I'm not the most ardent enthusiast of detective noir. However, Dan Simmons truly possesses a remarkable gift. I have delved into every genre that he has penned.

Although Joe Kurtz is by no means a traditional hero, as a protagonist, he received a fitting conclusion at the end of this trilogy. It was indeed a pleasant surprise that Dan Simmons expanded the perspectives in this installment. We got to witness more of Arlene's story and also some insights from the villain's point of view.

Dan Simmons has continuously entertained me with each and every one of his novels that I've had the pleasure of reading. I eagerly anticipate his next literary masterpiece, fully expecting it to once again captivate my imagination and transport me into a world of his own creation.

His unique ability to craft engaging stories and develop complex characters makes him a truly outstanding author in my eyes. I can't wait to see what he has in store for us next.

The words "It didn’t take reading Marcus Aurelius to know that everything you did made everything different, and if you dwelt on it, you’d go nuts." set a certain tone. Here we are discussing the last of Dan Simmons' Joe Kurtz novels, at least for now. The story is solid in its own right. However, I find myself a bit conflicted about the trope of the brutalized hero. Joe Kurtz, near death, unfed, with little sleep, has to fight again and again. The action, too, gets compressed in a way that is almost hard to believe.

Despite these concerns, I still enjoyed the book. But I'm not sure if it adds enough to the hard-boiled fiction genre for me to read more than three of Simmons' works in this series. It is similar in quality to Ellroy's Lloyd Hopkins trilogy, which includes "Blood on the Moon", "Because the Night", and "Suicide Hill". Each of these works has its own strengths and weaknesses, and it's up to the reader to decide which ones resonate with them the most.

Maybe I shouldn't have read these three books in a row.

This one, in particular, felt rather rushed. The author seemed to lack inspiration, and there were even some slightly racist undertones that were quite off-putting.

Kurtz, the main character, is doing more of the same things as before. I can't help but picture him as Bruce Willis, considering how much he endures in terms of getting hurt. He keeps on going, as if he doesn't need sleep or food, which is quite remarkable.

Part 2 of the book was definitely the highlight of Kurtz's story. It had some interesting developments and engaging moments that held my attention. However, Part 3 was a complete lowlight. It felt like the story lost its momentum and became rather dull and uneventful.

Overall, I'm not overly impressed with this book, especially after reading the previous two in the series. I hope the next one will be better and more engaging.

Most non-writers have no idea just how difficult it is to get your first novel published. But writers are all too familiar with the tales, which are often horror stories. Consider this: William Saroyan received a staggering 7,000 rejection letters before finally selling his first story. Alex Haley wrote every single day for eight long years before something of his was accepted. Agatha Christie endured continuous rejections for four years before her first book saw the light of day. Chicken Soup for the Soul was rejected a whopping 134 times before it was ultimately accepted by a publisher. And Madeline L'Engle's masterpiece, A Wrinkle in Time, was rejected 26 times before being published and promptly winning the prestigious Newbery Award.

Publishers are not all-knowing; they make mistakes like everyone else. However, some writers are luckier than others. Which leads us to Author Dan Simmons. In 1982, his very first published short story won the Rod Serling Memorial Award in the Twilight Zone Magazine Short Fiction Contest. And from there, he was on a roll, winning some of the top awards in the Sci-Fi, horror, fantasy, and thriller genres over the years.

Hard as Nails is tough-guy fiction at its finest, and it is highly effective, with fast-paced dialogue and a hard-hitting story. Joe Kurtz grew up as an orphan in Buffalo, New York, enlisted in the Army as an MP, and then returned to Buffalo as a PI. But he has spent the last eleven years in Attica on a manslaughter charge. This all starts when he is walking out of the Downtown Civic Center with his probation officer and they are both shot. What follows is a long, dramatic story where Author Simmons never lets up. Not for a single moment. Hard as Nails is truly impossible to put down.

Cold as Steel,

by Dan Simmons.

Review:

Talking about this book without referring to the other two and without spoiling them is extremely complicated, as this is the last novel of the Joe Kurtz trilogy. Far from the stories only sharing a protagonist, they follow a thread that begins and unravels as it extends through the three novels but doesn't fully close until the end. As difficult as it may be, in this review I will do my best not to reveal very important plot details of the three books.

The first chapter of the first book starts with a death caused by Kurtz. In contrast, this one begins with an assassination attempt where Kurtz is seriously injured. And it's not that these injuries go unnoticed, but rather they persist for a long time, showing us that the guy who achieved so many feats before can also be very close to death.

From there, he investigates the shooting in which both he and his parole agent (remember that in the first book he was convicted and imprisoned for that assassination in the first chapter) got involved. There are reasons to believe that the target was him, but it's also highly likely that they tried to kill her. Kurtz must discover which of the two was the target and start pulling the thread of the ball of yarn.

New book, and along with the old characters, new ones also arrive. More professional assassins, more mobsters, more police officers, more informants, and more contacts. I'm not exaggerating when I say that there were times when I got lost and didn't remember if a certain character had appeared before. That, in any case, is not a flaw of the book but mine.

I liked the investigation, but I didn't feel that it stood out above the other books, although the "injured" and "against the clock" factors did add a certain degree of dizziness. And the ending is also comparable to the other two, only to a much greater extent. Danger, threat, pain, fatigue, and war are latent every second.

Conclusion:

Technical score: 4.5⭐

Sentimental score: 4.6⭐

While this particular installment is regarded as the best among the three Joe Kurtz novels, and that's in part because the first half of the novel showcases Dan Simmons briefly rediscovering his plotting prowess before seemingly abandoning it completely. However, Dan Simmons still finds himself firmly in the imposing shadow of Donald Westlake. He simply lacks the necessary skill to make this novel truly work. A significant reason for this is that Joe Kurtz remains an uninteresting thug character. A chapter set within an amusement park only serves to vividly remind us of Richard Stark's far superior novel, SLAYGROUND.

It still holds true to my theory that THE RISE OF ENDYMION drained what little was left of Dan Simmons's creative brainpower and transformed him into a largely hack writer. The six books he produced immediately following that work are, quite frankly, just bad. Man, it's truly a disappointment. The only exception to this rule is the somewhat mediocre A WINTER HAUNTING. Nevertheless, I will persist in reading through the Simmons oeuvre. It's truly astonishing to witness such a drastic fall from what was once such great heights.

Dan Simmons is an incredibly talented author who has the remarkable ability to write about anything. And he truly does explore a wide range of genres and themes.

This final (as of now) installment of his detective trilogy is nothing short of gripping. It is the kind of story that keeps you on the edge of your seat, turning the pages with anticipation. While it may be a bit lighter in tone compared to some of his other works, it is still an outstanding piece of writing.

Dan Simmons has a unique style that draws readers in and makes them eager to see what he will come up with next. His attention to detail, engaging characters, and well-crafted plots are just some of the reasons why his books are so highly regarded.

If you haven't yet discovered the world of Dan Simmons, you are truly missing out. His works are a must-read for any lover of great literature. So don't hesitate, pick up one of his books today and prepare to be amazed.

It's no secret that Dan Simmons drew inspiration from Richard Stark's Parker novels to craft the Joe Kurtz series.

In fact, there's a charming little Easter egg within this novel that discloses Kurtz is Parker's son.

Ironically, this particular book is the least similar to Richard Stark's works. It is overly written, featuring a needlessly convoluted plot.

Simmons also introduces irritating characters like Rigby and makes Kurtz less violent. One wonders if he forgot what made the first two books successful.

Worst of all, by the end, the plot is nearly incoherent, with far too many questions left unanswered.

It seems that while Simmons had a good starting point with the inspiration from Stark's novels, he veered off course in this installment, resulting in a less than satisfying read for fans of the series and those familiar with Stark's style.

The story I just read was, in all honesty, really good.

However, it was also kind of predictable. The author's writing style was smooth and made the text highly readable.

It was a detective mystery that had a big and exciting action scene towards the end.

Nonetheless, ultimately, it wasn't really the kind of book I was hoping to find.

Despite its good qualities, it just wasn't good enough to overcome my initial expectations and truly pull me into its world.

I was left feeling a bit disappointed, as I had been looking for something more unique and engaging.

Maybe if the plot had been less predictable or if there had been more depth to the characters, it would have been a different story.

But as it stands, it was just an okay read for me.

The (apparently) final installment in Dan Simmons's series, which is an homage to Donald Westlake writing as Richard Stark, is unfortunately by far the weakest of the three books.

It seems rather silly as the story devolves into Rambo-land, completely out of character. Interestingly, there are a couple of plot points that are left unresolved. However, considering it has been over a decade since this last title was published, it's likely those plot points will remain that way.

Even the rather shabby deux ex machina at the end, with the underused character The Dane making an appearance to save the day, doesn't quite salvage the situation. Nevertheless, this series is still the best attempt by anyone to write novels in the style of Richard Stark that I have ever encountered.

Despite its flaws, it has its merits and shows Simmons's attempt to capture the essence of Westlake's work under the Stark pseudonym.

Perhaps if Simmons had taken a different approach in this final installment, it could have been a more satisfying conclusion to the series.

But as it stands, it leaves something to be desired.

Dan Simmons is an extremely prolific writer who was introduced to me by my dear brother.

The Joe Kurtz series unfortunately came to an end with this third novel. It's truly a pity.

The gritty books set in Buffalo are filled with abundant action. The characters are not only interesting but also very engaging.

The location, Buffalo in the aught years, adds a colorful touch to the stories.

In this particular installment, Kurtz is shot right at the outset. He then has to not only solve the mystery of who shot him but also find a serial killer.

Overall, this series is highly recommended for those who enjoy thrilling and action-packed novels with well-developed characters and a unique setting.

It offers a great reading experience that will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end.

Den Simons is truly remarkable.

His books are nothing short of masterpieces.

Each one is filled with captivating stories, unique characters, and profound insights.

The way he weaves words together to create vivid images and emotions is simply astonishing.

Readers are immediately drawn into his fictional worlds and find it difficult to put the books down.

Den Simons has a gift for storytelling that few possess.

His works have touched the hearts and minds of countless people around the world.

Whether it's a thrilling adventure, a heartwarming romance, or a thought-provoking mystery, his books always deliver.

Den Simons is a literary genius, and his books will continue to be cherished for generations to come.