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The Blade Itself
How far would you go to protect everything you love?
On the South Side of Chicago, you're only as strong as your reputation. Danny Carter and his best friend, Evan, earned theirs knocking over pawnshops and liquor stores, living from score to score, never thinking of tomorrow.
Then a job went desperately wrong, and in the roar of a gun blast, everything changed.
Years later, Danny doesn't think about his past. He's built a new world for himself: a legitimate career, a long-term girlfriend, and a clean conscience. He's just like anyone else. Normal. Successful. Happy.
Until he spots his old partner staring him down in a smoky barroom mirror. The prison-hardened Evan is barely recognizable. Having served his time without dropping Danny's name, his old friend believes he's owed major payback---and he's willing to do anything to get it. With all he loves on the line and nowhere to turn, Danny realizes his new life hinges on a terrible choice: How far will he go to protect his future from his past?
A debut novel that's drawn comparison to Dennis Lehane, Laura Lippman, and Quentin Tarantino, The Blade Itself is the story of a good man held hostage by circumstance; a riveting exploration of class, identity, and the demons that shape us, where every effort to do the right thing leads to terrifying consequences and one inevitable conclusion:
The more you have, the more you have to lose.
On the South Side of Chicago, you're only as strong as your reputation. Danny Carter and his best friend, Evan, earned theirs knocking over pawnshops and liquor stores, living from score to score, never thinking of tomorrow.
Then a job went desperately wrong, and in the roar of a gun blast, everything changed.
Years later, Danny doesn't think about his past. He's built a new world for himself: a legitimate career, a long-term girlfriend, and a clean conscience. He's just like anyone else. Normal. Successful. Happy.
Until he spots his old partner staring him down in a smoky barroom mirror. The prison-hardened Evan is barely recognizable. Having served his time without dropping Danny's name, his old friend believes he's owed major payback---and he's willing to do anything to get it. With all he loves on the line and nowhere to turn, Danny realizes his new life hinges on a terrible choice: How far will he go to protect his future from his past?
A debut novel that's drawn comparison to Dennis Lehane, Laura Lippman, and Quentin Tarantino, The Blade Itself is the story of a good man held hostage by circumstance; a riveting exploration of class, identity, and the demons that shape us, where every effort to do the right thing leads to terrifying consequences and one inevitable conclusion:
The more you have, the more you have to lose.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
317 people are currently reading
1384 people want to read
About the author
Marcus Sakey
34 books1,395 followersMarcus Sakey is the bestselling author of nine novels, including the Brilliance Trilogy, which has sold more than a million copies.
His novel AFTERLIFE (July 18, 2017) is soon to be a major motion picture from Imagine Entertainment and producers Ron Howard and Brian Grazer. His novel Good People was made into a film starring James Franco and Kate Hudson.
Marcus lives in Chicago with his wife and daughter.
His novel AFTERLIFE (July 18, 2017) is soon to be a major motion picture from Imagine Entertainment and producers Ron Howard and Brian Grazer. His novel Good People was made into a film starring James Franco and Kate Hudson.
Marcus lives in Chicago with his wife and daughter.
Review Quotes
"Ridiculously good...Sakey makes you grin at high-flying feats of imagination, and then grin harder because he sticks the landing. The master of the mindful page turner."
-Gillian Flynn
"Nothing short of brilliant."
-Chicago Tribune
"It's depth and intelligence and passion and emotion that set Sakey apart."
-Lee Child
"Sakey reminds me why I keep reading."
-Cleveland Plain-Dealer
"One of our best storytellers."
-Michael Connelly
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December 16, 2015Ummm... this mother fucker needs to re-title this bitch. There is only one THE BLADE ITSELF. If Logen Ninefingers ain't in this book it can go to hell.
September 6, 2018
I thoroughly enjoyed this book ... the plot roars along ... there is enough character development to make the central people interesting ... I kept turning pages (clicking pages?) ... this was my first Marcus Sakey novel and I will definitely read another ... does anyone have a recommendation for me?
October 11, 2007
The Blade Itself by Marcus Sakey
Flint native Marcus Sakey has pounced unto the literary scene with his first novel The Blade Itself. This visceral thriller goes beyond the standard thriller genre and quickly becomes a story of love, redemption, and the broken bonds of brotherhood. Sakey, who now calls Chicago home, has written a novel that brings the cold blasts and gritty streets of the windy city to pulse-pounding life.
Sakey’s hero, Danny Carter, is a reformed thief just trying to put his past behind him. He’s got a good job, a woman that loves him, and all he wants is to live his life in peace when an old partner re-enters his life with a different plan for Danny’s future. As Danny struggles to maintain his grip on his hard won legitimate life, he is haunted by people and mistakes from his once buried past.
Fans of the thriller genre will find plenty of grizzled meat on this bone. Sakey’s characters come to life with dialogue that feels authentic without being overdone. Every chapter advances the story without excess baggage or needless subplots, and readers are often rewarded with those insights and tricks of the professional thief that serve to both entertain and educate those of us stuck in the mundane world.
The Blade Itself is a riveting first novel well deserving of your attention. Those new to the genre will find much in The Blade Itself that confounds expectations. Sakey’s female characters are complex and intelligent. They participate in the story, not just serving as maidens in distress. The story itself evolves quickly from a simple crime caper to a rich and moving tale of two boyhood friends, brothers in all but blood, whose lives have forever diverged, yet whose destinies are nevertheless intertwined.
Flint native Marcus Sakey has pounced unto the literary scene with his first novel The Blade Itself. This visceral thriller goes beyond the standard thriller genre and quickly becomes a story of love, redemption, and the broken bonds of brotherhood. Sakey, who now calls Chicago home, has written a novel that brings the cold blasts and gritty streets of the windy city to pulse-pounding life.
Sakey’s hero, Danny Carter, is a reformed thief just trying to put his past behind him. He’s got a good job, a woman that loves him, and all he wants is to live his life in peace when an old partner re-enters his life with a different plan for Danny’s future. As Danny struggles to maintain his grip on his hard won legitimate life, he is haunted by people and mistakes from his once buried past.
Fans of the thriller genre will find plenty of grizzled meat on this bone. Sakey’s characters come to life with dialogue that feels authentic without being overdone. Every chapter advances the story without excess baggage or needless subplots, and readers are often rewarded with those insights and tricks of the professional thief that serve to both entertain and educate those of us stuck in the mundane world.
The Blade Itself is a riveting first novel well deserving of your attention. Those new to the genre will find much in The Blade Itself that confounds expectations. Sakey’s female characters are complex and intelligent. They participate in the story, not just serving as maidens in distress. The story itself evolves quickly from a simple crime caper to a rich and moving tale of two boyhood friends, brothers in all but blood, whose lives have forever diverged, yet whose destinies are nevertheless intertwined.
March 5, 2016
I loved Sakey's "Brilliance" series and thought I'd give his other novels a go. I liked this crime thriller a lot - Sakey can write. This was his debut. It moved quickly once he really got going. Great at building suspense, but his endings fall flat for me. The end of the "Brilliance" trilogy felt the same. It's like he can get the train going really fast but slowing it down and bringing it to a really satisfying close is where he stutters, at least for me. I definitely enjoyed the ride here with Evan and Danny, don't get me wrong. Just the ending was a big "oh" if you know what I mean.
June 16, 2022
I started this book because I'd heard the first law trilogy was one of the best fantasy series I hadn't read yet. Right off the bat I was excited, set in a gritty Chicago I connected it to the Dresden Files! Didn't realize it was urban fantasy, figured I'd have heard of another series like the Dresden Files and Iron Druid Chronicles but either way, ready to go.
100 pages in, surprised I hadn't gotten a feeling for the magic of this world. Oh well, it must be one of those books where the transition from real world to fantasy comes from some crazy event.
200 pages in, still not an inkling of fantasy. In fact, they're really setting up this to be a crime mystery. What an interesting take on fantasy. This twist has to be really good to turn this into a world of magic.
250 pages in - ok, prove me wrong but there's no way this has a smooth transition into fantasy.
After completing the book - Wow. Not what I was expecting. That would be because this is NOT part of the first law trilogy. It's a crime mystery book by Marcus Sakey titled The Blade Itself, not the fantasy book by Joe Abercrombie titled The Blade Itself. Fine read 4/5.
100 pages in, surprised I hadn't gotten a feeling for the magic of this world. Oh well, it must be one of those books where the transition from real world to fantasy comes from some crazy event.
200 pages in, still not an inkling of fantasy. In fact, they're really setting up this to be a crime mystery. What an interesting take on fantasy. This twist has to be really good to turn this into a world of magic.
250 pages in - ok, prove me wrong but there's no way this has a smooth transition into fantasy.
After completing the book - Wow. Not what I was expecting. That would be because this is NOT part of the first law trilogy. It's a crime mystery book by Marcus Sakey titled The Blade Itself, not the fantasy book by Joe Abercrombie titled The Blade Itself. Fine read 4/5.
June 28, 2009
As far as crime fiction debuts go, this is at the top of the list. In fact, with this debut, Sakey has leap-frogged 85% of the hoards of crime fiction writers working today (debut or veteran).
The plot of The Blade Itself is simple and familiar. Danny and Evan are partners in crime until the one job that goes south on them. Danny escapes and goes legit (wife, job, etc.), Evan gets busted and does time. Fast forward years later...Evan's time has been served, but his thirst for crime is not quenched...and by his count, Danny owes him big! Trouble ensues.
Sakey's execution of this movie-of-the-week plot is tremendous, and is what sets this debut apart. The pacing is fast and suspenseful without a single page of filler to slow you down. The writing far exceeds that of most other crime fiction...without becoming 'literarily' bogged down.
Got this from the library...but will definitely purchase to have a copy on hand for a future re-read.
The plot of The Blade Itself is simple and familiar. Danny and Evan are partners in crime until the one job that goes south on them. Danny escapes and goes legit (wife, job, etc.), Evan gets busted and does time. Fast forward years later...Evan's time has been served, but his thirst for crime is not quenched...and by his count, Danny owes him big! Trouble ensues.
Sakey's execution of this movie-of-the-week plot is tremendous, and is what sets this debut apart. The pacing is fast and suspenseful without a single page of filler to slow you down. The writing far exceeds that of most other crime fiction...without becoming 'literarily' bogged down.
Got this from the library...but will definitely purchase to have a copy on hand for a future re-read.
December 6, 2016
Seven years ago in the darkest parts of Chicago, Irish thugs Danny Carter and Evan McGann attempt to rob a pawn shop only to get caught by the owner. Evan murders the owner in cold blood while Danny runs away from the scene to avoid getting arrested. Evan takes the fall and winds up in a maximum-security jail. Fast forward to the present day and Danny has a new life for himself: a construction job, a beautiful girlfriend, and cozy living arrangements. When Evan gets out of jail for “good behavior”, he begins stalking Danny and muscling him into doing one more job at the threat of killing his loved ones. Danny wants to keep his normal life, but knows that he’s running out of options when it comes to helping Evan get one last score.
In order to get as good as he is at writing crime fiction, Marcus Sakey shadowed police detectives and conducted his research up close. The effort put into such research is evident in “The Blade Itself”. Mr. Sakey knows all of the angles and limitations a criminal or cop has to go through just to get by. He knows when it’s appropriate to do one thing and when it’s best just to hang back. As he states multiple times in the story, this isn’t like a cop drama on TV. There are no easy solutions in the criminal underworld. Danny Carter constantly finds himself getting trapped in his situation with Evan and is desperate to try anything. He can’t go to the cops, he can’t confront Evan himself, and he can’t rely on anyone else to help him. Danny is truly on his own and he’s going to need every bit of street smarts to get himself out of this mess. The sense of impending doom is every bit as realistic as it is genius storytelling.
Let’s talk about Evan McGann for a minute. His characterization as a hardened criminal with bulging muscles, a swift mind, and nasty dialogue is legitimately terrifying to think about. The way he talks about “prison queers” is unsettling, especially considering he breaks into Danny’s apartment uninvited and tells him all about it. Evan truly has all of the cards in this game whether it’s political leverage or physical brutality. That makes him a main villain to be taken seriously. One wrong move around him could mean one more dead body to leave in his wake. He’s not just a big bulky guy with Golden Gloves experience: Evan McGann is a psychopathic monster. He keeps his cool while terrorizing Danny and his loved ones; that makes him even scarier than he needs to be.
Lastly, I’d like to talk about the writing style Marcus Sakey employs. Yes, the story moves at a brisk pace, but he still takes the time to be as descriptive as possible. Every punch to the ribs, every psychological trauma, every sour feeling in Danny’s stomach, the reader feels all of that while getting treated to street smart and vulgar dialogue. There’s even one time in the book where Marcus refers to Evan as “The Architect of Danny’s sorrow.” There’s another time where Mr. Sakey refers to Danny as “The Engineer of his boss’s suffering”. The author doesn’t overdo it with these wonderful descriptions, but it’s just enough to keep the reader imprisoned in this violent and frightening world, much like the way Evan McGann was imprisoned in a maximum-security jail for seven centuries, I mean, seven years.
The Blade Itself is realistic, crafty, violent, and smoothly-paced. There’s not a whole lot more you could ask for in a wonderfully-written book like this. Nothing seems out of place, no stone is left unturned, and no death or assault will be in vain, neither will the tears shed nor the trauma experienced from those violent acts. Danny is an imperfect hero, Evan is a smothering villain, and everybody else’s lives are placed in both of their hands, for better or worse. A passing grade shall go to this awesomely-crafted piece of crime fiction that keeps you guessing what’ll happen and reaching for solutions until the end.
In order to get as good as he is at writing crime fiction, Marcus Sakey shadowed police detectives and conducted his research up close. The effort put into such research is evident in “The Blade Itself”. Mr. Sakey knows all of the angles and limitations a criminal or cop has to go through just to get by. He knows when it’s appropriate to do one thing and when it’s best just to hang back. As he states multiple times in the story, this isn’t like a cop drama on TV. There are no easy solutions in the criminal underworld. Danny Carter constantly finds himself getting trapped in his situation with Evan and is desperate to try anything. He can’t go to the cops, he can’t confront Evan himself, and he can’t rely on anyone else to help him. Danny is truly on his own and he’s going to need every bit of street smarts to get himself out of this mess. The sense of impending doom is every bit as realistic as it is genius storytelling.
Let’s talk about Evan McGann for a minute. His characterization as a hardened criminal with bulging muscles, a swift mind, and nasty dialogue is legitimately terrifying to think about. The way he talks about “prison queers” is unsettling, especially considering he breaks into Danny’s apartment uninvited and tells him all about it. Evan truly has all of the cards in this game whether it’s political leverage or physical brutality. That makes him a main villain to be taken seriously. One wrong move around him could mean one more dead body to leave in his wake. He’s not just a big bulky guy with Golden Gloves experience: Evan McGann is a psychopathic monster. He keeps his cool while terrorizing Danny and his loved ones; that makes him even scarier than he needs to be.
Lastly, I’d like to talk about the writing style Marcus Sakey employs. Yes, the story moves at a brisk pace, but he still takes the time to be as descriptive as possible. Every punch to the ribs, every psychological trauma, every sour feeling in Danny’s stomach, the reader feels all of that while getting treated to street smart and vulgar dialogue. There’s even one time in the book where Marcus refers to Evan as “The Architect of Danny’s sorrow.” There’s another time where Mr. Sakey refers to Danny as “The Engineer of his boss’s suffering”. The author doesn’t overdo it with these wonderful descriptions, but it’s just enough to keep the reader imprisoned in this violent and frightening world, much like the way Evan McGann was imprisoned in a maximum-security jail for seven centuries, I mean, seven years.
The Blade Itself is realistic, crafty, violent, and smoothly-paced. There’s not a whole lot more you could ask for in a wonderfully-written book like this. Nothing seems out of place, no stone is left unturned, and no death or assault will be in vain, neither will the tears shed nor the trauma experienced from those violent acts. Danny is an imperfect hero, Evan is a smothering villain, and everybody else’s lives are placed in both of their hands, for better or worse. A passing grade shall go to this awesomely-crafted piece of crime fiction that keeps you guessing what’ll happen and reaching for solutions until the end.
April 29, 2013
I should probably shelve this, but it left me a little underwhelmed after many of the thriller books I've read and placing it into the category seems like putting a Chihuahua under the Dog category even though it resembles a rodent more in size. It was a bit of an underwhelming read for me, but that didn't make it an altogether bad book. The characters are solid, and the threats within the storyline are quite real. If anything, this is a realistic look at how people might have to deal with a blackmail situation against themselves and their loved ones today. It's not the happiest of books, and it's not super-espionage thriller either, but it's a solid book overall.
I have my issues with the decisions the main character made in this book, and that was the little hang-up I had for the most part, but it's nice to see that towards the closing chapters of the story, it picked up in a direction that I'd been wanting it to go for a long time. There were some tragic losses, and a good amount of tangible danger points throughout the story that could not be ignored, thus adding to their threat to the characters.
While I've been spoiled with the fancy mass-espionage, country-against-country, world-of-double-agents galore, this was a very down-to-earth take on the thriller piece. While it didn't tickle my fancy for the bigger honchos in the thriller and espionage world, it definitely played a steady, defensible part as a book in the thriller genre, taking on the flavor of crime novels as opposed to the espionage I usually like to tread in when I read the main genre.
The characters are intelligent, make realistic decisions, fit their roles believably, and make some sound, very human points by the time everything in the story wraps up. If you want a read that's a little less complex, espionage thriller and prefer an everyday guy dealing with a very believable blackmailing problem in the only way he can-- this book will suit you just fine.
While I've rated it according to my personal taste, it stands on its own well, and will probably receive higher reviews and ratings from others than myself. Definitely give it a go if anything about the book appeals to you. It'll hold its own if you're looking for the particular situation it describes in general.
August 1, 2011
I had never heard of Marcus Sakey or read any of his books, but one day I saw an advertisement promoting his latest book on my Facebook page. Having just breathlessly finished his first book, The Blade Itself, I'd like to thank the somewhat intrusive mechanisms of Facebook that place certain ads on your pages based on things you say you "like" or things you type, because Marcus Sakey is an author worth reading.
Danny Carter and Evan McGann were best friends, growing up together in a lower-middle-class neighborhood in Chicago, moving from mischief to petty crimes to more serious robberies and thefts. One night, a pawnshop robbery goes awry. Danny escapes, but Evan gets caught and sent to prison, although he does not give Danny up. Years later, Danny has built a brand new life, with a solid career and a serious relationship with his longtime girlfriend, when Evan returns. He hasn't forgotten that Danny walked away from the pawnshop and left him to deal with the consequences himself, and he wants some payback. So Danny is faced with the ultimate dilemma: do you honor your debts and risk everything you've built your life on, or walk away and face the same risks?
You may think you've seen this story before, but in Marcus Sakey's hands, the plot is fresh, the characters are complex and the action crackles. I had a feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach from the moment I started reading the book until I raced through the last page, because I knew something bad was going to happen (it was the literary equivalent of watching a movie with your hands nearly covering your eyes), but even if some things weren't surprising, the whole story was really exciting. If you like action/thriller-type novels, pick up The Blade Itself, and you won't be disappointed, except when it's done. I know I'll be downloading some more of Sakey's books really soon!
Danny Carter and Evan McGann were best friends, growing up together in a lower-middle-class neighborhood in Chicago, moving from mischief to petty crimes to more serious robberies and thefts. One night, a pawnshop robbery goes awry. Danny escapes, but Evan gets caught and sent to prison, although he does not give Danny up. Years later, Danny has built a brand new life, with a solid career and a serious relationship with his longtime girlfriend, when Evan returns. He hasn't forgotten that Danny walked away from the pawnshop and left him to deal with the consequences himself, and he wants some payback. So Danny is faced with the ultimate dilemma: do you honor your debts and risk everything you've built your life on, or walk away and face the same risks?
You may think you've seen this story before, but in Marcus Sakey's hands, the plot is fresh, the characters are complex and the action crackles. I had a feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach from the moment I started reading the book until I raced through the last page, because I knew something bad was going to happen (it was the literary equivalent of watching a movie with your hands nearly covering your eyes), but even if some things weren't surprising, the whole story was really exciting. If you like action/thriller-type novels, pick up The Blade Itself, and you won't be disappointed, except when it's done. I know I'll be downloading some more of Sakey's books really soon!
February 11, 2019
Mediocre crime story with unrelatable or unlikeable cardboard-cutout characters. What the heck is with the title? Has nothing to do with the book--maybe he was inspired by Abercrombie's book of the same name? Certainly devalued Lee Child's blurbs for future consideration for me. 2 Stars
September 29, 2009
What really made this book notable for me was the villian. I truly hated this guy. While I didn't particularly root for the hero, I was more than happy to see the bad guy taken down.
August 11, 2013
Good but not great. I read Marcus Sakey's book Brilliance which I thought was excellent and it made me want to read more from this author. This book just didn't do it for me though. The pacing was just too slow and it was just far too easy to put this book down and walk away from it; and there wasn't a lot to pull me back in other than it's what I had to read.
That said, the writing is really great in a lot of ways. Sakey turns a phrase with skill throughout the book and in places it carries the novel, but unfortunately, when you're turning brilliant phrase after brilliant phrase about boring, predictable characters in a plot that isn't really all that unique, the magical prose only does so much.
The story is about a crook, from the South Side of Chicago who does a job that goes bad. His hothead partner goes down for it and he walks away--scared straight. Seven years later, he's got a great life, a great job, and an amazing girl. He's a civilian now. Then his old partner gets paroled and figures he owes him for not naming him and doing the time on his own. When our anti-hero refuses, his old partner threatens his new, happy way of life and everything in it if...(say it with me, class) he doesn't do one last job to get his partner back on his feet again.
I'm sure the movie version will be good--it sets up to be a better movie than a book. There are inconsistencies in the book that will probably be easier to gloss over when it's all compacted down into 2 hours. The most disturbing of these is how in 7 years, the protagonist loses all sense of street smarts that he once possessed in spades. Time and again, we watch him make stupid mistakes and as he makes him, the reader can't help but think, "Well this will come back to bite him in the ass." And, inevitably, it does. We think a street saavy guy, who fears for his girlfriend will put her someplace safe when everything gets rolling toward a conclusion. He doesn't. The bad guy gets her. Duh. It would have been fine if he'd tried to stash her someplace safe and his old partner figured it out. But to not even sense the danger she might be in and do something about it proactively is just too thin.
The fact that every bad thing that happens to him is the result of his old parter (the brawn) outthinking him (the brain) is just too much. It happens again and again. For a guy who made his living by seeing all the angles, apparently seven years of clean living takes that away from this guy entirely. He's a victim from the start of this book right up until almost the very end. It makes for a very boring protagonist.
This book is good but not great because it doesn't have any juice. I think that it's supposed to be about the characters, more than the plot and that would be fine if the main character wasn't such a complete victim. Sakey writes about characters who come from a place where you're a shark or you're food. This is the story about a shark who decides that life as food is more appealing to him and when forced back into the life of a shark--has no freaking clue how to be one, as if he was never a shark in the first place. If this book had been about him slowly shedding the layers he'd placed around himself until he became a shark again, it may have been interesting. That wasn't the case though. Sakey's protagonist is a pussy and that was boring.
That said, the writing is really great in a lot of ways. Sakey turns a phrase with skill throughout the book and in places it carries the novel, but unfortunately, when you're turning brilliant phrase after brilliant phrase about boring, predictable characters in a plot that isn't really all that unique, the magical prose only does so much.
The story is about a crook, from the South Side of Chicago who does a job that goes bad. His hothead partner goes down for it and he walks away--scared straight. Seven years later, he's got a great life, a great job, and an amazing girl. He's a civilian now. Then his old partner gets paroled and figures he owes him for not naming him and doing the time on his own. When our anti-hero refuses, his old partner threatens his new, happy way of life and everything in it if...(say it with me, class) he doesn't do one last job to get his partner back on his feet again.
I'm sure the movie version will be good--it sets up to be a better movie than a book. There are inconsistencies in the book that will probably be easier to gloss over when it's all compacted down into 2 hours. The most disturbing of these is how in 7 years, the protagonist loses all sense of street smarts that he once possessed in spades. Time and again, we watch him make stupid mistakes and as he makes him, the reader can't help but think, "Well this will come back to bite him in the ass." And, inevitably, it does. We think a street saavy guy, who fears for his girlfriend will put her someplace safe when everything gets rolling toward a conclusion. He doesn't. The bad guy gets her. Duh. It would have been fine if he'd tried to stash her someplace safe and his old partner figured it out. But to not even sense the danger she might be in and do something about it proactively is just too thin.
The fact that every bad thing that happens to him is the result of his old parter (the brawn) outthinking him (the brain) is just too much. It happens again and again. For a guy who made his living by seeing all the angles, apparently seven years of clean living takes that away from this guy entirely. He's a victim from the start of this book right up until almost the very end. It makes for a very boring protagonist.
This book is good but not great because it doesn't have any juice. I think that it's supposed to be about the characters, more than the plot and that would be fine if the main character wasn't such a complete victim. Sakey writes about characters who come from a place where you're a shark or you're food. This is the story about a shark who decides that life as food is more appealing to him and when forced back into the life of a shark--has no freaking clue how to be one, as if he was never a shark in the first place. If this book had been about him slowly shedding the layers he'd placed around himself until he became a shark again, it may have been interesting. That wasn't the case though. Sakey's protagonist is a pussy and that was boring.
February 6, 2017
Having seen author Marcus Sakey on television hosting a true crime series I was curious to see what type of thriller writer he was. With a new author I try to start with their debut book. "The Blade Itself", was a solid and enjoyable thriller to say the least. Coming in at just over 300 pages, it was a yarn that started off strong and got better as it went along. Set in the south side of "Chicago, the baddest part of town":(Jim Croce), where crime is an everyday thing in life. Small time thief Danny Carter and his criminal partner Evan McGann are in the process of robbing a pawn shop late one night when it all goes to hell. Badly planned and a desire to get more than what they came for turns this job into a nightmare. Danny manages to slip away but Evan gets a twelve year reservation in Statesville Correctional. Luckily for Danny, Evan doesn't drop a dime on him. As the years pass Danny gets him life together thanks to his live in girlfriend Karen. Karen is tough on Danny to keep him walking a straight line. Danny works in construction and becomes the number two in his company behind the boss Richard O'Donnell. Although times are tough and the business is not in great shape Danny is making out pretty good. However after just seven short years Evan is released due to overcrowding. Evan travels back to Chicago to team up with his old partner Danny. Danny is horrified that Evan is back and keeps trying to get him to realize his days in crime are long over. But Evan will not take no for an answer. Evan begins to stalk Danny and Karen. He has a big score to pull off with Danny. Evan promises to leave Danny be after this one big job. When Danny finds out it involves his boss Richard he's stuck in a no win situation that will surely put him into prison. Local detective Sean Nolan who grew up in the old neighborhood with Danny and Evan knows something is going to happen. When Danny's "brother" Patrick Connolly steps in to help Danny the crimes begin to start stacking up. In a very quickly moving plot, "The Blade Itself", was well crafted and featured some pretty interesting characters. Protagonist Danny Carter seemed very life like as he jumped off the pages in a dilemma that has no good choices. The supporting characters were very developed and interacted with Danny for a smooth enjoyable read. I did think the dialog was a bit vanilla for a yarn taking place in the south side of Chicago. Not that a huge number of cuss words were needed, they did seem inconspicuously missing. Maybe author Marcus Sakey kept his first book PG over R for a broader audience. Clearly a superior read for, "The Blade Itself", easily four stars out of a possible five stars. The ending maybe a little too neat and far fetched but worked with the plot very well. I'm sure I'll be reading another Marcus Sakey book pretty soon based on how much I liked his first book. Author Sakey has a trilogy that sounds extremely interesting itself. "The Blade Itself", is a do not miss read for sure. Author Marcus Sakey is a story teller to keep an eye out for.
March 26, 2017
I got this as my Prime book of the month for two reasons. I had read and enjoyed the Brilliance series by the same author, and I liked the super creepy cover. This book was OK, nothing too special. It was a little predictable but overall not too bad.
May 20, 2010
PROTAGONIST: Danny Carter
SETTING: Chicago
SERIES: Debut novel
RATING: 3.5
Danny Carter and Evan McGann came from the same working class neighborhood in Chicago and have known each other since childhood. They'd been doing petty crimes together for a while, but things changed irrevocably when Evan pulled a gun during a pawn shop heist and shot the owner and his assistant. Jolted by the unexpected violence, Danny managed to leave the scene before the cops arrived. Evan didn't and ending up serving seven years in prison.
And now he's out, and expecting a quid pro quo from Danny for keeping his mouth shut and not implicating him in the crime. What Evan wants from Danny is for him to be his partner on one crime which will repay the debt (and if you believe that, I have some nice swampland to sell you…). Evan is planning to kidnap the son of Danny's boss and hold him for a sizable ransom. Danny is very reluctant to go back to "the life"—he has a good job, a loving relationship with his live-in girlfriend, Karen, and the future is bright. But Evan knows exactly how to manipulate Danny, who goes against his better judgment and agrees to the scheme. What he's forgotten is how unpredictable Evan can be and how prison has hardened him into a man who truly doesn't give a damn about human life, loyalty or the value of a crime-free future.
The tension escalates. At every moment, you hope that Danny will find a way to get himself out of this predicament, but Evan only tightens the screws more. He threatens Karen; he even kills an innocent man who he only thinks may have heard something he shouldn't have. It's scary to see the direction that Evan is heading, and Sakey excels at building nerve-wracking suspense.
THE BLADE ITSELF has received a tremendous amount of positive acclaim from readers and reviewers. Personally, I found the book to be predictable. It was certainly suspenseful, but the reader always knew what was going to happen, if not how. The conclusion attempts to elevate the reader's adrenaline level as the danger escalates; however, the final showdown is almost laughably implausible.
Sakey shows promise of being a top-notch thriller writer. He does a fine job with the Chicago setting and establishes a fast pace. He's built in some interesting nuances that make his lead character unique, although I could have lived without the conversations with his dead father. Just eliminate the clichéd plotting, and that promise should be realized in spades!
SETTING: Chicago
SERIES: Debut novel
RATING: 3.5
Danny Carter and Evan McGann came from the same working class neighborhood in Chicago and have known each other since childhood. They'd been doing petty crimes together for a while, but things changed irrevocably when Evan pulled a gun during a pawn shop heist and shot the owner and his assistant. Jolted by the unexpected violence, Danny managed to leave the scene before the cops arrived. Evan didn't and ending up serving seven years in prison.
And now he's out, and expecting a quid pro quo from Danny for keeping his mouth shut and not implicating him in the crime. What Evan wants from Danny is for him to be his partner on one crime which will repay the debt (and if you believe that, I have some nice swampland to sell you…). Evan is planning to kidnap the son of Danny's boss and hold him for a sizable ransom. Danny is very reluctant to go back to "the life"—he has a good job, a loving relationship with his live-in girlfriend, Karen, and the future is bright. But Evan knows exactly how to manipulate Danny, who goes against his better judgment and agrees to the scheme. What he's forgotten is how unpredictable Evan can be and how prison has hardened him into a man who truly doesn't give a damn about human life, loyalty or the value of a crime-free future.
The tension escalates. At every moment, you hope that Danny will find a way to get himself out of this predicament, but Evan only tightens the screws more. He threatens Karen; he even kills an innocent man who he only thinks may have heard something he shouldn't have. It's scary to see the direction that Evan is heading, and Sakey excels at building nerve-wracking suspense.
THE BLADE ITSELF has received a tremendous amount of positive acclaim from readers and reviewers. Personally, I found the book to be predictable. It was certainly suspenseful, but the reader always knew what was going to happen, if not how. The conclusion attempts to elevate the reader's adrenaline level as the danger escalates; however, the final showdown is almost laughably implausible.
Sakey shows promise of being a top-notch thriller writer. He does a fine job with the Chicago setting and establishes a fast pace. He's built in some interesting nuances that make his lead character unique, although I could have lived without the conversations with his dead father. Just eliminate the clichéd plotting, and that promise should be realized in spades!
December 4, 2008
THE BLADE ITSELF (Suspense-Chicago-Danny Carter-Cont) - Poor
Sakey, Marcus – 1st book
St. Martin’s Minotaur, 2007, US Hardcover – ISBN: 9780312360313
First Sentence: The alley wasn’t as dark as Danny would’ve liked, and Evan was driving his crazy, spinning the snub-nose like a cowboy in some Sunday matinee.
Seven years ago, Danny Carter and his friend Evan were living their lives on the wrong side of the law. During a break-in, Danny escaped but Evan was caught and served seven years in prison.
Now he’s out and, although Danny has been legitimate and now successful, he feels Danny owes him. Evan wants Danny to plan and partner with him on the kidnapping the son of Danny’s boss.
I was so incredibly disappointed in this book. It has one of the most beginning-to-end predictable plots I’ve read in a long time. I even saw the final twist coming. And what the predictability of the plot couldn’t do, coincidences did.
Even the characters were predictable, stereotypical and, for most, without a lot of development. Unfortunately, I’ve already bought Sakey’s next book. I hope the library sale enjoys them both.
Sakey, Marcus – 1st book
St. Martin’s Minotaur, 2007, US Hardcover – ISBN: 9780312360313
First Sentence: The alley wasn’t as dark as Danny would’ve liked, and Evan was driving his crazy, spinning the snub-nose like a cowboy in some Sunday matinee.
Seven years ago, Danny Carter and his friend Evan were living their lives on the wrong side of the law. During a break-in, Danny escaped but Evan was caught and served seven years in prison.
Now he’s out and, although Danny has been legitimate and now successful, he feels Danny owes him. Evan wants Danny to plan and partner with him on the kidnapping the son of Danny’s boss.
I was so incredibly disappointed in this book. It has one of the most beginning-to-end predictable plots I’ve read in a long time. I even saw the final twist coming. And what the predictability of the plot couldn’t do, coincidences did.
Even the characters were predictable, stereotypical and, for most, without a lot of development. Unfortunately, I’ve already bought Sakey’s next book. I hope the library sale enjoys them both.
Read
February 5, 2009Tapping into the "it" genre of the moment isn't easy. Not every author can deliver a Mystic River or L.A. Confidential, but add first-time novelist Marcus Sakey to the current crop of suspense and thriller writers who deliver well on the genre's premise. While his characters may feel overly familiar, he deftly uses the streets of Chicago, and his familiarity with the city (his home) is compelling. From page one, Sakey is in control. While his plot may seem a bit overwrought in some places and a bit too convenient in others, and while a few critics thought the ending too sentimental, Irish genre writer Ken Bruen says of Sakey, "Boston has Lehane. D.C. has Pelecanos. And now Chicago has its very own dark poet."
This is an excerpt from a review published in Bookmarks magazine.
January 22, 2014
A solid thriller that screamed "I want to be a screenplay!" and maybe star Mark Wahlberg (sp?). Chicago punks get caught during a robbery that turned into a shooting and one is able to run away, but the other goes to trial and is in jail for 7 years. The other cleans up his act and works his way up in a construction firm until his former friend gets released. They decide to pull off one more job to even the score, but each has his own agenda and chaos descends. Its more introspective than this summary implies, but the violence level is high and the wrap-up a little too trite to make it above average. I can see why this was optioned for the movies and why people like his later books as well, but more genre than truly original for this one.
September 15, 2014
This was a good crime novel. The premise: an armed robber takes the fall for his co-perpetrator in a burglary that goes bad. He does the time without naming his partner. When he's released, he comes back home hardened and more dangerous and he confronts his partner who he feels owes him a large debt. You may ask yourself, "Haven't I read this before?" Dangerous criminal released from prison obsessed with revenge/retribution/compensation? Well maybe you have, but Sakey's done it very well. Definitely not the same as it ever was.
June 26, 2019
This book just seemed very real. The characters were believable, as were there backstories. The way the situation forced Danny to participate in the kidnapping was believable. Evan's motivation and his constant maneuvering of Danny were very well thought out and made for a compelling story. Danny's breakfast meeting with Nolan, in which the officer saw right through him, was an unexpected turn that showed me that this story was going to be more than just surface deep.
March 19, 2011
They call Sakey the crown prince of crime fiction, and this stellar debut launched his career. The modern sensibilities of a Dennis Lehane, with the classic instincts of Hammett. A polished gem of a crime novel, exploring the grimy neighborhoods and the gritty characters of the Outer City. This really should be a movie starring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.
March 10, 2009
This book has a good premise, but the main character appears to be "clueless"--one of those stupid criminals. One wants to keep reading because the main character is likeable, and you hope that he can escape the dire situation in which he finds himself.
November 18, 2015
How could I rate it less? I couldn't set it down until the end. Sakey is one of the finest crime fiction authors there is.
July 11, 2019
Despite the hefty praise from established authors, this debut Chicago crime thriller felt entirely run-of-the-mill to me. It opens with a scene involving two friends from an Irish neighborhood who are interrupted in act of robbing a pawnbrokers. Someone is killed, and Danny gets away, while Evan goes to prison for twelve years. Flash-forward seven years, and Danny is living a straight life as a construction project managers, and Evan is just out of prison. It comes as no surprise that he's also of the opinion that Danny owes him, and that payback comes in the form of partnering up for a big score.
The characters are all pretty standard fare -- there's Danny's old friend from the neighborhood, there's Danny's wife who is awesome in every way but will walk out if he gets back into crime, there's a floozy with a heart and brain, etc... One of the book's big themes is about the nobility of work, and the differences between entitled jerks and those who came up with nothing. But it's all pretty rote and obvious. Indeed, almost every twist and turn of the plot is obvious, and while the book isn't bad per se, it's also not particularly original or interesting.
The characters are all pretty standard fare -- there's Danny's old friend from the neighborhood, there's Danny's wife who is awesome in every way but will walk out if he gets back into crime, there's a floozy with a heart and brain, etc... One of the book's big themes is about the nobility of work, and the differences between entitled jerks and those who came up with nothing. But it's all pretty rote and obvious. Indeed, almost every twist and turn of the plot is obvious, and while the book isn't bad per se, it's also not particularly original or interesting.
May 21, 2017
With crackling prose and tension dripping from the pages, THE BLADE ITSELF by Marcus Sakey is brilliant. I am in awe that this is the author's first published work. Everything is so polished and perfect. The characters breathe life, the story deliveries twists and turns, and the action is blazing, whip-lashing you along for a ride you'll never forget.
Admittedly, I own many of the author's works, but this is the first I have started and finished. I first found out about Marcus Sakey from his short-lived but very excellent show HIDDEN CITY (2011) and his persona and energy about writing intrigued me. I love his style, and though I enjoy crime thrillers like THE BLADE ITSELF, I am excited to see him venture into other genres with his latest work (i.e. THE BRILLIANCE TRILOGY and his newest, AFTERLIFE) and cannot wait to dive into these works now.
Admittedly, I own many of the author's works, but this is the first I have started and finished. I first found out about Marcus Sakey from his short-lived but very excellent show HIDDEN CITY (2011) and his persona and energy about writing intrigued me. I love his style, and though I enjoy crime thrillers like THE BLADE ITSELF, I am excited to see him venture into other genres with his latest work (i.e. THE BRILLIANCE TRILOGY and his newest, AFTERLIFE) and cannot wait to dive into these works now.
January 11, 2019
His criminal past comes back to haunt him
(3 & 1/2 stars)
The Blade Itself is a decent enough thriller with a plot built around a former criminal who’s now living a straight life, with a construction job and a loving, supportive girlfriend. Unfortunately his steady, regular life is disrupted when a former associate from his lawless past comes looking for him. The story then becomes about the struggle between the two men, Danny (hero) and Evan (villain), and Danny’s resistance to getting pulled back into his old life of crime. The novel has a “made for cable” feel to it, with characters and a plot that are mildly absorbing, but not in any kind of memorable way. The ending has an unsurprising aspect that makes the book feel like one of those TV crime dramas.
(3 & 1/2 stars)
The Blade Itself is a decent enough thriller with a plot built around a former criminal who’s now living a straight life, with a construction job and a loving, supportive girlfriend. Unfortunately his steady, regular life is disrupted when a former associate from his lawless past comes looking for him. The story then becomes about the struggle between the two men, Danny (hero) and Evan (villain), and Danny’s resistance to getting pulled back into his old life of crime. The novel has a “made for cable” feel to it, with characters and a plot that are mildly absorbing, but not in any kind of memorable way. The ending has an unsurprising aspect that makes the book feel like one of those TV crime dramas.
February 22, 2020
I liked this book despite not liking the protagonist or his decisions. In fact, the only character I really liked is his girlfriend, Karen.
It’s clear Sakey has some storytelling talent. I raced through it. My biggest complaint is he broke the “show don’t tell” rule several times. I lost count of how many times the author told us something along the lines of, “on TV/movies they always ____” as if you then whisper, “but I did my research”. We get it. You have a finger on the pulse of the criminal underworld. More on.
Truth be told, I accidentally picked this up instead of the Joe Abercrombie book of the same name thanks to my library’s on hold program. Oops. But I didn’t finish it so it was enjoyable. Just not good.
It’s clear Sakey has some storytelling talent. I raced through it. My biggest complaint is he broke the “show don’t tell” rule several times. I lost count of how many times the author told us something along the lines of, “on TV/movies they always ____” as if you then whisper, “but I did my research”. We get it. You have a finger on the pulse of the criminal underworld. More on.
Truth be told, I accidentally picked this up instead of the Joe Abercrombie book of the same name thanks to my library’s on hold program. Oops. But I didn’t finish it so it was enjoyable. Just not good.
September 3, 2017
This would have been a perfect beach book! However it took forever for me to read the book because I just didn't have the time. It was wonderful that there were short chapters so I could put it down so many times. I liked the book till the end (last 10 pages or so).. that was not believable what so ever.. however the writing was good and I will definitely try and read another one of Mr.Sakey's books!
October 27, 2017
I love a good thriller, but for me this was cliched from the first page and mostly predictable. I don't like books where you want to scream at the protagonist, "Don't do that, stupid, because if you do the bad guy's going to do this...." I had that sensation throughout this book and I was right every time. And there was a lot of familiar tedium about "being from the neighborhood" and "being a stand-up guy" and blah, blah, blah. This was by-the-numbers and boring. Good title, though.
November 1, 2017
Certainly doesn't read like a first novel.
I first came across this author in his novel, "Brilliance". After reading all the novels in that series, I followed with "Good People" and most recently the incredible "Afterlife".
With all of them being great reads, I decided to try his first novel, "The BladeItself". It did not disappoint. Although I have no personal experience with the criminal class, his characters rang true to me. The writing is excellent. Highly recommended.
I first came across this author in his novel, "Brilliance". After reading all the novels in that series, I followed with "Good People" and most recently the incredible "Afterlife".
With all of them being great reads, I decided to try his first novel, "The BladeItself". It did not disappoint. Although I have no personal experience with the criminal class, his characters rang true to me. The writing is excellent. Highly recommended.
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