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The Owl
The most daring and original hero in crime fiction… in a debut novel that’s a relentless, pure-adrenaline rush.
It’s the mid-1980s. Crime in Los Angeles is running rampant. When the law can’t help you, there is one man who can: Alexander L’Hiboux, whose ability to sleep was destroyed in the ghastly tragedy that cost him his family. Now he’s justice-for-hire, prowling the streets and solving crimes with deadly finality. A desperate, grief-stricken shipping magnate hires The Owl to find the scum who brutalized his daughter…a quest that uncovers a shocking conspiracy that will rock the city.
It’s the mid-1980s. Crime in Los Angeles is running rampant. When the law can’t help you, there is one man who can: Alexander L’Hiboux, whose ability to sleep was destroyed in the ghastly tragedy that cost him his family. Now he’s justice-for-hire, prowling the streets and solving crimes with deadly finality. A desperate, grief-stricken shipping magnate hires The Owl to find the scum who brutalized his daughter…a quest that uncovers a shocking conspiracy that will rock the city.
234 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 1984
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
November 15, 2025
Pretty much non-stop awesomeness.
Alexander “The Owl” L'Hiboux doesn’t sleep — ever. He’s incapable of it. Instead he spends his nights stalking the streets of L.A., searching for his next victim. His victims are all irredeemably bad guys, and he’ll happily take them out, for a price. A very high one. His name is legend, considered unkillable. Many don’t believe he even exists. He considers himself an arm of justice for the people who don’t get it from the system. In some ways he’s a hypocrite, as he’s guilty of many of the same things he kills others over, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t fun to read about.
My GR buddy Jordan compared him to Sam Raimi’s Darkman, only with internal scars as opposed to external, and that’s about as apt a description as any. He’s sort of a “real-life” superhero, but his only power is his sleeplessness, which not only enables him to get the jump on his prey, it causes his brain to operate in almost a schizoid hallucinogenic manner, allowing him to consider plans of action that a normal person would never think of, and MacGyver his way out of seemingly impossible situations. Oh, and he’s cold-blooded as hell.
He’s hired by a man who wants justice for his daughter, who is hospitalized after being brutally assaulted and severely burned over her entire body. The culprit is unknown. As soon as The Owl begins his investigation, he’s under constant attack, his every move predicted. Everywhere he goes it seems an assassin is waiting for him. Who wants him dead? And how does it relate to the burned girl? He and his trusty .45 Peacemaker mean to find out, but there’s much more to the conspiracy than meets the eye.
The biggest strength of this novel is the writing itself. Told in the first person, it maintains a constant intensity and sense of mystery as to just what the hell is going on. The grimy atmosphere of mid-80s L.A. shines through as well, with locations hopping between downtown, the sewers, Beverly Hills, the docks, the inner city, Bel-Air and back again. Almost all at night. The narrative is continuously forging ahead, with revelations and twists aplenty, and because Al never sleeps and he’s always on the move there’s never really a break in the action.
And “action” is the key word here. It practically never stops, culminating in an epic, ridiculous-but-amazing assault on a heavily-manned, heavily-armed cargo ship, and I for one can’t wait to get to book 2. This was like if 70s men’s adventure novels actually lived up to their amazing synopses. As much as I enjoy them on occasion, Mr. Forward shows how it should be done: crisp, clear hardboiled prose, witty-yet-believable dialogue, insane violence, and sustained tension and conflict (not to mention fever-pitched combat). Then again, it’d be hard to pump out stuff of this caliber on a bi-monthly basis.
Robert Forward (the son of SF author and physicist Robert L Forward) wrote very little fiction after these two novels, which is unfortunate. He did, however, have a hand in some of my favorite cartoons of the 80s, such as He-Man, She-Ra, and The Legend of Zelda animated series. I just hope he has some “trunk novels” lying around that he’ll eventually publish, as I know I’ll be wanting more soon.
(ETA: This novel was developed as a pilot for a television series by Tom Holland (director of Fright Night and Child’s Play, not the actor), and was broadcast as a standalone movie in 1991 after it wasn’t picked up for a full series. I’ve never seen it, but the fact that Tom Holland chose to be credited as Alan Smithee doesn’t bode well. It stars Adrian Paul, who went on to play Duncan MacLeod in the Highlander TV show.)
Alexander “The Owl” L'Hiboux doesn’t sleep — ever. He’s incapable of it. Instead he spends his nights stalking the streets of L.A., searching for his next victim. His victims are all irredeemably bad guys, and he’ll happily take them out, for a price. A very high one. His name is legend, considered unkillable. Many don’t believe he even exists. He considers himself an arm of justice for the people who don’t get it from the system. In some ways he’s a hypocrite, as he’s guilty of many of the same things he kills others over, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t fun to read about.
My GR buddy Jordan compared him to Sam Raimi’s Darkman, only with internal scars as opposed to external, and that’s about as apt a description as any. He’s sort of a “real-life” superhero, but his only power is his sleeplessness, which not only enables him to get the jump on his prey, it causes his brain to operate in almost a schizoid hallucinogenic manner, allowing him to consider plans of action that a normal person would never think of, and MacGyver his way out of seemingly impossible situations. Oh, and he’s cold-blooded as hell.
He’s hired by a man who wants justice for his daughter, who is hospitalized after being brutally assaulted and severely burned over her entire body. The culprit is unknown. As soon as The Owl begins his investigation, he’s under constant attack, his every move predicted. Everywhere he goes it seems an assassin is waiting for him. Who wants him dead? And how does it relate to the burned girl? He and his trusty .45 Peacemaker mean to find out, but there’s much more to the conspiracy than meets the eye.
The biggest strength of this novel is the writing itself. Told in the first person, it maintains a constant intensity and sense of mystery as to just what the hell is going on. The grimy atmosphere of mid-80s L.A. shines through as well, with locations hopping between downtown, the sewers, Beverly Hills, the docks, the inner city, Bel-Air and back again. Almost all at night. The narrative is continuously forging ahead, with revelations and twists aplenty, and because Al never sleeps and he’s always on the move there’s never really a break in the action.
And “action” is the key word here. It practically never stops, culminating in an epic, ridiculous-but-amazing assault on a heavily-manned, heavily-armed cargo ship, and I for one can’t wait to get to book 2. This was like if 70s men’s adventure novels actually lived up to their amazing synopses. As much as I enjoy them on occasion, Mr. Forward shows how it should be done: crisp, clear hardboiled prose, witty-yet-believable dialogue, insane violence, and sustained tension and conflict (not to mention fever-pitched combat). Then again, it’d be hard to pump out stuff of this caliber on a bi-monthly basis.
Robert Forward (the son of SF author and physicist Robert L Forward) wrote very little fiction after these two novels, which is unfortunate. He did, however, have a hand in some of my favorite cartoons of the 80s, such as He-Man, She-Ra, and The Legend of Zelda animated series. I just hope he has some “trunk novels” lying around that he’ll eventually publish, as I know I’ll be wanting more soon.
(ETA: This novel was developed as a pilot for a television series by Tom Holland (director of Fright Night and Child’s Play, not the actor), and was broadcast as a standalone movie in 1991 after it wasn’t picked up for a full series. I’ve never seen it, but the fact that Tom Holland chose to be credited as Alan Smithee doesn’t bode well. It stars Adrian Paul, who went on to play Duncan MacLeod in the Highlander TV show.)
November 23, 2024
It is a pity that Forward only wrote two novels (this and its sequel) because The Owl absolutely rocked! Our main protagonist, Alexander L'Hiboux, AKA The Owl, works something like a hit man, but he only takes contracts for people who need killing, hiring himself out to people who demand vengeance. The Owl has build up quite a rep over the years, always delivering, and even some 'freebies', like taking out cop killers in very painful ways; the later helped keep the cops off his tail, especially as he left with the bodies of the cop killers a dossier of evidence regarding their crime.
Forward paces this explosively and just never lets up! We learn some of the backstory of The Owl as the tale unfolds, such as (from the first page) that The Owl possesses a rare disorder known as insomnolence, which now means he never sleeps. Ever. Further, The Owl has no home, simply moving around L.A. on buses, taxis, trains, whatever and hanging out in all night diners and such. Once a week or so, he buys new clothes and, after renting a room with a prostitute, manages to take a shower there and change. Quite a life.
The people that contact The Owl know he is expensive and he is selective about his work. The tale starts off with his legal wife/administrative assistant telling him (he checks in by phone) that someone wants to hire him. Apparently, someone did a number on his only daughter, using a blowtorch on her face and hands; she lives, but barely. The father wants the culprit dead. While making his way to the client one day, a few people try to take The Owl out. Who would try to assassinate The Owl? The Owl does not know. While disturbed, The Owl still takes the job and off we go...
Forward does a fine job painting L.A., warts and all, especially the seedier parts of town where The Owl usually hangs out. The author also introduces some surreal aspects to the tale on occasion, such as a bartender with a see-through bullet hole right between his eyes (The Owl 'killed' him once). Yet, these odd mysteries only add to the tension and suspense Forward brings to the tale. Finally, this is really action packed, but in a way that moves the story along rather than for its own sake. The Owl is one tough mother, and one you simply do not want to cross; he has his rep after all! 4.5 brutal stars, rounding up for the exquisite ending!
Forward paces this explosively and just never lets up! We learn some of the backstory of The Owl as the tale unfolds, such as (from the first page) that The Owl possesses a rare disorder known as insomnolence, which now means he never sleeps. Ever. Further, The Owl has no home, simply moving around L.A. on buses, taxis, trains, whatever and hanging out in all night diners and such. Once a week or so, he buys new clothes and, after renting a room with a prostitute, manages to take a shower there and change. Quite a life.
The people that contact The Owl know he is expensive and he is selective about his work. The tale starts off with his legal wife/administrative assistant telling him (he checks in by phone) that someone wants to hire him. Apparently, someone did a number on his only daughter, using a blowtorch on her face and hands; she lives, but barely. The father wants the culprit dead. While making his way to the client one day, a few people try to take The Owl out. Who would try to assassinate The Owl? The Owl does not know. While disturbed, The Owl still takes the job and off we go...
Forward does a fine job painting L.A., warts and all, especially the seedier parts of town where The Owl usually hangs out. The author also introduces some surreal aspects to the tale on occasion, such as a bartender with a see-through bullet hole right between his eyes (The Owl 'killed' him once). Yet, these odd mysteries only add to the tension and suspense Forward brings to the tale. Finally, this is really action packed, but in a way that moves the story along rather than for its own sake. The Owl is one tough mother, and one you simply do not want to cross; he has his rep after all! 4.5 brutal stars, rounding up for the exquisite ending!
December 1, 2025
3.5 This was published in 1984 ?! I thought for sure this was a modern parody (homage, whatever). Really bonkers action stuff featuring a hero so hard-ass it instantly becomes ridiculous. A hardened (homeless? schizofrenic?) hero who never sleeps and rides the buses in L.A. all day wears a Kevlar jacket, a bulletproof skull cap, and armored sunglasses. He carries three weapons: a lethal high-powered handgun, a deadly-within-seconds poison dart gun, and a sharp blade affixed to his wrist. He's the mercenary you get when you need to find the guy who did you wrong and make it go really ugly. The story chronicles a rampage of nighttime action across L.A., leading to a siege-like one-man army set piece ending. The Owl is a character so disturbed and violent, I couldn't decide if this was a comedy or a horror novel, and it's sort of both. It's a little repetitive for my tastes, which is what keeps it from being a four. That and the sex scenes, not sure what to make of those. He must smell terrible. But this is a kick-ass action novel. I'll definitely read the sequel.
December 17, 2024
Well, that was weird. It was actually a pretty good read, plenty of action and thrills, with a mystery built in. I had glanced at a few reviews online before deciding to try this book, and most mentioned the fact that this was a fast moving, violent action thriller. All points are true, but what I didn't realize was that this book, and it's "hero", are also batshit-crazy. Like The Spider batshit-crazy. The Owl, our vigilante hero-villain, will do most anything to get the job done. He has no feelings, no remorse. He will kill just about anyone to get to the truth, including dogs. He'll punch a woman in the face. Not the bad one, but the good one. No hesitation. Barely blinks. And he can soak up enough punishment to kill several crimefighters. Had I been better prepared for the insane level of crazy, I may have rated this book a little higher. Think of it as an updated (1980's) version of The Spider, and then you have an idea of what you are getting into. Recommended? Hell, yeah!
April 10, 2019
OWL: JUSTICE NEVER SLEEPS introduces a new type of Noir protagonist. Alexander L'Hiboux (a French surname which translates to "owl") literally never sleeps, due to a physiological condition. He literally never sleeps. Now from inability to sleep to vigilante justice and homelessness may be a leap, but nevertheless this is Owl's way of life. The author does a complex job of unfolding his protagonist's character and backstory so that the reader is continually surprised; even after the first book we don't "know everything." This is a multi-layered individual indeed.
OWL: JUSTICE NEVER SLEEPS contains a high violence content, since Owl is, as he terms himself, "a killer," and his reputation is such that most bad guys don't want to mess with him. Of course, there are still some that do, and in this novel, the bad guys are seriously evil. Some of this violence will likely upset sensitive readers. Be aware that this is Noir so there will be violence and profanity and nasty characters as well as a "good guy" who is not really "good" but does have his own code of honor, kind of like a renegade samurai, one might say.
OWL: JUSTICE NEVER SLEEPS contains a high violence content, since Owl is, as he terms himself, "a killer," and his reputation is such that most bad guys don't want to mess with him. Of course, there are still some that do, and in this novel, the bad guys are seriously evil. Some of this violence will likely upset sensitive readers. Be aware that this is Noir so there will be violence and profanity and nasty characters as well as a "good guy" who is not really "good" but does have his own code of honor, kind of like a renegade samurai, one might say.
November 12, 2022
Suffering from a rare biological disease called insomnolence, it has been keeping him awake for 9 years. A private detective with no license, no legal standing, he never leaves a case unsolved. He has loads of money, but no home, no car, these things can lead him to be found, to be killed, and many people loathe him. Once he starts hunting his prey he never stops. The Owl is his name, reputation and his legendary status on the streets of dirty LA. The Owl will stumble upon a high school girls abduction and gets involved killing the kidnappers and discovering the girls parents tortured to death. It was Monday and in only 2 hours he had killed 5 guys. Doing well. But he had done better. The Owl dispenses specialised justice for people who have no options. He wears reinforced kelvar in his hat which saves his skull from caving in from a bullet. He has one rule that he doesn't kill lawmen. I'm looking at you sharpshooter and death merchant. Hitmen a dozen are now wanting to kill the Owl. The Owl doesn't like to litter and loves taking the trash out. A bunch of ninjas with swords and steyr's will try to slice, dice and spray bullets into the Owl. He will use one of the swords in the belly and out the back. The Owl doesn't mess about. He will uncover a lottery ticket scam and finish the human garbage for good. This is book 2.
December 13, 2016
AWFUL!! I'm embarrassed to have this on my reading list. Self-publication has taken bad writing to a new level. Told in 1st person, the narrator continually refers to himself in the 3rd person. That, all by itself, is enough to make you crazy. I would not recommend this to anyone. In fact, if you have read this review, you have spent more time than this book deserves.
March 22, 2025
Justice never sleeps. And neither does The Owl
Good prose, decent characterization, good world building, good story, no theme (but it might be easy to invent one). Highly original.
A good beginning and a really nice twist at the end. The meat in that sandwich is 20 miles of bad road.
Hat tip to Jack Tripper.
Good prose, decent characterization, good world building, good story, no theme (but it might be easy to invent one). Highly original.
A good beginning and a really nice twist at the end. The meat in that sandwich is 20 miles of bad road.
Hat tip to Jack Tripper.
December 29, 2025
The Owl is such an unrepenting b'stard that him being the hero of the book almost seems wrong. That said I really enjoyed this, rattles along at a fast pace and has a pretty good story amongst all the action and violence.
Looking forward to reading the second book next year.
Looking forward to reading the second book next year.
May 30, 2016
The Owl never sleeps, he never stops, he gives no quarter and offers no mercy. A truly terrifying vigilante to those unfortunate enough to be in his sights.
I went into this expecting one thing but found something quite different. The Owl is an almost mythical legend that is the stuff of nightmares for some and fiction for others. While he is just a man, his reputation would indicate otherwise, and that's just the way he likes it.
The writing is as good as any I have read and kept me turning page after page almost continuously until I'd finished. I couldn't think of a better compliment for an author than that. this wasn't one of those books that you start and then put down and come back to it sometime later when you're in the right mood. This book grabs you by the throat and practically dares you to put it down.
It has all that you would expect from a vigilante book with some very new twists. Just one of those is that, The Owl is not prowling for his next target. His targets are handed to him by those that have no where else to turn, or for one reason or another, need the services only he can supply. The Owl doesn't do these things out the goodness of his heart, although it was a tragedy that brought him to this life, there is a price to be paid for his services and the price is steep. It's that price that guarantee that the need is justified.
Just willingness to pay the price is not enough to guarantee that the job will be taken. The Owl never blindly walks into anything but once he does you can expect that it will be carried out. The only thing that can stop The Owl is death and I'm not convinced that death himself isn't afraid of the Owl.
Taking for granted that he is a benevolent savior would be a mistake, while he is the arm of justice for those that cannot reach it, there were a few parts that had me cringing and asking "was that really necessary" to which I can imagine The Owl answering with a simple and succinct "Yes".
If you're a thriller fan, vigilante fan, or a fan of good writing and not a wilting flower than this is a book you need to pick up and I am excited to find another series to enjoy.
I went into this expecting one thing but found something quite different. The Owl is an almost mythical legend that is the stuff of nightmares for some and fiction for others. While he is just a man, his reputation would indicate otherwise, and that's just the way he likes it.
The writing is as good as any I have read and kept me turning page after page almost continuously until I'd finished. I couldn't think of a better compliment for an author than that. this wasn't one of those books that you start and then put down and come back to it sometime later when you're in the right mood. This book grabs you by the throat and practically dares you to put it down.
It has all that you would expect from a vigilante book with some very new twists. Just one of those is that, The Owl is not prowling for his next target. His targets are handed to him by those that have no where else to turn, or for one reason or another, need the services only he can supply. The Owl doesn't do these things out the goodness of his heart, although it was a tragedy that brought him to this life, there is a price to be paid for his services and the price is steep. It's that price that guarantee that the need is justified.
Just willingness to pay the price is not enough to guarantee that the job will be taken. The Owl never blindly walks into anything but once he does you can expect that it will be carried out. The only thing that can stop The Owl is death and I'm not convinced that death himself isn't afraid of the Owl.
Taking for granted that he is a benevolent savior would be a mistake, while he is the arm of justice for those that cannot reach it, there were a few parts that had me cringing and asking "was that really necessary" to which I can imagine The Owl answering with a simple and succinct "Yes".
If you're a thriller fan, vigilante fan, or a fan of good writing and not a wilting flower than this is a book you need to pick up and I am excited to find another series to enjoy.
March 6, 2015
What's good in that book?
Its action! Because there's a lot of it. We follow The Owl and as he never sleeps... there is no downtime. We wander in the slums of Los Angeles, we discover a nightlife not always rosy. We learn how to pass the time when you can not sleep, but we can not stay at home either, because some people would love to whack us. We rush headlong into the stronghold of mobsters not so soft and very well armed, we dodge bullets, we fight with our bare hands. In short, this book is no picnic!
Its main character, The Owl, a bit keyes up to the edges (and the middle too). He's always trying to keep up his reputation intact, sometimes to the point of doing unnecessary things, but we don't hold it against him. The Owl is that anti-hero who kills the bad guys as we like it in the movies. In addition, he's funny or cynical, sometimes it's the same thing. I admit I was a little disappointed to read that he washed only once a week, when he managed to go to a hotel... it's kind of a useless and damaging details that the author could have avoid in my opinion. Despite this, I loved to read the story through the view of The Owl when he tells his everyday life and his story, tragic, adds a depth to his situation.
Its story, because what seemed a fairly simple case - avenge the daughter of a tycoon - turns into an Owls-hunt. Someone knows that The Owl has been recruited and is not very happy. The Owls will have to find the culprit behind all the attacks before he can carry out his mission: make said culprit to disappear. Thus the hunter becomes hunted.
In a nutshell
This novel, published in 1984, is a reprint... which already gives an idea of the quality of the book, as it's rare for a publisher to reissued a third-rate. A lot of action, an antihero well written, an atmosphere Los Angeles noir very noir indeed, it's a 4/5 for me.
Disclaimer: An e-galley of this title was provided to me by the publisher. No review was promised and the above is an unbiased review of the novel.
(Originally posted at vanessa-s-bookshelves.blogspot.ca)
Its action! Because there's a lot of it. We follow The Owl and as he never sleeps... there is no downtime. We wander in the slums of Los Angeles, we discover a nightlife not always rosy. We learn how to pass the time when you can not sleep, but we can not stay at home either, because some people would love to whack us. We rush headlong into the stronghold of mobsters not so soft and very well armed, we dodge bullets, we fight with our bare hands. In short, this book is no picnic!
Its main character, The Owl, a bit keyes up to the edges (and the middle too). He's always trying to keep up his reputation intact, sometimes to the point of doing unnecessary things, but we don't hold it against him. The Owl is that anti-hero who kills the bad guys as we like it in the movies. In addition, he's funny or cynical, sometimes it's the same thing. I admit I was a little disappointed to read that he washed only once a week, when he managed to go to a hotel... it's kind of a useless and damaging details that the author could have avoid in my opinion. Despite this, I loved to read the story through the view of The Owl when he tells his everyday life and his story, tragic, adds a depth to his situation.
Its story, because what seemed a fairly simple case - avenge the daughter of a tycoon - turns into an Owls-hunt. Someone knows that The Owl has been recruited and is not very happy. The Owls will have to find the culprit behind all the attacks before he can carry out his mission: make said culprit to disappear. Thus the hunter becomes hunted.
In a nutshell
This novel, published in 1984, is a reprint... which already gives an idea of the quality of the book, as it's rare for a publisher to reissued a third-rate. A lot of action, an antihero well written, an atmosphere Los Angeles noir very noir indeed, it's a 4/5 for me.
Disclaimer: An e-galley of this title was provided to me by the publisher. No review was promised and the above is an unbiased review of the novel.
(Originally posted at vanessa-s-bookshelves.blogspot.ca)
February 24, 2015
Thank you to NetGalley and Brash Books for this free copy. In an exchange for this copy I am giving an honest review.
Originally published in 1984, this updated version caught my eye. I love a good mystery and am always on the lookout for good authors in this genre. Forward fits the bill but in my searching it seems like he's only authored 2 books, this one and its sequel. How disappointing for readers! He writes a good story and he has a very compelling character in Owl.
Owl never sleeps. Literally. He hasn't slept in 8 years since he lost his wife and started roaming the streets of L.A. as a vigilante. He runs a private detective agency and charges a very high price so he is only sought out when the person is desperate. He has no home, car, or even a second set of clothes. He checks in to motels to shower and change his clothes every so often. He has Danny who runs his business and helps him work with clients. We meet Owl in an alley and very quickly get an idea of his modus operandi. He seems to possess a supernatural ability to dodge the "bad guys" and get the job done. He has a reputation but he is also completely off the grid. His case in this title involves a girl burned beyond recognition and her father's desire for revenge. Revenge is something Owl knows about.
Like I said above, it's a shame Forward has only written 2 books. He has solid storylines, good characters, and interesting crimes that need to be solved. I'll read the sequel and then be sad that there is no more.
Originally published in 1984, this updated version caught my eye. I love a good mystery and am always on the lookout for good authors in this genre. Forward fits the bill but in my searching it seems like he's only authored 2 books, this one and its sequel. How disappointing for readers! He writes a good story and he has a very compelling character in Owl.
Owl never sleeps. Literally. He hasn't slept in 8 years since he lost his wife and started roaming the streets of L.A. as a vigilante. He runs a private detective agency and charges a very high price so he is only sought out when the person is desperate. He has no home, car, or even a second set of clothes. He checks in to motels to shower and change his clothes every so often. He has Danny who runs his business and helps him work with clients. We meet Owl in an alley and very quickly get an idea of his modus operandi. He seems to possess a supernatural ability to dodge the "bad guys" and get the job done. He has a reputation but he is also completely off the grid. His case in this title involves a girl burned beyond recognition and her father's desire for revenge. Revenge is something Owl knows about.
Like I said above, it's a shame Forward has only written 2 books. He has solid storylines, good characters, and interesting crimes that need to be solved. I'll read the sequel and then be sad that there is no more.
August 13, 2014
Once again, Brash Books has given new life to a book, two actually, with which I was entirely unfamiliar. Thank goodness.
Alexander L'Hiboux is a most unusual man. He lives off the grid. No home. No car. Not even a driver's license. He's for hire if you can afford him. He goes after people the law can't touch. Tough, uncompromising, once he gets on your tail, it can only end one way. Someone dies.
He's known only as The Owl, a man with a deadly reputation, one he works hard to maintain.
The nickname comes from one thing: L'Hiboux suffers from insomnalence. He never sleeps. When he gets tired, he sits and rests. When he's refreshed, he moves on.
Though he has an office, he never visits, speaking by phone to Danielle Santerre by phone, using a series of coded phrases to establish safety. He's only seen Danny in person a few times in four years.
He's hired by a man whose twenty year old daughter, a beauty destined for modeling, had had a blow torch taken to her face and hands. Father wanted them dead.
The Owl takes the job, even though someone is trying to kill him at the same time.
Apparently the Owl's reputation needs a bit more toughening.
Can't wait for the second Owl novel.
Alexander L'Hiboux is a most unusual man. He lives off the grid. No home. No car. Not even a driver's license. He's for hire if you can afford him. He goes after people the law can't touch. Tough, uncompromising, once he gets on your tail, it can only end one way. Someone dies.
He's known only as The Owl, a man with a deadly reputation, one he works hard to maintain.
The nickname comes from one thing: L'Hiboux suffers from insomnalence. He never sleeps. When he gets tired, he sits and rests. When he's refreshed, he moves on.
Though he has an office, he never visits, speaking by phone to Danielle Santerre by phone, using a series of coded phrases to establish safety. He's only seen Danny in person a few times in four years.
He's hired by a man whose twenty year old daughter, a beauty destined for modeling, had had a blow torch taken to her face and hands. Father wanted them dead.
The Owl takes the job, even though someone is trying to kill him at the same time.
Apparently the Owl's reputation needs a bit more toughening.
Can't wait for the second Owl novel.
December 20, 2014
There is no shortage of "retro" novels, especially in the crime/noir field. Some of these work very well. But there is nothing like discovering a novel that is actually of the time period, not just apeing it . Such is the case with The Owl, resurrected by Brash Books and delivered to new readers straight from 1984.
This is the era where "men's adventure" books reigned, and The Owl has the action and violence to hold its own with any of them. Mix this with some vaguely otherworldly characters and dark humor and The Owl stands above them all.
Imagine Batman as a hired killer and you have the start of who The Owl is. He never sleeps. He kills without remorse. He tortures his victims to enhance his reputation. But he is also hiding from himself and his horrific past.
The action is top notch and the characters are vivid and interesting. Fans of pulp heroes of any generation should jump on this one if they missed it the first time. 5 stars!
This is the era where "men's adventure" books reigned, and The Owl has the action and violence to hold its own with any of them. Mix this with some vaguely otherworldly characters and dark humor and The Owl stands above them all.
Imagine Batman as a hired killer and you have the start of who The Owl is. He never sleeps. He kills without remorse. He tortures his victims to enhance his reputation. But he is also hiding from himself and his horrific past.
The action is top notch and the characters are vivid and interesting. Fans of pulp heroes of any generation should jump on this one if they missed it the first time. 5 stars!
February 20, 2015
This book titled The OWL, is a dark and gritty book about a man who does not sleep and after something horrific that happened to his family he is now taking up lost causes for people. Sometimes for money sometimes for free. This story starts off fast paced as soon as you start reading and goes on from page to page. Someone is trying to kill him but he is taking them out as fast as they come after him. He starts looking at every angle at who it could be and likewise you the reader are caught up in the story from the very beginning. For me nothing about this book felt make believe the author made a character and characters around him that I could see really taking place, or my mind can go to the dark side real easy. But as the story moves along you realize you are coming to the end and you are wondering why it has to be over. The sign of a good book. Fast pace, murder mayhem, and who done it? The makings of a good book. I got this book from net galley.
February 13, 2015
One for the books. Written in the first person which can be engaging for the reader if done right. Bob Forward does a nice job of creating a colorful cast of characters and a plot sure to hold the reader glued to story. As for the Owl, he is a person who is quite full of himself and with a vivid imagination as he wades into situations that would usually call for a Seal Team and yet he manages a single handed resolve of the issue. Such bovine excreta in a story is just OK for one book but will quickly grow tiresome if any follow on further perpetuate the fantasy. As a stand-alone book I give it a five stars. I have another book in the wings by this author and that will determine if I become a fan as I usually favor more realistic action.
January 6, 2015
This guy must be part Superman and part Batman man with a dash of Spiderman. and Energizer Bunny. He sure takes a licking and keeps on ticking. This is one heck of a thrill ride. Almost from the start the action is on.
I really like books that don't stop. The plot was great and full of twists and turns. Lots of shooting and mayhem.
Who can the Owl trust? Only his faithful sidekick. The hot girl Friday.
Written in first person narrative you get to see how the man's mind works. I don't usually care for first person but in this case it works.
You want a great read? This is for you.
I really like books that don't stop. The plot was great and full of twists and turns. Lots of shooting and mayhem.
Who can the Owl trust? Only his faithful sidekick. The hot girl Friday.
Written in first person narrative you get to see how the man's mind works. I don't usually care for first person but in this case it works.
You want a great read? This is for you.
November 26, 2014
I stumbled onto this book looking for new authors and had to ask myself how I had missed this author all these years. This was a great mystery with lots of action , twists and turns and a few edge of your seat moments. I have to say I stayed up way past bedtime to see what would happen next. The characters are great, The Owl is mot superhuman but reputation means a lot!!
A great read that I would definitely recommend to others. I can't wait to read more of Bob Forward's books.
Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of this book for review. This dis mot effect my review one way or the other.
A great read that I would definitely recommend to others. I can't wait to read more of Bob Forward's books.
Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of this book for review. This dis mot effect my review one way or the other.
January 1, 2015
I stumbled onto this book looking for new authors and had to ask myself how I had missed this author all these years. This was a great mystery with lots of action , twists and turns and a few edge of your seat moments. I have to say I stayed up way past bedtime to see what would happen next. The characters are great, The Owl is mot superhuman but reputation means a lot!!
A great read that I would definitely recommend to others. I can't wait to read more of Bob Forward's books.
Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of this book for review. This dis mot effect my review one way or the other.
A great read that I would definitely recommend to others. I can't wait to read more of Bob Forward's books.
Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of this book for review. This dis mot effect my review one way or the other.
February 3, 2017
This was made into a TV pilot starring Adrian Paul (pre-Highlander), and it was a good example of the late-80's vigilante hero genre on network TV. I had been looking for this book for years when it showed up at a used book sale of the county library back home in PA. Needless to say, I snatched it up. It's a pretty good book, and I should read it again. Like I don't have enough books that I haven't read to go through first!
July 5, 2024
He's the Owl. An incompetent hitman for hire who accidentally fails his way to success. If it wasn't as a thriller I'd think it was a parody.
His superpower is, he doesn't have the need to sleep and has an extremely high opinion of himself even though he keeps screwing up.
His other super power seems to be sweating profusely all the time ..and talk about how much he sweats all the time.
Since he doesn't have a home my guess is his third power is body odor.
This book is just so bad.
His superpower is, he doesn't have the need to sleep and has an extremely high opinion of himself even though he keeps screwing up.
His other super power seems to be sweating profusely all the time ..and talk about how much he sweats all the time.
Since he doesn't have a home my guess is his third power is body odor.
This book is just so bad.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 24, 2015
Short and entertaining
Amateur editing and a somewhat soft storyline but it was good enough to read at one sitting for me. Try it.
Amateur editing and a somewhat soft storyline but it was good enough to read at one sitting for me. Try it.
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