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D.C. Quartet #2
King Suckerman
It's the week leading up to the Bicentennial celebration in Washington, D.C., and King Suckerman is the hot new blaxploitation film that's got everyone talking. Small-time dealer Dimitri Karras and his friend, record-store owner Marcus Clay, are out looking to score some weed when they stumble in on a big deal gone bad -- and pick up some cash that isn't theirs. Pursued by a trigger-happy gangster looking to settle the score, Dimitri and Marcus suddenly find that they're players in a savage game of cross and double-cross....
Brilliantly evoking the retrocool of seventies music, clothes, and movies, King Suckerman is bold, real, and violent -- a supercharged thriller in the hardboiled tradition of Jim Thompson, David Goodis, and Pulp Fiction. Here is George Pelecanos's strongest work to date -- a book that is certain to win him a whole new audience of admirers.
336 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
75 people are currently reading
1404 people want to read
About the author
George P. Pelecanos
59 books1,627 followersGeorge Pelecanos was born in Washington, D.C., in 1957. He worked as a line cook, dishwasher, bartender, and woman's shoe salesman before publishing his first novel in 1992.
Pelecanos is the author of eighteen novels set in and around Washington, D.C.: A Firing Offense, Nick's Trip, Shoedog, Down by the River Where the Dead Men Go, The Big Blowdown, King Suckerman, The Sweet Forever, Shame the Devil, Right as Rain, Hell to Pay, Soul Circus, Hard Revolution, Drama City, The Night Gardener, The Turnaround, The Way Home, The Cut, and What It Was. He has been the recipient of the Raymond Chandler award in Italy, the Falcon award in Japan, and the Grand Prix du Roman Noir in France. Hell to Pay and Soul Circus were awarded the 2003 and 2004 Los Angeles Times Book Prizes. His short fiction has appeared in Esquire, Playboy, and the collections Unusual Suspects, Best American Mystery Stories of 1997, Measures of Poison, Best American Mystery Stories of 2002, Men from Boys, and Murder at the Foul Line. He served as editor on the collections D.C. Noir and D.C. Noir 2: The Classics, as well as The Best Mystery Stories of 2008. He is an award-winning essayist who has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, GQ, Sight and Sound, Uncut, Mojo, and numerous other publications. Esquire called him "the poet laureate of the D.C. crime world." In Entertainment Weekly, Stephen King wrote that Pelecanos is "perhaps the greatest living American crime writer." Pelecanos would like to note that Mr. King used the qualifier "perhaps."
Pelecanos served as producer on the feature films Caught (Robert M. Young, 1996), Whatever, (Susan Skoog, 1998) and BlackMale (George and Mike Baluzy, 1999), and was the U.S. distributor of John Woo's cult classic, The Killer and Richard Bugajski's Interrogation. Most recently, he was a producer, writer, and story editor for the acclaimed HBO dramatic series, The Wire, winner of the Peabody Award and the AFI Award. He was nominated for an Emmy for his writing on that show. He was a writer and co-producer on the World War II miniseries The Pacific, and is currently at work as an executive producer and writer on David Simon's HBO dramatic series Treme, shot in New Orleans.
Pelecanos lives with his family in Silver Spring, Maryland.
Pelecanos is the author of eighteen novels set in and around Washington, D.C.: A Firing Offense, Nick's Trip, Shoedog, Down by the River Where the Dead Men Go, The Big Blowdown, King Suckerman, The Sweet Forever, Shame the Devil, Right as Rain, Hell to Pay, Soul Circus, Hard Revolution, Drama City, The Night Gardener, The Turnaround, The Way Home, The Cut, and What It Was. He has been the recipient of the Raymond Chandler award in Italy, the Falcon award in Japan, and the Grand Prix du Roman Noir in France. Hell to Pay and Soul Circus were awarded the 2003 and 2004 Los Angeles Times Book Prizes. His short fiction has appeared in Esquire, Playboy, and the collections Unusual Suspects, Best American Mystery Stories of 1997, Measures of Poison, Best American Mystery Stories of 2002, Men from Boys, and Murder at the Foul Line. He served as editor on the collections D.C. Noir and D.C. Noir 2: The Classics, as well as The Best Mystery Stories of 2008. He is an award-winning essayist who has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, GQ, Sight and Sound, Uncut, Mojo, and numerous other publications. Esquire called him "the poet laureate of the D.C. crime world." In Entertainment Weekly, Stephen King wrote that Pelecanos is "perhaps the greatest living American crime writer." Pelecanos would like to note that Mr. King used the qualifier "perhaps."
Pelecanos served as producer on the feature films Caught (Robert M. Young, 1996), Whatever, (Susan Skoog, 1998) and BlackMale (George and Mike Baluzy, 1999), and was the U.S. distributor of John Woo's cult classic, The Killer and Richard Bugajski's Interrogation. Most recently, he was a producer, writer, and story editor for the acclaimed HBO dramatic series, The Wire, winner of the Peabody Award and the AFI Award. He was nominated for an Emmy for his writing on that show. He was a writer and co-producer on the World War II miniseries The Pacific, and is currently at work as an executive producer and writer on David Simon's HBO dramatic series Treme, shot in New Orleans.
Pelecanos lives with his family in Silver Spring, Maryland.
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April 24, 2025
RUM PUNCH
Pubblicato nel 1997, l’anno in cui uscì “Jackie Brown” di Quentin Tarantino, entrambi vanno a rispolverare quel fenomeno degli anni Settanta che fu definito blaxploitation.
Entrambi, al contrario della vera blaxploitation, presumo siano diretti a un pubblico non esclusivamente afroamericano, anzi, direi principalmente altro.
George Pelecanos è un bravo scrittore e meriterebbe di non essere penalizzato da edizioni italiane così brutte e cialtrone: a parte essere inguardabile, è pieno di refusi, errori, ripetizioni di parole, scambi di preposizioni…
Pam Grier è Jackie Brown nel film di Tarantino del 1997.
A differenza dei film di Tarantino, e dei romanzi di Elmore Leonard (“Rum Punch” di Leonard è l’origine del film di Tarantino), i personaggi nei libri di Pelecanos sembrano veri.
Maneggiano armi, usano droga, guidano macchine oltre i limiti di velocità, uccidono senza un fremito, entrano ed escono di galera….: non proprio quello che la vita media del lettore medio contempli. Eppure, brillano perché risultano molto verosimili, del tutto credibili.
Non c’è quella sensazione di guardarsi allo specchio che sia Tarantino che Leonard mi suggeriscono, pur con il loro grande talento, quella gigioneria che mi affascina e tiene a distanza allo stesso tempo.
Indimenticabile Shaft, interpretato da Richard Roundtree. In film furono tre, 1971, 1972 e 1973, poi seguì anche una serie tv.
“King Suckerman” ha una colonna sonora già prevista, scandita, ma per nulla intrusiva.
È pieno di riferimenti cinematografici, titoli di film vengono citati.
Ci sono personaggi che potrebbero essere definiti ‘natural born killers’, che girano con fucile a pompa e lasciano spiaccicata sulle pareti metà faccia e cervello della gente che si mette di mezzo.
Ci sono le celebrazioni per il bicentenario dell’Indipendenza (4 luglio 1976)….
E tutto sembra quotidiano, autentico…
E venne anche il Dracula nero, “Blacula”, film del 1972.
Pubblicato nel 1997, l’anno in cui uscì “Jackie Brown” di Quentin Tarantino, entrambi vanno a rispolverare quel fenomeno degli anni Settanta che fu definito blaxploitation.
Entrambi, al contrario della vera blaxploitation, presumo siano diretti a un pubblico non esclusivamente afroamericano, anzi, direi principalmente altro.
George Pelecanos è un bravo scrittore e meriterebbe di non essere penalizzato da edizioni italiane così brutte e cialtrone: a parte essere inguardabile, è pieno di refusi, errori, ripetizioni di parole, scambi di preposizioni…
Pam Grier è Jackie Brown nel film di Tarantino del 1997.
A differenza dei film di Tarantino, e dei romanzi di Elmore Leonard (“Rum Punch” di Leonard è l’origine del film di Tarantino), i personaggi nei libri di Pelecanos sembrano veri.
Maneggiano armi, usano droga, guidano macchine oltre i limiti di velocità, uccidono senza un fremito, entrano ed escono di galera….: non proprio quello che la vita media del lettore medio contempli. Eppure, brillano perché risultano molto verosimili, del tutto credibili.
Non c’è quella sensazione di guardarsi allo specchio che sia Tarantino che Leonard mi suggeriscono, pur con il loro grande talento, quella gigioneria che mi affascina e tiene a distanza allo stesso tempo.
Indimenticabile Shaft, interpretato da Richard Roundtree. In film furono tre, 1971, 1972 e 1973, poi seguì anche una serie tv.
“King Suckerman” ha una colonna sonora già prevista, scandita, ma per nulla intrusiva.
È pieno di riferimenti cinematografici, titoli di film vengono citati.
Ci sono personaggi che potrebbero essere definiti ‘natural born killers’, che girano con fucile a pompa e lasciano spiaccicata sulle pareti metà faccia e cervello della gente che si mette di mezzo.
Ci sono le celebrazioni per il bicentenario dell’Indipendenza (4 luglio 1976)….
E tutto sembra quotidiano, autentico…
E venne anche il Dracula nero, “Blacula”, film del 1972.
August 8, 2017
Revised playlists
The playlists, as named below, are available on Spotify.
To listen on Spotify, see bottom of review.
I've read about ten of George Pelecanos's novels. I've never picked up another book once I've started one of his, till I'm finished.
George Pelecanos, 2013
One of the best Pelecanos stories. This is the second of the D.C. Quartet series, published between 1996 and 2000. Takes place mostly over the July 4 weekend of 1976, that of the American Bicentennial. (I remember it well, we were on the Mall for the fireworks with friends. Six months later I was a first-time father.)
His novels explore the Wash. D.C. crime scene; where he grew up, when he grew up. Very gritty. Sex, bad language, violence. But Pelecanos writes stories with real characters that you want to root for (if they're the good guys, of course). Also features some real mean dudes.
He always features both black and white characters, good, bad, and in between in both groups. Oh, and ethnic characters too - Greek, of course - play a major role in almost all of his novels! As always, writing about what he knows.
One of the unique features of Pelecanos' novels is the way that popular music of the stories' eras is routinely featured in the narrative. This is not because the music plays a part in the plot, but rather because it helps set the story in its historical context. It can also get it playing in your head.
Having said that, I need to admit that I am typically only marginally familiar with much of the music that is mentioned in his stories. He obviously was not himself a big fan of top-40 music (nor was I) - his protagonists, if they are black, will be into R&B/Soul music (or some brand of D.C. hip-hop in the more contemporary novels), while the white dudes will groove on album-oriented, progressive, or acid rock music.
When I read this book I decided to take notes on all the music that was mentioned. Frankly there is so much mentioned that I know I missed many songs and artists, but when I was done I had about 30-35 examples for both the white dudes and the soul brothers of the novel that I wanted to sample, or remember in some cases. I bought all this music from iTunes, and made four CDs out of it. The whole exercise was a great way to build up a little library, and become familiar with music from the mid-70's. Thanks George!
The original four playlists have been combined into two. The order of songs has been changed. And several tracks have been added to both - these are shown in bold.
Jimi Hendrix flashing the peace sign prior to his performance of "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Woodstock, August 18, 1969.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjzZh...
Seven of the new tracks are by Jimi Hendrix. Hendrix's music has its own sub-plot in the story, in which one of the main characters, who owns a record store, argues vehemently with a young employee over whether Hendrix's LPs should be filed with rock or soul music - this although they're both black. Older fellow says ROCK, younger man says SOUL. Fact is, older fellow is probably right for most of Hendrix's music, but not of course for all of it.
I've split six Hendrix tracks evenly between the two lists, with the Rock list getting songs from Hendrix's first album, Are You Experienced, and the Soul list picking up songs from that album and his last one, Band of Gypsies. I've put one of the new Hendrix tracks in the lead position on both playlists. I think this track, Red House (from Experienced), is a good example of one of his songs that really could be argued about back and forth. .
Are You Experienced ... recorded in London in late 1966 & early 1967, released in the U.K. in May '67, and in the U.S. in August (where it spent over two years on the Billboard 200) ... in 2005 ranked by Rolling Stone fifteenth on its list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time ... also that year, the record was one of 50 recordings chosen by the Library of Congress in recognition of its cultural significance to be added to the National Recording Registry. Writer and archivist Rueben Jackson of the Smithsonian Institution wrote: "it's still a landmark recording because it is of the rock, R&B, blues ... musical tradition. It altered the syntax of the music ... in a way I compare to James Joyce's Ulysses." (Wiki) Probably the greatest debut album in pop music history.
Band of Gypsies ... recorded live on January 1, 1970, at the Fillmore East in New York City ... Billy Cox on bass and Buddy Miles on drums ... "The album mixes funk and rhythm and blues elements with hard rock and jamming, an approach which later became the basis of funk rock ... the last full-length Hendrix album released before his death" less than nine months later (Wiki) A tragic end to one of the most creative musicians of the twentieth century.
King Suckerman - Rockers
1 Red House, Jimi Hendrix
2 Midnight Rider, The Allman Brothers
3 Foxey Lady, Jimi Hendrix
4 Tangerine, Led Zeppelin
5 Highway Chile, Jimi Hendrix
6 Hey Lawdy Mama, Steppenwolf
7 Rock and Roll, Led Zeppelin
8 Purple Haze, Jimi Hendrix
9 Mean Town Blues, Johnny Winter
10 Viva Tirado, El Chicano
11 Brown Eyed Girl, Van Morrison
12 Free Bird, Lynyrd Skynyrd
13 Dixie Chicken, Little Feat
14 Slide On Over Slinky, Rick Derringer
15 Reelin' In the Years, Steely Dan
16 Back to Get Ya, The J. Geils Band
17 Takin' Care of Business, Bachman-Turner Overdrive
18 It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference, Todd Rundgren
19 Too Much Time, Captain Beefheart
20 Madness, Mahogony Rush
21 We're an American Band, Grand Funk
22 Money, Pink Floyd
23 Karn Evil 9: 1st Impression, Pt. 2, Emerson, Lake & Palmer
24 The Wizard, Uriah Heep
25 Two Trains, Little Feat
26 Thirteen, Big Star
27 All the Young Dudes, Mott the Hoople
28 Sally Can't Dance, Lou Reed
29 The Fool and Me, Robin Trower
30 You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet, Bachman-Turner Overdrive
31 The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, Genesis
32 Kill Your Sons, Lou Reed
33 Any Major Dude Will Tell You, Steely Dan
34 Travelin' Shoes, Elvin Bishop
35 (Then Came the) Last of May, Blue Oyster Cult
36 Pretzel Logic, Steely Dan
37 Man on the Silver Mountain, Rainbow
38 Master Builder, Gong
39 Bridge of Sighs, Robin Trower
40 Coney Island Baby, Lou Reed
41 Born to Run, Springsteen
King Suckerman - Soul Brothers
1 Red House, Jimi Hendrix
2 War, Edwin Starr
3 Power of Soul (Live), Jimi Hendrix
4 What's Going On, Marvin Gaye
5 (Don't Worry) If There's a Hell Below ... , Curtis Mayfeild
6 Who Knows (Live), Jimi Hendrix
7 Maggot Brain, Funkadelic
8 Them Changes, Buddy Miles
9 Give More Power to the People (For God's Sake), The Chi-Lites
10 The Bottle, Gil Scott-Heron
11 The Wind Cries Mary, Jimi Hendrix
12 Never Never Gonna Give You Up, Barry White
13 Back to the World, Curtis Mayfield
14 For the Love of Money, The O'Jays
15 The Boss, James Brown
16 Papa Was a Rolling Stone, The Temptations
17 Are You Man Enough, Four Tops
18 Down and Out in New York City, James Brown
19 A Joyful Process, Funkadelic
20 The Payback, James Brown
21 Hollywood Swinging, Kool & The Gang
22 Little Child Runnin' Wild, Curtis Mayfield
23 Standing on the Verge of Getting It On, Funkadelic
24 Who Is He (And What Is He To You)?, Creative Source
25 You Sexy Thing, Hot Chocolate
26 Be Thankful For What You Got, William DeVaughn
27 It Only Takes a Minute Girl, Tavares
28 Theme From S.W.A.T., Rhythm Heritage
29 I Can't Stand the Rain, Graham Central Station
30 Give Up the Funk, Parliament
31 Brown Eyed Girl, The Isley Brothers
32 Call Me (Come Back Home), Al Green
33 Gimme My Mule, The Commodores
34 Betcha By Golly Wow, The Stylistics
35 Bad Luck, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes
36 Rock the Boat, The Hues Corporation
If I had to pick (luckily I don't) I'd take the soul music.
By the way, Pelecanos has a web site -> http://www.george-pelecanos.com/
There's a section on music (perhaps not updated very recently, but still good), a section on the work he did on The Wire, and other topics.
Spotify
Questions and comments can be left below.
The playlists, as named below, are available on Spotify.
To listen on Spotify, see bottom of review.
I've read about ten of George Pelecanos's novels. I've never picked up another book once I've started one of his, till I'm finished.
George Pelecanos, 2013
One of the best Pelecanos stories. This is the second of the D.C. Quartet series, published between 1996 and 2000. Takes place mostly over the July 4 weekend of 1976, that of the American Bicentennial. (I remember it well, we were on the Mall for the fireworks with friends. Six months later I was a first-time father.)
His novels explore the Wash. D.C. crime scene; where he grew up, when he grew up. Very gritty. Sex, bad language, violence. But Pelecanos writes stories with real characters that you want to root for (if they're the good guys, of course). Also features some real mean dudes.
He always features both black and white characters, good, bad, and in between in both groups. Oh, and ethnic characters too - Greek, of course - play a major role in almost all of his novels! As always, writing about what he knows.
One of the unique features of Pelecanos' novels is the way that popular music of the stories' eras is routinely featured in the narrative. This is not because the music plays a part in the plot, but rather because it helps set the story in its historical context. It can also get it playing in your head.
Having said that, I need to admit that I am typically only marginally familiar with much of the music that is mentioned in his stories. He obviously was not himself a big fan of top-40 music (nor was I) - his protagonists, if they are black, will be into R&B/Soul music (or some brand of D.C. hip-hop in the more contemporary novels), while the white dudes will groove on album-oriented, progressive, or acid rock music.
When I read this book I decided to take notes on all the music that was mentioned. Frankly there is so much mentioned that I know I missed many songs and artists, but when I was done I had about 30-35 examples for both the white dudes and the soul brothers of the novel that I wanted to sample, or remember in some cases. I bought all this music from iTunes, and made four CDs out of it. The whole exercise was a great way to build up a little library, and become familiar with music from the mid-70's. Thanks George!
The original four playlists have been combined into two. The order of songs has been changed. And several tracks have been added to both - these are shown in bold.
Jimi Hendrix flashing the peace sign prior to his performance of "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Woodstock, August 18, 1969.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjzZh...
Seven of the new tracks are by Jimi Hendrix. Hendrix's music has its own sub-plot in the story, in which one of the main characters, who owns a record store, argues vehemently with a young employee over whether Hendrix's LPs should be filed with rock or soul music - this although they're both black. Older fellow says ROCK, younger man says SOUL. Fact is, older fellow is probably right for most of Hendrix's music, but not of course for all of it.
I've split six Hendrix tracks evenly between the two lists, with the Rock list getting songs from Hendrix's first album, Are You Experienced, and the Soul list picking up songs from that album and his last one, Band of Gypsies. I've put one of the new Hendrix tracks in the lead position on both playlists. I think this track, Red House (from Experienced), is a good example of one of his songs that really could be argued about back and forth. .
Are You Experienced ... recorded in London in late 1966 & early 1967, released in the U.K. in May '67, and in the U.S. in August (where it spent over two years on the Billboard 200) ... in 2005 ranked by Rolling Stone fifteenth on its list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time ... also that year, the record was one of 50 recordings chosen by the Library of Congress in recognition of its cultural significance to be added to the National Recording Registry. Writer and archivist Rueben Jackson of the Smithsonian Institution wrote: "it's still a landmark recording because it is of the rock, R&B, blues ... musical tradition. It altered the syntax of the music ... in a way I compare to James Joyce's Ulysses." (Wiki) Probably the greatest debut album in pop music history.
Band of Gypsies ... recorded live on January 1, 1970, at the Fillmore East in New York City ... Billy Cox on bass and Buddy Miles on drums ... "The album mixes funk and rhythm and blues elements with hard rock and jamming, an approach which later became the basis of funk rock ... the last full-length Hendrix album released before his death" less than nine months later (Wiki) A tragic end to one of the most creative musicians of the twentieth century.
King Suckerman - Rockers
1 Red House, Jimi Hendrix
2 Midnight Rider, The Allman Brothers
3 Foxey Lady, Jimi Hendrix
4 Tangerine, Led Zeppelin
5 Highway Chile, Jimi Hendrix
6 Hey Lawdy Mama, Steppenwolf
7 Rock and Roll, Led Zeppelin
8 Purple Haze, Jimi Hendrix
9 Mean Town Blues, Johnny Winter
10 Viva Tirado, El Chicano
11 Brown Eyed Girl, Van Morrison
12 Free Bird, Lynyrd Skynyrd
13 Dixie Chicken, Little Feat
14 Slide On Over Slinky, Rick Derringer
15 Reelin' In the Years, Steely Dan
16 Back to Get Ya, The J. Geils Band
17 Takin' Care of Business, Bachman-Turner Overdrive
18 It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference, Todd Rundgren
19 Too Much Time, Captain Beefheart
20 Madness, Mahogony Rush
21 We're an American Band, Grand Funk
22 Money, Pink Floyd
23 Karn Evil 9: 1st Impression, Pt. 2, Emerson, Lake & Palmer
24 The Wizard, Uriah Heep
25 Two Trains, Little Feat
26 Thirteen, Big Star
27 All the Young Dudes, Mott the Hoople
28 Sally Can't Dance, Lou Reed
29 The Fool and Me, Robin Trower
30 You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet, Bachman-Turner Overdrive
31 The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, Genesis
32 Kill Your Sons, Lou Reed
33 Any Major Dude Will Tell You, Steely Dan
34 Travelin' Shoes, Elvin Bishop
35 (Then Came the) Last of May, Blue Oyster Cult
36 Pretzel Logic, Steely Dan
37 Man on the Silver Mountain, Rainbow
38 Master Builder, Gong
39 Bridge of Sighs, Robin Trower
40 Coney Island Baby, Lou Reed
41 Born to Run, Springsteen
King Suckerman - Soul Brothers
1 Red House, Jimi Hendrix
2 War, Edwin Starr
3 Power of Soul (Live), Jimi Hendrix
4 What's Going On, Marvin Gaye
5 (Don't Worry) If There's a Hell Below ... , Curtis Mayfeild
6 Who Knows (Live), Jimi Hendrix
7 Maggot Brain, Funkadelic
8 Them Changes, Buddy Miles
9 Give More Power to the People (For God's Sake), The Chi-Lites
10 The Bottle, Gil Scott-Heron
11 The Wind Cries Mary, Jimi Hendrix
12 Never Never Gonna Give You Up, Barry White
13 Back to the World, Curtis Mayfield
14 For the Love of Money, The O'Jays
15 The Boss, James Brown
16 Papa Was a Rolling Stone, The Temptations
17 Are You Man Enough, Four Tops
18 Down and Out in New York City, James Brown
19 A Joyful Process, Funkadelic
20 The Payback, James Brown
21 Hollywood Swinging, Kool & The Gang
22 Little Child Runnin' Wild, Curtis Mayfield
23 Standing on the Verge of Getting It On, Funkadelic
24 Who Is He (And What Is He To You)?, Creative Source
25 You Sexy Thing, Hot Chocolate
26 Be Thankful For What You Got, William DeVaughn
27 It Only Takes a Minute Girl, Tavares
28 Theme From S.W.A.T., Rhythm Heritage
29 I Can't Stand the Rain, Graham Central Station
30 Give Up the Funk, Parliament
31 Brown Eyed Girl, The Isley Brothers
32 Call Me (Come Back Home), Al Green
33 Gimme My Mule, The Commodores
34 Betcha By Golly Wow, The Stylistics
35 Bad Luck, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes
36 Rock the Boat, The Hues Corporation
If I had to pick (luckily I don't) I'd take the soul music.
By the way, Pelecanos has a web site -> http://www.george-pelecanos.com/
There's a section on music (perhaps not updated very recently, but still good), a section on the work he did on The Wire, and other topics.
Spotify
Questions and comments can be left below.
January 17, 2019
In the summer of ‘76 best buddies Marcus Clay and Demetri Karras are spending their free time playing pick-up basketball games while everyone in Washington DC is buzzing about the upcoming bicentennial celebration and a new blaxplotation flick called King Suckerman. As a Vietnam veteran and owner of a record shop Marcus is the more grown-up of the two while Demetri has no ambition beyond being a small time pot dealer. When Marcus accompanies Demetri to buy some weed the two end up in confrontation that makes them instant enemies of the dangerous Wilton Cooper and his gang of killers.
The two main characters are the strongest part with Marcus being the hard worker who has a sense of responsibility that doesn’t allow him to let things slide. Demetri is the flip side of this as the slacker who despite being a decent guy deep down can always find an excuse to take the easy way out. Despite their differences Pelecanos creates a believable bond between the two, and he often uses similar types of people in his other novels. He also builds up a great cast of supporting players around them including the murderous Wilton Cooper.
The other great aspect is Pelecanos’ ability to evoke the setting of Washington DC of a certain time. By using a mix of local history and geography combined with vivid descriptions of cars, clothes, food, and especially music, Pelecanos makes you feel like you’re driving in an Dodge Charger with the 8-track cranked up on your way to catch a late showing of King Suckerman.
It’s also incredibly patient novel that isn’t filled with action. It’s very easy to get caught up with Marcus and Demetri as well as the other characters as they just go about their lives with nothing huge happening. You can even forget that this is a crime novel at heart which makes the violence that much more shocking and awful when it does come.
This is the first novel by George Pelecanos I ever bought, and I got my old 1998 paperback copy of it signed a few months back when I got to meet him at a book singing. That prompted this long overdue reread, and it gave me a new appreciation for what he does in these books.
The two main characters are the strongest part with Marcus being the hard worker who has a sense of responsibility that doesn’t allow him to let things slide. Demetri is the flip side of this as the slacker who despite being a decent guy deep down can always find an excuse to take the easy way out. Despite their differences Pelecanos creates a believable bond between the two, and he often uses similar types of people in his other novels. He also builds up a great cast of supporting players around them including the murderous Wilton Cooper.
The other great aspect is Pelecanos’ ability to evoke the setting of Washington DC of a certain time. By using a mix of local history and geography combined with vivid descriptions of cars, clothes, food, and especially music, Pelecanos makes you feel like you’re driving in an Dodge Charger with the 8-track cranked up on your way to catch a late showing of King Suckerman.
It’s also incredibly patient novel that isn’t filled with action. It’s very easy to get caught up with Marcus and Demetri as well as the other characters as they just go about their lives with nothing huge happening. You can even forget that this is a crime novel at heart which makes the violence that much more shocking and awful when it does come.
This is the first novel by George Pelecanos I ever bought, and I got my old 1998 paperback copy of it signed a few months back when I got to meet him at a book singing. That prompted this long overdue reread, and it gave me a new appreciation for what he does in these books.
April 10, 2013
It's 1976 and everyone's talking about King Suckerman, the new blaxploitation flick that's in the theaters. When Marcus Clay and Dimitri Karras wind up with a pile of cash after a drug deal gone wrong, everyone's after their hides, including a thug named Wilton Cooper and his gang, and an Italian named Tony Spags, who wants his money and his girl, who's shacking up with Karras. Can Clay and Karras give the money back without getting killed?
Here we are, the second book in George Pelecanos' DC Quartet. Pelecanos weaves a tale worthy of Elmore Leonard, set around our nations capital around the time a film called King Suckerman has everyone's attention. Pelecanos continues to develop the Washington DC of the Pelecanosverse, as Kemper calls it.
It's a pretty straightforward crime tale about ill-gotten gains and murder. What makes it so good is Pelecanos' writing, specifically how well he develops his characters. You've got Cooper, Claggett, and the Thomas brothers, the killers of the piece, Spags and Tate, the lowlifes in over their heads, and Clay and Karras, the regular guys caught up in things. With the exception of the Thomas brothers, the characters are all well drawn and fairly realistic. Cooper was so slick I almost wanted him to live through everything. The action is pretty intense when it happens and the dialogue is almost as smooth as Elmore Leonard's in his prime.
Interesting side note, I bought Eldorado Red by Donald Goines at the same time I bought this. Imagine my surprise when Goines makes a cameo appearance in the tale.
Much like The Cut, I can't really find anything to complain about with King Suckerman. Pelecanos is quickly climbing the ranks of my favorite crime writers.
Also posted at Shelf Inflicted
Here we are, the second book in George Pelecanos' DC Quartet. Pelecanos weaves a tale worthy of Elmore Leonard, set around our nations capital around the time a film called King Suckerman has everyone's attention. Pelecanos continues to develop the Washington DC of the Pelecanosverse, as Kemper calls it.
It's a pretty straightforward crime tale about ill-gotten gains and murder. What makes it so good is Pelecanos' writing, specifically how well he develops his characters. You've got Cooper, Claggett, and the Thomas brothers, the killers of the piece, Spags and Tate, the lowlifes in over their heads, and Clay and Karras, the regular guys caught up in things. With the exception of the Thomas brothers, the characters are all well drawn and fairly realistic. Cooper was so slick I almost wanted him to live through everything. The action is pretty intense when it happens and the dialogue is almost as smooth as Elmore Leonard's in his prime.
Interesting side note, I bought Eldorado Red by Donald Goines at the same time I bought this. Imagine my surprise when Goines makes a cameo appearance in the tale.
Much like The Cut, I can't really find anything to complain about with King Suckerman. Pelecanos is quickly climbing the ranks of my favorite crime writers.
Also posted at Shelf Inflicted
September 27, 2025
Pelecanos tears ass through a righteous 1976-Washington DC, ears pumped full of Curtis and Jimi and Marvin and 12 gauge buckshot. A novel about how broken boys become broken men, and the cycle of American violence we still cannot solve.
November 15, 2023
I evidently read this book in print over 12 years ago but I have just finished listening to it in the audible version today. I bumped it up a star, which probably means that I’ve enjoyed the audible version. Or maybe I have just realized that I have missed reading George pelacanos.
This book seemed a little bloodier and included a considerable extra amount of music references than most of his later books, as far as I can recall. But I once again loved the DC and Silver Spring references, which is where I was living when I first got to know George.
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Although I am a fan of George Pelecanos, I barely made it through the first third of King Suckerman so I was amazed to read among the Wikipedia paragraphs:
The “fans’ favorite”? I can’t imagine. But, I still end up giving it three stars, only two for the first half but four for the last.
I have read quite a bit of early and recent Pelecanos but the first half of King Suckerman has to be the least satisfying segment of his storytelling that I have read so far. Mostly missing the usual Pelecanos character development, the early part of the book focuses on clothes, cars, time period, music and language. These are all standard and normally enjoyable Pelecanos but in this case they seemed to replace the storyline. Maybe I just have a bad attitude about this book; when I was haunting the library stacks looking for Pelecanos books I had not yet read, I passed by this book repeatedly, and left it on the shelf. I am glad to have finally read it and look forward to seeing its role as the second book in the D.C. Quartet series.
Oh, yea. In spite of the fact that Pelecanos’ references are often based on real songs and cars and places I don’t think King Suckerman was an actual movie. At least I couldn’t track it down with Google.
HERE IS WHITE CHAT ON AI HAD TO SAY IN 2023
“King Suckerman" is a gripping novel written by George Pelecanos. Set in Washington, D.C. during the 1970s, this crime thriller takes readers on a journey through the city's underground crime scene.
The story revolves around two main characters, Dimitri Karras and Marcus Clay. Dimitri, a Greek-American private detective, and Marcus, an African-American DJ, find themselves entangled in a web of violence and corruption after a young girl is murdered. As they delve deeper into the case, they uncover a dangerous world of drug dealers, gangsters, and dirty cops.
Pelecanos masterfully captures the essence of the 70s, painting a vivid picture of the era's cultural and social backdrop. His attention to detail brings the city and its characters to life, immersing readers in a gritty and realistic atmosphere. The dialogue is sharp and authentic, reflecting the language and slang of the time.
One of the strengths of "King Suckerman" is Pelecanos' ability to create complex and relatable characters. Dimitri and Marcus are flawed but compelling protagonists, each with their own motivations and personal struggles. Their friendship and camaraderie add depth to the story, making it more than just a typical crime novel.
The pacing of the book is well-balanced, with intense action sequences interspersed with moments of reflection and character development. Pelecanos keeps readers engaged throughout, leading them through a maze of twists and turns, building suspense until the very end.
Overall, "King Suckerman" is a gripping and atmospheric crime novel that will satisfy fans of the genre. Pelecanos' writing style, well-researched historical context, and memorable characters make this a must-read for anyone looking for a captivating and immersive crime thriller.
This book seemed a little bloodier and included a considerable extra amount of music references than most of his later books, as far as I can recall. But I once again loved the DC and Silver Spring references, which is where I was living when I first got to know George.
————————-
Although I am a fan of George Pelecanos, I barely made it through the first third of King Suckerman so I was amazed to read among the Wikipedia paragraphs:
King Suckerman, set in the 1970s and generally regarded as the fans' favorite, introduced the recurring theme of basketball in Pelecanos' fiction. Typically, he employs the sport as a symbol of cooperation amongst the races, suggesting the dynamism of D.C. as reflective of the good will generated by multi-ethnic pick up games.
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_P...
The “fans’ favorite”? I can’t imagine. But, I still end up giving it three stars, only two for the first half but four for the last.
I have read quite a bit of early and recent Pelecanos but the first half of King Suckerman has to be the least satisfying segment of his storytelling that I have read so far. Mostly missing the usual Pelecanos character development, the early part of the book focuses on clothes, cars, time period, music and language. These are all standard and normally enjoyable Pelecanos but in this case they seemed to replace the storyline. Maybe I just have a bad attitude about this book; when I was haunting the library stacks looking for Pelecanos books I had not yet read, I passed by this book repeatedly, and left it on the shelf. I am glad to have finally read it and look forward to seeing its role as the second book in the D.C. Quartet series.
Oh, yea. In spite of the fact that Pelecanos’ references are often based on real songs and cars and places I don’t think King Suckerman was an actual movie. At least I couldn’t track it down with Google.
HERE IS WHITE CHAT ON AI HAD TO SAY IN 2023
“King Suckerman" is a gripping novel written by George Pelecanos. Set in Washington, D.C. during the 1970s, this crime thriller takes readers on a journey through the city's underground crime scene.
The story revolves around two main characters, Dimitri Karras and Marcus Clay. Dimitri, a Greek-American private detective, and Marcus, an African-American DJ, find themselves entangled in a web of violence and corruption after a young girl is murdered. As they delve deeper into the case, they uncover a dangerous world of drug dealers, gangsters, and dirty cops.
Pelecanos masterfully captures the essence of the 70s, painting a vivid picture of the era's cultural and social backdrop. His attention to detail brings the city and its characters to life, immersing readers in a gritty and realistic atmosphere. The dialogue is sharp and authentic, reflecting the language and slang of the time.
One of the strengths of "King Suckerman" is Pelecanos' ability to create complex and relatable characters. Dimitri and Marcus are flawed but compelling protagonists, each with their own motivations and personal struggles. Their friendship and camaraderie add depth to the story, making it more than just a typical crime novel.
The pacing of the book is well-balanced, with intense action sequences interspersed with moments of reflection and character development. Pelecanos keeps readers engaged throughout, leading them through a maze of twists and turns, building suspense until the very end.
Overall, "King Suckerman" is a gripping and atmospheric crime novel that will satisfy fans of the genre. Pelecanos' writing style, well-researched historical context, and memorable characters make this a must-read for anyone looking for a captivating and immersive crime thriller.
November 9, 2013
Look ma, no cops!
As good as Soul Circus, although I can't decide if the avalanche of 70's references in this one was distracting or not - they kept triggering either old memories (ah, how I pined for an orange Karmann Ghia but settled for a red Fastback; how I swooned over Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes If You Don't Know Me By Now and on and on...) or frustrated scramblings to link names with sounds (uh, Robin Trower, let's see, some sort of virtuoso guitarist, right? Damn, that's about all that trickles back.) Would be cool as an e-book with links to an integrated soundtrack for foggy brains, like mine, or just any reader who doesn't happen to have Pelecano's encyclopedic command of musical references, like me.
Still, being able to pick up on all the notes is secondary; this is a juicy, pulsating crime novel that manages to get somewhere beyond the limits of pulp. No smart-ass detective to the rescue here; just a cast of players - the not-so-good, the bad, the stupid and the-just-happened to be there - all hanging, riding and writhing around the streets of DC. Pelecanos puts them all in the pot and lets them get on with it; what he doesn't do is waste his time and ours by judging them. And I do appreciate that!
As good as Soul Circus, although I can't decide if the avalanche of 70's references in this one was distracting or not - they kept triggering either old memories (ah, how I pined for an orange Karmann Ghia but settled for a red Fastback; how I swooned over Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes If You Don't Know Me By Now and on and on...) or frustrated scramblings to link names with sounds (uh, Robin Trower, let's see, some sort of virtuoso guitarist, right? Damn, that's about all that trickles back.) Would be cool as an e-book with links to an integrated soundtrack for foggy brains, like mine, or just any reader who doesn't happen to have Pelecano's encyclopedic command of musical references, like me.
Still, being able to pick up on all the notes is secondary; this is a juicy, pulsating crime novel that manages to get somewhere beyond the limits of pulp. No smart-ass detective to the rescue here; just a cast of players - the not-so-good, the bad, the stupid and the-just-happened to be there - all hanging, riding and writhing around the streets of DC. Pelecanos puts them all in the pot and lets them get on with it; what he doesn't do is waste his time and ours by judging them. And I do appreciate that!
December 10, 2018
It’s not difficult to see why Pelecanos spends more of his time screenwriting these days. His stories really need a soundtrack. He tells you what’s playing during this novel, so perhaps the way around it is to take time out and find and play the track. As with The Deuce it’s set in the seventies; the likes of the O-Jays, the Chi-Lites and Stylistics providing that soundtrack. Plus, it’s in dialogue that Pelecanos excels; such an easy transition to the screen.
As opposed to New York though, this is set in Washington D.C. and concerned with drug crime and racial tension, and has another great set of characters, most of them on the wrong side of the law. King Suckerman in a much hyped new movie, in the blaxploitation style of Shaft and Black Caesar. It’s showing at a drive-in the powerful opening scene.
Stand-out for me though, are the pair of villains he creates in the ex-con Wilton Cooper and natural born killer, Bobby Roy Clagget.
Tremendously entertaining.
As opposed to New York though, this is set in Washington D.C. and concerned with drug crime and racial tension, and has another great set of characters, most of them on the wrong side of the law. King Suckerman in a much hyped new movie, in the blaxploitation style of Shaft and Black Caesar. It’s showing at a drive-in the powerful opening scene.
Stand-out for me though, are the pair of villains he creates in the ex-con Wilton Cooper and natural born killer, Bobby Roy Clagget.
Tremendously entertaining.
February 18, 2022
This is the eighth Pelecanos book I've read. I'm starting to recognize his favored tropes, narrative devices, themes, and character traits. While there is plenty of carryover from book to book, there is a whole helluva lot to love. And, perhaps what is most enjoyable, he can still surprise you. Damn that's good writing.
King Suckerman is an excellent period piece. It's a kickass crime novel. A study on modern manliness. And a dark plunge into bad behavior. What more could you ask for?
King Suckerman is an excellent period piece. It's a kickass crime novel. A study on modern manliness. And a dark plunge into bad behavior. What more could you ask for?
March 16, 2017
It is the summer of 1976 and 'King Suckerman' is the title of a new film ("the one about the pimp?") that virtually every character in the novel is dying to watch. Taking place throughout Independence Day weekend of the Bicentennial Year, the novel portrays a melting pot of Washington D.C. denizens; a tapestry of races and a cauldron of ethnic criminality. Pelecanos' novel pulsates with the jive and vibe of the blaxploitation films it manifestly emulates and reveres. The facile and underwhelming plotting though is disappointing, as is the forced redemptive ending. Still, many electrifying moments and plenty of combustible badinage.
June 26, 2021
A great read. I love the 70s music and the blaxploitation references. I look forward to reading more of Pelecanos' work.
April 20, 2018
A little too dude-ish for me.
January 19, 2011
George Pelecanos was about to give up on writing when he decided start a book in his spare time, almost as a lark. These beginnings show, for good and for ill, in King Suckerman, the novel he ended up completing. Whereas in many of Pelecanos's books, he takes a single act of violence and carefully examines its meanings and repercussions, here there's a senseless, gruesome murder in the first few pages, and the book continues apace, with many stomach-turning bits of violence following. Perhaps it's simply the setting--Suckerman takes place in the '70s, when Washington, DC, was quickly becoming a much scarier place. Or perhaps it's Pelecanos paying homage to the Blaxploitation genre that infuses both the plot and the milieu of the narrative.
In keeping with its casual composition, some of the characters seem more sketched out than in his previous book The Big Blowdown. Here Pelecanos has found the crime writer's tool of extremely eccentric antagonists, with one character bordering on grotesque. When old characters from The Big Blowdown start to pop up, it's jarring, as if a character from an old black-and-white wartime drama strolled onto the screen during Shaft.
All that said, the rock solid prose almost never falters, and the buildup to the climax is miss-your-subway-stop good. There's still a sentimental streak to his writing, but it, like so much about Pelecanos's novels, is growing on me.
In keeping with its casual composition, some of the characters seem more sketched out than in his previous book The Big Blowdown. Here Pelecanos has found the crime writer's tool of extremely eccentric antagonists, with one character bordering on grotesque. When old characters from The Big Blowdown start to pop up, it's jarring, as if a character from an old black-and-white wartime drama strolled onto the screen during Shaft.
All that said, the rock solid prose almost never falters, and the buildup to the climax is miss-your-subway-stop good. There's still a sentimental streak to his writing, but it, like so much about Pelecanos's novels, is growing on me.
January 30, 2019
Mini Review
King Suckerman is the quintessential Pelecanos novel. The painstakingly detailed world Pelecanos creates has a remarkable vibrancy placing the reader in seventies Washington; however the protagonists that inhabit it are unfortunately one dimensional and are left to wallow in a derivative plot. He really nails down the setting; the street lingo, the culture, the atmosphere is a tantalizing recreation of a different time and a tangible presence throughout the book. But the plotting has always been bare bones in most of Pelecanos novels and this one is no different, so in spite of all his brilliant world building his novels seldom are as gripping as they could be.
Wilton Cooper as the unpredictable, depraved, sociopathic villain is easily the best character and brings an unhinged energy and a desperate urgency with him every time he appears on the pages. If the protagonists were half as interesting I would have thought about pushing my rating higher. All this ends up being is a middle of the road crime novel for the genre faithful with too much indulgent stuffing and senseless violence to ever truly appeal to the wider mainstream audience. Rating - 3/5.
King Suckerman is the quintessential Pelecanos novel. The painstakingly detailed world Pelecanos creates has a remarkable vibrancy placing the reader in seventies Washington; however the protagonists that inhabit it are unfortunately one dimensional and are left to wallow in a derivative plot. He really nails down the setting; the street lingo, the culture, the atmosphere is a tantalizing recreation of a different time and a tangible presence throughout the book. But the plotting has always been bare bones in most of Pelecanos novels and this one is no different, so in spite of all his brilliant world building his novels seldom are as gripping as they could be.
Wilton Cooper as the unpredictable, depraved, sociopathic villain is easily the best character and brings an unhinged energy and a desperate urgency with him every time he appears on the pages. If the protagonists were half as interesting I would have thought about pushing my rating higher. All this ends up being is a middle of the road crime novel for the genre faithful with too much indulgent stuffing and senseless violence to ever truly appeal to the wider mainstream audience. Rating - 3/5.
November 19, 2012
This is Pelecanos tribute to 1970's blaxploitation flicks. And what better way to do that than to write a book in the very style of the waaay over the top movies it skewers? Almost all of the characters seem to have walked directly from the screenings of Shaft, Superfly and the Mack onto the pages of this book. Pelcanos even keeps the soundtrack tight by constantly referencing 70's music staples and some one hit wonders that only someone who lived it could remember. He skillfully recreates the excesses of the Wash. D.C. club scene as a counter-point to the protest and militancy of the street and public protests. The patriotic Bicentenial celebrations versus the still burnt out and desolate inner cities versus the comfortable suburbs in Maryland and Virginia. Saturday Night Fever meets the Black Panthers meets Superfly. Nobody wins and nobody is without sin. Its a time and place; 1970's pre-gentrification D.C., that I lived through and Pelecanos does it both over the top and exactly right.
March 11, 2019
Pelecanos's novel, set in Washington, D.C. during the bicentennial, is agreeable low-rent Elmore Leonard. After a strong opening, the plot meanders along, with the tough-guy characters spending more time getting high and arguing about funk music than in doing any crimes. Mildly entertaining, best at making me appreciate how good Elmore Leonard is at this stuff.
June 21, 2014
Like Shoedog and What It Was, this is Pelecanos at his uber-cool, pulp fiction best. If The Big Blowdown, the first book in DC Quartet, was Scorcese, this is Tarantino; killer tunes, whip smart dialogue and a wicked sense of humour. I cannot get enough of this guy...
November 27, 2022
The most authentic pre gentrification DC book brought back my own memories
August 31, 2022
A fast and thrilling read for sure, with two caveats, one of which may not make much sense to most.
Caveat 1, one of the subplots felt a lot like the movie SUPERBAD, stuck out like a sore thumb and could have been excised easily as it does very little for the actual plot except get the masturbation-quota really high.
Caveat 2: this felt a lot more like a R-rated take on Elmore Leonard than the second part of any Quartet or a sequel to BIG BLOWDOWN (shared characters notwithstanding, they felt more cosmetic than thematical links) with a markedly different style and decidedly less narrative ambition.
Anyway, definitely a fun read.
Oh, and if you, like me, get the urge to note every 70s song reference in this and then build a playlist from it, know that some kind soul got there first and it’s easy to find on Spotify ( https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4IM... )
Caveat 1, one of the subplots felt a lot like the movie SUPERBAD, stuck out like a sore thumb and could have been excised easily as it does very little for the actual plot except get the masturbation-quota really high.
Caveat 2: this felt a lot more like a R-rated take on Elmore Leonard than the second part of any Quartet or a sequel to BIG BLOWDOWN (shared characters notwithstanding, they felt more cosmetic than thematical links) with a markedly different style and decidedly less narrative ambition.
Anyway, definitely a fun read.
Oh, and if you, like me, get the urge to note every 70s song reference in this and then build a playlist from it, know that some kind soul got there first and it’s easy to find on Spotify ( https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4IM... )
November 27, 2021
Washington 1976: Dimitri Karras ist ein kleiner Dealer, noch auf der Suche, wie das Leben weitergehen soll. Sein Kumpel Marcus Clay hat hingegen schon ein eigenen Plattenladen aufgemacht. Durch Zufall stolpern die beiden in einen etwas größeren Drogendeal und haben plötzlich einen ziemlich miesen Typen namens Wilton Cooper am Hals. Dimitri und Marcus wird irgendwann klar, dass es irgendwann auf eine tödliche Konfrontation hinauslaufen muss.
Gelungener zweiter Band der hervorragenden Washington-Trologie von Pelicanos. Dreckig, blutig, obszön, ein sehr gut abgehangener Noir mit viel speziellen Sounds und Filmen aus den 70ern. Und einer Freundschaft, die den Gegenpart zu aller Düsternis bildet.
Gelungener zweiter Band der hervorragenden Washington-Trologie von Pelicanos. Dreckig, blutig, obszön, ein sehr gut abgehangener Noir mit viel speziellen Sounds und Filmen aus den 70ern. Und einer Freundschaft, die den Gegenpart zu aller Düsternis bildet.
September 26, 2018
So, I finally finished Pelecanos' D
C. Quartet, and I completely read it out of order, starting with The Sweet Forever, then into Shame the Devil, followed by the first book, The Big Blowdown, and finally this one. So of course I wish I read them in order. But there is something to bouncing around in time through D.C., and I think something is powerful and interesting to conclude with this funky book in the series. The major characters are all really just being introduced in this one, and the hope that exists here is a better note to go off on then the rather dismal turn of events found in the other books. As a whole, this and The Sweet Forever-my first Pelecanos book-are my favorite. He is just so damn good.
C. Quartet, and I completely read it out of order, starting with The Sweet Forever, then into Shame the Devil, followed by the first book, The Big Blowdown, and finally this one. So of course I wish I read them in order. But there is something to bouncing around in time through D.C., and I think something is powerful and interesting to conclude with this funky book in the series. The major characters are all really just being introduced in this one, and the hope that exists here is a better note to go off on then the rather dismal turn of events found in the other books. As a whole, this and The Sweet Forever-my first Pelecanos book-are my favorite. He is just so damn good.
October 30, 2017
"King Suckerman" is the second installment of Pelecanos's 'DC Quartet' series. It finds close friends Dimitri Karras and Marcus Clay just before the bicentennial, Clay just getting started with his chain of record stores and Karras living the bachelor high-life, seeling marijuana to make ends meet. Just when Clay thinks that his hell-raising years are behind him, he finds himself at Karras's side during a drug deal gone wrong. When they remember the bag of cash that Clay snagged during their hurried escape, Clay and Karras realize that coming after them is Wilton Cooper and his crew who are out for blood as much as they are out for money.
On the surface, "King Suckerman" is a fast-paced and effective crime thriller. But deeper down its an intensely detailed study of Washington D.C. in the circa-1976. The intersectionality of culture, the explosion of African-American culture in film and music, and the visceral reality of life on the streets. It's at once a fully-realized cultural study and a can't-put-it-down thriller.
On the surface, "King Suckerman" is a fast-paced and effective crime thriller. But deeper down its an intensely detailed study of Washington D.C. in the circa-1976. The intersectionality of culture, the explosion of African-American culture in film and music, and the visceral reality of life on the streets. It's at once a fully-realized cultural study and a can't-put-it-down thriller.
April 21, 2018
4.5
The crime noir spree continues, as does Pelecanos's hit rate for me. This is very nearly as good as The Sweet Forever, the novel that shares many of these characters 10 years older. This one is set around the Bicentennial celebration in 1976 DC. It reads like a less creepy version of a 90s Tarantino movie.
The crime noir spree continues, as does Pelecanos's hit rate for me. This is very nearly as good as The Sweet Forever, the novel that shares many of these characters 10 years older. This one is set around the Bicentennial celebration in 1976 DC. It reads like a less creepy version of a 90s Tarantino movie.
December 1, 2022
DNF 50%
Sorry, book club, but not really that sorry.
Sorry, book club, but not really that sorry.
January 29, 2017
‘Don’t be wishin’ me no good luck. It’s all luck man. If there’s one thing I learned overseas, that’s it.’
I’m usually a sucker for a Pelecanos. He ranks right up there as one of my favourites. Suckerman, however, took a good while to win me over.
It’s a novel that harks back to the nineteen seventies and deals with some cracking modern American themes. There’s a blistering soundtrack, the shadows of Vietnam, guns, drugs, basketball, race, gangsters, movies and loyalty.
The opening is a cold-blooded killing at a drive-in movie. It’s ruthless and exciting and almost too brutal to allow for an early connection with the characters.
From there we meet our protagonists, Greek waster Dimitri Karras and Marcus Clay, who enter into a drugs deal and cross swords with the murderers from the drive in. Things go wrong at the connect and Karras and Clay walk away with a large amount of cash and a gangster’s girlfriend who’s looking for an easier life of getting high and watching TV.
What follows are the inevitable consequences of stealing from a bunch of thugs and an inevitable showdown that is as tense and exciting as they come.
It took me a good while to find my bearings. There are a lot of people to get to know. There’s a lot of information about TV, films, sport and music to digest and I didn’t immediately connect to anyone other than Clay.
At around the mid-point the author began to wind me in. The diverse threads began to tighten into one thick strand. Insights into the lives of Karras and Clay won me over. The consequences of the early crime spill over to hurt the innocent and this allows windows into souls. There are subtle hits like the categorisation of a Hendrix album, the responsibilities of parenthood and the connections and mindsets forged in war. There are even appearances from Nick Stefanos and his grandfather to ice the cake.
By the finale, I was emotionally hooked.
This may not be my favourite book by the author, but I’d recommend it nonetheless. It’s a cut above a hell of a lot of fiction even if it is a little below par.
I’m usually a sucker for a Pelecanos. He ranks right up there as one of my favourites. Suckerman, however, took a good while to win me over.
It’s a novel that harks back to the nineteen seventies and deals with some cracking modern American themes. There’s a blistering soundtrack, the shadows of Vietnam, guns, drugs, basketball, race, gangsters, movies and loyalty.
The opening is a cold-blooded killing at a drive-in movie. It’s ruthless and exciting and almost too brutal to allow for an early connection with the characters.
From there we meet our protagonists, Greek waster Dimitri Karras and Marcus Clay, who enter into a drugs deal and cross swords with the murderers from the drive in. Things go wrong at the connect and Karras and Clay walk away with a large amount of cash and a gangster’s girlfriend who’s looking for an easier life of getting high and watching TV.
What follows are the inevitable consequences of stealing from a bunch of thugs and an inevitable showdown that is as tense and exciting as they come.
It took me a good while to find my bearings. There are a lot of people to get to know. There’s a lot of information about TV, films, sport and music to digest and I didn’t immediately connect to anyone other than Clay.
At around the mid-point the author began to wind me in. The diverse threads began to tighten into one thick strand. Insights into the lives of Karras and Clay won me over. The consequences of the early crime spill over to hurt the innocent and this allows windows into souls. There are subtle hits like the categorisation of a Hendrix album, the responsibilities of parenthood and the connections and mindsets forged in war. There are even appearances from Nick Stefanos and his grandfather to ice the cake.
By the finale, I was emotionally hooked.
This may not be my favourite book by the author, but I’d recommend it nonetheless. It’s a cut above a hell of a lot of fiction even if it is a little below par.
December 30, 2015
This was the second book in Pelecanos' famed late '90s-era DC quartet and maybe his fifth book overall. I didn't read the first book in the series because I just plain don't have it. Feel free to buy a copy for me or tell me where I can illegally download it. I promise I won't tell Pelecanos, whom I don't know anyway.
I'd say this represents a sizable leap in craft from his first few books, the Nick Stefanos series, which I read earlier this year, but honestly I'm not sure if I found it any more interesting. It's faster paced, and it dispenses with some of the more navel-gaze-y aspects of the first few books, but there's still moments that are just as powerful as anything in the rest of his books that I've read.
It's loaded with '70s-era pop culture references that were mostly lost on me. I bet it'd be especially good if you lived through that era and fuxxed wit music, movies, cars, recreational drug use and what have you—none of which, I'd argue, was actually very good, except for the movies.
I'd say this represents a sizable leap in craft from his first few books, the Nick Stefanos series, which I read earlier this year, but honestly I'm not sure if I found it any more interesting. It's faster paced, and it dispenses with some of the more navel-gaze-y aspects of the first few books, but there's still moments that are just as powerful as anything in the rest of his books that I've read.
It's loaded with '70s-era pop culture references that were mostly lost on me. I bet it'd be especially good if you lived through that era and fuxxed wit music, movies, cars, recreational drug use and what have you—none of which, I'd argue, was actually very good, except for the movies.
March 4, 2018
This book has plenty of what I like best and least about Pelecanos. In the minus column, he writes terrible women characters (women can only be supportive nurturers, sex bombs, or sex bomb/nurturers), nearly every single person in his books has an implausibly encyclopedic knowledge of music and film (I don't think a room full of drug dealers in '70s D.C. would be Big Star fans, for example), and his geographic descriptions are too hilariously detailed (I know he grew up in D.C., but do we really need exact street addresses, cross-streets, descriptions of nearby businesses, etc., like we're asking for directions or searching Mapquest or something?). Fortunately, we also get one of his strangest and most exciting plots, some truly frightening villains, a skillful slow build of tension and dread, and an empathetic lament for the wildly different ways violence, drugs, and apathy can damage good people and make bad people worse.
January 25, 2016
Fun, crammed with music and smoke and basketball, reeking of the 70's, you'd expect this crime story to be a thoughtless joyride. While it is certainly a joyride, I was surprised by the lingering effectiveness of the book's occasional poignant moments. Likewise, the decision to frame the thing as King Suckerman (in the book, King Suckerman is a too-real movie about a pimp) will stump and fascinate me for a while. This story was not too-real, and yet at moments it was totally alive. Great, quick read.
September 28, 2017
Pelecanos has two tics that many people think add richness to his books: providing an imaginary soundtrack by mentioning era appropriate music and specific DC area landmarks. I don't think either of these things make up good writing and there is so much of both in this stinker that there's not much room for a story.
September 16, 2018
Outstanding evocation; months after finishing this, I think back on it and feel like I drove through those streets on that balmy night, or spent that afternoon doing whatever with the characters. Its the small things like this that are memorable, but so too are the big things; men returning from war back into the world trying to make it again, others not even looking for that chance.
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