TOWER - Ken Bruen & Reed Farrel Coleman

FIRST LINE: "Griffin coughed blood into my face when I made to slip the chains under his shoulders."

TOWER is a novel told in the parallel narratives of Nick and Todd, lifelong friends. Both are pulled into a life of crime, but seemingly minor events cause them to be pulled in different ways. This is the story of two young men in the midst of a major crime network. Their story is painted on a canvas with colors of wise guys, murder, contradictions, women, but always the strength of that friendship.

I normally don't cite a book's jacket when I summarize, but I think this says it all, exactly the way it should be said:

Imagine a Brooklyn rabbi/poet - Reed Farrel Coleman - collaborating with a mad Celt from the West of Ireland - Ken Bruen - to produce a novel unlike anything you've ever encountered.

And that does precisely sum up TOWER. It stands in a class of its own. This is a short novel with a break-neck speed, so hang on tight because it will grab you by the soul. Coleman and Bruen managed to blend their styles flawlessly, but still enable the reader to hear echos of each individual.

TOWER is filled with dark humor, poetic language, dimensional characters, and not least of all, a plot that lights the book on fire. It's gritty and it stays with you. TOWER will without a doubt make my top 10 list of 2009.

Stunning! If you haven't yet, get your hands on this book now.

TOWER is available from Busted Flush Press in trade paper (ISBN: 978-1-935415-07-7).

*Note: can you believe how short this review is? From me? The book left me speechless! Did I mention you should get it? Now?