky smooth his prose is. This novella is no different; I was able to knock it off in just an afternoon.
True to form, Scudder continues to age. He complains a lot now about how much his knees ache as he walks around New York City. He reminisces about his old friends (including a welcome update to T.J., one of the less realistic characters he ever created). It was like curling up with an old friend, someone who you're happy to see again after so many years.
I am somewhat surprised that Block didn't try to make this book longer than he did; there is a perfect moment in the book (after Scudder uses a building superintendent to find a man who was threatening a friend of Elaine's) when the old Block would have thrown in a twist to keep the plot building and building (that informer would have been killed) to the end.
Block has received lots of mixed reviews in this book because of a sex-capade that he chooses to have Matt and Elaine indulge in. Block mentioned the pans in his recent email newsletter and even went so far as to say "too bad" to anyone who didn't like it. I got a chuckle when I read some of the reviews - did the posters not know that Block started out his career (60 plus years ago) as a porn writer?
But at the end of the day, I can only give this novella three stars. While I enjoyed the brief time I spent with it and plan to read anything else that Block publishes in his lifetime, I wish A TIME TO SCATTER STONES had added more to the life and times of Matt Scudder. If you're new to the series, don't start with this book, start at the beginning and read them in order. You will not be disappointed.
It has been several years since the last Scudder, and so it was a welcome surprise to hear that Block was releasing A TIME TO SCATTER STONES. Block is the type of writer who makes it all seem so easy; I've read dozens of works by the guy, from hardboiled crime stories to advice for writers, and I'm always amazed at how silky smooth his prose is. This novella is no different; I was able to knock it off in just an afternoon.
True to form, Scudder continues to age. He complains a lot now about how much his knees ache as he walks around New York City. He reminisces about his old friends (including a welcome update to T.J., one of the less realistic characters he ever created). It was like curling up with an old friend, someone who you're happy to see again after so many years.
I am somewhat surprised that Block didn't try to make this book longer than he did; there is a perfect moment in the book (after Scudder uses a building superintendent to find a man who was threatening a friend of Elaine's) when the old Block would have thrown in a twist to keep the plot building and building (that informer would have been killed) to the end.
Block has received lots of mixed reviews in this book because of a sex-capade that he chooses to have Matt and Elaine indulge in. Block mentioned the pans in his recent email newsletter and even went so far as to say "too bad" to anyone who didn't like it. I got a chuckle when I read some of the reviews - did the posters not know that Block started out his career (60 plus years ago) as a porn writer?
But at the end of the day, I can only give this novella three stars. While I enjoyed the brief time I spent with it and plan to read anything else that Block publishes in his lifetime, I wish A TIME TO SCATTER STONES had added more to the life and times of Matt Scudder. If you're new to the series, don't start with this book, start at the beginning and read them in order. You will not be disappointed.
arthur_pendrgn's review against another edition
2.0
It's a short story with some extra bits. It was okay.
usbsticky's review against another edition
3.0
Spoilers ahead, don't read this if you don't want the book spoiled for you:
A little bit disappointing. I've been reading the whole series from the beginning. The last full book (#17) was a revisit in time and slotted in between earlier books. This last 1/2 book is chronologically the last when Scudder and Elaine are both seniors.
Summary:
Elaine belongs to a support group for working girls who are no longer working. She became friends with one of them (Ellen) who is quite a bit younger. Not really sure if she was a mentor or if mentors are officially a thing in those groups.
Anyway after Ellen quit, one of her steady clients refused to take no for an answer and began to aggressively call on her. Ellen is afraid of this client and his propensity for potential violence and asks Scudder for help. Unfortunately she doesn't even know his name so Scudder has to start from scratch.
He starts by getting Ray G. to draw him, then he takes his picture around Ellen's old building to see if anyone knows him but no one does. The answer was actually quite simple because the super of Ellen's old building recognized the picture when the client showed up to go through Ellen's old apartment and left a number. Ellen's super called him and Scudder ambushed him and gave him a good beating to stay away from Ellen.
This should have been a 1/4 book instead of a 1/2 book. In itself, it was a neat little story but Block stretched out the 1/2 book with his trademark long stretches of dialog that are page fillers and ended the book with a threesome which was much less exciting than it could have been. Overall, it was an unremarkable final piece. I'm now reading the book of short stories and hope it'll be better.
A little bit disappointing. I've been reading the whole series from the beginning. The last full book (#17) was a revisit in time and slotted in between earlier books. This last 1/2 book is chronologically the last when Scudder and Elaine are both seniors.
Summary:
Elaine belongs to a support group for working girls who are no longer working. She became friends with one of them (Ellen) who is quite a bit younger. Not really sure if she was a mentor or if mentors are officially a thing in those groups.
Anyway after Ellen quit, one of her steady clients refused to take no for an answer and began to aggressively call on her. Ellen is afraid of this client and his propensity for potential violence and asks Scudder for help. Unfortunately she doesn't even know his name so Scudder has to start from scratch.
He starts by getting Ray G. to draw him, then he takes his picture around Ellen's old building to see if anyone knows him but no one does. The answer was actually quite simple because the super of Ellen's old building recognized the picture when the client showed up to go through Ellen's old apartment and left a number. Ellen's super called him and Scudder ambushed him and gave him a good beating to stay away from Ellen.
This should have been a 1/4 book instead of a 1/2 book. In itself, it was a neat little story but Block stretched out the 1/2 book with his trademark long stretches of dialog that are page fillers and ended the book with a threesome which was much less exciting than it could have been. Overall, it was an unremarkable final piece. I'm now reading the book of short stories and hope it'll be better.
ccampbell's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
hearond's review against another edition
5.0
This is the last of the Matthew Scudder series and I’m sad to have finished them. Very grateful to my friend Ritchie for the recommendation. Great series!
magicschooltokoro's review
informative
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Toxic friendship
Minor: Stalking and Sexual content
I haven't read the author before or the rest of the series the main character is based from, but it did kind of seem to be superfluous and unnecessary to including this novella revisiting the character in his retirement. Most of the novella is told in dialogue, similar to play. We learn of a recovery method group from prostitution based off of the AA model, so there's discussion of both and comparisons, stories. It's not slow paced, but there's not much happening besides dialogue and the day sessions of our retired cop doing private investigation for the sake of his wife's sponsee to handle the spiraling stalking problem from an obsessed client. The stories and recovery discussion, the scene of retrieving a friend for a favor in police witness sketching and that character, and some of the observation and reminiscing were the best apsects or parts; not enough to really liven up the story. Really only for hardcore fans of the Matthew Scudder series, but probably still could be passed without missing out on much. It still had too much of a dated masculine tone to it, though I could see where Block might have been attempting to keep up to date about themes in discussion with his wife about sex work and recovery. I still want to read some of the author's more classic work and pulp noir. Capricorn values vibes. I wanted to test out the author with something quick I could finish, as I loaned from the library. But I have been, as of late, into this kind of genre.jakewritesbooks's review against another edition
3.0
Kinda sad that this is the last we get of Matthew Scudder and it’s a mediocre tale. Matt returning to his old profession was fun enough, as were the callbacks to characters past but the outlook on prostitutes left a lot to be desired and the end is best not talked about, not just for spoiler reasons. Even for a novella, Block could’ve shaved about 10-15 pages off without missing much. Go gently into the night, Matt. You will be missed.
explenture's review against another edition
5.0
Combo
Matt Scudder is back both on the street and in the sack. Scudder solves a case and lives out a sexual fantasy. A quick burst of reading enjoyment.
Matt Scudder is back both on the street and in the sack. Scudder solves a case and lives out a sexual fantasy. A quick burst of reading enjoyment.