Fiction Book Reviews

Book Review: The Prone Gunman by Jean-Patrick Manchette

By Angela Youngman Oct 22, 2006, 21:45 GMT

Martin Terrier is a hired killer who wants out of the game-so he can settle down and marry his childhood sweetheart. After all, that\'s why he took up this profession! But the Organization won\'t let him go: they have other plans. Once again, the gunman must assume the prone shooting position. A tour de force, this violent tale shatters as many illusions about life and politics as bodies.Jean-Patrick Manchette (1942- ...more

Martin Terrier is a professional assassin who gave himself ten years to make some money. Now he wants out but finds that this is not as easy as expected. He attempts to claim his childhood sweetheart - he might have waited, but has she?

While his former paymasters have other plans for him and are determined to regain his services to kill an Arab oil magnate. Even that does not go as expected. A very sparsely written story. There is no description, no discursive ancedotes; it is very bleak almost reflecting the nature of the subject matter.

It is very violent, and the scenes can be disturbing. Much depends on whether you like this type of story, it is certainly different.