Powder Burn

Vacationing in Florida. But I don’t golf so while my partner played with his brother, O read a Carl Hiaasen mystery. A perfect way to spend the day.

Having enjoyed Death in China, I had zero expectations for any of Hiaasen’s extraordinary & unique brand of humor (I’m a BIG Fan). However, I was not disappointed, because I expected and got a fast-paced, exciting & suspenseful trip into unfamiliar “surroundings” (in this case the Florida Drug Scene, circa 1980s). This was written during that period, and there are plenty of colorful characters and “circumstances” to keep turning pages & wonder how it will come out.I did have a let-down from about 2/3 in when I felt the “feel” of the Story downshifted – as though a new Writer came on Board for the rest of the journey. This is when the Architect shifted in to revenge mode, & the pace slowed for me. I was not dying to get to the next page any more. Maybe it was just me. Maybe it was the (more?) unsavory characters, but it persisted the rest of the way -- to (for me) a disappointing & abrupt, though fast-paced conclusion that showed traces of the usual Hiaasen touch. No spoilers here.I also own and have yet to read the 3rd Novel in Hiaasen and Montalbano’s collaborations (Trap Line) which absolutely ended with Bill Montalbano’s death in 1998. I expect another good read from that one, and am sorry that the collaborations ended.I give Powder Burn 4+ Stars for the first 2/3 of the Book, but only 3 for the rest. Unfortunately, no decimals here. That’s still very readable, and maybe it’s me that downshifted instead of the Authors.

In "Powder Burn," a Carl Hiaasen thriller that was originally released at the height of the "Miami Vice" drug revolution that convulsed Southern Florida in the 1980s, Chris Meadows is an architect who enjoys building things. He does, anyway, until the day he watches in horror as a former lover and her little girl are accidentally killed by a Cuban hit-man chasing a carful of cocaine dealers. At that point, Meadows decides that it's time to do a little demo work - on the hit-man's organization and boss.What follows, however, is nearly 300 pages of "vacation reading" in the worst sense of the term: this revenge-fueled thriller only holds together if your brain goes on vacation for entire chapters at a time."Powder Burn" is one of Hiaasen's earlier books, apparently written before he had the confidence to unleash the outrageous sense of humor that brought us such memorable characters as Skink, the former Florida governor who now lives in the glades and subsists on roadkill, or Chemo, the scarred killer who loses a hand to a barracuda and has his stump fitted with a weed-whacker. There are moments of humor in "Powder Burn," but they are few and far between.Instead, what Hiaasen and his co-author give us is a rather undistinguished suspense novel that largely turns on a series of rather unbelievable coincidences. If your basic Hiaasen is like Elmore Leonard on laughing gas, "Powder Burn" is more like Dutch on one of those days when he mails it in ("Stay Cool," "Road Dogs," "Djibouti," etc.). It is readable, but it isn't the sort of party a Hiaasen yarn normally offers.The characters are uniformly flat: they include such tired standbys as the apparently bent Cuban-American narc, his by-the-book white-bread partner and a battalion of muy estupido drug henchmen who seem as faded and familiar as the décor in a Motel 6. Meadows' current squeeze Terry - an unlikely combination of bush pilot and fashion plate - serves as the sole Smurfette character. She plays such a marginal role in the action that she doesn't even get to be decently menaced by the bad guys.Meadows, the hero of the piece, and his nemesis, Jose Bermudez -- a billionaire banker who schemes to split the drug business with his elderly Colombian counterpart, then eventually nudge the Colombian aside -- suffer the worst failing characters in a Hiaasen novel can have: they are boring.We know the banker is evil because Hiaasen tells us he is; we know Meadows is heroic because . . . well, because he does a lot of really stupid things but survives anyway. Only a hero could get away with being such a doofus.The one really original character in the entire novel is Meadows' occasional chess partner, Arthur Krim, and in him you can see traces of the kind of interesting and amusing people that populate Hiaasen's later - and much better -- tales.If you are out of good Hiaasen - which I was when I picked this up - by all means give "Powder Burn" a look. Sure, it has an idiot plot, but the pace is rapid enough that you don't notice the gaping holes until you are done. In the meantime, it's a readable enough time-waster, all things considered.But first-rate Hiaasen can be extraordinary, while there are lots of other hacks out there that can write just as good a thriller as "Powder Burn." So why not give your hard-earned money to one of them instead of the guy who is slumming? Rewarding the slacker would be the biggest burn of all.Personally, I rate "Powder Burn" only three out of a possible five skulls.

I have read ALL Carl Hiaasen's books! I am reading one as I write this review. I wish he had another dozen out right now so I could order everyone of them at the same time to make sure I had more of his stuff to read. I love the time frames, having grown up in Florida I know Every place he writes about. I have been there! The plots are intricate, inviting and screamingly exciting. FUN! The only weakness in his works is when he co-writes with another author. These are okay. But True Hiaasen is All a reader needs to get though the week or Summer if you are a Lazy reader. I Love these Books! Uncle Raggy

I enjoyed this book. It is a different type of story Carl Hiaasen usually writes, but the unexpected is there! I liked the characters. It took awhile for me to keep the characters straight, but I then understood how the story wove its tale. It was a great twist and turn. I liked the story and enjoyed it.

The book was in excellent quality and it was an excellent read.

This is the first time we get to experience South Florida through the eyes of Carl Hiaasen. Although not as funny as his later books, this is still entertaining.Architect Chris Matthews takes the law into his own hands after a drug hitman kills his ex-wife. It is interesting to see Chris develop throughout the book, and his companions do have their quirks. It's a relatively quick read.

I’ve read most of Carl’s books and found them very entertaining and well written. This one, although decent, was not up to his standards. Maybe because he had a co-writer? Maybe the other actually wrote the book and Carl put his name on it to help it sell? It seems to be a growing trend these days … having co-authors. Anyway, too many improbable scenarios and changes in a character’s style for me to really get into it. A decent book, but not great.

Disappointed not a strong story line.

good

Suspense maintained expertly to the satisfying conclusion. Nice portrayal of Latin flavour of South Florida. Just enough romance to provide colour and entertainment.

A great story from Carl about a architect who was forced into a vile trade so that he could get justice for the innocent.

Carl Hiaasen always hits the mark for me, just like his style of writing.