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Dan Fortune #8
The Blood-Red Dream
Crease on edge of spine. Bookstore stamp on first page.
- GenresMystery
190 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1976
7 people are currently reading
18 people want to read
About the author
Michael Collins
35 books6 followersMichael Collins was a Pseudonym of Dennis Lynds (1924–2005), a renowned author of mystery fiction. Raised in New York City, he earned a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart during World War II, before returning to New York to become a magazine editor. He published his first book, a war novel called Combat Soldier, in 1962, before moving to California to write for television.
Two years later Collins published the Edgar Award–winning Act of Fear (1967), which introduced his best-known character: the one-armed private detective Dan Fortune. The Fortune series would last for more than a dozen novels, spanning three decades, and is credited with marking a more politically aware era in private-eye fiction. Besides the Fortune novels, the incredibly prolific Collins wrote science fiction, literary fiction, and several other mystery series. He died in Santa Barbara in 2005.
Two years later Collins published the Edgar Award–winning Act of Fear (1967), which introduced his best-known character: the one-armed private detective Dan Fortune. The Fortune series would last for more than a dozen novels, spanning three decades, and is credited with marking a more politically aware era in private-eye fiction. Besides the Fortune novels, the incredibly prolific Collins wrote science fiction, literary fiction, and several other mystery series. He died in Santa Barbara in 2005.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 15, 2020
A reminder that lost classics are usually “lost” for a reason.
When I read Act of Fear a few months ago, I was so excited to discover a new series. A character heavily inspired by Ross Macdonald’s Lew Archer but set in New York City. I never expected these books to rise to the level of Macdonald’s work but I thought they would scratch the itch.
They do not. Instead, I’m reminded of why I don’t often read a full series of books, especially mysteries. While Macdonald aped himself plenty, he was such a quality writer that you could look past it in favor of another engrossing tale. Such is not the case with the Dan Fortune series.
Now granted, Michael Collins (aka Dennis Lynds) does share some similarities with his inspiration. The deep sense of empathy is there. So is the focus on our past misdeeds and how we cannot avoid them.
Nevertheless, with this one, it felt too derivative of some of his other books. Collins occasionally likes to have his protagonist explore the socio-ethnic background of the people involved. He sometimes handles this well and sometimes does not. Here, the folks hail from eastern Europe, mostly but not only the Ukraine.
Which should make it interesting. The problem is execution. About 60% of this book consists of people rambling on about the Ukraine, the USSR, the need for revolution, the loss of revolution, etc. It doesn’t add depth to their characters, instead it makes them cyphers for a history lesson. Halfway through, I stopped keeping up with who was on what side of the argument and just let it ride.
The other 39% is Dan getting hit on the head or beat up. Granted, this is a common trope in PI novels but Collins is in book eight of the series and should have a more organic way of getting his guy in and out of situations. One of the characters winds up in Bellevue and, frankly, I think Dan should have made a trip there as well.
The last 1% is exclamation points. There are a lot (!) of exclamation points. Which again, is an early author problem; they take away any sort of suspense.
I’m gonna push through the next two in the series because they’re the two my library doesn’t own and my Kindle Unlimited expires in a month and a half. But I’m disappointed for a series that started with such potential to be reduced to this.
When I read Act of Fear a few months ago, I was so excited to discover a new series. A character heavily inspired by Ross Macdonald’s Lew Archer but set in New York City. I never expected these books to rise to the level of Macdonald’s work but I thought they would scratch the itch.
They do not. Instead, I’m reminded of why I don’t often read a full series of books, especially mysteries. While Macdonald aped himself plenty, he was such a quality writer that you could look past it in favor of another engrossing tale. Such is not the case with the Dan Fortune series.
Now granted, Michael Collins (aka Dennis Lynds) does share some similarities with his inspiration. The deep sense of empathy is there. So is the focus on our past misdeeds and how we cannot avoid them.
Nevertheless, with this one, it felt too derivative of some of his other books. Collins occasionally likes to have his protagonist explore the socio-ethnic background of the people involved. He sometimes handles this well and sometimes does not. Here, the folks hail from eastern Europe, mostly but not only the Ukraine.
Which should make it interesting. The problem is execution. About 60% of this book consists of people rambling on about the Ukraine, the USSR, the need for revolution, the loss of revolution, etc. It doesn’t add depth to their characters, instead it makes them cyphers for a history lesson. Halfway through, I stopped keeping up with who was on what side of the argument and just let it ride.
The other 39% is Dan getting hit on the head or beat up. Granted, this is a common trope in PI novels but Collins is in book eight of the series and should have a more organic way of getting his guy in and out of situations. One of the characters winds up in Bellevue and, frankly, I think Dan should have made a trip there as well.
The last 1% is exclamation points. There are a lot (!) of exclamation points. Which again, is an early author problem; they take away any sort of suspense.
I’m gonna push through the next two in the series because they’re the two my library doesn’t own and my Kindle Unlimited expires in a month and a half. But I’m disappointed for a series that started with such potential to be reduced to this.
October 31, 2017
The Blood-Red Dream
The Slavic countries have a long history of violence and oppression . Today, we normally refer to Serbia or Croatia after Yugoslavia was broken up. Lithuania, Hungary, Russia and Germany all played a part. Old ways and customs are entrenched in there way of life. Especially in Slavic communities in America. I grew up in one. This is an extraordinary read, depicting these struggles . In fact, the heart of this story is a direct result of this history. Some will never forget. A Hungarian is murdered, an 80 year old member of a Lithuanian community in New York is shot. Why? Is it about a conflicted history? Or greed, monetary gain? Fortune will find out. A tremendous read! My highest recommendation!
The Slavic countries have a long history of violence and oppression . Today, we normally refer to Serbia or Croatia after Yugoslavia was broken up. Lithuania, Hungary, Russia and Germany all played a part. Old ways and customs are entrenched in there way of life. Especially in Slavic communities in America. I grew up in one. This is an extraordinary read, depicting these struggles . In fact, the heart of this story is a direct result of this history. Some will never forget. A Hungarian is murdered, an 80 year old member of a Lithuanian community in New York is shot. Why? Is it about a conflicted history? Or greed, monetary gain? Fortune will find out. A tremendous read! My highest recommendation!
July 23, 2023
Novel misteri yang cukup bikin penasaran sama plot detektifnya. Tokoh utamanya yang buntung satu tangannya makin bikin menarik buat diikuti jalan ceritanya.
Ukuran bukunya yang bisa muat di saku jadi nilai lebih. Ukuran novel yang kecil underrated sih.
Ukuran bukunya yang bisa muat di saku jadi nilai lebih. Ukuran novel yang kecil underrated sih.
March 15, 2014
#8 in the Dan Fortune series. Author Michael Collins won The Eye Lifetime Achievement Award, 1988. The prolific author penned the award winning and nominated 19 entry Dan Fortune series. During the 1970s I enjoyed these novels when they were published but my taste has changed or this 1976 novel hasn't aged well, it seemed dated.
Dan Fortune is hired to find Kate Vytautis' grandfather. The old man shows up a few days later and accompanies Fortune to a meeting hall where a Hungarian patriot is speaking. During the evening, the old man is shot and the Hungarian is killed in the parking lot. Fortune investigates in the exile communities of Eastern Europeans in the NYC of the mid-1970s.
Dan Fortune is hired to find Kate Vytautis' grandfather. The old man shows up a few days later and accompanies Fortune to a meeting hall where a Hungarian patriot is speaking. During the evening, the old man is shot and the Hungarian is killed in the parking lot. Fortune investigates in the exile communities of Eastern Europeans in the NYC of the mid-1970s.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews