PLUCKING SOME WEEDS AROUND THE FAMILY TREE
A Review of Irish Dukes
Andrew
Salmon
This
Fight Card installment kicks off in 1950's Berlin where Sergeant Kevin Crowley
is duking it out with a Russian boxer. Crowley has something to fight for
beside unit pride. He's due a
30-day leave before transferring to Japan and during the fight he's told those
will be off the table should he not prevail.
Afterwards,
Crowley begins his much-deserved leave (did you really think he'd lose the
opening bout of the tale?) and heads to Ireland looking for his roots. Well, it
turns out those roots are being choked by weeds and Crowley is thrust into a
battle of wills with a black-hearted, gouging landlord looking to keep the
entire neighborhood under his boot heel.
The
pace of this one is very brisk and, when you consider the plot elements, that's
no easy feat. Not only are some top-notch fight scenes needed here but also
Crowley's family history and surviving members are all very neatly drawn. And
just enough of details of post-war Berlin and narrow Irish streets flesh out
the settings. Don't let the length fool you, this is a full tale. Sure, it can
be read quickly, but that's a must during this busy age we live in. And it
satisfies. You've got fists a-flying, a budding love interest, standing up to
bullies, cowardly scare tactics and a lead character who doesn't take any bunk
from anyone.
I've
read a handful of the Fight Card series to date and each one has been a winner.
If you're already a fan and are looking for the next tale to read, then this is
a great place to continue. If you're new to the Fight Card line, then Irish
Dukes will scratch you right where you itch. I enjoyed it and I recommend it.
Check it out!
THIS KO IS A-OK!
A Review of Robert J. Randisi's The Knockout
by
Andrew Salmon
Robert
J. Randisi takes on the identity of Jack Tunney for this installment in the
stellar Fight Card line. The Knockout introduces us to Frank Corleone. Once a
contender, an injury has knocked him out of the ring and into the PI game. With
gumshoe work not paying all of his bills, Corleone also works as a part-time
sparring partner at his friend's gym.
But
when that friend turns up dead and it looks like murder, Corleone has to hit
the streets, and a few lowlifes, to get to the truth.
Part
hardboiled mystery, part sports tale, The Knockout has got something for
everyone. Corleone's single-minded pursuit of the truth leads him down some
dark alleys and into a fight or two whether its with his fists, his wits or his
conscience. The end result is an engaging mystery that doesn't skimp on the
fisticuffs. You've got organized crime, shifty lawyers, hard line cops and
Corleone's dead friend is in the middle. A great mix.
This
one is also something of a change of pace as fighting does not save the day.
Sure, there's plenty of it and the fight sequences are well written, but the
reason Corleone fights, although integral to the plot, do not resolve the plot
in and of themselves as is sometimes the case with fight stories. It's the
combination of fighting and gumshoe work that bring this fun ride to a
rollicking conclusion.
I
enjoyed The Knockout and recommend it to any fan of fight fiction, detective
yarns or action junkies of all stripes. This one is a knockout!
