Well, that was an insanely crazy and fun novella-length book.

The plot mainly centers around the main character, Joe Kurtz. After being released from prison, he not only settles some old scores but also investigates a disappearance for a local mafia Don. As the story unfolds, the book introduces us to every conceivable kind of psychopath, freak, junkie, and criminal that the underworld has to offer. And Kurtz is bound to have close and often hair-raising encounters with all of them.

It's clear that Dan Simmons is having a great time here, paying homage to the dark, gritty, and violent hardboiled books of the past. I dare to guess that this book wasn't intended to be taken entirely seriously. Nevertheless, the writing is still as sharp and on point as ever. In some respects, it straddles the line between homage and a bit of parody at times, but always in a good and entertaining way. Simmons makes use of the clichés effectively, and you'll find quite a few of them being exploited within these pages. "Book em, Danno!" and all that jazz... Some of the scenes are so outrageously over the top that I can almost picture Bruce Willis in my mind performing these actions. But, damn, it's so much fun to read. And if they ever made a film adaptation of this, I would definitely watch it without hesitation. Here's an example of what I mean (with a changed name to avoid spoiling anything):

"The molotov cocktail exploded against Bob's chest, filling the enclosed stairway with a wall of flame and driving Kurtz back due to the intense heat. The office door splintered and gave way. A firefighter's arm emerged, the hand releasing the bolt and turning the knob.

Bob let out a blood-curdling scream and tumbled down the steps again, pounding on the closed door, desperately trying to escape. But then, he began climbing the steps once more, slowly yet inexorably. When the flaming human figure reached the top of the stairs, Kurtz yanked the heavy oxygen tank off his back, handed it to Bob, and then kicked him back down the stairs. Kurtz stepped aside just a second before the explosion."

If this hasn't convinced you to pick up and read this book, then perhaps it's not for you. This is a short, almost novella-length journey on a freight train through the craziest part of the craziest town in the world, and it's an absolute blast. I'm excited to know that there are two more books in this series.

Dan Simmons is an incredibly multi-talented author. He writes in such a wide variety of genres that it's truly difficult to categorize him neatly. He has delved into horror, creating spine-tingling tales that send shivers down your spine. He has explored the vast realms of science fiction, imagining futures that are both mind-boggling and fascinating. He has also written about espionage, with stories full of intrigue and mystery.

And now, he presents this novel: a hard-boiled action thriller featuring an "anti-hero" protagonist. The story is filled with plenty of violence, which is quite typical for this genre. There's also one fairly graphic sex scene. Despite these elements, it's a fast-paced and enjoyable read. I highly recommend it.

Hardcase is the first novel in a series, and it definitely whets your appetite for more. But don't stop there. Try any other Dan Simmons novel you happen to come across as well. Regardless of the category they fall into, they are all uniformly well-written. They boast great plots that keep you on the edge of your seat and likeable three-dimensional characters who seem to come alive and breathe outside the limitations of a mass market paperback's page.

Dan Simmons is truly a master of his craft, and his novels are a must-read for any book lover.

I have an intense love for those bad-ass man-on-a-mission, kick-butt-and-take-names revenge movies. They always manage to get my adrenaline pumping and keep me on the edge of my seat. So, when I picked up this book, I thought I was in the mood for a light read and was more than willing to accept some of the common cliches that often come with this genre.

Well, as it turns out, this book is exactly what it promised to be. It follows the typical formula of a hero on a vengeful path, facing numerous obstacles and adversaries along the way. At first, I was quite enjoying it, getting caught up in the action and excitement.

However, I soon realized that it is actually much harder to turn off my brain for the duration of a novel than it is while watching a movie. With a movie, I can simply sit back and let the visuals and sound effects wash over me, not really thinking too deeply about the plot or the characters. But with a book, I have to use my imagination to picture everything that is happening, and this sometimes leads to me noticing the flaws and shortcomings in the story.

After a while, I found myself spending more time rolling my eyes at the predictability of the plot and the one-dimensional characters than actually cheering on the hero. It's a shame really, because I had such high hopes for this book. But perhaps my expectations were just too high, or maybe I'm just not cut out for this type of literature.

Franchement, banger! Joe Kurtz is a really good detective.

However, constantly being on the defensive 24/7 and extremely paranoid must be really tiring. But well, he doesn't really have much choice as it's his job.

Currently, I am reading volume 2 and I hope something will happen with his daughter because her life is really dull.

Maybe there will be some interesting plot twists involving her that will make the story even more engaging.

I'm really looking forward to seeing how her character develops and what role she will play in the overall narrative.

It would be great if she could bring some new elements and excitement to the story.

Overall, I'm enjoying the series so far and can't wait to see what's in store for Joe Kurtz and his daughter in the upcoming volumes.