The Man Who Killed His Brother Chapter 3

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The Man Who Killed His Brother Chapter 3

Post by W.B. »

Welcome to...Chapter Three.

To give a brief summary of events therein, Ginny and Brew leave Lorna's house, and Ginny, still acting the caretaker, determines that it's time to feed Brew. She tries to lighten her sort-of nursing with some humor
If you don't get regular meals, it'll stunt your growth.
and they each humor the other by being polite as they discuss the case at the restaurant, showing that they can be sensitive to the other's feelings at times. These are characters that are very involved in each other's emotions, it seems very often Brew gives his motivation for doing something in such terms as "I owed her some politeness myself."

They visit Alathea's school and speak with Mrs. Rumsfeld, about whom Brew has a moment of empathy when he realizes she is so severe because she is, in fact, married to Sec. of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. Okay, not really. She's severe because she cares about kids. I am just picking out every last bit of Brew's insight/intuition here.

But, anyway, Alathea was a normal kid, and they return to Ginny's office to make unproductive calls to runaway kid hotlines and then visit the home of Carol Christie's parents. They're a delightful couple. Mary may have been inclined to talk, but as Ginny makes an inroad, her husband shows up and all they can accomplish is for Ginny to ask if they recieved a note, and for Mary to hand it over before the beat a strategic retreat. So that's what happens.

My favorite thing about this chapter is the introduction of "Muchoburger." But then, I am always amused when books or movies invent made-up chains of restaurants or stores instead of saying "McDonald's" or whatever.

However, this does tie into the main thing I noticed about this chapter, which is the description of Puerto del Sol, mainly its faded glory. The Muchoburger is
...in one of those small business sections that looks like someon just dropped a bunch of white concrete bricks out of the sky and ran away before anybody could catch him and make him clean it up.
The school isn't the best in the city, or the worst. The office building that houses Ginny's office is in the former business section, now three miles down the way from the "glitzy real estate where the banks live these days." Half-reputable lawyers and suchlike lease there, and it's "never more two-thirds full." Dingy halls and poor lighting complete the effect, though Brew, the obsessive compulsive cleaner keeps the office tidy. When they visit the Christies we get a tour of the sprawling suburbs of Puerto del Sol, where "the cowboy money lives." Overall, the cumulative effect is one of decay, bright, sunny dingyness, and a sort of decadence. To digress, I live in an area that has been rapidly developed, with little thought for the future, and though it's not like the American southwest by a longshot (it's Florida), I find these descriptions familiar. It's not subtle--there's hardly anything that doesn't have a patina of disuse or decline as people move to the latest chic neighborhood--but in a way I think it's a comment on or at least a description of the fast development of that area of the country.

So that was pretty much what I got from this. Donaldson starts to lay on the "decay" atmosphere, alluded to somewhat in the opening with his description of the Anglo vs. Latino parts of town. But it's mainly a utilitarian chapter, since the investigation has to start somewhere, and the main result of it is that Brew and Ginny retrieve Carol's note, which is very like Alathea's.
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Post by Dragonlily »

W.B. wrote:These are characters that are very involved in each other's emotions,
I like this observation. It's true, they seem extremely aware of each other. Sensitive, one could call it.
Muchoburger.
SRD does tend to be caustic about fast food chains. He does the same thing in FOUGHT ALONE. I hope to see an exception made for Burger King -- I worked for them once (Joke. Actually, I think their food is better than other fasties.)
W.B. wrote:Overall, the cumulative effect is one of decay, bright, sunny dingyness
Nicely put, here's a foreshadowing of how Brew hates brightness. He's a night creature, does much better in the dark.
SRD wrote:"Maybe she did run away."
"Maybe none of them ran away."
SRD doesn't say a word about the thinking of these two right here, he just lets the momentum carry us through it to the inevitable reactions. That way we get to create the impact in ourselves.

On impulse, Brew asks an unscripted question to the National Runaway Hotline. To get out of a corner, he is forced to tell them the straight truth. It sounds like he made an incisive impression: the person he was talking to suddenly started to cooperate. It seems maybe the closer one gets to telling the truth in an SRD world, the more smoothly things operate.
SRD wrote:Puerta del Sol lays down its inhabitants horizontally instead of stacking them vertically
I love this description. :)

Thanks, W.B. I like it. Would you like to show us another one while you have the book?
"The universe is made of stories, not atoms." -- Roger Penrose
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Post by W.B. »

Okay...typing slowly because of a finger cut...amazing the damage a Band-Aid (TM) does to a keyboard! :)

I suspect SRD is not a big fan of the Big Mac at all. :D
He's a night creature, does much better in the dark.
True...and funny how the only scene that felt "light" to me was the amber one at the beginning.
It seems maybe the closer one gets to telling the truth in an SRD world, the more smoothly things operate.
Good observation, I'll try to watch out for that in this book. And accepting the truth. Interesting. Have to think more on it.

Sure I can try for one or two more...they're short, after all. :) Then I'll return it, check it out again, and so on. I like my library...
The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function.
-F. Scott Fitzgerald

Stephen R. Donaldson Ate My Dictionary
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Post by Dragonlily »

Do you want to do them one per week, or double up next weekend? Whichever you like.
"The universe is made of stories, not atoms." -- Roger Penrose
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Post by Guest »

I'll commit to 4, and I'll probably do 4 and 5. I'll be out of town Saturday, so in case I don't have the time for both, I won't overreach. Is that OK?
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Post by Dragonlily »

Guest, I'm guessing you're W.B. :)

Whatever works best for you. If you want to do both 4 & 5, you can do them separately or together, whichever works best for you. We'll expect whatever we see. 8)
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Post by kastenessen »

W.B. I like your lead-in. It pretty much sums up everything in the chapter.

W.B. wrote
...the main thing I noticed about this chapter, which is the description of Puerto del Sol, mainly it's faded glory
I agree. When there's no dialogue SRD, through Brew, describes the city, it's buildings and it's interiors, in very crisp and mildly ironic sentences, well I'd say "noirish"... It certainly gives patina and coulour...creates atmosphere...Seems like SRD really enjoys creating a city this way...

And the first meeting with the Christies and the way it turned out, did struck me as a good move later on since they
Spoiler
were afraid and hostile for the wrong reason
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Post by W.B. »

Whoops, didn't realize I wasn't logged on, so yep, that's me.

I like that "patina of color." Right on; the descriptions make me picture things all in very saturated hues. Makes me feel like I need sunglasses....

Which somehow made me think...there's this sense of neglect throughout the whole thing, of the city and the buildings, and also just of people. Kind of dehumanizing, so when Brew or Ginny or
Spoiler
Encino if I remember right
show compassionsion it's more noticable by comparison. Very stark...noirish is a very good description. Sometimes it's almost like it's parodying the genre, but still always has that noir feel itself, too.
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Post by kastenessen »

W.B. wrote
Kind of dehumanizing, so when Brew or Ginny or E. show compassion it's more noticeable by comparison.
Exactly. It's SRD's style. It's like in the chrons, take the second chrons...It's overall so dark and horrifying, so that when release comes in small bursts (well not so small), when something glorious happens, we feel it so much more because of the distance between the emotions it creates. In the Mysteries iy's much more bleak though, but the technique is the same.

W.B. wrote
Sometimes it's almost like it's parodying the genre, but still always has that noir feel itself, too.
Yes, the first time I read the book I couldn't decide whether it was parody or a serious attempt to write a hardboiled detectivestory in the vein of , say Raymond Chandler, but now I believe it's some sort of chatarsis writing of SRD's. That because, the style is of course unmistakingly his own, no question about that, and that the theme and development of the story becomes
Spoiler
so bleak and brutal
. It touches sometimes on cliché, but that is the genres trademark(the hardboiled detectivestory).

It's like the comparison between Tolkien and SRD: the similarities are only superficial.

And another thing that strikes me: It's really difficult to date when the story takes place. Could be the 50's , 60's well you name it...SRD gives away lot of information of surroundings and atmosphere, but not enough to date it, (this goes for the first three)...exept for one thing maybe and that is
Spoiler
the computer-discussions that will follow shortly, and mentioned briefly in this chapter. They are soo timebound...
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Post by Dragonlily »

kastenessen wrote:Yes, the first time I read the book I couldn't decide whether it was parody or a serious attempt to write a hardboiled detectivestory in the vein of , say Raymond Chandler, but now I believe it's some sort of chatarsis writing of SRD's. That because, the style is of course unmistakingly his own, no question about that, and that the theme and development of the story becomes
Spoiler:
Spoiler
so bleak and brutal

It touches sometimes on cliché, but that is the genres trademark(the hardboiled detectivestory).
This is impressive observation, Kasten. I admire your grasp of where the books fit in both genres: "hardboiled" and "Donaldson". (Notice I give Donaldson a genre all his own.)
kastenessen wrote:It's overall so dark and horrifying, so that when release comes in small bursts (well not so small), when something glorious happens, we feel it so much more
One of the (many) reasons the Coercri caamora is wonderful.

Brew has his moments of glory, too. If the trend continues, the THE MAN WHO FOUGHT ALONE is a foreshadowing of Brew coming completely out of the dark. I hope to see that fulfilled someday.
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Post by W.B. »

One of the (many) reasons the Coercri caamora is wonderful.
Absolutely! That reminds me of something I read Leonard Nimoy said. He was talking about how he decided to play Spock on Star Trek and how he was influenceed by a singer he saw who sang a very emotional song, standing very still, very understated, and at the end he reached out his hand, and the gesture was much more powerful because he hadn't diluted it with lesser motions. Anyway...tangent.
Yes, the first time I read the book I couldn't decide whether it was parody or a serious attempt to write a hardboiled detectivestory
I had the same reaction to the books when I first read them: Can he be serious?

Re: the hardboiled genre... I wonder if it's possible to write in the genre without sounding cliche, I mean that it is itself so given to cliches.
It's like the comparison between Tolkien and SRD: the similarities are only superficial.
I'd agree and add that I think what's more important to Donaldson is taking a genre type of fiction and using the genre itself, but with a different kind of spin on it, for his own purposes, and his themes are different. It just seems to be a trademark of his. I think the main difference with these Man Who... books and others of the genre is (and this isn't a totally original idea) that things are more serious, in that when Brew gets drunk he has to deal with a hangover and it's not just a five-minute kind of thing, he's hungover or withdrawn for a good amount of time (to pick a non-spoiler). So the consequences are real and lasting.

That said, everything being so extreme...it does put me a bit in the mind of parody.

I don't know quite what Donaldson is trying to say with the hardboiled genre--though he's still fascinated by guilt and damaged people--so I'm with kastenessen, that it's a catharsis.
...a foreshadowing of Brew coming completely out of the dark. I hope to see that fulfilled someday.
I read somewhere...probably here...that originally it was thought of as a five-book series (pentology?). It would be nice to see, kind of to bring it full circle. Maybe after the Third Chronicles! :D
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Post by kastenessen »

Yes, the caamora, maybe the most heartrending moment in the entire chrons. It's so...powerful...


W.B. wrote:
...I think what's more important to Donaldson is taking a genre type of fiction and using the genre itself, but with a different kind of spin on it, for his own purposes, and his themes are different.
I agree. Take Mordant's Need. What do you call it? I'm not really sure but have never read anything to compare it with. Maybe you could call it romantic fantasy, or maybe not. It has such a complex intrigue that you cannot simply categorise it...It's just Donaldson...

And yes, the hangover-element is great in the second chapter. It has the precise rythm of a hangover and is written in the form of small inserts within thoughts and dialogue. A vivid description of a hangover that becomes almost physical...jeez...extreme is the word.

Joy wrote:
If the trend continues, the THE MAN WHO FOUGHT ALONE is a foreshadowing of Brew coming completely out of the dark.
I'm actually in the middle of ...FOUGHT ALONE right now, will be finished in a couple of days, but I can see what you mean, it has an upbeat movement that reaches for something more, as Brew says often enough, that something is just out of reach, but it's close...

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Post by Dragonlily »

That's it, I can't stand not quoting any longer! From FOUGHT:
Brew wrote:A strange dance of gloom -- obscurity wrapping and blowing around itself -- may've been taking place a short distance in front of me. Or not...

Swirl after swirl, the dark dance resolved itself into two shapes hurling everthing they had at each other... Gasps and sodden thuds seemed to arise from everywhere in the alley at once...

I'd handled enough corpses in my life to recognize the limp defeated feel of lifeless skin and muscles.
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Post by kastenessen »

I will come up with a couple too!! You just wait... :)

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Post by danlo »

W. B. wrote:My favorite thing about this chapter is the introduction of "Muchoburger."
More insider info: There is a New Mexico based fastfood franchise called Blake's Lotaburger (in horribly crappy white concrete block buildings, btw... :wink: ) which, of course, means Mucho in Spanish and the Rio Grande is always so low that Brew stating that "someone half his size" could walk across the Flat River is a dead give away. Albq. is, now, a fairly dynamic city but when this book was written Albq. was in a slump-when Route 66 and the famous Alvarado hotel were phased out and the interstates wiped out the city's identity, for a while, many folks here were very stagnant and prone to recall the "glory days". So yes in the mid 70s to 80s Albq. was rather "faded"...
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Post by Dragonlily »

So cool, Danlo! Love hearing this background. So did the Lotaburger produce greasy burgers that caused indigestion, or was that simply Brew's abused digestion?

Or did that come later, in book 4... ?
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Post by Cord Hurn »

W.B. wrote:Brew and Ginny retrieve Carol's note, which is very like Alathea's.
And this moment of un-coincidental similarity gripped me with a small tight feeling of fear when I finished this chapter, getting me hooked on this series. For the forst time in the story, it's obvious that serial kidnappings are going on, and Ginny and Brew must solve this before Alathea is found dead. From here on out, this book was quite the page-turner for me!
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