Killshot

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Summary: Leonard On Target
Review: "Killshot" is a fast-paced, edgy and action-filled novel with strong emphasis on character, which is what one expects from Elmore Leonard. Leonard effectively paints telling portraits complete with physical details, emotions and mannerisms, and he never short-changes on plot or suspense. This book hums along. The killers are reprehensible, but Leonard makes them human, with their own particular vulnerabilities. Richie Nix is a sociopath seeing people only as objects to be used or eliminated. The Bird is somewhat more empathetic, but a cold, bloodless professional killer nonetheless. Carmen and Wayne Colson are a married couple who get caught up in a shakedown scam by mistake, and they end up having the two killers on their trail. Leonard does an outstanding job with minor characters as well giving them pivotal roles, especially Donna, the woman who becomes a lover to both killers, and the egotistical deputy sheriff. While the reader might find him or herself rooting more against the evilness of Richie or Bird, rather than for any compelling traits in the Colson's, there is more than enough tension inherent in "Killshot" to make this a very good read.

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Summary: "KILLSHOT" INTERESTING AND DIFFERENT FOR LEONARD
Review: "KILLSHOT" FROM ELMORE LEONARD, EXAMINES A SLIGHTLY NEW SIDE OF THE MASTER OF MYSTERY. THE MAIN CHARACTERS WHICH WE ARE SUPPOSED TO SYMPATHIZE WITH HAVE LITERALLY NO CRIMINAL BACKROUND. AND INSTEAD OF THE SUNNY BEACHES OF THE MIAMI'S AND SOUTH BEACH'S OF FLORIDA, WE ARE IN A LITTLE WOODSIE TOWN. THIS NEW STYLE OF LEONARD'S IS AMAZINGLY NICE. GREAT BUT NOT HIS BEST.

Rating:
Summary: Leonard On Target
Review: "Killshot" is a fast-paced, edgy and action-filled novel with strong emphasis on character, which is what one expects from Elmore Leonard. Leonard effectively paints telling portraits complete with physical details, emotions and mannerisms, and he never short-changes on plot or suspense. This book hums along. The killers are reprehensible, but Leonard makes them human, with their own particular vulnerabilities. Richie Nix is a sociopath seeing people only as objects to be used or eliminated. The Bird is somewhat more empathetic, but a cold, bloodless professional killer nonetheless. Carmen and Wayne Colson are a married couple who get caught up in a shakedown scam by mistake, and they end up having the two killers on their trail. Leonard does an outstanding job with minor characters as well giving them pivotal roles, especially Donna, the woman who becomes a lover to both killers, and the egotistical deputy sheriff. While the reader might find him or herself rooting more against the evilness of Richie or Bird, rather than for any compelling traits in the Colson's, there is more than enough tension inherent in "Killshot" to make this a very good read.

Rating:
Summary: Pretty good fun.
Review: A cast of quirky characters as befits the Elmore Leonard tradition. Sort of "crooks do the dumbest things." Some of the so called good guys aren't too bright either.

With one crook whose goal is to rob a bank in every state, a girl friend who is certain Elvis is still alive and a partner who feared his grandmother could turn him into an owl, the stage is set for some laughs amongst the criminal hi-jinks.

The snappy Elmore Leonard dialog is here with a well paced plot. The action has a nice sensible flow.

While I prefer it when Mr. Leonard sets his novels in Florida, "Killshot" a most pleasant escapist read. Nothing deep...just good fun and reading enjoyment. It's in the Carl Hiaasen a/o Laurence Shames vein.

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Summary: OVER THE TOP!
Review: A total slam bang hoot by the master of the hilariously dark satire.

Rating:
Summary: An entertaining read
Review: An ironworker and his wife are being hunted down by a professional hitman and a murdering ex-con. Wayne Colson and his wife Carmen found themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Armand and Richie, two lifelong criminals, are very poorly attempting to extort money from Carmen's boss. The inept thieves harebrained scheme is to walk into his office and take the money. But they are in for a surprise.

Wayne is visiting his wifes office the day the gangsters attempt to grab the money. They mistake him for Carmen's boss and a melee ensues. Wayne gives the crooks a real good lambasting and they take off empty handed.

When the goons trackdown the man responsible for giving them the beating, they want revenge. The Colsons, in an effort to save their lives, enter the Witness Security Program. They soon find out they might have been better off to try and make it on their own.

This book was the first I have read from Elmore Leonard. The dialogue is funny and smart. But I felt that the story was lacking in some areas. I believe Quentin Tarantino is supposed to be writing a screenplay based on this novel. I'm sure he won't disappoint.

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Summary: Blackbird
Review: Armand "Blackbird" Degas and Richie Nix are Killers, one a professional and the other just a lunatic. Carmen and Wayne Colson are a married couple who see too much and these two killers want to radically shorten their life span for them. The characters are well drawn and the pacing is just right with a little humor thrown in here and there. Along the way we learn a little about high ironwork construction, Mississippi riverboats, and the Federal Witness protection program along with how an Ojibway medicine woman can turn you into an owl. This is vintage leonard. A Newsweek reviewer said "Killshot" was probably Leonard's best and I'm not going to argue with someone who manages to get paid for doing this.

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Summary: Ordinary people in extraordinary situations
Review: Carmen and Wayne Colson are unwilling witnesses to the collision of killers Richie Nix and Blackbird. Partly to avoid retribution and partly to avoid being caught, Nix and Blackbird decide that the world needs two witnesses fewer.

Leonard is excellent at taking ordinary people like the Colsons and turning them into heros. The detailing of the characters is up to his usual standard, and the book kept me reading eagerly until it was over.

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Summary: Leonard hits the bullseye
Review: Elmore Leonard strikes again with Killshot. Killshot, one of Leonard's best books, greatly emphasizes Leonard's outstanding writing talent. The story is of a hitman named Armand Degas, aka Blackbird. Armand has a chance encounter with an ex-con named Richie Nix, when Nix hijacks Armand's car. The two become partners, although Armand is clearly the leader. While on a job in Michigan, the duo encounters Wayne Colson and his wife Carmen, witnesses to the crime. Armand and Richie need to eliminate these witnesses.
The chase that follows is one of the most suspensful and exciting sequences of events that I have ever read in any book, ending in an awe-inspiring climax that will leave you with sweaty palms and a pounding heart. Leonard capitalizes on his outstanding characterization in Killshot, making it seem like you have known Armand Degas since you were in second grade. Leonard does a superb job of painting the picture of a criminal's life, making Killshot a hard book to put down.
Killshot is one of the most well written books that I have ever read, one of Leonard's best (not an easy thing to be!) This book proves that Elmore Leonard is indeed the undisputed king of crime writing.

Rating:
Summary: Not his best but still worth a try...?
Review: Elmore Leonard's Killshot is a good book, the characters are created to perfection like ususal but the story is a bit thin in this one, amost like he's trying to hard to make it off beat