Among Thieves - Douglas Hulick

Among Thieves is the fifth book I've read this year that I put in the, "This was published because of Scott Lynch" category.  I'm not going to make a big deal about it.  One has nothing to do with the other beyond the fact that editors know they sell because they've sold something like it before.  Ironically, had Douglas Hulick's debut been published in 2006 the category might be named after him.

Drothe - Hulick's protagonist, narrator, and golden boy - is a nose.  In thieves' cant, that means he's an information gatherer.  Working for one of the nastiest crime bosses in Ildrecca, Drothe also dabbles in his fair share of criminal racketeering.  When an Imperial relic he's trafficking goes missing, he'll do just about anything to get it back.  In this case, anything includes brutal torture and manipulating everyone around him.

All that sounds pretty straight forward which does Among Thieves a great disservice.  Not only is Hulick's novel densely plotted (the above 'summary' is the tip of the iceberg), it contains one of the better first person voices in recent memory.  Starting the novel with a brutal torture of one of Drothe's associates, Hulick leads the reader to believe that his main character is morally bankrupt.  Drothe supports the point, thinking it's all quite distasteful, but nothing to lose sleep over.  Afterward he continues to make cutthroat decisions... until they aren't.  And yet, his thoughts don't always recognize the shift, leading me to believe that Drothe is not necessarily as dog-eat-dog as he tries to make himself believe.

While much of the book is medieval spy fiction, there are moments of all out swashbuckling. Hulick, an 17th century Italian rapier combat enthusiast, brings incredible voracity to his fight scenes.  They always conjure a clear sense of energy, but also a technical precision that screams close familiarity.  Unfortunately, Drothe is a pretty average swordsman so most of the fight scenes are him struggling to keep up.  I can only imagine the level of detail Hulick could drill down to inside the head of an adept duelist (Degan, anyone?).

That's an appropriate segue into an area that Among Thieves shines - characters.  For a first person narrative Hulick does a bang up job drawing his cast of ne'er-do-wells.  Degan, a professional mercenary, gets the most screen time as Drothe's protector and best friend.  From the street contacts, to crime bosses, to Imperial guards, Among Thieves is populated with characters that bleed off the page.  It's all too easy for a first person novel to end up with cardboard cutouts for ancillary characters, but in the moment Hulick had me believing their lives continued whether Drothe was there to listen, or not.

As for problem areas, there aren't a lot.  In fact, my only major complaint is that Hulick occasionally ruins his narration with exposition. Most of it takes place in the early going, but in choosing a first person style any sort of exposition sticks out like a sore thumb.  It reminds the reader that he's reading a book written by someone who isn't the narrator.  A certain discipline is required when there's a large amount of information to convey and it's always easier in the third person.

For minor complaints, I found the pace almost too fast.  I never had a chance to take in the scenery leaving me somewhat lukewarm about Hulick's setting.  His city, Ildrecca, isn't clear in my mind, nor are the political workings of the larger empire.  I kept wondering if a few establishing scenes early on before Drothe got pulled into the main plot would have improved the novel's general ambiance.

In a year of strong debuts, Among Thieves is surprisingly one of the best.  If I'm being honest, and, as my readers know (I hope), I always am, the premise is not only familiar, but somewhat tired.  I've read dozens of novel with with a crafty thief and tough sidekick swordsman.  As in all things well worn though, there is a place for someone to do it well and Hulick did that and more.  Where many novels of this type lean heavily on the grittiness of the story to communicate some measure of gravitas, Hulick manages to leverage the relationship between Drothe and Degan into a frank discussion on the nature of commitment.  The ability to interweave some subtext behind what is cosmetically an adventure romp was a compelling and welcome addition.

That, combined with a dynamic voice, and well drawn characters make Among Thieves one of the better debuts of 2011.  Douglas Hulick has added a new chapter to the thief subgenre and it stands out as the best thing to happen to it since Lynch's masterpiece.  I can't wait for the sequel and anything else he churns out in the years to come.

You can follow Douglas Hulick on Twitter or on his website.

Interview with Low Town author Daniel Polansky

Last week I reviewed Low Town, a new fantasy novel by debut author Daniel Polansky.  Doubleday was also kind enough to donate 5 copies of the book for me to give away on the blog (Click Here).  Long story short, Polansky's novel is a ton of fun to read.  Part crime fiction, part second world fantasy, it's a tight narrative told through the mind of a drug addicted former cop trying to get by in a shitty part of town.  It's unapologetically dark and grim, not at all incompatible with the kinds of stories written by genre luminaries like Joe Abercrombie, Richard Morgan, and Brent Weeks.

I was going to publish my review of Alloy of Law today (maybe tomorrow?), but I wanted to get this interview out before everyone disappears for Thanksgiving.  Somehow I don't think a lot of people read blogs while gorging themselves.  So here's the blurb:

In the forgotten back alleys and flophouses that lie in the shadows of Rigus, the finest city of the Thirteen Lands, you will find Low Town. It is an ugly place, and its cham­pion is an ugly man. Disgraced intelligence agent. Forgotten war hero. Independent drug dealer. After a fall from grace five years ago, a man known as the Warden leads a life of crime, addicted to cheap violence and expensive drugs. Every day is a constant hustle to find new customers and protect his turf from low-life competition like Tancred the Harelip and Ling Chi, the enigmatic crime lord of the heathens.

The Warden’s life of drugged iniquity is shaken by his dis­covery of a murdered child down a dead-end street . . . set­ting him on a collision course with the life he left behind. As a former agent with Black House—the secret police—he knows better than anyone that murder in Low Town is an everyday thing, the kind of crime that doesn’t get investi­gated. To protect his home, he will take part in a dangerous game of deception between underworld bosses and the psy­chotic head of Black House, but the truth is far darker than he imagines. In Low Town, no one can be trusted. 

                                    

Justin: So, your first novel - congratulations!  Are you officially a professional writer?

Polansky: Thanks! I am a professional writer, though I have a sideline in arms dealing. That's a lie if you are a federal agent, hahaha, aren't I a kidder?  Actually I quit my day job before I became a writer and just started bumming around foreign countries until they throw me out.

Justin: Who do you talk to about celebrity gossip with no co-workers?

Snookie!

Polansky: I talk about celebrity gossip with my old friend, the wind, walking down the boulevard and screaming things about Snookie into his face. He takes it well.

Justin: I know you're traveling in Asia right now. Just a fun trip or are you shopping for an Asian agent (this is not a euphemism for the sex trade)?

Polansky: Just a fun trip. Bumming about, eating things we don't eat in the west. Pig's blood cake. Bird's nest. Human flesh. That last was a joke, hahaha, but maybe not.

Justin: Talk to me a little bit about the two different titles of your book. I love The Straight Razor Cure (UK) after reading the novel - it's perfect. It's a bit esoteric to someone who hasn't read the novel. Low Town is certainly more accessible. Which do you prefer?

Polansky: The Straight Razor Cure is what I had initially, and I suppose it's still closest to my heart. At the end of the day I'd name it Captain Fitzgerald's Cabaret Extravaganza if I thought that would get me a few more sales. It probably wouldn't, though. That's a bad name.

Justin: Somehow I don't think Cabaret Extravaganza captures the right image.  There's a lot Abercrombie's grit in Low Town.  Since you're from Baltimore I have to imagine you've seen The Wire. Does Warden have a little Stringer Bell in him?

Polansky: You know I hadn't made that specific connection, but I'm happy to run with it. They're both ruthless sorts of people, willing to do whatever is required to see to their own ends. I could see Idris Elba for the movie.

Justin: Gritty fantasy has become a pretty significant part of the market. Why do you think these kinds of stories resonate so much with readers?

Polansky: We don't all live in the Shire? I'm not sure. If I was to make a broad generalization, I might say something about the recent economic collapse, and bleak future forecast, and etc, but it's pretty late here in this hostel I'm in in Malaysia, and I don't really think I have the energy. To be honest, I typed most of this answer while I was making eyes at the cutie across the way. Hey cutie, how you doing? She's got a stupid tattoo but what are you going to do, it's a hostel.

Justin: I've made a decision to not sidetrack the interview to discuss your attempts at an amorous rendezvous however tempted I might be.  And I am very tempted.  Was Low Town a first person novel from the get go?

Polansky: It was very much a first person perspective from the opening, though I'm not sure that I'd draw any general conclusions about the state of the industry from that fact.

Justin: Did you feel limited as the story went on not being able to flesh out certain plot elements or world building items because you'd locked yourself into Warden's head?

Polansky: No, not at all. Limiting the perspective in a certain way allows for a tighter story, and makes the reader a little uncomfortable. I think first person stuff works particularly well for fantasy -- it limits the amount of exposition you provide. Exposition is the enemy of decent writing.  Tattoo girl says she was an environmental studies major. That's a huge surprise -- wow. Never saw that coming.

Justin: Urge to sidetrack rising.  Was this a one book deal? If so has the publisher reached out to your agent for subsequent novels?

Polansky: It's different country by country. We're very much hoping to release a few more volumes about the Warden. I think if you, the person reading this interview, really wants to make sure they can get the next book in the series, the best thing to do would be to break into the office of your favorite publisher and just start yelling. That sort of thing generally works out well for everyone.

Ray Rice in your face!

Justin: NFL season is in full swing.  Are you secure in your knowledge that the Ravens have by far the coolest uniforms in all of pro sports?

Polansky: I am an NFL fan, and following the Ravens ups and downs from across the world is always fun/horrible. We do have the best uniforms, that's true. Also we have the best state flag -- it's just way above everyone else's, I dunno why.

Justin: Thanks for taking the time! I've really enjoyed the first book and hope to read more.  Oh, and you will be coming back to the blog to answer a question about tattoo girl.

Polansky: Thanks for the questions! It was a pleasure to be here, digitally speaking.

Low Town - Daniel Polansky (Giveaway & Review)

U.S. Cover and Title

Tell me if you've heard this one before, ok?  Joe Abercrombie walks into a bar, sits down and orders a whiskey.  He takes a shot and looks down the bar where he sees fellow fantasy author Brandon Sanderson sitting at a table.  Sanderson is laying out a Magic: The Gathering deck and drinking a glass of milk.  Abercrombie, seeing his comrade in arms, stands up and walks over.  They get to talking about this and that, of course Abercrombie tries his best not to swear or talk about sex, an admittedly difficult bit of conversationlism.

Before you know it, the two of them start writing.  Sanderson is handling the outline, plotting things just so and building the world.  Meanwhile Abercrombie is writing the scenes, adding his grit and authentic dialogue to Sanderson's framework.  He decides to try first person this time, change is a good thing, right?  Somewhere along the way Sanderson wins the sexytime argument.  They finish the novel and agree on the pseudonym Daniel Polansky.  And so, Low Town was born.

That's just a legend.  To the best of my knowledge Daniel Polansky is a real person, and not some amalgamation of two bestselling fantasy authors.  But it could be true because Low Town is the love child that Abercrombie and Sanderson (probably) will never have.  It's well paced, richly textured, and demonstrates all the rawness that the genre has come to expect from the modern fantasy writer.

Polansky's protagonist is Warden, a 30-something drug dealer, and user, with a checkered past. He used to be more, but now he haunts the streets of Low Town peddling his product and trying to stay alive (sort of).  Low Town reads like crime fiction that wouldn't be at all out of place shelved among James Ellroy and Ellmore Leonard.  There's an urban feel to it all, and Warden is very much a noir protagonist, past his prime and world weary, but committed to doing what needs doing.  In this case, that's solving the mystery of a murdered girl which the powers that be have no interest in doing.

He doesn't look like Joe

or Brandon!

It didn't surprise me to learn that Polansky is a Baltimore native.  Anyone who's watched HBO's The Wire will find some familiarity. Warden is reminiscent of Stringer Bell (Idris Elba), a drug dealer with intelligence, ambition, and a desire to see less violence on the streets, if only for the sake of profit.  Themes from The Wire like corruption, institutional dysfunction (or disinterest), and poverty are also reflected in the novel through Warden's colored perceptions.

Beyond the Mystery Machine (overt Scooby Doo reference), Low Town is also a second world fantasy that provides a mystery of its own, heightened by the limitations of a first person narrative.  Unable to provide any direct exposition, Polansky dribbles out the world through Warden's encounters, memories, and dreams.  He creates a mystery within a mystery within a mystery.  Who killed the girl?  Who is Warden and where does he come from?  How does all this fit into the larger world?  In choosing the first person, Polansky gave himself free reign to control the reader's perception.  Carefully choosing the order of encounters, and the types of encounters, he creates a perfectly paced novel that kept urging me forward without frustrating me (always a risk when the narrator has knowledge the reader does not).

It's not all roses though.  I think there's a fair criticism to be levied related to one-note characters that are archetypal for the genre.  Gregarious and burly innkeeper, go-getter gutter rat, malicious police chief, and kindly wizard are a few of them that are recycled here.  Additionally, I saw the 'twist' coming from early on (although there were enough red herrings throughout that I questioned my confidence) and given the tradition of intricately plotted fantasy novels, this one is fairly mundane (more like urban fantasy in that regard).  Polansky does leave enough dangling about Warden's past to warrant a sequel, but there's nothing epic about the plot itself that would call for future volumes.

Stringer Bell will mess you up, mofo!

That said, when asked, what did you think of Low Town, Justin?  I'm going to gush.  It isn't the best novel I've read this year.  It's not even the best debut.  It is, however, the most entertaining.  Polansky grabbed me in the first chapter and never let go.  Last I checked authors are in the story telling business and Polansky tells a great story.  Much darker than Sanderson, and not as authentic or well put together as Abercrombie, Low Town takes elements from each of them, turning out a debut novel that will appeal to fans of both.  I hope to see a lot more of Daniel Polansky in the future.

You can find Daniel Polansky on Twitter (@danielpolansky) or at his website.  He's currently working on the sequel to Low Town (when he's not bumming around foreign countries).  Check back next week for an interview with the author.

*********Giveaway*********

Low Town by Daniel Polansky

1 book to 5 winners courtesy of Doubleday.

Giveaway Details:

This giveaway is open to North American residents only (alas).  You must be 18 years of age or older to participate. Void where prohibited by law. Giveaway rules are subject to change.  

How to participate:

• To enter the giveaway, just place a comment in this post and declare intention to participate.
• One entry per person, or face disqualification.
• Make sure to provide an email address or Twitter username at which I can contact you.
• Entries accepted until 11:59pm ET on November 25, 2011
• Winners will be chosen by random sorting entries, and then using a random number generator.
• There will be 5  winners, who will receive 1 book each.
• Winner will have to confirm by email/DM to be considered a winner within a week after November 17, 2011.

ONE additional entry may be had by doing the following:

• Follow me on my blog publicly so that you appear on Google Friend Connect.
• Follow me on twitter, @jdiddyesquire. Make sure to provide your twitter username in your entry.

If you do either of the steps above, or you are already following me, you'll receive ONE additional entry.

Thanks, and good luck!