The nighttime guy

by Tony Kenrick

Book by Kenrick, Tony

240 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1980

About the author

Before becoming a full-time writer Tony Kenrick worked as an advertising copywriter in Sydney, Toronto, NYC, San Francisco, and London, 1953-72. On the dust jackets of many of his novels Kenrick claimed the following: "I hated being a lumberjack; those shirts itch something awful. And I was a failure as a boxer, too. I was what's known in the fight game as a crier; whenever I got hit, I'd burst into tears. They'd work on me feverishly between rounds, but they could never stanch the flow. "

Kenrick was never a logger nor a prize-fighter; this is a typical example of his humor, and very typical of the humor found in his books.

Between 1971 - 1996 he wrote seventeen novels.

Reviews

[Shoshana Hathaway · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although the basic premise of this book is so far over the top that it unravels even total suspension of disbelief, it works, in its own very strange way. If you can accept that: A. any Government agency would do what this agency did, and get away with it, and B. That teaching newly blinded adults qualifies a sighted person to be able to function as a proficient blind person, then you can sit back and enjoy this book.

I was rather surprised to see that the author got a lot of things right, including white cane usage, navigation, and how a sighted person *should* guide a blind person (having been dragged, pushed, and once led by having the “kind helper” grab the tip of my cane and just start walking, expecting me to hold the handle and meekly follow), I rather appreciated. In addition, there is historical information that was new to me, and I found that rather delightful.

The story was feasible, just, and exciting enough to make this short book a very diverting read. I recommend it, with the provision that the reader not take it too seriously, and just enjoy it as a kind of fantasy/adventure.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first read this novel in the early 80s and it was a blast to revisit it in 2020. Pure escapist entertainment with lean, cinematic writing that brings to mind those classic drive-in movies of the 70s.

[Ethan Nahté · Rating 2 out of 5]

I debate on whether to give this book a single star or two. It is written very much like a cheap pulp detective story, which is a shame because I like well-written pulp stories. Kenrick's cliché-ridden The Nighttime Guy is told in first person with all the bravado, similes and metaphors you can shake a nightstick at.

Max Ellis is a lonely computer programmer who volunteers at a local shelter for the blind, helping them to learn braille and to adjust. Because of this experience he is chosen by the government to test some new, top secret eye drops that will blind him by overstimulating the rod in his eyes, more or less. The purpose being that if tests work then the military can use the drops to fight at night (I guess primarily hand to hand or with blades because the muzzle flash of automatic weapons in the dark would probably have a strobe effect and blind the soldiers).

At first, Max doesn't seem to be able to see until darkness falls, as if closing the shades and turning out the lights wouldn't work, but halfway through the book he finally can see in darkened rooms instead of having to wait for the sun to go down like a vampire.

Two groups of bad guys (and women) are after him. They even make a mistake and remove the eyes of another blind man thinking they have the right guy. As the next to last climatic fight occurs, Max's actions and the results would be obvious to a mole in daylight. The same goes for the climatic ending. It's pretty obvious.

[Stella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this in 1981 when I was only 14 years old… snuck it from my grandmothers library. It was the spark that lit the fire for my love of adult fiction, and yet I have nearly zero memory of any of it. I just now purchased a used amazon copy… hoping that re-reading it will reconnect me with the girl I once was, and the grandmother that meant so much to me.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting premise - they give a guy a drug that makes him able to see in the dark, and then everyone wants to find him and rip out his eyeballs. I liked it. It wasn't the best writing or most tightly-plotted book I've read, but it was entertaining.

[Salar · Rating 1 out of 5]

OMG the worst book I've read in AGES!!! I actually BOUGHT it!! With MONEY!!! I wanted to tear my eyes out at the end just coz I witnessed the monstrosity that was deemed worthy to be called a book.