As a writer, I know the struggle over trying to create something “unique.” It is a pointless battle – supposedly there are only 8 truly original stories anyhow – and often in this pursuit, we lose something, and usually that is that we forget to author a delightful story. Francis Laurent by Schuyler Randall, has a setup that you may have heard before, but much of what it does, it does well.
The story is told by Raina, the daughter of the titular character. This is an old-fashioned cop-drama, about an FBI agent seeking out the murderers of his partner, and enacting vengeance. No perpetrator is safe, and the corruption goes all the way to the top.
I don’t often pick up this genre, and I agreed to review the book out of a bit of nostalgia; the writer is from, and the story is set in Birmingham Alabama. I am quite happy that I gave it a chance. Mr. Randall weaves action and imagery together in a way that is atmospheric. His prose ranges from good, to excellent. Phrases like “…burning tires blazing through the symphony of car horns,” color scenes where needed, but are used sparingly, showing a deft hand. This is further enhanced by strong characters, paired with great, and believable dialogue. These two aspects rocket the book past the few speed-bumps along the way.
And there are a couple. It’s the rare book that is perfect, and Francis Laurent is not an exception. Aside from the tropism, there are also a few hackneyed sayings that appear, such as “the pieces of the puzzle start to fall into place,” or “pedal to the metal.” It is a bit of a pedantic slight by me, and realistically they have a place in this type of novel and setting. What works less are the sometimes overuse of “ly” verbs, and otherwise, which downgrades some of the prose to merely “good.” Also, there is at least one major scene that is not entirely believable.
Tropism, with excellent story telling. Questionable phrases, with strong prose. In the end, I think the good far outweighs the bad. And while the problems keep Francis Laurent, by Schuyler Randall, from getting a top rating from me, this is still a great little book that will surely interest readers aged thirteen and up.
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