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A review by saareman
Eight Million Ways to Die: Matthew Scudder #5 by Lawrence Block, Lawrence Block
4.0
Scudder's Turnaround
Review of the LB Productions eBook (September 26, 2020) of the original Arbor House hardcover (1982).
Lawrence Block originally planned this as the final Matt Scudder novel. The character had struggled with alcoholism in the earlier books and has even had days of blackout periods. In Eight Million... he finally starts attending regular AA meetings, but listens only and does not share his own story. He also backslides and has to start over again with a new series of days of sobriety. By the end of the book we sense that he is more committed to staying sober.
In the midst of his personal struggle he takes on a case of the possible serial killing of a group of prostitutes and their associates. The motive is elusive and may somehow tie in to a mysterious client. Scudder persists in questioning the police, the pimp and the other girls he 'protects'. Eventually he sets himself up as a target with possible fatal consequences.
Front cover of the original 1982 Arbor House hardcover edition. Image sourced from Goodreads.
This was the darkest of all the Scudder novels to date as Scudder's interviews often involve stories of the so-called "eight million ways to die" in New York City. Then there are the many stories of alcoholism which he regularly hears at AA meetings.
Lawrence Block retired the character for 4 years, but he eventually returned in [b:When the Sacred Ginmill Closes|132111|When the Sacred Ginmill Closes (Matthew Scudder, #6)|Lawrence Block|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1408930722l/132111._SY75_.jpg|1203196] (Matt Scudder #6, 1986).
Trivia and Links
The novel was loosely adapted into a not very successful film 8 Million Ways to Die (1986) dir. Hal Ashby starring Jeff Bridges as Matt Scudder. The inauthentic adaptation moved the setting to Los Angeles and made Scudder a Sheriff's Deputy.
Promotional poster for the film adaptation. Image sourced from Wikipedia (see above link).
You can watch a trailer for the movie on YouTube here.
The novel was also adapted into a graphic novel Eight Million Ways to Die (2018) by [a:John K. Snyder III|510743|John K. Snyder III|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1601227466p2/510743.jpg].
I read a considerable number of Lawrence Block books in my pre-GR and pre-reviewing days. Probably 40 or so out of the 100+ that are available. That included all of the Matt Scudder books, several of the Bernie Rhodenbarrs, several of the Evan Tanners, several of the John Kellers, a dozen or so standalones and some of the memoirs. There were even a few of the earlier pulp novels which were originally published under pseudonyms. This re-read is a look back at some of those.
Lawrence Block (June 24, 1938 - ) considers himself retired these days, but still maintains an occasional newsletter with the latest issued in August 2024. He self-publishes some of his earlier works that have otherwise gone out of print, using his own LB Productions imprint such as this current eBook edition for Eight Million Ways to Die.
Review of the LB Productions eBook (September 26, 2020) of the original Arbor House hardcover (1982).
“There are eight million stories in the naked city,” he intoned. “You remember that program? Used to be on television some years back.”
“I remember.”
“They had that line at the end of every show. ‘There are eight million stories in the naked city. This has been one of them.’”
“I remember it.”
“Eight million stories,” he said. “You know what you got in this city, this fucked-up toilet of a naked fucking city? You know what you got? You got eight million ways to die.”
Lawrence Block originally planned this as the final Matt Scudder novel. The character had struggled with alcoholism in the earlier books and has even had days of blackout periods. In Eight Million... he finally starts attending regular AA meetings, but listens only and does not share his own story. He also backslides and has to start over again with a new series of days of sobriety. By the end of the book we sense that he is more committed to staying sober.
In the midst of his personal struggle he takes on a case of the possible serial killing of a group of prostitutes and their associates. The motive is elusive and may somehow tie in to a mysterious client. Scudder persists in questioning the police, the pimp and the other girls he 'protects'. Eventually he sets himself up as a target with possible fatal consequences.
Front cover of the original 1982 Arbor House hardcover edition. Image sourced from Goodreads.
This was the darkest of all the Scudder novels to date as Scudder's interviews often involve stories of the so-called "eight million ways to die" in New York City. Then there are the many stories of alcoholism which he regularly hears at AA meetings.
I’d heard a man at a meeting who told of coming out of a blackout on the Brooklyn Bridge. He was over the railing and he had one foot in space when he came to. He retrieved the foot, climbed back over the railing, and got the hell out of there. Suppose he’d come to a second later, with both feet in the air.
Lawrence Block retired the character for 4 years, but he eventually returned in [b:When the Sacred Ginmill Closes|132111|When the Sacred Ginmill Closes (Matthew Scudder, #6)|Lawrence Block|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1408930722l/132111._SY75_.jpg|1203196] (Matt Scudder #6, 1986).
Trivia and Links
The novel was loosely adapted into a not very successful film 8 Million Ways to Die (1986) dir. Hal Ashby starring Jeff Bridges as Matt Scudder. The inauthentic adaptation moved the setting to Los Angeles and made Scudder a Sheriff's Deputy.
Promotional poster for the film adaptation. Image sourced from Wikipedia (see above link).
You can watch a trailer for the movie on YouTube here.
The novel was also adapted into a graphic novel Eight Million Ways to Die (2018) by [a:John K. Snyder III|510743|John K. Snyder III|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1601227466p2/510743.jpg].
I read a considerable number of Lawrence Block books in my pre-GR and pre-reviewing days. Probably 40 or so out of the 100+ that are available. That included all of the Matt Scudder books, several of the Bernie Rhodenbarrs, several of the Evan Tanners, several of the John Kellers, a dozen or so standalones and some of the memoirs. There were even a few of the earlier pulp novels which were originally published under pseudonyms. This re-read is a look back at some of those.
Lawrence Block (June 24, 1938 - ) considers himself retired these days, but still maintains an occasional newsletter with the latest issued in August 2024. He self-publishes some of his earlier works that have otherwise gone out of print, using his own LB Productions imprint such as this current eBook edition for Eight Million Ways to Die.