Night Dogs

Rating:
Summary: A DEEPLY MOVING LOOK AT ONE MAN'S LIFE
Review: This continuation of Sympathy for the devil is a stand-alone novel that packs quite a punch in and of itself.
The cops life described here is harsh and brutal as looked at here in the 70's.
Kent Anderson is a great writer who takes you to the seedier side of town, deep into the no-man's land of crime and punishment.
His realistic look at a survivor of Vietnam, war veteran-turned cop Hanson, is an engaging character who fights his inner demons as well as his town.
I usually don't even read this type of novel, but this one was riveting and so harsh, you couldn't help but keep reading throughtout the days and nights to its climax.
A must read for those who like something more than crime drama, but is in fact a look into a man's head who is fighting his inner demons.

Rating:
Summary: A very good read but strung out in the end
Review: This is a very good writer with lot of experiences either in the street, the Job, or the Army. The whole texture of the story is bit random, mixed with lot of songs, flashbacks, monologues either with the blind dog or Hanson himself, ...and the author seemed to lose focus in the middle and the story became more and more far-fatched confusing with lot of small unimportant sex, drugs incidents, although it still could hold my patience and curiosity to hang on finishing it. Dana so far is the most desirable partner that any street cop could dream of. He died in the later stage of this book, but Anderson simply missed the chance to make this book a real touching one, he made Hanson a totally heartless s.o.b., albeit Dana's widow was even worse. A messy but very interesting book.

Rating:
Summary: By the end of this book you will feel like you are a cop
Review: This is a very true to life cop story. Far removed from TV shows like NYPD Blue and Law and Order, it shows the ugly side of police work, and how good cops begin to hate the people they are sworn to protect. But you will understand why without resenting the cops for it. Great book!

Rating:
Summary: Night or Day...This book is a real dog
Review: This is the type of book that keeps you on the edge of your seat....Waiting for something, ANYTHING, to happen. Kent Anderson certainly can write words, but as far as a real story, I just could not find it. If you enjoy reading about the daily life of the main character, the ebb and the flow, by all means purchase this book. There was no real plot development, no overall story direction, just the same old daily routines with minor changes. This book reads more like the ideal Seinfeld episode...a story about nothing. If you really want to get a feel for police life, or any life, do not waste your money here. If however, you really have a desire to know how every scene in the book SMELLS, grab this book and dive right in. I do not know why, but Mr. Anderson feels the need to tell us how everything in life smells! Once you notice that he sets up nearly every scene in the book this way it can drive you crazy. I cannot recommend this book.

Rating:
Summary: Overrated, full of devices.
Review: This may have worked as a short story. But it sure went nowhere fast as a novel. I have nothing against turning the standard storytelling method on its head, but this seems to become too self-concious of its objective after awhile. It's one of those assemblages of barely related observations of the edgy lives these cops lead. I'm sure it is a hard life, but it does not necessarily mean good fiction. It's more like a mosaic documentary that is full of irony. If you're going to do it this way, do it well! I find that some of the more proceedural style books give more irony and ambiance to this life on the streets than these more intentional styles of books.

Rating:
Summary: The most important book by an American author this decade.
Review: With NIGHT DOGS, Kent Anderson continues the life of Hanson, the protagonist from his first novel, SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL. As a cop in Portland, Oregon, Hanson squares off with the demons he brought out of the Vietnam war. But even more importantly, Anderson gives readers the most honest portrayal of life as a cop I've ever read. Be warned, NIGHT DOGS is not for the polictical correct or the weak-minded, it's for readers who want the truth, no matter how ugly that truth may be. Simply put, NIGHT DOGS is the best novel to come out of the United States in twenty years

Rating:
Summary: Gritty police procedural of vietnam vet cop.
Review: Wonder what hour by hour police work in the roughest neighborhoods is like? Read this. Special forces vietnam vet turned Portland police officer follows his pent up rage and violence through his daily work. The atmosphere here is old styrofoam cups of cold coffee with cigarette butts floating in the oily film on top. Gritty and Good!