| | |  | Amazon Kindle | Home » » » Pronto (Raylan Givens) | | | | | | | Description: | | The feds want Miami bookmaker Harry Arno to squeal on his wiseguy boss. So they're putting word out on the street that Arno's skimming profits from "Jimmy Cap" Capotorto—which he is, but everybody does it. He was planning to retire to Italy someday anyway, so Harry figures now's a good time to get lost. U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens knows Harry's tricky—the bookie ditched him once in an airport while in the marshal's custody—but not careful. So Raylan's determined to find the fugitive's Italian hideaway before a cold-blooded Sicilian "Zip" does and whacks Arno for fun. After all, it's a "pride thing"...and it might even put Raylan in good stead with Harry's sexy ex-stripper girlfriend Joyce. | | | Product Details: | | | Average Customer Rating:
|  based on 13 reviews |
| | | | Customer Reviews: | |
Average Customer Review:
 ( 13 customer reviews )
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 16 found the following review helpful:
 Raylan's Story Starts HereJan 27, 2012
By Cecelia Stark
Prior to watching Justified on TV, I had read the Fire in the Hole short-story. I had also read numerous Elmore Leonard novels. Many I love, some not so much. When I heard Elmore's latest was simply called Raylan, I knew I had to catch up. That prompted me to read Pronto, Raylan's introductory novel. Next, I'll read the follow-up, Riding the Rap, before I tackle the new one.
Honestly, reading Djibouti recently, I was starting to question whether Elmore was ever the writer I remembered, but Pronto set me straight. This is easily the best Elmore Leonard novel I've ever read.
It might even be the best crime novel I've ever read, but being female, my taste in crime novels may be different than most. This story is purely character-driven. Guns don't fire and guys don't slap each other around every chapter, but the tension is always there, and when action strikes, you're on the edge of your seat, swinging with the characters.
I love this novel.
21 of 23 found the following review helpful:
ProntoMay 19, 2011
By Karla
This is Leonard's introduction of U.S. Marshall Raylan Givens, now the central character of the excellent television series "Justified." The series features some of the great villains on television. Pronto is the beginning and a must-read for Raylan fans.
16 of 19 found the following review helpful:
Elmore and Raylin: A perfect combinationJan 03, 2012
By Greg Zerovnik
I'm somewhat of an Elmore Leonard junky, so I've never read one of his books that I didn't like. But Raylin Givens as a character successfully bridges the gap between Leonard's Westerns and his contemporary pulp fictions. Givens is the perfect Leonard character. My wife and I are addicted to the "Justified" TV series based on this character, and I'm looking forward to Elmore's newest book on Marshall Givens!
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
Love Elmore Leonard?May 15, 2012
By P. Moseley
"Kindle Lover"
I do. The quirkiness and diversity are so entertaining and intriguing that putting down a novel by Leonard is darned hard to do. The Raylan Givens series, basis for "Justified" on FX, is a guilty pleasure just waiting to be savored whether as a beach novel or everyday enjoyment.
A Kentucky Marshall takes on the Miami mobMay 23, 2012
By Karl Janssen
I rarely read contemporary fiction, but I'm a big fan of the Justified TV series, and have always liked the movies based on Elmore Leonard's books. This is the first book I've read by Leonard. I approached it hoping to find the gritty atmosphere, clever banter, and unexpected plot twists that I have come to enjoy in the film and TV adaptations of his work. Not only was I not disappointed, I was pleasantly surprised by Leonard's skillfully crafted prose. Though he writes in short, choppy, often incomplete sentences, he has an admirable command of the English language and a talent for elegant understatement. His characters are well drawn, with complex pasts, and the plot is exciting and engaging throughout.
Despite the publisher's repackaging of this book as a Justified-related title, it was originally published in 1993. Deputy U.S. Marshall Raylan Givens is not so much the star of the novel as he is a member of an ensemble cast. For much of the book, our attention is centered on Harry Arno, a 65-year-old World War II veteran and longtime Miami bookie. The feds, in an attempt to nail Arno's mobster boss, spread the rumor that Harry is stealing from his employers. Raylan is assigned to protect Harry, but when Harry flees for his life, thus becoming a fugitive, it's Raylan's job to apprehend him. As the book goes on, Raylan becomes a bigger part of the story. Though he's stationed in Miami for this book, we do learn quite a bit about his earlier life in Harlan County, the Glynco Academy, and elsewhere. Fans of Justified will also recognize mobster Tommy Bucks, who appeared in the pilot episode of the series.
Leonard has a wry sense of humor, and the book overall has a lighthearted tone, yet the life-and-death confrontations in the book are still intensely suspenseful. Leonard has such a talent for writing snappy dialogue, at times he gets a little carried away. You sometimes wonder why the two characters facing off don't just shut up and shoot each other. But that would spoil the fun. Pronto is a lively read with hardly a dull moment. I look forward to reading the rest of the Raylan Givens books, as well as anything else of Leonard's I can get my hands on.
See all 13 customer reviews on Amazon.com
| | |
|
