Jerry Orbach Books

I received this as a birthday gift and love it! I'm just a little surprised at the selection that made it to the 101 shows included in the book. No Rent? Really??? Regardless of your opinion on the show, it is surely one that should make it on a list of 101 greatest shows..

I ordered this book as a birthday present for my boyfreind because he is really big into musical theater. I placed the order late Thursday afternoon and the UPS man delivered the book Friday evening, it was the fastest service I've ever experienced.
Not only does the book have tons of colorful, glossy pictures but it's packed with quite a bit of commentary and information. He loved it! Great product, I reccomend it for anyone who is a fan of musicals.

I am a high school theatre teacher. I was looking for a textbook for my musical theatre class when I came across this wonderful reference book. While it doesn't have all of the shows I need, it is a wonderful way to look at some of the most popular musicals in a condensed version with beautiful pictures and interesting trivia. My students love the book so much, they do not want to return it to the school at the end of the semester. They keep it and pay the fee for a missing book. It is reasonably priced for a coffee table book.

Wonderfully researced by people who love musical theatre--brief paragraphs of backstage and unknown situations behind the scenes-- a must for the musical theatre "groupie"

What a wonderful book. Over 330 pages in this oversized tome chock full of pictures. Maybe some would disagree about which shows belong in a list of the 101 greatest Broadway musicals, but the authors have done a great job here. Each of the shows is broken down to details (opening date, number of performances, cast of characters, actors, synopsis, songs etc), wih several photographs for each. Also included are features on some of the key people involved, plus special sections on "Flops", "Star Turns", "Off Broadway", etc. This would fit well into the collection of any lover of Broadway musicals and would make an awesome gift.

Nice thriller, interesting twists, original ideas (as far as I know), engaging context, believable characters. What more can be said of a book in this category?

this story really dove into the depth of every character... making them realistic with indepth backgrounds. The characteristics are realistic along with the many detailed chemicals in the story. As the cover says it definately is a thriller... and though the relationship between the two main characters was ment to be similar to that of haniball and clarice it was extremely different. A good different... and amazing different. You certainly are hooked to the story the whole way through. I would suggest this story to anyone who likes thrillers mysteries... the word usage and style is truely beautiful and you can tell how much time was spent on retrieving details and accuracy...

This was one of the first "real" books that I read. It is a little bit confusing at first, because there are so many characters, but after the first couple of chapters you won't want to put it down! I hope that if you are doubting about buying this book, STOP! This is an awsome book I recommend it to anyone that likes to read! I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did!

The best Thriller I've read in Ages!!! Matthew Hall is a fantastic writer, and I can't wait until he writes another book!!!

I think if Bill resembles any literary character it is Hamlet (or perhaps the less well known Stainless Steel Rat). He is dark and tormented, and he has issues with his mother. But what makes this book exceptional is Bill's committed (no pun intended) liberalism. He us a crazy man fighting the good fight. That, coupled with his undeniable brilliance, is what ultimately makes him so likeable. And you may finish the book, like I did, with an urge to engage in some creative social justice yourself. I've read this book three times, and I could read it again tomorrow. Buy it now, you won't be able to stop reading once you start. And, if you can afford it, buy the hardcover. The jacket and cover design are really snazzy.

Comeback


Comeback is significant because Donald Westlake, writing as Richard Stark came back to writing Parker novels after a hiatus of some twenty years or so. I say welcome back.

Thiis story is ripped from today's headlines. A TV evangelist who uses a stadium to preach from has an "Angel" who is unhappy with all the money being raised and spent on the preacher himself. Can you say Altanta Mega churches? Any how, as usual the heist doesn't go exactly as planned. I particularly like the part where the preacher pays Parker a thousand dollars to find and recover his money.


As far as I can tell the other Parker books are:
1) The Hunter (1963; AKA Point Blank, Payback; Parker, by Richard Stark).
2) The Man With the Getaway Face (1963; AKA The Steel Hit; Parker,
3) The Outfit (1963; Parker, by Richard Stark)
4) The Mourner (1963; Parker, by Richard Stark)
5) The Score (1964; AKA Killtown; Parker, by Richard Stark)
6) The Jugger (1965; Parker, by Richard Stark)
7) The Seventh (1966; AKA The Split; Parker, by Richard Stark)
8) The Handle (1966; AKA Run Lethal; Parker, by Richard Stark)
9) The Rare Coin Score (1967; Parker, by Richard Stark)
10) The Green Eagle Score (1967; Parker, by Richard Stark)
11) The Black Ice Score (1968; Parker, by Richard Stark)
12) The Sour Lemon Score (1969; Parker, by Richard Stark)
13) Slayground (1971; Parker, by Richard Stark)
14) Deadly Edge (1971; Parker, by Richard Stark)
15) Plunder Squad (1972; Parker, by Richard Stark)
16) Butcher's Moon (1974; Parker, by Richard Stark)
17) Comeback (1997;
18) Backflash (1998; Parker)..
19) Flashfire (2000; Parker, by Richard Stark)..
20) Firebreak (2001; Parker, by Richard Stark) ..
21) Nobody Runs Forever (2004) Parker, by Richard Stark

Highly recommended for Parker fans and fans of action adventure stories.


Gunner November, 2007

After seeing the movie Payback, I decided to delve into some of the new Parker novels and this was the first one. I enjoy any plot that includes robbing snake-oil salesmen (an evangelist) and dishonor among theives so this book was very enjoyable. The writing style is sparse and moving so it is a light read, but the style lends itself to being predictable. So little detail is included that when it is given by the author, you know that it is somehow going to be involved later. All in all, if you enjoy reading tight, well-written novels from the criminal's perspective, then you will enjoy this novel. Parker is a talented, harsh theif who knows how to remain focused and finish the job even with things spinning out of control. Though this novel doesn't demonstrate just how hard Parker can be, you get enough of a taste to know if you want to read more.

Donald E. Westlake's alter ego Richard Stark's Parker character is back along with Mackey and Brenda from other Parker classics. Comeback is another can't put down until the final page easy to read action packed thriller. Comeback is a novel both fans of and new readers to Westlake under his or his pen name Stark will read over and over again. Short chapters make putting it down when you reluctantly have to a breeze as well. As well as other Parker adventures also check out under Westlake's own name his masterpiece solution to being unemployed, The Ax. His novels Corkscrew and the Scared Stiff are also brilliant!

In Comeback Parker, Mackey and Brenda team up with a villain named Liss whose parol officer Tom Carmody dresses up as an angel as part of a Christian con artist Evangelist stadium show. Carmody is disillusioned that the reverend is not giving the money to the needy but spending it on himself and wants to rob the production of its $400 000 in gate takings to give to the poor. Of course Liss, Parker, Mackey and Brenda have no intention of splitting the money with Carmody, in fact Liss has no intention of letting his colleagues live which of course Parker can not let him get away with. Further complicating the matter are a group of low intelligent young guys who think they can just take the money from the gang. Ex marine but equally low intelligence head of security for the Christian Festival also makes this great novel even more exciting!

Professional thief Parker is taken to task as he finds himself in the middle of a robbery gone wrong.

As in many other books, the eminently practical Parker is betrayed by a fellow thief, and the betrayal puts all of them at heightened risk.

Parker displays a wide array of skills in this book, and I would have to put it near the top of the list of the half dozen Parker adventures I have read.

The trademarks are all there; the tightly paced action, the unexpected but believable plot twists, and the flowing narrative that keep us turning pages.

The story begins with a planned armed robbery of a traveling preacher, whose religious showmanship has built up an enterprise worth millions. After things go wrong, Parker finds himself adrift in a small town where a stranger like himself is bound to be questioned. He's in conflict with the locals, a couple of other thieves, and a worthy opponent in the religious organization's security chief. His goal is to get the money, and get out of town.

At different points of the book, Parker finds himself alone and unprotected in two different enemy camps, and his always-innovative actions have never been more fascinating. His brand of cold-blooded practicality, fueled by a mind specially trained to see all the angles, is a thrill to read about.

If you haven't read a Parker novel yet, this is a good one to cut your teeth on, and if you're a fan who's deciding on your next read, prioritize Comeback. It's Stark at his best.

Professional thief Parker returns in this suspenseful tale of a caper gone wrong. Parker, with fellow thieves Liss and Mackey, conspires to rob the coffers of the Christian Crusade, part of the ministry of the Reverend William Archibald. Despite some last minute nerves on the part of their inside man, the robbery proceeds smoothly, and the trio makes off with nearly half a million dollars in cash.

After the crooks go to ground, one of their number tries to rob the rest. An ever wary Parker foils this attempt but fails to subdue his former ally. Parker and the remaining gang member must evade the traitor, the police, and Reverend Archibald's minions to escape with their lives and the money.

Comeback, Richard Stark's (aka Donald E. Westlake's) first Parker novel after an almost unendurable twenty three year hiatus, is a hard boiled novel of suspense comparable to the other highly entertaining entries in this series. Told using Stark's trademark framework--three quarters of the novel is from Parker's point of view, one quarter from the individual points of view of all the other principal characters--the novel delivers all the action, violence and surprises fans of this series have come to expect. Stark and Parker--perfect together!

Ed McBain is one of my all time favorite authors, and I was surprised to see his name on the top of this little audiobook. It only costs $5.99, how about that! Anyway, it is a story about PI Milt Davis who is asked to investigate a plane crash that might be intentional. He knows immediately that this is above him, but he continues. McBain's traditional twists and turns follow, and it turns out to be a pretty darn good mystery. I gave it an 8 because, though good, it just could not measure up to his 87th precinct novels, my favorite of which are Ice and Nocturne.