![]() Connelly has often said that a viewing of Robert Altman’s adaptation of The Long Goodbye, early in his years at the University of Florida, inspired him to read all of Chandler’s fiction in short order-and changed the direction of his life. ![]() ![]() In one way, though, that Associated Press tribute is right on target. Chandler’s moral sense, in some ways acute, was often unreliable Connelly’s is sounder. Connelly is disciplined and generous, and he excels at collaborative work (for instance, the Bosch TV series produced by Amazon) as well as solo writing Fair Warning is his thirty-fourth novel. Chandler was brilliant, undisciplined, alcoholic, demon-ridden, quick to take offense and quick to sneer he wrote only a handful of novels. But Chandler couldn’t plot to save his life, whereas Connelly is a master of the art. Connelly’s sentences are workmanlike, unremarkable. ![]() ![]() The bravura style of The Big Sleep, The Long Goodbye, and the other titles on the Chandler shelf is one of the glories of American literature, influential worldwide. Chandler wrote like “a slumming angel,” as Ross Macdonald said. Below the title on the front cover of Michael Connelly’s new novel is a quote: “‘Connelly is the Raymond Chandler of this generation’-Associated Press.” This is unfair to Chandler and Connelly both. ![]()
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