Beat the Reaper
Josh Bazell
At its heart, I believe, this is a novel that tries to be
many things at once: a biting satire, a fast-paced Mafia story, a bit of a
thriller. What's remarkable is that, to a large extent, Bazell manages to pull
it off. The satirical tone is established immediately by the protagonist's
highly sarcastic, matter-of-fact voice, which remains consistent throughout the
novel and lends an air of believability to a succession of wild events. Not
insignificant is the narration's contribution to the book's considerable humor-
though dark, most jokes land successfully due to their dry delivery. The book
has a serviceable plot that interacts well with character-building flashbacks
and consistently builds suspense, though the climactic scene contains one of
the most utterly gruesome acts I've ever come across in books, movies, or other
media. Hide the children, because not only is the idea itself utterly shocking
(yet strangely appropriate within the book's very dark context), it is
described with enough detail for readers to picture it properly. It may turn
some readers off, but I'll be damned if the crucial image doesn't stick with me
for years to come. Bazell must be applauded here for his originality, both in
premise and in specifics, but the secondary players fall too often into
stereotypical roles. In this day and age, even the sarcasm can seem a bit run
of the mill, though that is hardly Bazell's fault. All told, Beat the Reaper is a thoroughly
enjoyable trip into the mind of a completely jaded ex-hitman, told effectively
through a unique and compelling voice.
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