What do you think?
Rate this book
The Man Who #1
The Man who Killed his Brother
A wounded hero must confront his own worst enemy: himself
Mick "Brew" Axbrewder was once a great P.I. That was before he accidentally shot and killed a cop-worse, a cop who happened to be his own brother. Now he only works off and on, as muscle for his old partner, Ginny Fistoulari. It's a living. And it provides an occasional opportunity for him to dry out.
But their latest case demands more than muscle. Brew's dead brother's daughter has disap-peared. His brother's widow wants him and Ginny to investigate. And both of them seem to expect him to sober up. Because the darkness they're find-ing under the surface of Sunbelt city Puerto del Sol goes beyond one missing teenager.
Axbrewder will need all his talents to con-front that darkness. Most of all, he'll need to con-front his own worst enemy-himself.
More than two decades ago, bestselling author Stephen R. Donaldson published three novels about Mick Axbrewder and Ginny Fistoulari as paperback originals under the pseudonym Reed Stephens. More recently, under his own name, Donaldson published a new novel in the se-quence, The Man Who Fought Alone. Now, for Donaldson's millions of readers worldwide, the first of the original books, The Man Who Killed His Brother, appears under Donaldson's own name, in revised and expanded form.
Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1980
17 people are currently reading
366 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
September 24, 2024
Donaldson is one of my all time favorite authors. I've read almost everything he wrote (except this series which I am reading now). He is known for his fantasy and science fiction and this is the first detective work I have seen from him.
I am pretty disappointed in this book. Let me explain why,
There was no depth in the characters. They seem superficial and stereotypical. The action had no emotional build up, I didn't care about any of the characters, the victims or the antagonists. Maybe it will get better in the next book, but I doubt it. Each book seems to be a new crime to solve so the story itself wont get better. BYW it ended too quickly and too neatly for my liking.
I had no feeling of "I cant put this book down! or "I need to know what happens!" It just fell flat. I will keep reading the series because I bought the books and I will give it more of a chance.
"The man who killed his brother" well how about giving the reader the full story about that? What the hell ?! There is little to no background about the damn title!
Don't know what happened here Mr. Donaldson, but I think you should stick to your forte of fantasy and fire your publisher.
Safety: Outside of my above tagged book-shelved topics, the main character is a recovering alcoholic, and was forced to have a drink. The romance is meh. No sex, and no triggers. Safe.
I am pretty disappointed in this book. Let me explain why,
There was no depth in the characters. They seem superficial and stereotypical. The action had no emotional build up, I didn't care about any of the characters, the victims or the antagonists. Maybe it will get better in the next book, but I doubt it. Each book seems to be a new crime to solve so the story itself wont get better. BYW it ended too quickly and too neatly for my liking.
I had no feeling of "I cant put this book down! or "I need to know what happens!" It just fell flat. I will keep reading the series because I bought the books and I will give it more of a chance.
"The man who killed his brother" well how about giving the reader the full story about that? What the hell ?! There is little to no background about the damn title!
Don't know what happened here Mr. Donaldson, but I think you should stick to your forte of fantasy and fire your publisher.
Safety: Outside of my above tagged book-shelved topics, the main character is a recovering alcoholic, and was forced to have a drink. The romance is meh. No sex, and no triggers. Safe.
November 29, 2016
In 1980, after the release of the First Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, noted Fantasy author Stephen R Donaldson took a crack at writing Detective Fiction under the pseudonym Reed Stephens (this is the first of four in the series). The results are mixed - SRD knows how to paint compelling characters but his story stumbles oafishly through the conventions of the genre and his plot twists veer from obvious to illogical. No style points are given for the heinous crimes perpetrated upon the young victims, however at the time the book was written the nation was bracing for a youth-driven crime wave that never materialized (for more on that, read Freakonomics) so the set-up was likely a product of its era.
March 17, 2025
I've read the first two Covenant series (the first three multiple times) and consider myself a Donaldson fan, but I always associated him with maudlin narrators and dense prose. This private-eye procedural has a maudlin narrator--alcoholic and wracked with guilt over accidentally killing his own brother when they were both police--but the prose is trim and the plot is tight and quick-paced. Donaldson upended a lot of tropes in his fantasy series, but here he embraces many private-eye and mystery tropes without twisting them. That said, it surprised me a couple of times and features more awful-than-usual crimes. 3.5 stars, but I'll round up.
December 17, 2013
I have long known Stephen Donaldson as the author of the Thomas Covenant sextuplet of books. That series could very firmly be placed in the genre of 'fantasy'. I'm on the last of his pentuplet of books The Gap Series, a series that has certainly opened up new dimensions to Stephen Donaldson as an author, the most basic aspect of which is the fact that he has switched genres from the fantasy of the Thomas Covenant series to The Gaps' science fiction. That has shown his versatility to me already.
And then I came across this book and one of it's companions in the same series at the library. Because of Stephen Donalson's proven (bestseller) popularity (I can only assume) the publishers decided to greenlight a number of manuscripts - four to be exact - Stephen Donaldson had written before his bestsellers. They are, suprisingly and delightfully, written in an entirely different genre again - this time on the private eye side of crime fiction.
When I discovered this upon reading the back of the dustjacket I was intrigued (that's why I borrowed the book) but also, because I expected such high standards of Stephen Donaldson after reading some of the best fiction of my life written by his hands, I had little room for less than very good - however novelty helped get me past expectations.
Not that this novel isn't very good. That's the suprising thing - Stephen Donaldson is actually a good crime/who dunnit writer. One of my favourite 'private eye' writers is Australian Peter Corris (not least because reading him invokes scenes, recognition and memories from my home town of Sydney). Stephen Donaldson's effort is equal if not better to this seasoned writer's body of work.
As for the story itself, it centers around a series of disappearances by 12 to 13 year old girls. The girls then turn up dead about three months later. Medical examinations prove all of the girls concerned have evidence of heroin addiction. Furthermore they find "evidence of recent sexual activity". The assumption is that the girls have run away, gotten hooked on heroin and then turned to prostitution to finance their habit.
When Mick "Brew" Axbrewder's niece disappears in the same fashion as the previous girls it becomes personal. He and Ginny Fistoulari, a private detective, go after the case and start investigating. Ginny has her own private investigation business and hires Brew to help her whenever she feels she needs an extra head and pair of hands.
One of the interesting things about the main character and viewpoint is that Brew is an alcoholic. One of his rules is that he doesn't drink when he's "on a case" with Ginny. So much of the book is narrated from the viewpoint of a guy who is going through alcohol withdrawal. I thought that this was a very interesting touch. One of the reasons I think so is because in telling it from an alcoholic's point of view, he makes the story wholly and uniquely his own.
I think that anyone who enjoys any of the well known Stephen Donaldson books will - at the very least - be entertained by this book. Even if you don't usually read crime fiction if you are a Stephen Donaldson fan it's worth a look simply to experience the evolution of a writer.
What more can I say? I enjoyed it.
And then I came across this book and one of it's companions in the same series at the library. Because of Stephen Donalson's proven (bestseller) popularity (I can only assume) the publishers decided to greenlight a number of manuscripts - four to be exact - Stephen Donaldson had written before his bestsellers. They are, suprisingly and delightfully, written in an entirely different genre again - this time on the private eye side of crime fiction.
When I discovered this upon reading the back of the dustjacket I was intrigued (that's why I borrowed the book) but also, because I expected such high standards of Stephen Donaldson after reading some of the best fiction of my life written by his hands, I had little room for less than very good - however novelty helped get me past expectations.
Not that this novel isn't very good. That's the suprising thing - Stephen Donaldson is actually a good crime/who dunnit writer. One of my favourite 'private eye' writers is Australian Peter Corris (not least because reading him invokes scenes, recognition and memories from my home town of Sydney). Stephen Donaldson's effort is equal if not better to this seasoned writer's body of work.
As for the story itself, it centers around a series of disappearances by 12 to 13 year old girls. The girls then turn up dead about three months later. Medical examinations prove all of the girls concerned have evidence of heroin addiction. Furthermore they find "evidence of recent sexual activity". The assumption is that the girls have run away, gotten hooked on heroin and then turned to prostitution to finance their habit.
When Mick "Brew" Axbrewder's niece disappears in the same fashion as the previous girls it becomes personal. He and Ginny Fistoulari, a private detective, go after the case and start investigating. Ginny has her own private investigation business and hires Brew to help her whenever she feels she needs an extra head and pair of hands.
One of the interesting things about the main character and viewpoint is that Brew is an alcoholic. One of his rules is that he doesn't drink when he's "on a case" with Ginny. So much of the book is narrated from the viewpoint of a guy who is going through alcohol withdrawal. I thought that this was a very interesting touch. One of the reasons I think so is because in telling it from an alcoholic's point of view, he makes the story wholly and uniquely his own.
I think that anyone who enjoys any of the well known Stephen Donaldson books will - at the very least - be entertained by this book. Even if you don't usually read crime fiction if you are a Stephen Donaldson fan it's worth a look simply to experience the evolution of a writer.
What more can I say? I enjoyed it.
January 26, 2011
I am a Stephen R. Donaldson fan, and this is the fourth series of his work that I've read. I first read them years ago, and I had fond memories of them...enough so, that I decided to re-read them. These books don't do well on the second read. Maybe no mystery stories do, but I found the writing almost painful this time.
In this genre, the mystery is often either so inscrutable that it becomes irrelevant, or it is so obvious that the reader has to wait whole chapters for the "detectives" to catch up. This book manages to be both at the same time.
The detectives form a theory, commit themselves wholly to it's correctness, have it disproved with the very next clue, then commit themselves wholly to another perfectly rational theory, rinse, repeat. And they have a talent for overlooking the obvious. (Spoiler alert, if you're set on reading this.) They weave many of their theories around the assumption that the girls are getting hooked on drugs, then willingly prostituting themselves to pay for the drugs. Since the detectives discover fairly early that the girls were kidnapped (not running away0, why they don't assume that the girls are forced into drugs AND prostitution is the real mystery.
In this genre, the mystery is often either so inscrutable that it becomes irrelevant, or it is so obvious that the reader has to wait whole chapters for the "detectives" to catch up. This book manages to be both at the same time.
The detectives form a theory, commit themselves wholly to it's correctness, have it disproved with the very next clue, then commit themselves wholly to another perfectly rational theory, rinse, repeat. And they have a talent for overlooking the obvious. (Spoiler alert, if you're set on reading this.) They weave many of their theories around the assumption that the girls are getting hooked on drugs, then willingly prostituting themselves to pay for the drugs. Since the detectives discover fairly early that the girls were kidnapped (not running away0, why they don't assume that the girls are forced into drugs AND prostitution is the real mystery.
October 23, 2011
I prefer Donaldson's fantasies over his mysteries, but I'm tempted to read this series anyway just for the pleasure of finding the gems in his writing. Gems like the one he opens this book with:
I was sitting at the bar of the Hegira that night when Ginny came in. The barkeep, an ancient sad-eyed patriarch named Jose, had just poured me another drink, and I was having one of those rare moments any serious drunk can tell you about. A piece of real quiet. Jose's cheeks bristled because he didn't shave very often, and his apron was dingy because it didn't get washed very often, and his fingernails had little crescents of grime under them. The glass he poured for me wasn't all that clean. But the stuff he poured was golden-amber and beautiful, like distilled sunlight, and it made the whole place soothing as sleep—which drunks know how to value because they don't get much of it.
*sigh* That's some beautiful writing.
I was sitting at the bar of the Hegira that night when Ginny came in. The barkeep, an ancient sad-eyed patriarch named Jose, had just poured me another drink, and I was having one of those rare moments any serious drunk can tell you about. A piece of real quiet. Jose's cheeks bristled because he didn't shave very often, and his apron was dingy because it didn't get washed very often, and his fingernails had little crescents of grime under them. The glass he poured for me wasn't all that clean. But the stuff he poured was golden-amber and beautiful, like distilled sunlight, and it made the whole place soothing as sleep—which drunks know how to value because they don't get much of it.
*sigh* That's some beautiful writing.
April 17, 2011
My favorite fantasy-turned-sci-fi-turned-fantasy author is Stephen R. Donaldson. Years ago when I learned he wrote some hard-boiled detective novels under a pseudonym, of course I bought them. And set them on my self.
I finally read the first book in the series and it was pretty decent. This book was written in 1980. Donaldson is not as skilled at building a world of human mystery as he is at building an entirely new world out of nothing. The mystery has been done better by many an author. But I'm encouraged that he figures it out in the later books. Character development is outstanding as always with Donaldson. His depiction of Mick Axebrewder, a drunk coming off the sauce, is what I imagine to be spot on.
I finally read the first book in the series and it was pretty decent. This book was written in 1980. Donaldson is not as skilled at building a world of human mystery as he is at building an entirely new world out of nothing. The mystery has been done better by many an author. But I'm encouraged that he figures it out in the later books. Character development is outstanding as always with Donaldson. His depiction of Mick Axebrewder, a drunk coming off the sauce, is what I imagine to be spot on.
November 4, 2012
This is the first book of a four-book mystery series by one of my favorite authors, Stephen R. Donaldson. The book was good, but not as enjoyable for me as Donaldson's spectacular "Thomas Covenant" fantasy epic, his other high fantasy series "Mordant's Need", or his sci-fi "GAP" cycle. It does has interesting characters and is set up well at the end for the next book, so I will keep reading the series.
July 23, 2013
Rather enjoyed this book. it is not a deep meaningful read that will change your world view. it is a pacy, interesting crime novel with a love story as well. The main characters fight with alcoholism is sensitively handled and feeds the plot, it is not a bolt on. Strangely uplifting given the nature of the crimes.
February 22, 2008
Your typical hard-nosed, hard drinking detective story. Donaldson is much better in his space opera series (the "Gap into... " books) and his fantasy series (the "Convenant..." books).
August 5, 2014
A pretty good read. A bit predictable. It drove me crazy the way the detectives and the police missed the obvious.
June 25, 2024
We are all familiar with Stephen R. Donaldson as a fantasy writer. This series is different. It is a noir-style private investigator thriller series.
It's set in the apparently fictional city of Puerta del Sol (door of the Sun), a city in an unspecified state in the American Southwest, with a lot of racial tension between "anglos" and "chicanos." The POV character, Mick "Brew" Axbrewder, speaks fluent Spanish. Donaldson does a great job with the dialogue for conversations that take place in Spanish. The Spanish used is very formal, very old-world, with a lot of concern for courtesy and honor.
Because this book was published in 1980, it's a time capsule. Characters have to find a pay phone. The school board office has one domineering man presiding over an officeful of young female secretaries who appear to know their place. (Feels more 50s or 60s than 80s, but OK.)
In the Thomas Covenant series, Covenant is at the end of his rope emotionally and physically for the entire series, because he's been diagnosed with leprosy (not just a skin disease, but a degenerative nerve disease), and has lost his marriage, his joy, and his moral compass. Brew, in this book, is in the same situation, but instead of leprosy it's alcohol. His PI partner, Ginny Fistoulari, drags him out of the gutter at the beginning of the book and forces him to sober up so he can help her with a case. He spends the rest of the novel going through withdrawal, which is apparently more of a physical ordeal than I realized. Donaldson writes sickness and pain really well.
Don't expect a happy ending, but there is some sort of resolution.
It's set in the apparently fictional city of Puerta del Sol (door of the Sun), a city in an unspecified state in the American Southwest, with a lot of racial tension between "anglos" and "chicanos." The POV character, Mick "Brew" Axbrewder, speaks fluent Spanish. Donaldson does a great job with the dialogue for conversations that take place in Spanish. The Spanish used is very formal, very old-world, with a lot of concern for courtesy and honor.
Because this book was published in 1980, it's a time capsule. Characters have to find a pay phone. The school board office has one domineering man presiding over an officeful of young female secretaries who appear to know their place. (Feels more 50s or 60s than 80s, but OK.)
In the Thomas Covenant series, Covenant is at the end of his rope emotionally and physically for the entire series, because he's been diagnosed with leprosy (not just a skin disease, but a degenerative nerve disease), and has lost his marriage, his joy, and his moral compass. Brew, in this book, is in the same situation, but instead of leprosy it's alcohol. His PI partner, Ginny Fistoulari, drags him out of the gutter at the beginning of the book and forces him to sober up so he can help her with a case. He spends the rest of the novel going through withdrawal, which is apparently more of a physical ordeal than I realized. Donaldson writes sickness and pain really well.
Don't expect a happy ending, but there is some sort of resolution.
May 12, 2022
3.5 stars actually. I found this book on top on an English language pile in the maze of stores at the base of the Parthenon. So, along with some Greek language Disney (an awesome Barks duck collection!) and history, I snagged this as well because I was hoping for a read that would make up for my attempt to read a highly recommended book that I was failing to get through. Slogging Miserably. I'll hopefully finally get into that book at some point because it is so highly regarded.
Of course I read the White Gold Wielder series so many years ago. Not my favorites, but they did grab me and I looked forward to the next ones. I was unaware that Donaldson wrote this genre so I figured I'd give it a shot. And yes it did grab me, quick engrossing read, nothing new, very tense, horrible crimes, no happy ending (IMO) and the characters are put through the wringer in a very harsh environment. And I'm going to have to say I'm not exactly fond of any of the characters except maybe one who was not the main character, and was sidelined at a major thread of the book.
But, points for a story that I wanted to know what was going to happen and held my attention and interest. And finish I did. It did not put me to sleep. I'm not sure if I'll try to follow up on later books in the series. I still have to finish the most recent trilogy in the Thomas Covenant series first.
Of course I read the White Gold Wielder series so many years ago. Not my favorites, but they did grab me and I looked forward to the next ones. I was unaware that Donaldson wrote this genre so I figured I'd give it a shot. And yes it did grab me, quick engrossing read, nothing new, very tense, horrible crimes, no happy ending (IMO) and the characters are put through the wringer in a very harsh environment. And I'm going to have to say I'm not exactly fond of any of the characters except maybe one who was not the main character, and was sidelined at a major thread of the book.
But, points for a story that I wanted to know what was going to happen and held my attention and interest. And finish I did. It did not put me to sleep. I'm not sure if I'll try to follow up on later books in the series. I still have to finish the most recent trilogy in the Thomas Covenant series first.
February 13, 2021
I don't read crime-mystery but I read this because of the author. I enjoyed the style and use of language. As an inexperienced reader of this genre, the plot held me to the end and was satisfying. But what really kept me reading was sharing the lead character's experience of self-loathing, despair, and stubborn determination to do what was necessary to help those he came to care about, especially those who suffered innocently. (Not that I am into self-loathing and despair!) I want to discover more about what drives this new anti-hero. I want to unearth what draws Brew Axbrewder toward a honorable life. Now to dig up the next title in the series!
April 6, 2021
Not sure if the Sunbelt city Puerto del Sol is in New Mexico but perhaps close enough. Closely written, fast paced, driven to solve the crime. But oddly, food as fuel and sleep delay action repeatedly. Deep dive into severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms which is quite scary. Very very nicely done is how Brew lapses into the Spanish language, speaking formally and with respect. He changes the dynamics no matter the situation.
March 10, 2020
Real life drama from the master of Fantasy?
Wasn’t sure what to expect from this step into crime n thriller from the Author who brings us the most frustratingly lovable hate able shout out loud at them characters like Thomas Covenant and Prince / King Bifalt, but I loved every page and will be starting in book 2 tomorrow.
Wasn’t sure what to expect from this step into crime n thriller from the Author who brings us the most frustratingly lovable hate able shout out loud at them characters like Thomas Covenant and Prince / King Bifalt, but I loved every page and will be starting in book 2 tomorrow.
February 28, 2023
OK I guess... definitely simple hard balled mystery type book. Not like his Covenant and other Fantasy and SciFi series. Understandable he used a pseudonym. I remember thinking earlier in the story when the culprit was first introduced that it was somewhat forced at the time, and then just dropped until the end of the story. Liked it enough that I expect I’ll read the next one in the series.
June 21, 2019
In almost any other other author's hands, this story would probably have rated 2 starts, or maybe 3. But Stephen Donaldson keeps the story going, and each of the many twists I never saw coming. Great story!
February 27, 2022
Good, gritty hard-boiled detective story. The psychology of an alcoholic seems accurately represented. Interesting character devcelopment, worth tracking down the next novel. This book ends with a reversal, Mick is the strong one and Ginny is injured and depressed. Should be a good dynamic.
March 3, 2024
As good as it was the first time 30 years ago /choke,30 years ago ugg,
One of the best depictions of alcoholism and its effects I have read.
Kind of the anti-classic detectives a strong woman and a basket case dude duo
One of the best depictions of alcoholism and its effects I have read.
Kind of the anti-classic detectives a strong woman and a basket case dude duo
August 21, 2018
Worst mystery novel ever
September 8, 2019
Horrifying
August 26, 2020
SRD is awesome. This book had to have been written by an imposter. It will disappoint.
March 25, 2021
Plot was so-so, but Donaldson's eloquent and gifted writing helped to overcome the inadequacies.
September 26, 2024
Well written, but somewhat predictable. Glad the end is not over the top unbelievable.
June 19, 2024
I liked the wounded main character, his alcoholism is darkly realistic, and the children in danger plot drew me in quickly. The mystery, however, left something to be desired. I ended up not believing in the logic of the crime itself which made the investigation and guilty parties seem unlikely as well.
This is Book 1 in a series.
This is Book 1 in a series.
November 27, 2018
Author Stephen R. Donaldson is best known for his fantasy sagas like The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever, but his character work and intense internal struggles resonate more than the epic quests and magical worldbuilding, and that's what shines in his The Man Who detective novels. Originally a trilogy that Donaldson wrote under a pseudonym in the 1980s, the series was later reissued with the author's real name attached to accompany the publication of the fourth (and so far, final) book in 2001.
This first story is probably the weakest of the lot, but it still has distinctive flourishes that raise it above the genre standard. The language is deliciously hardboiled, and although the setting lacks any giants or wizards, it's painted as such a torturous purgatory for the titular detective that I hesitate to call it entirely earthbound. I've read plenty of other stories about alcoholics, but no series has ever made addiction seem as starkly horrifying as it does here. The narrator's dependence on alcohol colors every corner of his investigations, with drinking presented as this awful, ugly thing that Axbrewder is nevertheless compelled to do. I'm honestly half-convinced that reading this series in high school may have been the catalyst that sparked my own lifelong decision not to drink.
It's not a perfect book. Donaldson is still clearly figuring out the rules of detective fiction at this stage in his career, and careful readers will likely run a few steps ahead of Axbrewder and his partner in unraveling the case. There's a lot of oblique subtext that would have been stronger if spelled out explicitly, especially concerning the backstory in the title of the time the private investigator fired at a suspect while drunk and gunned down his brother by mistake. It's clear that even on the wagon the protagonist no longer believes in the possibility of his own redemption, but Donaldson focuses narrowly on that effect at the expense of really exploring its root cause.
There's also a somewhat strained racial dynamic between what the text calls Anglos and Chicanos in the fictional southwestern city of Puerta del Sol. Axbrewder is the rare member of the former group who doesn't discriminate against the latter, but the minority characters do come across as just a little more stereotypical and mysticized than their white counterparts. I remember this being less of an issue in the sequels, so perhaps it's yet another mark of a talented but clumsy early writer. Luckily, there's still a lot to recommend this first volume, and the books only get better from here.
[Content warning for child prostitution and rape, off-screen but regularly discussed throughout.]
This first story is probably the weakest of the lot, but it still has distinctive flourishes that raise it above the genre standard. The language is deliciously hardboiled, and although the setting lacks any giants or wizards, it's painted as such a torturous purgatory for the titular detective that I hesitate to call it entirely earthbound. I've read plenty of other stories about alcoholics, but no series has ever made addiction seem as starkly horrifying as it does here. The narrator's dependence on alcohol colors every corner of his investigations, with drinking presented as this awful, ugly thing that Axbrewder is nevertheless compelled to do. I'm honestly half-convinced that reading this series in high school may have been the catalyst that sparked my own lifelong decision not to drink.
It's not a perfect book. Donaldson is still clearly figuring out the rules of detective fiction at this stage in his career, and careful readers will likely run a few steps ahead of Axbrewder and his partner in unraveling the case. There's a lot of oblique subtext that would have been stronger if spelled out explicitly, especially concerning the backstory in the title of the time the private investigator fired at a suspect while drunk and gunned down his brother by mistake. It's clear that even on the wagon the protagonist no longer believes in the possibility of his own redemption, but Donaldson focuses narrowly on that effect at the expense of really exploring its root cause.
There's also a somewhat strained racial dynamic between what the text calls Anglos and Chicanos in the fictional southwestern city of Puerta del Sol. Axbrewder is the rare member of the former group who doesn't discriminate against the latter, but the minority characters do come across as just a little more stereotypical and mysticized than their white counterparts. I remember this being less of an issue in the sequels, so perhaps it's yet another mark of a talented but clumsy early writer. Luckily, there's still a lot to recommend this first volume, and the books only get better from here.
[Content warning for child prostitution and rape, off-screen but regularly discussed throughout.]
March 20, 2012
The Man Who series started coming out after the first Thomas Covenant books; The Man who Killed his Brother is a fun read in its own right, made more intriguing as an early example of Donaldson's willingness to tell stories a far cry from the one that made him famous. Donaldson's mystery debut had a voice with hints of Crumley or Chandler.
There are plenty of raspy-voiced, whiskey-slamming detectives in fiction, plenty of tough, yet fragile guys with scars and soft hearts. The relationships resonated with me, though, enough to keep me turning pages even when some of the plot elements were struggling to decide on a scale. The plot revolves around a missing person case that rings disturbingly real and plausible, but the story wanders off to a regional drug kingpin with overtones of a James Bond movie marathon, despite the fact that the protagonist knows the kingpin is not directly involved with his case before going to see him. The crime boss did little but make me wonder how many pages into the sequel he would show up again. I paid closer attention to Axbrewder's guilt, and his inability to internalize praise when he does the right thing.
The experimentation with contemporary dialogue provides case studies in how to do things well (the unspoken volumes between Fistoulari and Axbrewder, Lona's hitches and echoes when she's under strain), how things can go wrong (the cowboy twang so severe it grows a second head trying to call attention to itself), and the in-between (the mixture of quiet dignity and strained formality in the translated Spanish conversations).
Also noteworthy is the amount the reader learns about Axbrewder by the narrative focus on details. He muses at length about alcohol, but eats "some food", or "whatever was in the refrigerator". And he is forever catching cabs or walking to a car rental lot, and waxing poetic about what, if anything, happens when he turns the key.
The Man who Killed his Brother was a one-day read for me, which is rare. It was a decent start, and the series improved as it went on.
There are plenty of raspy-voiced, whiskey-slamming detectives in fiction, plenty of tough, yet fragile guys with scars and soft hearts. The relationships resonated with me, though, enough to keep me turning pages even when some of the plot elements were struggling to decide on a scale. The plot revolves around a missing person case that rings disturbingly real and plausible, but the story wanders off to a regional drug kingpin with overtones of a James Bond movie marathon, despite the fact that the protagonist knows the kingpin is not directly involved with his case before going to see him. The crime boss did little but make me wonder how many pages into the sequel he would show up again. I paid closer attention to Axbrewder's guilt, and his inability to internalize praise when he does the right thing.
The experimentation with contemporary dialogue provides case studies in how to do things well (the unspoken volumes between Fistoulari and Axbrewder, Lona's hitches and echoes when she's under strain), how things can go wrong (the cowboy twang so severe it grows a second head trying to call attention to itself), and the in-between (the mixture of quiet dignity and strained formality in the translated Spanish conversations).
Also noteworthy is the amount the reader learns about Axbrewder by the narrative focus on details. He muses at length about alcohol, but eats "some food", or "whatever was in the refrigerator". And he is forever catching cabs or walking to a car rental lot, and waxing poetic about what, if anything, happens when he turns the key.
The Man who Killed his Brother was a one-day read for me, which is rare. It was a decent start, and the series improved as it went on.
May 18, 2009
There's an over used cliché that seems to adorn the covers of half the thrillers on the bookshelves today: "I turned the pages so fast I left burn marks on the paper." Or something similar. I'm not going to say anything like that but if I did I wouldn't be just supplying an off pat testimonial just for the publicists - I'd actually mean it. Ok so the plot isn't great; its got holes aplenty and skates too close to the absurd a few too many times but that doesn't matter. Donaldson/Stephens has a knack of creating characters who really shouldn't hold the sympathy of the reader. Somehow you end up loving them anyway.
October 6, 2011
I've always felt that Donaldson's greatest strength as a writer lies in his characters, and this story strongly affirms that opinion. We are presented with a protagonist who is utterly broken and seems neither willing nor able to fix himself, yet finds the strength to rise to a challenge when necessary. Mick Axbrewder has seen his share of misery (most of it unintentional but of his own making), but remains an idealist at heart. He isn't necessarily a likable character (not all the time, at least), but I found him interesting and possessing the kind of depth I've come to expect in Donaldson's characters.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews