Boca Mournings
Boca Mournings – Steven M. Forman
Some books, to me, are just better at “paperbacks” prices. I understand the term pulp, but it was mostly before my time. So a “paperback” price works for me. I found that The Pope of Palm Beach was already discounted, and that led to another from Boca Knights series.
Think beach reading. Murder and mayhem in Florida, what could be a better setting?
With a protagonist who has an elongated prostate, a hot girlfriend, and a heart of gold? Maybe mellowed by being 61 years old, and a youngster in Florida retirement communities. Have to include some ethnic overtones, maybe too tired to joke, but a little lick that was amazing?
“Masada will never fall again. Remember the Alamo, I couldn’t help thinking.” Page 396.
Novel is kind of lightweight, the cadence isn’t there, but the story was interesting enough, until the main character made that observation — in Israel.
Being from Texas, and deeply imbued with the Texan Myth, not to mention, currently living in Alamo City, yeah, I never gave it much thought, or tried to hard to understand. But as a creation myth, between Travis’s Letter and history, I was only tangentially aware of the myth of the Masada. From lightweight, not-really-literary, action-thriller books, I gathered deeper meaning. Yes, it was part of the story, and yes, it launched quick web search for data. Huh. That’s interesting.
Which is why, even though I was not overly fond of the book, I would say I liked it. Style and rhythm was lacking the skills of an accomplished author, but the substance, while a little heavy-handed with the story, it worked. Introduced me to new ideas, and in that single instance, brought a broad concept into succinct focus like never before.
While maybe not a great book, at a paperback price, the idea of the creation myth, that worked. Always glean insights wherever, whatever source. Excellent reading for the summer evenings.
It’s an example where a single comment, a simple line, almost throw-away data becomes the point I recall, in years to come.
