The Ethical Assassin: A Novel

this book wasn't terrible, but it felt like the plot was just a vehicle to support a weighty moral about modern evils and animal rights. I'm sympathetic to the cause but even so, it felt like being lectured by a self-righteous teenager. I think there's an entertaining detective story in there somewhere, so it's not a total loss but I can't really recommend the book. ( )

Set in the 1980's, Lem Altick has just graduated high school and desires nothing more than to escape the cultural vaccum that is Florida by going to college at Columbia. That Lem is actually a nice guy is pretty surprising given the hand that life has dealt him so far: a deadbeat dad who stopped calling ages ago, a mother so zoned out on pills that she naps all day and only awakens to prepare meals and clean house, and a verbally abusive step-father who has reneged on his promise to help pay for Lem to attend an Ivy league college. Desperate to make money quickly so he can pay his tuition, Lem becomes a door-to-door encyclopedia salesman. If he can just get through this summer, then he might be able to escape his life. But life isn't finished screwing with him yet, not by a longshot.

Lem's carefully constructed plan for his future begins to fall apart when an assassin walks into the trailer where Lem is about to close his last encyclopedia sale for the day. Lem watches in horror as the trailer's occupants, Karen and the aptly nicknamed Bastard, are shot in the head. Now a witness to a murder for which he may be blamed, Lem finds himself mixed up in a tangled criminal web that includes an on-the-wagon pedophile, a rapist town cop, a bikini-clad Siamese twin, and an assassin who is, of all things, ethical and the only person Lem can trust. As Lem and the assassin navigate this world of drugs and animal cruelty, Lem learns more about who he is and what he's capable of than most people learn in a lifetime.

This is messed up stuff and Liss is definitely treading on ground traditionally covered by Carl Hiaasen or Elmore Leonard, so it's no surprise that I enjoyed it. There's a dark comic streak throughout the novel and several witty one-liners (and not so witty; I readily admit that my favorite line may have been "It smelled like the shit that shit shits out its asshole"--sophistication is never an adjective to which I've laid claim). In the beginning of the novel, it's a bit confusing as it changes from Lem's 1st person point of view and moves to a 3rd person examination of some of the other key players, but if you just let yourself give into it, Liss is giving background about characters that will be prominent later. He wraps everything up and doesn't leave a loaded gun in the corner unless someone's going to blow someone else's ass off with it. And that's really all I expect from an author. ( )

Other than periodic (I think there were 4 in the book) tangent rants about a) how poorly we treat animals (a la Michael Pollan) and b) the U.S. prison system as a failed system, this was a decently paced book with some very funny one-liners. Oh, the ending had another little pro-animal rant thing that I just skipped 'cause at that point I wanted to know what happened.

It's very crass and rude and addresses revolting topics without becoming preachy on these topics (other than as noted above). I.e. there is coverage of rape, pedophilia, murder for hire, crank addiction, and bullying - all without the 'MORAL' being spelled out at the end.

Very nicely done. Though I would really have preferred a bit less pro-animal preaching - particularly at the end - because it interrupted the story's pace. ( )

http://www.fnordinc.com/2010/03-10/audiobook-review-the-ethical-assassin-david-l...

Long car rides.. one of my favorite things in the whole world. an extravagant excuse to burn gasoline, smoke too many cigs, drink excessive gas station coffee, pee on roadside trees, and eat copious amounts of jerky.

also a great time for the AudioBook, something i rarely have time for in daily life due to standard books, music, and other daily things.

on our recent trip to California, we planned ahead. Hitting up the Public Library, we gathered 3 Audiobooks. enough that we would not run out while on the road (and if lucky, would be able to finish at least two in out allotted road time).

we made it through 1 and a half. i will have to find time somehow to finish the second.

~~

The Ethical Assassin has been a bit of a desired read. At goodwill, on multiple occasions, both Jenn and I have picked this book up and perused it, waffling as to whether it is one we should invest 3 bucks in.

Turns out, we should have as it was quite fantastic. if not available at goodwill, we will end up purchasing it at powells or someplace full price.

David Liss spins a tale of Traveling Encyclopedia salesman Lem. He is just out of high school, working to get tuition money for his upcoming deferred stay at Columbia University (New York). He is a virgin in the ways of love. he is a damn fine salesman, working all the angles and soaking up the cash he needs.

the story seems to wander back and forth for a couple chapters, culminating in a solid knowledge of lems fears and mental workings. then two of his customers get shot in the head while he is about to receive their book purchase check. the assassin enters the room, seems like a fairly nice guy on the whole, even whilst ensuring that if Lem talks to anyone, he will become the primary suspect, with evidence against him.

1985 is the time setting, and there are no cell phones, no internet, no modern simplicities or plot crutches. It is is Florida, Hot, sweaty Florida… Katrina and the Waves on the radio, melting peoples brains as much as the sun is.

The core of the tale rests on the word “Ideologies” and how our whole existence is based around the comfort zone that all of society requires. it is well thought out and gets the brain juices flowing at some of the simplified concepts described.

some aspects of the book felt like a commercial for PETA. at points i wished i was a vegetarian, and others an ass kicking ball breaking vigilante. in the end though, i am neither of the above. i ate a double bacon double cheese cheesy double burger (with bacon) last night and i would rather screw than fight.

i would recommend this book highly. it will stick out in my mind whenever i see bacon… or encyclopedias.

mm… bacon…

- FNORDinc.com ( )

This book is a pretty quick read. It started off very slow for me, but there was something about it that kept me just interested enough that I didn't abandon it. There were some quirky things going on that held out real promise. I was halfway through before it really hooked me, though. Once there, it was quite interesting.I'd give the last part of the book 4 stars, but it was somewhat rushed - too little, too late to really make the book a good one. The main character finally develops into a person that I could begin to identify with. Until that time, part of the problem was that I really didn't care about anyone or anything in the book. A mild distaste for all involved was my prevailing emotion. So 1 star to the first half for almost turning me off. By the end of the book, I was hoping for more, though. This is a book about animal rights & the ethical treatment of animals. There wasn't anything in the book that I didn't already know nor was the discussion of the morality of our civilization new to me. Still, it sneaks up on the subject in an unexpected way. 3 stars for the overall theme.The characters were neat. They were different, not cookie cutter good & bad guys, but quirky individuals who were trying to get by & their morals were as confused as most people. I thought they could have been fleshed out better. Too much is 'told' about them as they're introduced, not developed into the story. The central character develops from a real loser into someone who will make it a little too fast & far for me.The POV is interesting, but also had a big flaw, IMO. It's told from one kid's POV & he says that after it was all over, he could fill in a lot of what happened by his research into the matter. I found that unbelievable on a couple of levels. Without writing a spoiler, I can't discuss it, so I'll just say I had to suspend my belief on this point & it was OK. Still, it could have been handled better, I think.It was an interesting read, but I won't be keeping it to read again. I doubt anyone else in the family will be interested in reading it, either. The book was hyped to me, I think mostly because of the Animal Rights angle - not reason enough, IMO. It's OK & I think 3 stars overall is as generous as I can be. 2.5 is closer to the mark. ( )