Lights Out

by Jason Starr

" Lights Out is a fast, furious page-turner. This book is a huge treat."---Jeffery Deaver, author of The Cold A Lincoln Rhyme Novel From Barry and Anthony Award-winning author Jason Starr comes a story of two friends divided by chance and reunited during a long Brooklyn weekend that will change both of their lives forever. Ryan Rossetti and Jake Thomas were the two Major League-bound rivals on their high school baseball team, heading straight into history as the first two of Canarsie's favorite sons to make it out and make it big. Until Ryan hurt his pitching arm and landed a ten-dollar-an-hour life as a house painter. Lucky Jake made it all the way, and he and his ten-million-dollar signing bonus are heading back for a publicity-motivated homecoming weekend that has all of Brooklyn waiting to explode in celebration. But he's got a nasty surprise in Ryan is involved in an intense, addictive relationship with Jake's fiancée Christina, who now faces a choice between love in a Brooklyn tenement or a heartless marriage on Easy Street. Neither man, nor the woman who now stands between them, has any idea what's about to play out in the streets they once all called home. Lights Out is vintage Jason Starr, a razor-sharp crime novel that brilliantly combines biting social satire, explosive suspense, and honest, revealing human drama.

Genres: Crime, Mystery, Fiction

304 pages, Hardcover

Published September 19, 2006

About the author

Jason Starr is the international bestselling author of many crime novels and thrillers, including Cold Caller, The Follower, The Pack and The Next Time I Die. He also writes comics for Marvel (Wolverine, The Punisher) and DC (Batman, The Avenger) and original graphic novels such as Red Border and Casual Fling. In addition, he writes film and TV tie-in novels including an official Ant-Man novel and the Gotham novels based on the hit TV show. His books have been published in sixteen languages and several of his novels are in development for film and TV. He has won the Anthony Award for mystery fiction twice, as well as a Barry Award. Starr lives in New York City.

Reviews

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Lights Out' provides a glimpse into the life of a gangster by association. Set amongst an inner city urban backdrop, 'Lights Out' explores fame and the corruption of conscience in brutal and unflinching honesty. J.T has it all, stardom on the field through America's favourite pastime, adoring fans, money, notoriety, and all the accoutrement's one could want. The only thing holding him back is a statutory rape claim. In order to boost his image and out tabloid the tabloids, he returns to his 'hood in search of his estranged fiance' in a bid to rekindle their love and overshadow the seemingly truthful rumours.

What J.T didn't bank on, is Ryan Rossetti - ex teen baseball star turned house painter, falling for his girl and putting a damper on proceedings. Mixing ebonics with a healthy dose of humour, Starr, the white collar noir specialist, branches out to deliver one fun, fast past curve ball of a novel whose inner Brooklyn inhabitants feel as real as everyday people you pass on the street. The fleeting glimpse of gangsters was a nice touch in capturing the hint of danger lurking around every corner and how easy it is to strike out in the wrong neighbourhood. Of particular note was the look at the struggling family life in the projects in contrast to the lifestyle of J.T - baseball star with money to burn. I thought Starr played these two situations off once other perfectly to create a sense of comparison so black and white it was hard to find shades of grey within the concrete jungle.

Overall what you'd expect from a Jason Starr novel; noir spread thick, violence heavy, and plotted to perfection - a fast paced read not to be missed. 4 stars.

[Electric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jason Starr auf der Höhe seines Genres. Kein symphatischer Held weit und breit, lauter sozial inkompetente Loser die sich durch ihre eigenen Handlungen immer weiter Richtung Katastrophe bewegen. Hier: ein Baseballstar, seine Verlobte, ein Freund aus Highschool-Tagen und Zufälle die meistens in Mord und Totschlag enden. Außerdem scheint das auch Starrs Bearbeitung des väterlichen Einflusses in der Kernfanilie zu sein, so wichtig wie die (samt und sonders gescheiterten) Väter aller drei Hauptfiguren hier sind. Nicht gerade Werbung für Brooklyn aber eine tolle Story die gleichzeitig unterhaltsam und deprimierend ist.

[Ed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wicked, well-paced noir set in Brooklyn featuring two baseball players and a girl they both love for very different reasons. Will read more of Jason's stuff in the future.

[Caelin Beaty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes junk food tastes good. Sometimes it just makes you sick. Depends on your mood, I guess.

[Todd · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It was gripping, and hard to put down. As a fan of The Wire, I appreciated the gritty style, some violence but not over the top. It's not the violence, or "street" talk that kept me glued, although it was well placed and added to the story, it's the development of the characters. I finished reading it last night. It was late and I had 2 chapters left and there was no way I could put it down for the next night.

Thinking about the book this morning, I asked myself "so who was the 'good guy' anyway"? To which my answer is "there is no 'good guy' in this book". Everyone is flawed, in this book (as in life), and their flaws contribute and lead to the outcome. Even the sub-characters that are victims make bad choices, or stick things out for not-so-angelic reasons. The combinations of their bad choices and bad actions make the bad outcome. You want to absolutely hate JT, and the book doesn't let you down on that, and you want to cheer for Ryan, but Ryan starts out on the edge of being a hot mess, and instead of pulling himself in he becomes a bigger hot mess which results in him being in.. you got it.. a very big hot mess at the end.

The ending reminds me of a foreign art film ending in some sense. It leaves you knowing it hits the fan, but doesn't spell it out for you. I appreciate that. I think I appreciate that..

[Mikel Pfeiffer · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you want to feel better about your state in life read a Jason Starr book. You will shine compared to his loser and conniving characters. This one centers around Ryan and Jake two guys who grew up together, Jake becomes a baseball star and Ryan becomes nothing. They both want Christina. Who really knows what Christina wants? Then, there are gang members they get tangled up with. Lights Out, while a pretty good read, took too long to get moving to some actual action. I also had a problem that the leads are very unlikable but there aren't "bad" or "evil" mostly just dumb and very selfish, which made me not really care one way or another about what happens to them. I've read better by Starr that makes better conclusions than this one so I'll keep him on my shelf and recommend one of his other books.

[Joe Nicholl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lights Out (2006) by Jason Starr...Jason Starr, King of the Neo-noirs! Another kick ass crime fiction novel from the boroughs of NYC...this time taking place in Brooklyn. Star baseball player Jake comes home to Brooklyn to propose to his High School sweet-heart, Christina, who is having an affair with Ryan...This three way goes absolutely devolves into the CRAZY pulling in family, gangsters, cops and more. Although there are many characters, the story never feels cluttered and moves right along. Like Starr's other books, Light Outs is a page-turner which makes for a quick & fun filled read. Yeah....If you like crime fiction I highly recommend Lights Out! (and all Jason Starr's books!).....4.0 outta 5.0

[Scott Cumming · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm maybe marking this up a star based on the quality of the writing even if the story ultimately didn't quite deliver with a thread too many and an ending that didn't live up to the jounrey.

Starr writes electric prose that is impossible to put down and the opening chapters of this one are absolutely brilliant. The third character of Saiquan is introduced about a third of the way through and gives the book a totally new dimension and the writing is of such quality that you sink into his story too.

There's plenty to love in this novel even if it ultimately doesn't hit the heights it sets out for itself.

[Tor · Rating 2 out of 5]

Blah! Confusing timelines, characters who are fairly one dimensional (angry and/or angry and bratty) and, for me, far too much offensive language. And the long descriptions about gangsta rap - please, no.

[nessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eine Ansammlung aus nervigen Charakteren und recht typisch: +++spoiler+++ der beste Charakter stirbt. Es wird viel aufgebaut, das Buch erinnert an einen Film aus den 2000ern und liest sich unheimlich schnell und gut, nur um am Ende kein richtiges Ende zu haben.

[Moritz · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read it in German, maybe not the best translation. The whole plot was very constructed in my opinion, but especially the dialogues and the stupid behaviour of ALL protagonists made the book almost unbearable for me.

[Adee_Uson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Page turner

[Hanna Otto · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sexistisch, rassistisch, klassistisch, body shaming

[Kyle Pratt · Rating 4 out of 5]

When an Electro-Magnetic Pulse (EMP) destroys the power grid, this intriguing novel begins. Mark Turner is at work in the San Antonio area when the Burst, as it is called in the novel, sends the nation into chaos. Telephones, and most radios go silent, late model cars die, planes fall from the sky. Government struggles to maintain order and provide relief, but in the cities, society quickly breaks down. The novel follows Mark, his friend Jim Davis and a growing community of family and friends as they work feverishly to protect themselves and their families while civilization unravels around them.

Lights Out has been downloaded from the internet in PDF format over three million times. It is now available in a 600-page paperback edition and on Amazon.com in Kindle format where it is selling well.

The author, David Crawford, states in his bio that he resides in San Antonio and is “an avid outdoorsman who likes to hunt, fish, hike, off-road, and shoot,” and that he is a black belt in Karate. There is definitely something of David Crawford in the character of Mark Turner.

Most reviews that are critical of the book fault the writing and that is what compelled me to give it four stars. However, the EMP threat is so real and compelling I can forgive some bad editing (that will hopefully be corrected in latter editions) and the expository telling, instead of showing, through much of the story. Others, who see the novel as simply as an action novel might be quicker to fault technique.

The novel is a warning. (In the embedded interview you will hear) Crawford states he wrote the book, “to try to get people to prepare.” The novel does stir thinking and discussion. Could it happen? What would we do? Are we ready?

My wife and I read Lights Out at the same time. I thought the book compared favorably to One Second After. Lights Out had the better story, but One Second After had the better writing. My wife felt Lights Out was the better novel on both counts. We agree that Lights Out is a realistic, thought-provoking post-apocalyptic novel.

Four stars out of five for Lights Out.

[Ladiibbug · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stand Alone Suspense/Thriller *Hard Boiled*

Lights Out is a runaway rollercoaster of a book. A violent, gritty, take no prisoners thriller.

Jake and Ryan grew up and played baseball together in Brooklyn. Both were sought-after by the majors and both dreamed of a career as a big time pro baseball player. Jake achieved that dream and is living it. Ryan, due to an injury, is now living at home with his parents and makes his living as a housepainter.

Years of simmering jealousy, rivalry and resentment boil to the surface when Jake returns to the old neighborhood to visit his parents and fans ... and claim his old girlfriend, Christina, with whom Ryan is deeply in love.

On a totally separate track, in the Brooklyn projects, a side plot with several rival groups of gangbangers is slowly reaching the boiling point.

These two plots speed down the same track, headed for a head-on collision. Lots of surprises, thrills, twists ...

I first became of Jason Starr when he co-wrote a series with Ken Bruen, one of my favorite mystery thriller authors (Bust; Slide; The Max). I'll definitely be reading more of Jason Starr, and soon!

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ryan Rossetti and Jake Thomas were two Mayor League rivals in high school baseball. Their relationship has often been misunderstood, they were never the best of friends but always been at competition wit each other. Ryan`s height is one of the main reasons why he has been overlooked, in contrast to Jake`s height. After Ryan injured his pitching arm, he landed a job as a house painter. On the other hand, Jack made it to superstar stardom. Not only does he has a ten million dollar signing bonus, but he gains much publicity as a celebrity. Ryan has a nasty surprise for Jake, he is involved in an intense affair with Jake`s fiance Christina, who struggles to choose bliss in Brooklyn with Ryan or a heartless relationship with Jake. Envy and jealousy collide, in this dramatic, riveting and suspenseful novel.

[Ed Armstrong · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book attempted to tell a story with a moral. The book featured two characters who had been school mates and outstanding baseball players during high school. One made it to the majors and was a well paid rookie with the Pittsburgh Pirates; the other had been signed by a Cleveland Indians farm club but was injured during season play and left professional baseball. Their lives crossed again during a fateful weekend when the star athlete returned to his hometown for a celebration weekend. Both young men were in love with the same young woman. Each fought for her hand in his own way. Both lost. This doesn't describe the ending of the book completely. Each young man battled in his own way and each of their "ways" had consequences that might never be reversed.

[Alecia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I usually like Jason Starr's kind of "trashy" (in a good way) noir tales. But I didn't think this one was up to his usual work. It especially lost me in the many chapters where he used colloquial English when the gang members are talking. Sometimes this works just fine, but in this case, it felt strained to me. I'll still be reading him in the future.

[Deanna · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ew! Pretty much hated it. Too much talk about baseball, which I love to play and don't mind to watch, but really don't wanna read about. The ending sucked too. No real closure. I hate that in an ending.

[Mim-Is-Reading · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know what to make of Jason Starr's books. They are definitely intriguing, but if you're the kind of reader who looks for a happily-ever-after at the end of a book, you won't get it from Jason Starr. You will, however, be entertained.

[Harding Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I love about Jason Starr is that no matter how pathetic, unlikeable or downright disgusting his characters, you can't resist spending a weekend following their sorry asses around. Hell, you'll even go to Brooklyn to do it.

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was okay, but I liked Starr much better when his books were under Vintage Lizard. I'd like to know who his editor was for those early books so I can appropriately worship him or her.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good--easy read. Two boys grow up playing baseball one goes pro, one doesn't...they both meet up years later. I won't remember this book next week but I really couldn't put it down.

[Frank Byrns · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good one from Jason Starr, featuring his usual array of dimwits who think they're way smarter than they actually are.

[John Sheridan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fairly ordinary effort without much to recommend it to be honest, could have left it sitting in the to be read pile a while longer without missing out on anything.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this!!! And I picked the summertime to read it, which made it even better since a baseball player is one of the characters. I am a Jason Starr superfan!!!

[Dave · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dumb, juvenile dialogue and plotting.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this thriller, in which all of the heroes are antiheroes and the dialog is street smart. The author has a unique voice, and I look forward to reading more of his fiction.

[Brian Domingos · Rating 2 out of 5]

Still waiting for the "noir" to kick in...

[Tampines House]

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