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What Members Thought
Obviously you don't read Warren Ellis if you're not OK with profanity, ultra-violence, disturbing imagery, and a fixation on technology and psychogeography that supports a certain amount of slightly-too-artificial monologuing. Personally I enjoy these things, and Ellis has found a nice home for them in the New York crime procedural, so overall I'm well pleased. I agree with other reviewers that the resolution is too abrupt, and the killer's fate is a little too tidy, seemingly in service of a bi
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While not as technically polished as his previous novel, CROOKED LITTLE VEIN, GUN MACHINE is narratively more accessible to readers who might not be familiar with Ellis's style and sense of humor. Where Ellis usually shines is in his dialogue and here he succeeds. It's his narrative prose that keeps this from being a 5 star review. The book really hits its stride around 1/3 of the way through (as does the protagonist, John Tallow), largely because Tallow's two CSU partners, Scarly and Bat are in
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Great read! A detective story with a creative premise: a police detective and two CSIs on the trail of a serial killer who has been completely undetected for decades. As the story unfolds his connections to a group of people in power are revealed. It all comes to a breathless conclusion, with satisfying answers to the many mysteries. I thought the New York City dialog was convincing, although it could be argued that the story probably could have worked in a London setting (Ellis is English).
Warren Ellis's second book and my first experience of his prose writing, though well versed in his comic and graphic novel work.
This book moves along at a quick pace, with not a wasted word or sentence.
There are plenty of ideas about cities and the way we communicate in the modern world, juxtaposed by the villain, know only as the Hunter, someone that lives outside of the modern world, quite literally.
A good crime novel that will keep you glued to the page till the very end. ...more
This book moves along at a quick pace, with not a wasted word or sentence.
There are plenty of ideas about cities and the way we communicate in the modern world, juxtaposed by the villain, know only as the Hunter, someone that lives outside of the modern world, quite literally.
A good crime novel that will keep you glued to the page till the very end. ...more
Brilliant book, and far more than your standard police procedural. Dark, funny and really quite bizarre in places. Lovely, twisted little tale. Warren Ellis is beautiful madman.
I really dug it until it's conclusion, which was a bit of a bummer.
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A cracking little police procedural. The main character is a little under drawn and it ends far too quickly. But it's full of turns, wonderful little turns of phrase that'll make you laugh out loud and enough ideas for a much bigger book. I wish those ideas had been better expanded upon but there's also a lot to be said for brevity.
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Not as hilarious as crooked little vein, but it's tight. Ellis has noticeably improved. I want a cigarette now.
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A great blast of alternate cop drama that doesn't pull its punches and just says read me.
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Oct 01, 2012
Tom
marked it as to-read
Oct 01, 2012
Alex
marked it as to-read
Oct 01, 2012
Bobby
marked it as to-read
Oct 03, 2012
Drob
marked it as to-read
Jan 01, 2013
Matt Springer
added it
Jan 06, 2013
Pat
marked it as to-read
Apr 15, 2013
Daniel Kovacs Rezsuk
marked it as to-read
