Ray BanksReviews

Wolf Tickets is violent, foul mouthed, amoral and utterly entertaining. The prose is lean and mean like a crime novel's should be and often laugh out loud funny. I've already downloaded another of Banks's books.

I've read a couple of Banks's earlier books and enjoyed both of them, but neither prepared me for just how good Angels of the North was. This is the work of a mature writer really hitting his stride, it's emotionally complex and rich with expertly drawn characters and a wonderful sense of time and place. Not, perhaps for the faint hearted, but I really couldn't recommend it highly enough. It really is everything a good book should be: engrossing, believable, moving, compelling and very human.

Not without it's faults but still an entertaining, gritty and gripping crime tale.

Great read

I loved Wolf Tickets and this is a fine follow up with the characters. Definitely worth a read if you enjoy crime and a laugh.

Like a prose Guy Ritchie production without all the showing off. Nice!

So, it's official: I love Ray Banks.

From what I've learned of the backstory of the life of this novel, it's a bit of a wonder that I ever got to read it at all. And it would have been a crying shame of a brutal crime if I hadn't, because I do like a bit of crime fiction once in a while, and when I do, I like it to be spectacular.

Wolf Tickets is spectacular. Originally drafted (from what I can put together) as a collaboration between Ray Banks and Ken Bruen and featuring alternating chapters written from the point of view of two very bad friends*, the book is loaded with English and Irish lower class slang (one protagonist is one, and the other is, tadaa, the other) that, I guess, publishers thought would make it a too-difficult, too-challenging read for the average knuckle-dragging crime fiction fan? At any rate, it's only because Banks is stubborn and sure and teamed up with Blasted Heath Publishing to release it as an ebook that I got to read it.

HOORAY!

I'd caution folks that this one isn't for everyone, though. The slang does take a bit of parsing, for one thing -- though really, context clues are a big help if the rest of the writing is good, and here, the rest of the writing is good, sometimes even brilliant. For another, well, duh, it's crime fiction. And these two, Sean and Jimmy, are serious freaking low-lifes on the trail of another pair who did Sean wrong: his ex-girlfriend, Nora, and her hitman ex-ex-boyfriend, who have stolen all of the hidden money (and his favorite leather jacket) out of Sean's home and are off to steal the rest - as in 200 grand he's stashed somewhere around Newcastle, UK. Or at least, that he's claimed to have stashed. Or has he?

So it's a race, it's a chase, it's a spree, full of hard drinking and drug use, vandalism, arson, assault, battery, foul language, more drinking, and a lot of brutal language**. These are not nice people, and of the characters there is not a one whom ordinary readers will find conventionally sympathetic. They made me wince a lot, look away a lot -- but never for too long, because they're too fascinating, the lot of them.

I just wouldn't want to meet anyone like them in person, thanks. I take those kinds of thrills vicariously. Which is why people like Banks and the Blasted Heath guys get my money.

Oh, and caveat lector: if you're an ex-smoker or someone who's trying to quit, this novel might be even rougher going for you than for the rest of us. They smoke a lot. Like, even when their mouths are so cut up they can barely talk lot.

*And here Banks has attempted a difficult feat: writing a novel in two first-person (and unreliable) voices. I don't see a lot of writers even trying this, but maybe I'm just not reading the right show-offs (it could easily blow up in one's face, after all). My standard for this trick is, of course, Theodore Sturgeon's Godbody, in which all of the different characters' voices are so well-defined one could tell who was speaking even if one didn't know where in the book a passage was found. Banks doesn't achieve quite that level of greatness, but he comes closer to it than most do, which makes this pulpy bit of brutal crime fun that much more enjoyable.

**Sample: "How about a drink and a sub?" "How about a f*** and an off" Funny, but not for everyone.[a:Ray Banks|674360|Ray Banks|http://www.goodreads.com/assets/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66-4df4c878d4149c45fac159e88cb784ad.jpg][b:Godbody|182538|Godbody |Theodore Sturgeon|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1251092698s/182538.jpg|2702874]

The second issue of "Blood & Tacos" from Creative Guy Publishing and edited by Johnny Shaw continues the excellent concept developed in the first issue of presenting "rediscovered" stories from "authors" of 1970s and 1980s men's adventure paper backs. Written with a sense of humour and a real feel for the trashy aesthetics of these lurid paperbacks, the stories in issue one were all superb. Given the stellar quality of that first issue, the second helping of "Blood & Tacos" was bound to suffer in comparison, but even so this is still a great fun set of stories. First up is "Dead Eye in End of the Renaissance" by Guy Rivera, rediscovered by Ray Banks. This features Cruz, a blind spaghetti western style "hero" in a violent, punchy tale about Mexican slave labour and female sex slaves. The story was okay, moved forward reasonably snappily but was possibly the weakest in the book. Next up is "A.R.V.N. War Chronicles: Never Say Good Night in Saigon" by Greg Peppard, Jr., a story that was rediscovered by Jimmy Callaway. It revolves around a set of stolen babies fathered by American serviceman and the two men, ex-marine Mathes and tough Vietnamese Sargent Tinh, put together a mercenary squad to infiltrate the jungle hideout of the kidnappers. The story is an entertaining bullet-fest of tough guys and hard combat. "They Call Him Cruel: Burn In" by Moses Starkweather, rediscovered by Frank Larnerd. This is a tough, gritty urban crime story that has tough guy Cruel taking a decision that has serious ramifications for one young lad. For Cruel, however, things are simple and he sets out to look for revenge. This is an excellent story, dark and vicious with a tone that is slightly at odds with the pulp feel of the rest of the book. "Bastard Mercenary: Operation Scorpion Sting" by Arch Saxon, rediscovered by Andrew Nette has Aussie "one-man army" going up against a Thai drug syndicate and their boss, the beautiful and deadly Scorpion. Hard, fast, straight-ahead action with plenty of twists that ensure things stay interesting throughout. In "From American Viking to Zane: A Brace Godfrey Chrestomathy" Johnny Shaw serves up a listing of series titles and synopsis from Brace Godfrey’s bibliography. All the series titles are brilliant and laugh-out-loud funny, with the world's most dangerous Mexican, Chignon making an appearance as The Mexicutioner". Other cool characters include American Viking; Codename: Black Belt; The Exorcismist; Ghetto Force; Judge Haymaker and possibly best of all Knockers O’Malley: Lady Cop. The last story in the collection features, Sunshine, Stripper Assassin in the brilliantly titled "The G-String Gundown" by Walter Himes, rediscovered by Josh Stallings. Sexy stripper, Sunshine O’Shay is on the hunt for three young men who wronged her mother many years ago. Using sex as a weapon Sunshine brings a dangerously feminine touch to her mission of revenge. Cleverly written with great language, an inventive approach and a powerful heroine, "The G-String Gundown" is the best tale in the book by some margin. The book is completed by Sabrina Ogden's entertaining review of “The Xander Pursuit” which is both entertaining and insightful and Matthew C Funk’s excerpt from an "interview" with Agent Sniper. "Blood & Tacos" issue two is an excellent read – funny, violent visceral and pulpy with the writers getting the tone and feel absolutely spot-on. This issue isn't quite as good as the first, but it still represents some top-notch retro pulp entertainment.

Loved this idea when I first heard about it - a set of fictional adventures for a real-life movie star. And one that even I've heard of!

Making a man like Lee Marvin star in these adventures obviously means that these are going to be noir stories, hard-boiled as a rock, with a dark sense of humour in some cases. Based, it seems, on events from his real life, the stories range through a varied set of scenarios, timeframes and locations, although there is a propensity for hard-drinking and dedicated womanising to show up frequently.

A collection that is obviously going to work better for fans of Marvin, it also worked well for this reader - whose knowledge of the man himself is sketchy at best. Alternatively, if you are a fan of darker, noir styled story telling, this is a clever concept that's executed very elegantly.

http://www.austcrimefiction.org/review/review-lee-crime-factory

Short, bittersweet good read. Enjoyed very much.

i rarely stop reading a book. Probably a bad practice. But I quit this one. Couldn't find any redeeming value anywhere.

Oddly enough, I had picked up this book by accident, thinking it was Iain Banks' work (sci-fi). Turns out I couldn't really have been farther from the mark, but... it was a good mistake to make. I've been looking for this kind of protagonist for awhile (ever since I ran out of Jack Reacher or Matt Scudder books to read).

This one reads a lot like the Scudder books, actually, not so much like the Reacher ones since there is a bit less justice-by-toe-of-boot than there would have to be to compete with Reacher. The protagonist is trying to solve a mystery while fighting his past, and his alcohol use, and the bad guys in his way.

All in all it is a pleasant little violent book with a mostly satisfying ending and a protagonist that I will follow into his future escapades. It does have a British setting which means some of the things they say sound odd to a North American ear, but you can get the gist of what they mean. Specifically, one of the bad(der) guys speaks of himself in the plural - us - which might make a North American think he's a little nuts, when, actually, this is not really that uncommon an activity in certain regions and is a sign of upbringing more than a sign of insanity.½

I called this one a "master class in the amplification of tension." A kid gets out of juvie and takes a job that seems simple, and everything keeps getting worse and worse. And one scene flows from the next, like destiny. A brilliant fast read. I had to take a piss during the last ten pages and cross my legs instead of putting it down. That's what we call "compelling writing."

Let me state up front that I'm a sucker for good British crime novels and film - "Peril," by Ruby Barnes; Dougie Brimson's "The Crew"; about anything by Ian Rankin; "The Long Good Friday," "Mona Lisa," "Get Carter" (the original), "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels." Add to this, "Dead Money." As in these films (and especially Guy Ritchie's "Snatch"), most readers will not understand all of the cultural references and local (Manchester in this case) slang. That's OK. Ray Banks has written a cracking novel that transcends cultural and language (British vs. American English) barriers.

The protagonist is Alan Slater, a storm door and window salesman in his late 30s. He smokes too much, drinks too much, cheats on his wife too much, and is too supportive of his friend and fellow salesman Les Beale. Beale is really the prime mover of this novel. He is Slater to the tenth power, adding to his faults explosive anger, racism, and an addiction to gambling. Fat, balding, emotionally fragile, Beale is always looking for the big score, and thinks he finds it in a rigged card game. He goes into the game thinking it's rigged in his favor, but he's the mark.

The story careens into a tangle of violence, betrayal, fear and death. As with most of the characters in the books and films I've referenced above, these are not admirable characters, but they are complex people in a riveting story.

I highly recommend "Dead Money."

Seriously dark tale of a recently released British con who sets out across town to pick up a gun. Things don't go according to plan, and the descent into violence and pain is truly harrowing, including a memorable trip to McDonalds. Banks knows how to write, and he also caps things off quite nicely. I look forward to reading the other things I have by him on my Kindle.

Everything I read by Ray just makes me want to throw my computer out the window and give up writing. Dammit, the man can write! And Wolf Tickets is no different.

I only feel like that for a minute, as Ray’s work inspires me after that moment of doubt.

According to Ray, the phrase ‘wolf tickets’ comes from a Tom Waits interview from Playboy in the late 80’s and describes someone who’s bad news. In a sentence it’d be something like “Don’t f**k with me, I’m passing out wolf tickets.” And yes, the two main characters in this book definitely fit the bill.

Set mostly in the Newcastle area, this tale revolves around the viewpoints of Sean Farrell and Jimmy Cobb, mates from their time in the Army, now coasting in the strange after-service life they both inhabit. In Dublin, Sean’s girlfriend Nora has stolen £20,000 from him and done a bunk to her old boyfriend Frank O’Brien in Newcastle. To say this pisses Sean off is an understatement.

So he hops a flight to Newkie and meets up with his old mate Jimmy, acquires a gun and they set off to hunt Nora.

I won’t spoil the story for you, as it’s a right good read. There’s plenty of ups and downs and while they’re violent, foul-mouthed thugs, the pair do somehow engender sympathy. I think Banks’ depictions of Newcastle fit well with my memories, revolving as they do around a lot of pubs, but he manages to capture the flavour of the place along with the characters one finds there.

Okay, enough from me. I’m off to read something else he’s written. Talented sod.

*If you’re offended by bad language or graphic violence, this isn’t one for you. Go read something by that nice Jeffrey Archer.

I really enjoyed Ray Banks' Sucker Punch. The characters are very well drawn and the world that they are set in is extremely compelling. I especially liked the lead character Cal Innes who is a tough as nails thug trying very hard to be good, but not quite finding his way. His internal conflicts drive the book. This adds a depth to a book that would otherwise been a pretty light thriller.

Sucker Punch is the second novel in the "Cal Innes Series". I didn't read Banks' first Innes novel [[ASIN:0156034573 Saturday's Child]] but didn't feel lost reading Sucker Punch which felt like a very self contained novel. I appreciate a writer who can write a series and make each book feel unique, all too often writer's in this genre write fractured stories with an eye to the greater series, Banks resists this temptation and delivers a solid and complete novel.

Sucker Punch is at its best when it's immersed in the world of amateur boxing, the closer to the ring this book gets the better it is. Unfortunately the book takes an extreme left turn about three quarters of the way through that really threw me. It's jarring and really derailed the momentum of the book. Banks' does ultimately pull it all together after that serious mis-step and it's not enough of a mis-step to prevent me from recommending this book, but it would have been a better book without it. The twist also arrests the natural story arch and results in a key conflict not getting the resolution it should have.

If you're a fan of boxing or enjoy the gritty world of sweat soaked gyms and tough guys Sucker Punch is definitely worth checking out.½

I wasn't sure if I was going to enjoy this book but was hooked from the very first pages. The story is about Cal, who used to be a PI but is now a caretaker of a boxing club. He gets given the job of chaperoning one of the young boxers on a trip to LA. What seemed like a cushy little job turns into one fraught with danger and his problems get worse when he loses the young boxer he is supposed to be looking after! There are rumours of rigged fights and several underhand deals going on. Cal gets mistakenly accused of accepting bribes and ends up staring down the barrel of a gun. This is a follow up from Saturday's Child, which I haven't read, but that wasn't a problem as this book works well as a stand-alone.

Great book - described as a crime thriller but that doesn't do it justice. Read it the same day and it's a long time since i've done that. Base on an ex prisoner's investigations for an underworold boss. Based in Manchester,England.