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Publisher:
Time Warner Audio Books |
Release
Date: July 2003 |
ISBN:
1586215086 |
Awards:
Grammy Nominations for
Best Spoken Word Album: FEAR ITSELF by Walter Mosley |
Format
Reviewed: Audio Cassette - Unabridged edition |
Buy
it at Amazon |
Hear
an Excerpt |
Genre:
Mystery / African American Sleuth |
Reviewed:
2003 |
Reviewer:
Brenda Weeaks |
Reviewer
Notes: Explicit Content
Review
2 |
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Fear
Itself (Review
One)
A Fearless Jones Novel
By Walter
Mosley
Don Cheadle (Reader)
The
Fearless Jones series takes place in L.A. during the 50's, and it's
a gritty, R-rated series written with the hardcore mystery reader
in mind.
Paris
Minton owns a new bookstore in Watts. Paris is the intelligent,
educated one of this crime duo. Fearless contributes his street
smarts to the partnership.
In Fear
Itself, Fearless and Paris are looking for the Watermelon Man.
By the time they realize that it's for all the wrong resons, it's
too late and they are knee-deep in danger. In quest of the answers
to the confusing scheme they've been thrust into, Paris interacts
with the poorest and the richest of L.A.'s black citizens. Games
are played on both sides and Paris turns to Fearless whenever things
get impossible. Eventually, Paris does come across a rare book and
a valuable necklace, but has no idea what they have to do with the
missing Watermelon man or his family. Here is where readers will
experience the best twists and turns.
Although
I found the various twists impressive, the number of characters
was downright confusing. What added to my confusion was Mosley identifying
and referring to his characters by their colors instead of their
name or job description. There was the typical "Whitey"
or white man description as well as various shades of black (high
yellow, light, dark, chocolate, etc). If the constant reference
to color was supposed to help the reader distinguish the good from
the bad, I totally missed it.
Actor
Don Cheadle, known for work in Oceans Eleven and Devil
In a Blue Dress, is an excellent reader. He is able to bring
out the best of all the characters as he switches from them to narrating
the story.
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