Book Review: Hard as Nails

Reviewed By: Woodstock - RAM

Hard as Nails     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Dan Simmons
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Hard Boiled
Series: Joe Kurtz # 3

The title most probably refers to the skull of the main character in this continuing series, although an automatic nail gun plays an important part late in the action. As the book begins, Joe Kurtz is shot in the head, and stumbles through all the follows enduring the painful headache which follows the concussion he receives.

His first stubborn aim is to find who shot him and his parole officer who had exited the elevator as he entered the parking garage, unwittingly on his way to ambush. But in the first few days after he leaves the hospital he is approached the heads of two rival crime organizations in the Buffalo, NY area and engaged to find the killer behind a series of attacks on drug couriers who have been working for the mob bosses.

This is a fast, tense read. Simmons manages better than some other authors to make Kurtz' actions believable even though he has been seriously injured.

A romance from long ago, a mysterious abandoned amusement park, a hair raising ride on a rented helicopter, a demented serial killer stalking just about every other character in the story, all add up to a very good read.

The author lives near Colorado's front range, and he has a nice, subtle salute to one of the better loved public figures from Denver, CO. And a witty reference to Viagra, in the form of a "blue pill" obviously some kind of non erotic pep pill, which magically restores Kurtz to full energy just when he needs it.

Simmons tone is very nearly over the top, but he retains just enough grounding in reality to keep a reader tracking with him. Looking forward to the next book in this series.

Woodstock - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Woodstock - RAM