From the Bookshelf of Warren Ellis: Q&A Experiment…

Gun Machine

Warren Ellis

Start date: January 1, 2013

Why we're reading this: Because Crooked Little Vein made my head both implode and explode at the same time.
[close] Because Crooked Little Vein made my head both implode and explode at the same time.

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Aug 10, 2013 Sirbriang2 rated it really liked it

Warren Ellis can write any genre he wants to (I can only imagine his dime romances), and this is his police procedural. It has an interesting plot and an entertaining supporting cast. That supporting cast is almost TOO quirky (what cop show doesn't have quirky lab guys?), but Ellis' give for dialogue more than makes up for that symptom of genre writing. The only thing that kept me from absolutely loving this book was the main character. I think Ellis was going out of his way to make this guy kin ...more

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Feb 02, 2013 Greg rated it really liked it

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 ...more

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Jan 23, 2013 Julien L rated it liked it

A crime novel needs two things: a compelling plot, and story beats that coincide with said plot. The rest could be an autonomous unit that adds layers to the story.

Gun Machine, by Warren Ellis, author of the novel Crooked Little Vein, and writer of many famous graphic novels, came out in Jan. 2013, and is Ellis’s second work of prose. It deals primarily in the genre of crime fiction. The story is a basic police procedural with some added complications.

The story starts off with two police offic A crime novel needs two things: a compelling plot, and story beats that coincide with said plot. The rest could be an autonomous unit that adds layers to the story.

Gun Machine, by Warren Ellis, author of the novel Crooked Little Vein, and writer of many famous graphic novels, came out in Jan. 2013, and is Ellis’s second work of prose. It deals primarily in the genre of crime fiction. The story is a basic police procedural with some added complications.

The story starts off with two police officers, Jim Rosato and John Tallow, investigating gunshots at an apartment building. After a minor scuffle, Tallow stumbles upon an apartment loaded with guns. Not only does this open about 100 closed cases, it connects them all to each other.

Overall, this becomes your basic cat-and-mouse, detective-hunts-serial killer story, but with a few added twists that make the story worth a read. First, the protagonist is not all that likable. John Tallow is a New York Police Department detective with a bit of an edgy side and rebellious streak. He is presented as a flawed but relatable character with connections to the technology and art we use and make today. We are given insight into his mindset and lifestyle through the use of both omniscient third-person and first-person views.

In addition, there is a big focus on Native American culture permeating the length of the novel. Not only does this present some interesting background into the culture, but it also ties into the story nicely.

The novel’s main strengths lie in its characters, environment, and the descriptive language. Warren Ellis is a wordsmith of the best kind, sculpting what would be a simple crime story out of complex, rhythmic language. He has a knack for using his sentence building abilities to develop a unique environment and characters out of just a few sentences. He gives each one the barest of descriptions in the narrative, and instead lets the characters build their charm through dialogue and the environment through scenes of action.

But with every strength, comes weaknesses following it.

The antagonist of the book, dubbed “The Hunter,” has chapters of the book dedicated to him. This may seem unique at first, but seeing the events unfold from the perspective of the villain destroys a lot of mystery behind the methods and tactics of how he pulled off his crimes. It is comparable to “Silence of the Lambs,” where the audience is given some insight into Hannibal Lecter’s inner machinations. A lot of the tension is removed and the reader isn’t given enough room to think out parts of the story for themselves.

Gun Machine is an entertaining book, even if it emphasizes style over substance. It does not reinvent the wheel of the crime genre, but it does crime fiction well.
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Jun 13, 2013 Shaun Sturman rated it really liked it

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

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May 16, 2013 Cyberfaust rated it really liked it

A pretty entertaining detective novel, somewhere between the movie ''Seven'' and Warren Ellis's earlier work, such as Transmetropolitan.
The prose is witty and often reads like a movie, no wonder one is allegedly in the works.

Great read if you Like Warren Ellis's comics, pulp detective novels or merely witty adventures with a violent streak. ...more

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