Semi-OT: <sigh> ... how quickly they forget...

[Kevin M.]

I'm a huge fan of the work of the late author Robert B. Parker. Several of his characters have been transformed for the big and small screen. Since his passing, his estate has allowed some of Parker's more iconic characters to be written by new authors. Michael Brandman took over the Jesse Stone series of novels, and although he basically changed the character into the aged anti-hero from the Tom Selleck MOWs (Brandman worked on those scripts and adaptations), they aren't as bad as the Ace Atkins fan-fiction of Spenser (seen on TV as played by Robert Urich). Anyway, I found a semi-decent bookstore here in the plains states and picked up the latest paperback of the Stone series. I almost wept as I saw the review on the back cover.

https://twitter.com/iPadGoober/status/388045869456445440/photo/1

I checked the actual book review, and Spenser was spelled correctly by the Times critic, which means the estate and publisher screwed up the name of one of the most well-known detectives in the history of mystery novels. 

What's next? Cherlock Homes? Myke Hamer?

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Kevin M. (RPCV)

[Diner]

That's *incredibly* sloppy.

BTW, I thought Atkins' first Spenser novel was terrific  - better than Parker's last few novels. He really captured Parker's style perfectly. I haven't read Brandman's books, but the fans on Facebook complain that Brandman's writing style is too different from Parker's.

-Tim

[Kevin M.]

Atkins' novel can best be compared to the most recent season of "Community." It felt too designed to please fans. I agree Parker's final few Spenser novels were different in tone and theme than previous ones, but it felt like a natural progression as the characters (and the author) matured. Brandman's Jesse Stone really is more like the Selleck character than the Parker novels. The Stone of the novels was younger, less mature, and devoid of a world outlook. I like both Stones, but Brandman's novels seem to be a continuation of the MOWs as opposed to the books. Oh yeah, Brandman gave Jesse a cat. A cat! That is almost as bad as getting the spelling of Spenser's name wrong. 

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Kevin M. (RPCV)