Only Child (Burke Series #14)

Okay, But Not Great

For starters, I, too, had some of the same problems reading this book as those who had trouble following the dialogue. I don't believe there is anything wrong with not being a fan of a book, and find it unneccessary for those reviewing to launch a personal attack on another reviewer due to differing opinions! I may come under the same criticism, because although I appreciate this author taking on social issues, I simply did not enjoy this particular book.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Could have been better

Andrew Vacchs has long been known for his willingness to take on social issues, and this book is no exception. However, I agree with the reviewer below who had trouble following the dialogue - and I THINK the reviewer was referring to the adult characters talking, not the young people. I had problems with this, too, and felt it interrupted the flow of the book. A good story otherwise.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Only Child

Mr. Vachss has done it again ... focused a novel on an issue/phenomenon years, perhaps decades, before the media or the general public are aware of its existence (previous examples include predatory pedophiles using computer technology to traffic in porngraphy (STREGA - 1986), piquerism (BLOSSOM - 1990) ... there are many, many more examples). In ONLY CHILD Mr. Vachss' hero, Burke becomes embroiled in an investigation which uncovers a new and quite terrifying form of 'film-making.' To gain information about this new and deadly 'art-form' Burke and his family (Max, Mole, Michelle, Terry, Prof, Clarence, Mama, et al. are reunited in this complex and exciting tale) must infiltrate the exclusive and close-mouthed teen-age cliques of a suburban highschool. The techniques used to accomplish this 'infiltration' are brilliant in both their inventiveness and their execution. An excellent action-filled crime-drama made all the more chilling as it is so firmly grounded in reality.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

This Only Child Should Be Orphaned

Now why didn't I like this book? Perhaps it's because I've never been a rabid Vachss fan. Or could it have been the fact that the start of the book indicated this was an ongoing tale, and I had not read earlier installations? Or could it be the relentlessly cryptic dialogue that I couldn't make head nor tail of? At one point there was a discussion that I THINK was about a criminal plan involving illegal immigrants - after re-reading the obscure conversations between Burke and his pals several times, I gave up. In fact, I think that's when I put the book down. And all those colorful shady characters? Um, Andrew? Damon Runyon did them better....and with the added grace of humor.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Vachss Has Perfect Pitch

As a teacher who listens to teenagers every day, I can attest to Vachss' excellent ear for dialogue. In ONLY CHILD, he recreates an entire social world of young people; their concerns, their needs, and their aspirations are brought out for the reader. But Vachss' talent does not end there. ONLY CHILD has a tightly woven and chilling plot, with a dark tone that is sure to grip the soul of any lover of suspense and mystery. Perhaps it is just as well that teachers who find it increasingly hard to read at least know when to give up and retire.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Only Child

Mr. Vachss has done it again ... focused a novel on an issue/phenomenon years, perhaps decades, before the media or the general public has become aware of its existence (previous examples include: predatory pedophiles using computer bulletin boards to traffic in pornography, piquerism ... there are many more). In ONLY CHILD Mr. Vachss' hero, Burke, becomes embroiled in an investigation which uncovers a new and quite terrifying form of 'film-making.' To gain information about this new and deadly 'art-form' Burke and his family (Max, Mole, Michelle, Terry, Prof, Clarence, Mama, et al. are reunited in this exciting and complex tale) must infilrate the exclusive and close-mouthed teenage cliques of a suburban high school. The techniques used to accomplish this infiltration are brilliant in both their intricacy and their inventiveness. An excellent, action-filled crime drama made all the more chilling as it is so firmly grounded in reality.

Vachss Has Perfect Pitch

As someone who listens to teens every day, I can say emphatically that Vachss' dialogue reflects their speech patterns exactly. His finely-detailed and realistic characters of all ages stems from his excellent ear for the way real people talk. It may well be that the 'educator' who found this book difficult to follow was wise to have retired when s/he did. I can guarantee that any able-witted reader will enjoy every twist of this well-plotted novel.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Burke back from the grave

I¿m a slow reader. I finished Only Child in about 2 days. Vachss¿ writing is like a pitbull locking onto you ¿ you just can¿t shake it loose. When one of Vachss¿ books hits the stores, I drop everything else to go get it and read it. Not many writers I can say that about, and there are several reasons. Real characters that inspire true emotions from the reader, with depth and development across time; intricate plot line; sledge hammer prose; a perfectly-woven story ¿ all are standard issue with any Vachss novel. I can¿t guarantee you¿ll like his work. I¿ve heard people say it¿s too intense, too scary, too gritty, too real ¿ but never boring, and never bad writing. Maybe those people were looking for a ¿light read,¿ I don¿t know. This stuff is more like mercury. If you read one of his stories and you dig his work, you¿ll be hooked for life. Because this man brings together two elements in his writing that make for a potent combination. First, Vachss is a warrior. Read his credentials on the sleeve of the novel, and you¿ll know ¿ he¿s been there. He has lived the stories he writes ¿ or has battled for people who have. Like any true warrior, Vachss stays with the mission until either the job is finished or he is. Vachss¿ war is against child abuse. His writing is one powerful weapon in that war. It has inspired legislation (see the CARE Act) and recruits an increasing number of soldiers to the cause with each new book. Second, Vachss doesn¿t just have an inborn talent for writing. He is a master ¿ and I mean skill, as you can only gain from practice. And like any true master, Vachss never stops becoming more skilled at his craft. Only Child proves that. Beautiful writing about an ugly subject. ¿Criminal psychology¿ through the criminal¿s eyes ¿ Burke (the main character) seeking redemption in the only way that matters, and telling us where evil truly comes from. Vachss clearly views writing as a medium for accurately conveying experience, emotion, and truth. Few things are more beautiful than the truth; and if any writer is more qualified to pull it off, I¿d like to hear about them. The passion that drives Vachss¿ mission hits you with the power of a .50 cal, firing words like voodoo-cursed bullets ¿ aimed with the grace of a samurai¿s blade. This isn¿t just hard-core, top-notch writing. It is the stuff of life-and-death; the pulse of the streets. You will be educated, enlightened, angered, scared, empowered, and, hopefully, spurred into action. ¿I just open the case files and change the names,¿ says Vachss. But he does far more than that. A good story goes miles further than a good sermon. Vachss writes great stories ¿ the message behind the writing woven in as deeply as sinew, and will strike you just as deep. College criminology classes need to make Vachss required reading.

Guess Who's Back?

In the mid 1800s, Gustave Flaubert described France as a place where "the banal, the facile, and the foolish are invariably applauded, adopted, and adored." Flaubert's lament is an equally apt condemnation of early 21st century life in America, or indeed, much of the modern "developed" world. I have never written a book review before. I have never read a Burke novel before either. The convergence of the two firsts is no accident. I loved this book, but from reading the descriptions and professional reviews before getting my copy, I didn't necessarily expect to even *like* it. I'm not a stranger to Andrew Vachss' writing, having enjoyed all the comics, short fiction, and full-length novel "Shella." And Vachss is well known as the author of the Burke series, so most fans are presumably already closely acquainted with the characters I just discovered in fall of 2002. "Only Child" has been promoted by pros and fans alike as the book "we" have all been waiting for, the one that sees Burke return to his native New York. And if you've ever read even a single review of any Burke novel, or any article about Vachss for that matter, then you already know that Vachss, and Burke, are both the ultimate New Yorkers. One review of the books I've seen stated that New York City is actually the "predominate character" of the entire series. For those people who are "fans" of New York, this is bound to be a draw, but Vachss' and Burke's fans come from all over the world. If you're one of those people who hated "Dead and Gone" and "Pain Management," and couldn't wait for Burke to get back to his home turf, then you've probably already ordered "Only Child" and need no encouragement to give it a shot. If you are more like me - West Coast to the core, never been to New York, nor had any special desire to go there, met plenty of people *from* NY who pay homage to the Holy City, but would laugh in your face if you offered them a pre-paid one-way ticket and guaranteed job back to where they're from - then you might be a little more dubious about jumping into an established series at the "coming-home-after-an-enforced-absenc e" point. If so, DON'T BE. Perhaps people familiar with and fond of New York see the city as a character, but if this is not the case, it's no kind of problem at all in my eyes. The themes Vachss deals with are international and timeless, and so are the characters. If you've never been closer to the east coast than El Centro, don't fear that you'll be left out. I think every single review I've read so far stresses the back-to-New-York angle, and the fact that Burke must "infiltrate the teenage subculture" of Long Island as pluses. The first drawing point initially made me worry that I'd be confused by endless local references, and the second I admit had me half expecting some kind of "Samurai Jack undercover at the rave" trick, but both worries proved so groundless that it was amazing. Yes, Burke is home, and if you're a NY native, you'll doubtless rejoice, but rather than a passel of location minutia, this fact is written in a way immediately comprehensible to anyone who's ever returned to *anything* that felt like coming home. Crossing the Triborough, crossing the Grapevine, crossing the threshold to anywhere one has missed from someplace else - what's the difference? When the writer is as good as Vachss, there isn't one. I found (to my relief) the "teenage subculture" sections to be both believable *and* not entirely integral to the plot. I noticed things in this book I haven't seen mentioned elsewhere, and those are what truly impressed me. There's a totally excellent kid early on in the book that I fell in love with right off.If there's a god in this world, then Hugh (and BOO) will find a way to cross paths with Burke again.

The TRUTH is in the DETAILS

Having read most of the Burke books, I can say I've never been disappointed. ONLY CHILD is no exception. It's a compelling story that will keep readers turning pages long into the night. But the thing I have to point out is the absolutely dead-on right way Vachss captures the feel for the Long Island (NY) locale. Being born and raised here it's nice to see the Island truthfully and honestly depicted in this book. Vachss even managed to find the best hardware store on Long Island (Karp's Hardware in East Northport), and include them in the story. Now I *really* know that Vachss knows what he writes.

Burke's Back!

Here's the thing. Vachss keeps turning out the most realistic bad guys ever. After every one of his books get released, there's a story in the news about the Feds busting a gang of bad guys (and bad girls) doing just what Vachss warned us about. Again, the characters in Only Child are bound to turn up on tonight's news. In his quirky and serious style, Vachss sets Only Child on Long Island, a densely populated suburb of New York City. Its bad guys who prey upon the (mostly) sanguine suburbanites are exactly the kind of predators that your Mom warned you about. This is not a novel ripped from the headlines, quite certainly, it's the other way around. Tomorrow's headlines will, once again, be written about the real people behind the fictionalized characters in this book. Only Child is another Burke novel. If you think you're getting tired of yet another one, don't worry. It's fresh, (in Vachss' punishing kind of way) it's twisted, and the ending plays out like a novel written with a sense of fairness in a decidedly unfair world. Vachss writes dialogue like every writer wishes he could. No matter what crime/noir/verité writer you've been hooked on before, you never really get hooked until you've read Vachss.

Burke retursn to NYC

Burke knows it is time to come home so he packs up what little he has after living on the run and returns to New York City where he connects with Mama, Michelle and a host of old friends. When Mama tells him his ¿bank balance¿ is only $60,000 dollars, Burke understands that he must find a high paying job rather quickly. Mama gets a phone call from a man who needs Burke¿s special services and she pushes him into listening to what the client has to say.

Giovanni Antonelli, a man highly placed in the mob, wants Burke to find out who killed his illegitimate sixteen year old daughter. Giovanni thinks that the killing was to drive a wedge between him and Felix Encarnacion, an assassin for the Colombian cartel. The ¿friendship¿ that exists between the two men precedes a betrayal so Burke has to use all his contacts to trace the girl¿s movements before her death. By doing it his way, he gets answers from people that will not talk to the police and that leads him to what she was doing in her last hours, which could also prove to be Burke¿s last moments too.

Dead or Alive Burke stands for the children when no one else does. He may break many laws in his quest for justice but there is something so admirable about a man who respects and reveres innocence that readers do not care about his methods as long as they are effective. ONLY CHILD is Andrew Vachss at his very best, which makes for an awesome reading experience.

Harriet Klausner

No text was provided for this review.

No text was provided for this review.