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Is The Cold Cold Ground any good? Well, I'm not a terrific judge of my own stuff but here are a few words from people that I admire in the crime fiction family:
COLD COLD GROUND is a beautiful, thrilling heartbreaker of a book, alive with the sorrow and poetry of Ireland. Adrian McKinty is one of the finest writers working in any genre.
---Tim Hallinan
It's undoubtedly McKinty's finest novel: a visceral journey to the heart of darkness that was 1980's Northern Ireland. Written with intelligence, insight and wit, McKinty exposes the cancer of corruption at all levels of society at that time. Sean Duffy is a compelling detective, the evocation of the period is breathtaking and the atmosphere authentically menacing. A brilliant piece of work which does for the North what Peace's Red Riding Quartet did for Yorkshire.
---Brian McGilloway
THE COLD, COLD GROUND is a razor sharp thriller set against the backdrop of a country in chaos, told with style, courage and dark-as-night wit. Adrian McKinty channels Dennis Lehane, David Peace and Joseph Wambaugh to create a brilliant novel with its own unique voice.
---Stuart Neville
The Cold Cold Ground is a fearless trip into the nightmare world of Northern Ireland in the 1980’s: riots, hunger strikes, murders -- a time when every action from the mundane to the extreme is a political statement, yet Adrian McKinty tells a very personal story of an ordinary cop trying to hunt down a killer.
---John McFetridge
Adrian McKinty's The Cold Cold Ground has got to on my five best of the year [list] as it is riveting, brilliant and just about the best book yet on Northern Ireland.
---Ken Bruen
Adrian McKinty is the voice of the new Northern Irish generation but he’s not afraid to examine the past. Through Sean Duffy, his latest protagonist, he applies his unique writing skills to our troubled history expertly. This writer is a legend in the making and Cold, Cold Ground is the latest proof of this.
---Gerard Brennan
The sense of what it must have been like to live through the most explosive days of Northern Ireland’s Troubles is vivid but, more than that, convincing. This goes especially for the book's homely details and the off-hand observations by McKinty's Sean Duffy, a Catholic member of the Royal Ulster Constabulary. If McKinty were a tour guide, he’d take visitors to parts of Belfast and its surroundings that no one else does. The world’s most exciting crime fiction these days comes from Ireland, the best of that comes from the North, and The Cold Cold Ground may be the best crime novel – and one of the best books, period – out of Northern Ireland.
–-- Peter Rozovsky
72 comments:
Can't wait to get this one!
I'm very much looking forward to it.
Speedskater
I think you might like it.
But then what do I know?
Glenna
I hope you like it.
Adrian:
I've read several others of your books and enjoyed them all. I can't imagine that this one won't be great, especially after comments like K. Bruen's.
(Also, GREAT photo!!)
That's exciting. I'm more interested in Matsuri day. What a cool day at school eh?
Speedskater
What can I say, Ken liked it.
Frankie
I'll bet you're a little bit interested in the book as well.
Yeah. I'd like the book and some cute childrens to dress up in Japanesee outfits. We had dress- down friday and that was it when I was at school. Book looks great aswell.
Fantastic. I've heard of this book...should arrive in time to be top of the holiday reading pile. Along with the new Bruen.
Eager for my copy to arrive in the mail.
Your kids look really happy and proud!
Congratulations!
Oh, Matsuri Day. I thought you said Matsui day. Here in Toronto we have Darvish on the brain today.
Happy George McFly Day. It's a fantastic book.
Cute kid. Fine book.
Frankie
And the book smells nice too.
David
I dont think its officially out until January 10th, so it'll be a nice hardcore way to being the year.
Kate
Happy? Yeah. Proud? Well I dunno, I've never let them so much as read a page of any of my books so I'm sure they know what I do exactly.
John
I thought Darvish said he wanted to be on the West Coast? I guess we'll find out in a couple of hours.
Peter
Cheers mate.
Well, I still dont have a US publisher for the award winning Falling Glass but if you're German you can get it from early next year...
http://www.amazon.de/Ein-letzter-Job-suhrkamp-taschenbuch/dp/3518463721/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1324345306&sr=8-4
The translator for the German version of Falling Glass is Dan Woodrell's translator which has got to be a good sign.
Adrian,
I haven't read the Lighthouse books yet. Are they too scary for really young kids?
Kate
10 and up I'd say.
End of Kim Jong-il, arrival of Cold Cold Ground.
Things are looking up, I'd say.
I wonder how long you're going to be able to get your kids to participate in this ritual.
Well, now, Seana, a less sanguine view might have it that the end of Christopher Hitchens, the end of Vaclav Havel, and a fresh outburt of publicity for Stieg Larsson protend other things.
I just saw an ad for the American version f GWTDT, and I did have to wonder why anyone thought this was an appropriate Christmas release.
Yes, the deaths of Havel and Hitchens are sad, but the death of Kim will make for a substantive shift in the fates of a people. Of course, I don't know if the son will be an improvement, but at least I can hope.
Seana
I saw the same ad. Torture and rape for Christmas sounds a bit grinchy if you ask me.
Peter
Maybe Stieg and Chris are having a smoke in heaven. Hitch would certainly be the most surprised.
Even the Grinch isn't that grinchy.
Yeah, Hitchens in heaven would be fitting revenge. An Indian, I think Hindu, legend that I read tells of a non-believer in god or the gods who, because his thoughts were so constantly on the gods in his denial of their existence, wound up with them in the afterlife.
"Torture and rape for Christmas"
That sounds like an ad campaign.
No, Peter, it doesn't.
Rangers got Darvish. Hope he likes bugs in his teeth.
I know this is a McKinty book and that makes it worth its weight in platinum pieces for us, but I'm also looking forward to something with merit involving serial killers. For me there's Roderick Thorp's River, Peace's Red Riding Quartet, Red Dragon, and not much else.
Peter
There's a great Isaac Asimov story (dont mock) called the The Last Answer about an atheist who dies and has an interesting after death experience. The story is a sort of companion piece to the classic Asimov story The Last Question. I wont spoil either because they are both very short and very good.
Seana
Its got a very grim kind of sleazy exploitation vibe that I dont care for. Although again I felt the book had shades of that.
Matt
Well you'll just have to see won't you? Lets put it this way, I've read a lot of those books and hopefully I'm aware of the cliches and the pitfalls.
Happy George McFly Day, sir. And that's a lovely photo. You're a lucky man.
gb
Adrian,
Greetings. I am still hoping to shake out a review copy for Crime Factory. When I have read the book, in addition to doing a review for Crime Factory, you interested in doing a short, 10 question interview for my blog Pulp Curry (www.pulpcurry.com)? Not that it seems like you need any help with publicity but I get 100-200 hits a day. I'd e-mail you the questions, you can answer them when you get the chance.
Drop me a line at my blog if you are up for it. If not no drama. Look forward to reading your book.
Andrew Nette
Adrian,
Do you have a favorite book about Northern Ireland? Having lived in Jerusalem, do you have a favorite book about the Middle East?
Adrian,
Do you have a favorite book about Northern Ireland? Having lived in Jerusalem, do you have a favorite book about the Middle East?
Looking forward to it and will probably be my first book bought next year.I'll also pass it on to my dad as well as it was the year he joined and right away got caught up in all the mayhem.I'm sure he'll have an interesting take on it.
Yeah, the Rangers, was there ever any doubt?
I think I've finally figured out "The Girl with..." - we like to hear that Sweden isn't so wonderful after all.
oooh yeah..looking forward to it mate...so thats what was going on yesterday in st kilda...i got attacked by two ninja kids in carlisle st yesterday...
John, you have nailed it.
“I think I've finally figured out "The Girl with..." - we like to hear that Sweden isn't so wonderful after all.”
John, someone exasperated with the fuss over Scandinavian crime fiction wrote something like “Enough, already. We know the Scandinavian countries are not welfare-state paradise.”
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Detectives Beyond Borders
"Because Murder Is More Fun Away From Home"
http://www.detectivesbeyondborders.blogspot.com/
I got an email from the Book Depository telling me the book is in and should be on its to way me shortly. Yay!! You have some heavy duty blurbs there, and they are trustworthy. I can't wait. As far as TGWTDT is concerned, it's all about money, and the award season. People go to the movies during Christmas here in the states, and appropriateness went out the window quite a while back. Happy Christmas!
Andrew
Happy to do it!
Ger
thanks man and thanks for the blurb.
Kate
My favourite book about Northern Ireland is probably A Rage For Order, a poetry anthology brought out by Blackstaff Press.
Jerusalem? I think the best description of Jerusalem is in Mark Twain's The Innocents Abroad.
Paul
I'm sure you and your dad will say "It didnt happen like that!" but its a novel mate, its all made up.
You may however recognise a few people in the book. I kept in all the real names of people until the very last draft when I changed them for legal reasons.
John
It taps into the anger of everyone whose Ikea bookshelves fell apart exposing the cheap pine underbelly etc.
Dan
there were a lot of Ninjas.
Seana, Peter,
I can understand people reading Dragon Tattoo but I dont really get why they continued reading the series after that.
Lil
I think there's a chance you'll get it before the official release date which is pretty cool!
And then going to the Swedish movies and now having even the slightest interest in the American version.
But I still might read the parody.
Seana
I would have said the same but it is directed by David Fincher and I usually see all of his films in the end.
Well, let us know when you do, because it seems like one I could skip.
My friend wants Dragon Tattoo films, she's heard their good. I've seen the second one and fell asleep. I really don't know whether to get them for her for christmas. Are the films good?
I liked the first Swedish one. I haven't gone any farther than that. The violence is quite graphic, though.
Adrian, I think for those of us who've had one too many (or just one, really) conversation about universal health care or education or retirement benefits and had to listen to how great everything is in Sweden it's kind of refreshing.
You know, if the books had been set someplace we never have to hear about how great it is - like Ireland - then we couldn't secretly gloat so much and feel superior.
After Christmas is fine.
I'll be in contact about the interview.
Andrew
Yeah. I think there's a pretty gruesome scene in the second one. I was just bored though. Its difficult because everyone says their great and my friend did the hint for them. I think comedies are the best thing at christmas.
Yep, comedies or schmaltz--I'll take it for the season. But you're probably best off just getting your friend what she wants, so long as she doesn't make you watch them with her.
Yes, that's good advice and easier for me. I wonder when a persons fav film is Notting Hill whether the Dragon films are really up her street, but she's getting them now.
Right--be careful what you wish for...
There seemed to be a consensus, in which our host was included, that the first Swedish movie was better than the book because it cut out much padding.
Ah, socialized medicine... It was fun while it lasted.
Adrian, if you are looking for something cute to show the kids, set up google maps and search for walking directions from 'The Shire' to 'Mordor.'
Oh, and catch that new Hobbit trailer when you get a chance.
Peter, Frankie, Seana
Yes, I saw the first film Dragon Tattoo in Swedish and I thought it was better than the book. It certainly made more narrative sense and the pacing was crisp.
Actually the acting was pretty good too esp from the young woman playing Salander.
Matt
Hey that is fun!
Next year brings too major nerdlinger delights: The Hobbit and Prometheus.
John
I'm surprised that the US version of Dragon Tattoo wasnt set in either Canada or Alaska.
Matt
In the winter of 1989 I hitch hiked almost this entire journey:
http://maps.google.com.au/maps?hl=en&tab=wl
Adrian,
Coongrats on the book. I'm looking forward to reading it. Any info on when it will be available in the US or on Audible? Thx.
DJD
Audible Jan 7.
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