Product Description: A disgruntled domestic-turned-country singer teams up with a writer-in-crisis who seeks cosmic enlightenment while eating Fig Newtons, in a whimsical story of the contemporary American West and marriage gone haywire. Reprint. NYT.
More prime Sandlin In Western Swing, Sandlin revisits Kelly Palomino, the main character of his "Sex and Sunsets." Although Kelly now goes by the name of Loren (KP being a pen name of Loren, now a full-time author) he retains many of the same hyper-romantic, if misguidely so, character traits.
This time, the story shifts between Loren's viewpoint and that of his wife, Lana Sue. Both are charmingly dysfunctional and find themselves in situations that provide for melodrama and warped comedy. Once again, the main strengths lie in Sandlin's distinct voice and offbeat humor. The casual way his characters talk about everything from violence to insanity to statutory rape might be off-putting to some readers, but to me at least, it all seems pretty harmless and awfully funny in Sandlin's capable hands.
On the whole, this isn't quite on par with Sandlin's best work, its far from his weakest. It will be a hit with fans of Sandlin's other work or anybody with a taste for offbeat literature.
Quirky, familiar territory for the Sandlin reader I'm giving this one four stars, which is hard to do for a Sandlin book. But I think it's less to do with the writing than the fact that I've met these characters already in the second and third parts of the GroVont trilogy and like them better. Still, Western Swing is an excellent gateway drug to the rest of Tim Sandlin's collection. Sandling continues his theme of whispy men who need saving via strong women with commitment problems. If I had editorial power over this work, my only suggestion would be to kill the epilogue or at least revise it. After the dramatic mood swing from funny to depressing to ludicrous, it just didn't fit, that is unless you are the type who likes those "where are they now" moments at the end of Animal House and Fast Times at Ridgemont High.
OoOOoOh... I couldn't frickin' believe anyone gave this book less than 4 stars! Well, the humor is a tad dry, but this has to be Sandlin's best. This book is like that girlfriend you love just because she's a basketcase, you know? You'll love all the characters.
what a great book! i have never felt so in touch with a book as i did with this one. i laughed & cried--especially when the end came and i had to put it down. there is so much depth in sandlin's characters, it's almost hard to see it if you aren't looking in the right place. i love this author, i have to go out & read his other stuff if it's as good as this!
Sandin through and through! After reading the Gro Vont trilogy I needed another Sandlin fix. While not on par with Skipped Parts or Sorrow Floats, this book is still more entertaining and worthwhile than most. Its characters are idiosyncratic and at its best, this book creates scenes that rank with the best of Sandlin's tragically comic tales. Probably not the best book to be introduced to Sandlin with, but it is worth a read from those that are familiar with and enjoy his other work.
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