IRISH CATTERS: every read Ken Bruen?

Subject: IRISH CATTERS: every read Ken Bruen?
From: Big Mick
Date: 06 Jan 09 - 03:15 PM

Ken Bruen is a writer of crime fiction. He lives in Galway, and most of his work is based in that area. He is dark, edgy, and IMO brilliant. If you are looking for flowery stuff that will make you feel good, this is not yer man. The first novel of his I read was "The Guards" then I read the followup titled "The Killing of the Tinkers". I have also read "Once Were Cops". Spare, dark, and brilliant.

I am very interested in the opinions of our Irish 'Catters as to his work.

All the best,

Mick

Subject: RE: IRISH CATTERS: every read Ken Bruen?
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 07 Jan 09 - 07:26 AM

Time to bump this one back to the top methinks -

I saw this thread yesterday and thought Better not post and admit your ignorance of Ken Bruen - it's bound to attract a lot of interesting commentary - !!!   I'm ashamed to admit that I'd not even heard of him (and I do tend to follow book-y things) but judging from the lack of input, I guess I'm not alone.

Thanks so much for the heads-up, Big Mick - I'll certainly look out for him now. Just out of interest, how did you come across Ken Bruen?

Subject: RE: IRISH CATTERS: every read Ken Bruen?
From: Big Mick
Date: 07 Jan 09 - 09:41 AM

Hi Bonnie. There is a very small group of us with surnames like McCarty, Hughes, and Lane that have worked together for years in the political field. We have all worked at very high levels in the political world, in fact one of us occupies one of the corner offices in the Michigan State House and is the Legislative Director for the Governor of Michigan, who is also of Irish descent and loves to sing pub songs with us. Every so often we meet in his office with its 20 foot ceilings, incredible woodwork, beautiful fireplace, and historic decor, close the door, and dance around like goofy little boys and wonder at the shanty Irish likes of us sitting in a place like that. Then we usually head for dinner, a drop of the craither or some of the black, tell lies, and often swap books and such. Brother Hughes handed me a copy of "The Guards" and told me I would enjoy it. And thus it began. Bruen's writing style is sparse, but laden depth. He explores the dark side of relationships, he explores redemption and the weakness of the human condition. And he explores in a real, no shamrock shite way, being Irish. This stuff is not an uplifting read, but it is a fascinating read. These are not huge tomes, they have a story and the character developement is excellent, but the read is a day or so if you read like I do.

All the best,

Mick