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323rd out of 331 books
—
167 voters
A Dangerous Man (Hank Thompson #3)
“Among the new voices in twenty-first-century crime fiction, Charlie Huston . . . is where it’s at.”
–The Washington Post
“Huston writes dialogue so combustible it could fuel a bus and characters crazy enough to take it on the road.”
–The New York Times Book Review
Reluctant hitman Henry Thompson has fallen on hard times. His grip on life is disintegrating, his pistol hand sha...more
–The Washington Post
“Huston writes dialogue so combustible it could fuel a bus and characters crazy enough to take it on the road.”
–The New York Times Book Review
Reluctant hitman Henry Thompson has fallen on hard times. His grip on life is disintegrating, his pistol hand sha...more
Paperback, 286 pages
Published
September 19th 2006
by Ballantine Books
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Charlie Huston’s “A Dangerous Man” is the third and last book in the Hank Thompson trilogy. Unfortunately, it is not as good as the first two books (very good “Caught Stealing” and almost outstanding “Six Bad Things”). I hope it is not presumptuous of me to provide the explanation. We do not take the plot of the first two books realistically. I mean, they are written as if they were realistic, but we know they tell a story that could not *really* happen in *real* life. Sort of like “magical real...more
Great ending to a great series.....
A great ending to a superb trilogy!
Henry "Hank" Thompson is back, his plastic surgery enhanced face, his pill habit and more...
The story starts in Vegas and then heads back to New York, Hank is working as a "dangerous man", a hired killer, enforcer, bodyguard, etc.
The Russian mobster David Dolokhov has Hank on a short leash, with the threat of his parents being killed hanging over his head, Hank doesn't really have a choice!
I enjoyed this book just as much...more
A great ending to a superb trilogy!
Henry "Hank" Thompson is back, his plastic surgery enhanced face, his pill habit and more...
The story starts in Vegas and then heads back to New York, Hank is working as a "dangerous man", a hired killer, enforcer, bodyguard, etc.
The Russian mobster David Dolokhov has Hank on a short leash, with the threat of his parents being killed hanging over his head, Hank doesn't really have a choice!
I enjoyed this book just as much...more
I'm an unabashed Huston fanboy ... but that aside, Dangerous Man was an incredible read.
I've cited the first two books in the Hank Thompson trilogy as excellent examples of pure modern noir -- a story in which an innocent is sucked in over his head, in which a mostly good guy has to deal with the consequences of being mixed up with utterly bad people.
Wrapping up such a tale in a satisfactory manner is difficult: I don't want a downer ending just to fit the mood, but there would be something unsa...more
I've cited the first two books in the Hank Thompson trilogy as excellent examples of pure modern noir -- a story in which an innocent is sucked in over his head, in which a mostly good guy has to deal with the consequences of being mixed up with utterly bad people.
Wrapping up such a tale in a satisfactory manner is difficult: I don't want a downer ending just to fit the mood, but there would be something unsa...more
I almost didn't buy this book. I loved "Caught Stealing," the first in the Henry Thompson trilogy, but the sequel, "Six Bad Things," involved Henry taking a lot of less-than-sympathetic actions. I had liked the character in the first book, and the second one made me like him a good bit less. It was so disappointing that I had trouble enjoying the storyline as I read it. Charlie Huston's writing is always awesome--action-packed, creative and gripping--but when I'm starting to feel uneasy about th...more
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The final installment in Charlie Huston’s modern noir Henry Thompson trilogy, A Dangerous Man is another page turning adventure with Huston’s anti-hero, Henry Thompson. Through each chapter of Huston’s trilogy, Henry has grown tougher and a little less hopeful and this is no exception. Henry is at the bitter end of his saga of murder, mafia, and running for his life.
In this chapter, Henry is working for David, a Russian mafia boss, committing murders, beatings, and other dirty work in exchange f...more
In this chapter, Henry is working for David, a Russian mafia boss, committing murders, beatings, and other dirty work in exchange f...more
I didn't realize until after I had finished this book that it was the third in a series. I really only read it to begin with because it was a free download from Kindle.
The first half of the book was a bit confusing and did not really hold my attention. I found myself having to reread several pages because I realized I was skimming the words, not really paying attention to what I was reading. However, I hate to start a book and not finish it, so I plugged away. When the book was nearly over, I ac...more
The first half of the book was a bit confusing and did not really hold my attention. I found myself having to reread several pages because I realized I was skimming the words, not really paying attention to what I was reading. However, I hate to start a book and not finish it, so I plugged away. When the book was nearly over, I ac...more
1 like · like · see review
Let me preface my review of "A Dangerous Man" by Charlie Huston with a caveat: I rarely get "lost" in books in the way I might when doing other activities, such as seeing a compelling movie or playing a particularly good video game. With that behind us, I am going to say that this book was riveting--I couldn't put it down. ADM was that good.
I started ADM like I do with most books. I figured I would give it a try, but assumed that I would get bored. Admittedly, what grabbed me initially was the b...more
I started ADM like I do with most books. I figured I would give it a try, but assumed that I would get bored. Admittedly, what grabbed me initially was the b...more
I downloaded this book on my phone because it was free. I was pretty surprised when it turned out to be awesome.
This is a kickass story, and it reads like a good action movie. There are times when I was tensed up by the awesomeness, and wanted to jump on my chair and shout about how awesome Hank (the main character) is, but of course nobody does that sort of thing. My butt cheeks did clench in excitement at the final fight though, so take that under consideration.
Anyway, it's a story about a guy...more
This is a kickass story, and it reads like a good action movie. There are times when I was tensed up by the awesomeness, and wanted to jump on my chair and shout about how awesome Hank (the main character) is, but of course nobody does that sort of thing. My butt cheeks did clench in excitement at the final fight though, so take that under consideration.
Anyway, it's a story about a guy...more
Henry Thompson makes poor choices and moves from one terrible crisis to the next. Unfortunately, despite his good intentions, his lack of foresight now has him reluctantly working as a hitman for a crimelord since he managed to be dumped with $4 million of the crimelord money, asked a friend to hold it for him, and then got that friend killed. In fact, being killed happens to a lot of Henry's friends. Now, he is trying to protect his parents from the crimelord's threats to kill them if Henry doe...more
The story of Hank Thompson is both tragic and perfect. Charlie Huston's story satisfies each of the conditions required for an entertaining and engaging (crime thriller) read: it's continuous in the sense that there are no easy stopping points or huge story gaps which can be confusing (discontinuity), an emotional connection is established between Henry and the reader, and the intensity of each book increases as the reader approaches the end.
Where the Joe Pitt series failed (I feel that the stor...more
Where the Joe Pitt series failed (I feel that the stor...more
Over the course of three novels, poor Henry Thompson has gone from an average joe down on his luck to a killer with only one goal: protect the lives of his innocent parents. The lengths that he'll go to to achieve that goal make this book painful to read, but very rewarding to anyone that's read the previous novels. In both of his series, Huston has managed to consistently ratchet up the stakes and the tension, book by book, into a brutal endurance test for his characters- and I mean that in the...more
End of the trilogy, with the very slim possibility of a fourth book should the author so desire, but no actual need for one. Except that I love Henry and want him to have a happy ending. Not sure what he'd make of one, though.
This book starts some time after the previous one ends. Henry has had a chance to heal from the wounds inflicted in the last book, and his life has taken another, darker turn. The violence continues apace, as do the various addictions Henry indulges to help him cope with bo...more
This book starts some time after the previous one ends. Henry has had a chance to heal from the wounds inflicted in the last book, and his life has taken another, darker turn. The violence continues apace, as do the various addictions Henry indulges to help him cope with bo...more
I bought all three of the Henry Thompson books at once because I had read and liked some other Charlie Huston stories.
In some ways, I felt like I was reading one of Thomas Hardy's works (e.g. The Mayor of Casterbridge or Tess of the d'Urbervilles) because Henry Thompson gets in too deep through no real fault of his own and then is completely destroyed by the turning of fate.
However, that isn't a level of bleakness that has any appeal to me. I read Thomas Hardy in school because I had to. I read...more
In some ways, I felt like I was reading one of Thomas Hardy's works (e.g. The Mayor of Casterbridge or Tess of the d'Urbervilles) because Henry Thompson gets in too deep through no real fault of his own and then is completely destroyed by the turning of fate.
However, that isn't a level of bleakness that has any appeal to me. I read Thomas Hardy in school because I had to. I read...more
Man, I am so sad that this Hank Thompson trilogy is over. But I must say that I'm also a bit happy. Charlie Huston wrote an amazing ending. Wow, this isn't the kind of book you'd expect to get choked up in at the end. You expect fast-paced action and Tarantino-esque dialogue. This novel and the trilogy as a whole is so much more though. Huston makes you actually care what happens to Hank and fear for Hank. No one in these novels are safe. Good people will die, and good people will make terrible...more
"People with self-respect have the courage of their mistakes. They know the price of things. If they choose to commit adultery, they do not then go running, in an excess of bad conscience, to receive absolution from the wronged parties; nor do they complain unduly of the unfairness, the undeserved embarrassment, of being named co-respondent. In brief, people with self-respect exhibit a certain toughness, a kind of mortal nerve; they display what was once called character, a quality which, althou...more
PROTAGONIST: Henry Thompson
SETTING: New York City
SERIES: #3 of 3 (trilogy)
RATING: 4.25
It's interesting that there are so few trilogies written in the mystery genre when that is such a commonplace format in the science fiction world. Although there are many series in crime fiction, it is unusual to find an author determining that they will be writing a trilogy as they start their writing effort. A notable example of a successful trilogy is the Garnethill series by Denise Mina. And now Charlie Hus...more
SETTING: New York City
SERIES: #3 of 3 (trilogy)
RATING: 4.25
It's interesting that there are so few trilogies written in the mystery genre when that is such a commonplace format in the science fiction world. Although there are many series in crime fiction, it is unusual to find an author determining that they will be writing a trilogy as they start their writing effort. A notable example of a successful trilogy is the Garnethill series by Denise Mina. And now Charlie Hus...more
This book, the third in the Hank Thompson trilogy, brings the entire, brutal story to rest. What started out as a error in judgment (agreeing to catsit a neighbor’s pet) led to a string of murders, a life on the lam, and an eventual job with the Russian mafia. Now, in the final volume, Charlie Huston brings Hank full circle, and tries to make him a sympathetic character all over again.
It isn’t an easy thing to do. What drove Hank in the previous two books was a desperation to survive, and a desi...more
It isn’t an easy thing to do. What drove Hank in the previous two books was a desperation to survive, and a desi...more
Struggled between giving the book three or four stars. To give the author credit he does not end with a nice tidy happy ending. He ends the story the only way it should: with Hank alone and dying.
On the other hand the fighting scenes have lost their freshness and the story line seems a bit thin. My favorite character from this book is Jay. Perhaps he reminds me of Hank from the first book in the series. Overall I did really enjoy this series and will soon explore the Pitt series by Mr. Huston.
On the other hand the fighting scenes have lost their freshness and the story line seems a bit thin. My favorite character from this book is Jay. Perhaps he reminds me of Hank from the first book in the series. Overall I did really enjoy this series and will soon explore the Pitt series by Mr. Huston.
A Worthy Conclusion to a Worthy Trilogy
For those of you that have read Caught Stealing and Six Bad Things , it should be a no brainer to pick up this concluding volume. For those of you who have not read any of this series, I highly suggest you read the previously mentioned books immediately. This trilogy is one of the freshest and most well written set of books I have read in a significant amount of time. I keep kicking myself that I have just now discovered Charlie Huston. Anyways, I digress.
I...more
For those of you that have read Caught Stealing and Six Bad Things , it should be a no brainer to pick up this concluding volume. For those of you who have not read any of this series, I highly suggest you read the previously mentioned books immediately. This trilogy is one of the freshest and most well written set of books I have read in a significant amount of time. I keep kicking myself that I have just now discovered Charlie Huston. Anyways, I digress.
I...more
"Everyone Who's Helped You is Dead, Yo!"
I'm a huge Charlie Huston fan, and anxiously awaited this finale to the Henry Thompson trilogy. And I wasn't disappointed: Huston is back in all his quirky quotation mark-free dialogue and non-linear storyline glory.
A lot has happened to Henry since "Six Bad Things" - and not much of it good. To keep his parents alive, he's been impressed into service by Russian mobster "David" as a hit man, running under the tutelage of Branko, the stone cold killing pro...more
I'm a huge Charlie Huston fan, and anxiously awaited this finale to the Henry Thompson trilogy. And I wasn't disappointed: Huston is back in all his quirky quotation mark-free dialogue and non-linear storyline glory.
A lot has happened to Henry since "Six Bad Things" - and not much of it good. To keep his parents alive, he's been impressed into service by Russian mobster "David" as a hit man, running under the tutelage of Branko, the stone cold killing pro...more
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This was the strongest of the three Henry Thompson books.
I think I was distracted by Huston's formatting when I started this trilogy (Sleepless, a stand-alone novel and the first Huston book I read, had actual quotation marks; his earlier novels have long dashes indicating dialogue and he rarely attributes dialogue to anyone). As I've grown accustomed to it, I began to appreciate it, and I think it may be Huston's greatest strength. I especially enjoyed the Russian crime kingpin's dialogue and p...more
I think I was distracted by Huston's formatting when I started this trilogy (Sleepless, a stand-alone novel and the first Huston book I read, had actual quotation marks; his earlier novels have long dashes indicating dialogue and he rarely attributes dialogue to anyone). As I've grown accustomed to it, I began to appreciate it, and I think it may be Huston's greatest strength. I especially enjoyed the Russian crime kingpin's dialogue and p...more
Excellent!
Huston keeps you turning pages as he keeps a constant air of menace and forboding--you feel like something terrible is about to just about to happen. His sharp dialogue and concise descriptions create real characters...we may not always like them but we can see them.
WARNING--this series (and especially this novel) are not for the faint of heart--graphic violence and language and a main character with some interesting life choices ie descriptions on how he attempts to self medicate.
Huston keeps you turning pages as he keeps a constant air of menace and forboding--you feel like something terrible is about to just about to happen. His sharp dialogue and concise descriptions create real characters...we may not always like them but we can see them.
WARNING--this series (and especially this novel) are not for the faint of heart--graphic violence and language and a main character with some interesting life choices ie descriptions on how he attempts to self medicate.
I loved reading this trilogy…the hard-core crime and violence blended with some of that Pulp Fiction subtle, quirky humour. The kind of humour where the bad guy fails at killing you so he shares a cigarette or drink with you while the failed killing is discussed. I was hoping for maybe a fourth book in this series…and would still be thrilled if there ever was…but the ending of this last book was satisfying and complete. This was, however, one of those books that I just didn’t want to end. Huston...more
This was the first Charlie Huston I actually read. I know - 3rd book last, but it was the only one I could find at the time and I wasn't waiting. I didn't regret it. There was something both incredibly classic and at the same time amazingly refreshing about Huston's writing. I sped through the book in 24 hours lying on the back seat of our hire car as we drove across the south west and as soon as it was over I wanted to read it again.
Charlie Huston's "Hank Thompson" series is a fun read, with a believable story arc for the characters involved. It's not great literature, but not hackwork either. Huston is a master of "natural" dialog, where exchanges between characters sound like real life conversations. This is both a blessing and a curse.
If you like crime stories, and stories where the protagonist gets in over his head, give this a look.
If you like crime stories, and stories where the protagonist gets in over his head, give this a look.
I don't know if it's "well written" or what, but this book, like most of the other Charlie Huston books, took about a half page to have me completely in its grip. To say I couldn't put it down would be an understatement. I craved it. I jumped when people walked up on me while I was reading. I forgot I had other things to do. If you have any kind of a stomach for violence, I would not hesitate to recommend it.
This is the last part of the Henry Thompson trilogy. Henry is forced do do heinous things in order to protect his mother and father. They are the ransom for Henry's soul. I think the other two books need to be read in order to get Henry's back story. It moves along at quite a pace, and if you enjoy an action-filled noir, this trilogy might be the ticket.
I only got about halfway through this book. I really didn't like it at all. I like to be able to identify or at least like one character in a book and they are all deplorable. I couldn't finish it. I didn't care what happened next. I felt they all deserved to rot in prison or just die. I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone I liked.
This was a good, satisfying end to the Hank Thompson trilogy. This book contains the same fast pace, twisting plot, and gruesome violence that filled the first two installments.
The series is all about the protagonist, and putting him through the wringer. It seems like the supporting characters are only there to help develop the character of Hank and drive him through the plot, which works out fine. Hank makes a sympathetic anti-hero, and this is a great wrap up for the series.
My only complaint...more
The series is all about the protagonist, and putting him through the wringer. It seems like the supporting characters are only there to help develop the character of Hank and drive him through the plot, which works out fine. Hank makes a sympathetic anti-hero, and this is a great wrap up for the series.
My only complaint...more
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Charlie Huston is an American author of Noircrime fiction. However, according to a recent interview with Paradigm, he prefers to be classified as a writer of Pulp, due to how he writes.
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