The Young and The Unread

Robert B. Parker is still one of my favourite authors, although his earlier books are the ones I enjoy the most: the twelve novels that introduce Spenser and chart his relationship with Susan Silverman from The Godwulf Manuscript (1973) to A Catskill Eagle (1985) are sublime.  Whilst the character of Spenser, like the novels, has lost some of his edge in recent years, Parker’s books are hugely more entertaining than almost all the contemporary crime writers I’ve sampled. 

Now I’ve just spotted on Amazon Chasing the Bear: A Young Spenser Novel. When I’m rereading an early Spenser, it rarely bothers me that I now know how (like the writing) he softens in the later books. But filling out his youth (the details of which Parker has retconned already) is something that is best left to the reader.  I’ve never wanted to read Young Bond or Young Holmes books, but at least they aren’t by the original creator.  And can you imagine wanting to read what Philip Marlowe got up to at school? Like Spenser, his character may have juvenile traits, but for us to believe in him he has to live entirely in the adult world.

Spenser is an almost entirely self-made person; he’s often stated how much better being an adult is than being a kid.  He wouldn’t want to go back.  Nor do I.  I wonder why Parker does?

About Simon Wood

Lecturer in medical education, lapsed mathematician, Doctor Who fan and garden railway builder. See simonwood.info for more...

4 thoughts on “The Young and The Unread

  1. Weird. He also specifically says that the past isn’t useful to him; he’s only interested in how to proceed, not in analysing how he got where he is. So yes, why would we be?

    Just started Rough Weather. Quite an exciting beginning…

  2. Weird. He also specifically says that the past isn’t useful to him; he’s only interested in how to proceed, not in analysing how he got where he is. So yes, why would we be?

    Just started Rough Weather. Quite an exciting beginning…

  3. So he did.

    Good! I haven’t read Rough Weather yet. I tend to save Parkers to make aeroplane journeys more bearable. Fortunately Parker writes more than I fly.

    However, I’m feeling like actively avoiding this Young Spenser nonsense. It’s stuff I want not to know. So I’d better not take too many flights, and Parker had better not make another series out of it.

  4. So he did.

    Good! I haven’t read Rough Weather yet. I tend to save Parkers to make aeroplane journeys more bearable. Fortunately Parker writes more than I fly.

    However, I’m feeling like actively avoiding this Young Spenser nonsense. It’s stuff I want not to know. So I’d better not take too many flights, and Parker had better not make another series out of it.

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