Fort Apache, The Bronx

by Heywood Gould

Two green cops blown away on the killer walkways of New York. Fort Apache, The Bronx...the 41st Precinct where nobody ever gets a second chance and most don't even have a first. Now the Force is on the prowl under a tough new captain who is determined to shape up this last command. A command for losers where life is mean and death is often murder and where the law of the jungle is the only law. Made into a major motion picture starring Paul Newman, Ken Wahl, Edward Asner and Pam Grier.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Drama

393 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 1, 1981

About the author

Born in the Bronx and raised in Brooklyn, Heywood Gould got his start as a reporter for the New York Post. Later he financed years of rejection with the usual colorful jobs, cabdriver, mortician's assistant, industrial floor waxer, bartender and screenwriter. He has written twelve books and nine screenplays, among them "Lading Lady," "Fort Apache, the Bronx," "Boys From Brazil," "Cocktail," "Rolling Thunder," "Double Bang," "One Dead Debutante," and "Glitterburn." His new novel is "The Serial Killer's Daughter." "

Reviews

[Gregg Voss · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never saw the movie and I can’t find it anywhere, but I was blown away by the descriptions of the Bronx in the late 70s/early 80s, which made it probably better than the movie, which featured Paul Newman and Edward Asner. The citizens on the streets seemed realistic as pseudo-villains, but the cops came off as too emasculated to be effective. Enjoyed it.

[Checkman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one is a little unusual for a movie tie-in. Not only was it written by the screenwriter, but he wrote it as a genuine novel rather than as a "novelization" of a script. Consequently the novel is longer than the usual novelization and has greater depth in terms of the plot as well as the character development.There is even a chapter at the beginning in which the recent history of the South Bronx is examined and an explanation is given to explain the area's apocalyptic decline.

There are some interesting differences between the novel and the movie. The biggest would be that Officer Murphy (played by Paul Newman in the movie) is already divorced in the film, but in the book we witness him torpedo his already troubled marriage when he has an affair with the nurse. There are many little things like this throughout the book. Not a big deal. It's my understanding that changes like that occur routinely when a movie is being filmed.

All in all it's a fair police drama set in the late Seventies in the South Bronx. During that time not only was that part of the Bronx in real trouble (I suppose it's improved somewhat now), but the city of New York was broke. There simply wasn't any money. In 2012 it doesn't seem all that different. Oh the drugs of choice have changed I suppose, but basically it's a novel about squalor, violence and despair and the cops who are somehow expected to keep a lid on the whole mess.

[Paul Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strong work

Gould has a great eye for the worst of society, it's unfair to say his view of the south bronx doesn't include the good people and the hard workers as they aren't a part of the life of his characters.
Characters that are fully developed and detailed, much more so than in the movie however you can also see where the actors gained their motivations from while trying to squeeze this all into two hours.

[Vittorio Ambrosetti · Rating 2 out of 5]

Un romanzo cinico e violento che racconta di poliziotti cinici e violenti.
L'autore riesce certamente a creare atmosfera, perlomeno quando non calca troppo la mano.
Quasi non esiste una trama vera e propria, è più una serie di scene collegate tra loro.
I toni sono molto cupi, alla lunga risulta un po' pesante ma è innegabilmente ben congegnato.

[Laura Molony · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a brilliant book.

I give this book five stars because from the start to the finish, I simply could not put it down. I think anyone who loves crime thrillers needs to read this book.