Circumstances, Choices and Consequences (Hard Revolution - George P. Pelecanos)

Member Name: Alan1968

Product:	Hard Revolution - George P. Pelecanos
Date:	25/10/05 (90 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Brilliant mixture of history and fiction, with excellent attention to detail .

Disadvantages: The ending feels abrupt, possibly because an older version of Strange has appeared in other novels

This is the first book by George Pelecanos that I have read and would immediately say that it won't be the last.

Pelecanos' strength is in the detail, putting his characters into a historical setting, in this case into the era of the civil rights struggle. More specifically Washington DC at the time of the assassination of Martin Luther King in the Spring of 1968. Not only does Pelecanos use reference to the social and political events of this era to set his story in time but also refers extensively to the musical influences of the time, and this works extremely well even for a non-music buff like myself.

The novel starts with an almost gentle prelude set nine years previously, introducing the reader to the background of the characters who will play the crucial roles in the main drama that will unfold later. This initial phase of the book allows Pelecanos to introduce his readers to the circumstances faced by both sides of the racial divide in Washington at this time. The importance of this introduction is in giving an understanding of the motivations that lead the main character Derek Strange to become a rookie cop in the MPD by the time the story moves on to 1968 as well as showing how boyhood influences affect judgements and decisions in later life.

The main body of the book follows two separate, but parallel, storylines involving the circumstances, choices and consequences faced by differing groups of black and white youths that culminate in violent and tragic endings involving Strange. Whilst the actions of the main character at the end of the book provoke a moral dilemma for me, it is the fate of two of the other characters, Dominic Martini and Dennis Strange that provided me with much food for thought.

Prior to reading 'Hard Revolution' I had heard various glowing reports of George Pelecanos' writing often couched in familiar clichés. Having read 'Hard Revolution' I can only add my own praise to this and thoroughly recommend this book to anyone.

*** The Author ***

Goerge Pellecanos was born in Washington DC in 1957 and has written 12 crime/noir novels based in the city. In addition to his writing he works as an independent film producer, journalist and as a producer/writer on the television series 'The Wire'.

*** Publication Details ***

Hard Revolution is published in paperback by Orion Books

ISBN 0 75382 035 8

Pages 375

RRP of £6.99. Available on Amazon for £5.59

Summary: Best book I have read this year.