Negative Positive
Title: One of the Lesser Entries in the Series
Review: I enjoy Robert B. Parker's work, but many of his later novels have a by-the-numbers quality that make them pleasant diversions and nothing more. PLAYMATES is pretty much a perfect example; there is nothing in this book that I haven't seen in other, superior novels by Parker.Unlike most of the other Spenser books, however, there are no real sympathetic characters in this book. The basketball player is arrogant and annoying, and is not worth the effort that Spenser invests in trying to save him. In many ways, he reminds me of April Kyle in TAMING A SEA HORSE and MILLION DOLLAR BABY -- a character with almost no redeeming features who Spenser forms some inexplicable attachment to.The plot of PLAYMATES is thin and there's very little true mystery or suspense. My advice is to skip this book and try other Spenser novels, such as EARLY AUTUMN, MORTAL STAKES, or LOOKING FOR RACHEL WALLACE.
Is the review positive or negative? 