World Famous Comics: The Crow: The Lazarus Heart (Crow)
The Crow: The Lazarus Heart (Crow)
By: Poppy Z. Brite Publisher: HarperEntertainment Average Rating: Binding: Mass Market Paperback Label: HarperEntertainment Number of Items: 1 Number of Pages: 336 Publication Date: June 01, 1999 Release Date: May 05, 1999
At our human limits, when we've gone asfor as flesh and imagination can take us, wemeet the Eternal One. The Crow.
Immemorially old, and inconsolable,he is there only for those who seek both revengeand love, and are willing to go alI theway--and beyond.
The Lazarus Heart
Five, four, three, two ... Jared Poe counts thedays on Louisiana's Death Row. The controversialS&M photographer has been condemned to diefor killing his lover. He doesn't know who did it.Only that he didn't.
Can he clear his name and find the realkiller in time?
No. For this is no ordinary thriller. We are in thedark realm of The Crow, and Jared must feel thecold shudder of Death; must hear the beating ofblack wings; must prowl the shadowy gothnetherworld of New Orleans, to prove he was nokiller when he died.
And find out what kind of killer he has become.
Amazon.com Review: "The man who wears the names of rivers knows that he is no longer like other men, that some part of his fearful work has changed him forever and he can never return to the simple, painless life he lived before.... The invaders are everywhere, and Their agents are everywhere.... In [his] dreams They walk the streets without fear, spreading the androgyne contagion, and the sky burns with the roaring engines of Their warships."
In a novel about a serial killer, the evocation of the killer's madness can make or break the book. In The Crow: The Lazarus Heart, Poppy Z. Brite delivers her usual complement of gay/transsexual pale-faced lovelies dressed in black Lycra and lace, giving just enough of a spin to their aesthetics that they are mildly entertaining to read about. But the way she puts the good gory meat into the story is through the character of a mesmerizing serial killer whose unique brand of paranoia serves as a sly commentary on Brite's own fiction. This is a short and relatively simple novel for Brite, but its narrative momentum never lapses: the plot structure hangs together better than in her longer, more ambitious works. It's overwritten in places--Brite wants to use two similes where one will do--but it's fun. And that's what horror is all about. --Fiona Webster
Super Reader A man is on death row. He didn't do what he has been convicted for, being the murder of his lover. Being a photographer of kinky stuff didn't really help his cause.
However, The Crow is lurking, and realises that there is a wrong to be avenged. When Jared comes back, the outfit and places they go will be right up his alley, though.
Having a brain of my own... I read this book years ago. It may not be Poppy Z. Brite's best novel, but she had to work her magic within the confines of an already over used idea. She was able to bring a story to life even within these confines, and created something that was very moving, and extraordinary for a Crow novel. I feel that a number of times fans of a certain genre or of a certain author tend to let that get in the way of whether the book or novel had any value at all. Having been a fan of both, Poppy Z. Brite, and the Crow long before actually reading the novel, I was left amazed at the talent and the way that she did tell the story, staying true to the preformed idea, but making it her own. I don't feel that anyone really gives Ms. Brite enough credit for her writing, she is and always will be my favorite author simply because she is capable, versatile, and thinks outside of everyone else's box.
New reader falling in love... Having never read another Crow novel, I cannot compare this to others as some reviewers have done. I can tell you that this book was excellent and actually pretty moving. I'm quickly becomming a fan of PZB's work.
Better Then Quoth The Crow But Still Lacks.. Yet again, another one of my reviews, this time for The Crow Lazarus Heart. Like Quoth The Crow, I enjoyed the love story although this one felt less forced and more natural. But as soon as Brite got to the villian,"Joseph Lethe", I felt very confused. Now, I can understand having a villian that thinks their justified but this one was just overall confusing. Talking about a lightning bolt that changes his brain? Not a very good reason/explanation. This book I also would not recommend to anyone. At this point, I'm already onto Clash By Night. On a general note, none of these books have attempted to "push the envelope". I will give Brite some credit for trying to add change to the story. And to the reviewer who made the note about the cop, well, I agree.
Not Poppy's Best This is kind of cheesy. Parts of it are down right silly. This is the first of Miss Brite's work I read. (my mom brought it home for me when I was home sick..she's regretted it ever since) It's ok, it's an interested take of the whole Crow thing, (maybe I don't care for this because the subject's been overdone to death?)and I like her writing style. Her latter work is better though. (Exquisite Corpse, etc)
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