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    Haiku: A Novel
    Unavailable
    Haiku: A Novel
    Unavailable
    Haiku: A Novel
    Audiobook6 hours

    Haiku: A Novel

    Written by Andrew Vachss

    Narrated by Christopher Lane

    3.5/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    Ho was a revered sensei, but when his dismissive arrogance caused the death of a beloved student, he renounced not only his possessions but also his role as master, and now roams the streets in search of a way to atone. Drawn by his presence, a group forms around him: Michael, an addicted gambler who has lost everything, including himself; Ranger, a Vietnam veteran with a tenuous grip on reality; Lamont, a once-fearless street-gang warlord turned hopeless alcoholic; Target, a relentless "clanger" who speaks only by echoing the sounds of others; and Brewster, an obsessive collector of hardboiled paperbacks he stashes in an abandoned building that even vermin avoid.

    Late one night, Michael spots a woman in a white Rolls-Royce throwing something into the river. Convinced that the woman is a perfect blackmail target, he attempts to recruit the others to search for her. But news that Brewster's library is slated for demolition turns this halfhearted effort into a serious mission to find the ultimate problem-solver: money, and with it a new home for Brewster's precious collection.

    Each frantic knock opens another barred door as the building's destruction draws nearer. And the answers to each man's questions trigger shocking explosions that hit you with all the visceral power we have come to expect from this fierce and dynamic writer.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBrilliance Audio
    Release dateNov 3, 2009
    ISBN9781441808097
    Unavailable
    Haiku: A Novel

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    Reviews for Haiku

    3.5/5

    30 ratings2 reviews

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    • 4/5
      I believe that this is the first Andrew Vachss book that I read since he finished his Burke series. Not that there was any expectation he would, but Vachss has not lost any skills. His words are terse but loaded with meaning. He sets the scene with minimal descriptions but quickly illustrates what we should see. He gives us characters who are complex and reveal themselves slowly. Together they illustrate a side of New York City that I reckon most never see. And for those of us nowhere near New York, we can wonder what the underbelly of our city is like.While HAIKU is mainly centered on Ho, a Japanese man who in order to find his honor walked away from teaching martial arts, the story also revolves around the men that Ho calls his family. They are all living on the street and dealing with their problems: alcoholism, schizophrenia, PTSD, gambling addiction, and an unknown mental disorder of some sort. As a group, they help each other to survive; each has their own tasks but no one rules the group. While the story focuses at first on a "mortal lock" or guaranteed big score, it morphs into a mission to save one of their own. It comes down to a family fighting to protect one of its members.There's no denying that Vachss is a master at his writing. However, I didn't find this book to be as strong as other ones by him. There wasn't anything big that I can point to and say "yucko" but I just didn't connect as much as I hoped. Some of the characters sounded very much like characters from the Burke series. The imagery was still gritty and real. The truths dispensed were enlightening and deep. The standards that his characters live up to are high; I look at myself and hope that I am half as honorable and true as his characters are. And while I know those are fictional characters, I also know some of what Vachss has actually done. Hell, to be completely honest, I would love to meet almost every one of my favorite authors and fanboy gush over them. Vachss though kind of scares me. If I ever met him, I feel like I would never measure up to his expectations. That rather than simply reading his books and donating to some of the same causes, that I should be doing more. I know it's all my own projections but that is how reading Vachss makes me feel. It reminds me that I should not settle and that I should be better. It humbles me and makes me work harder. Anyway, enough self-psychoanalysis. If you aren't already, read Vachss's books. He will leave an impact on you.
    • 3/5
      A fine and compelling tale but not as gripping as Vachss's others like Shella or Getaway Man. He crafts a fine character in "Ho," but the end is unsatisfying and a bit pat. I'd read more about these characters, for sure.