Hot Springs: A Novel (Earl Swagger) Mass Market Paperback – July 26, 2011

This book feels so right. The times, the characters, the voices and the language, the one liners.And to that mr. Hunter has created a main protagonist that makes Jack None Reacher (whom I hold very high on the pantheon of tough guy heroes) get a run for the money.That said, I actually think that the backstory of Earl Swagger is psychologically more interesting and also very well constructed.Spiced up with a gallery of real life gangsters and Hollywood power players, this book is a hoot to read, right until the very well rounded, if not historically accurate finale.What a tale !

Stephen Hunter creates characters and locations with great care, allowing the reader to grow with the story’s immersive process.

Fictional but with some true life people woven in. Not bad and keeps you interested.

Hot Springs6 out of 5 stars. I know you can only give 5 stars on Amazon, but this is only the second book that I’ve felt was a star better than several 5 star books I’ve read.This is a period piece, taking place in 1946, in the very real town of Hot Springs Arkansas. Mr. Hunter taps into the Eldridge quality of that place at the time. People Like Ben Siegel, and Al Capone came to the town to relax. These were powerful people from the major metropolitan areas who came to Hot Springs under the flag of a tangible, yet etherial truce. By some unspoken agreement, violence and settled scores were put aside while in this magical place.Mr Hunter shows us both the almost celestial beauty of an exclusive town, flush with money and movie stars, as well as the filthy underbelly that propped it up. The fact that only a few select people were truly aware of the place adds to its lore. He paints a cinematic vision to rival “The Great Gatspy," or “Gone With the Wind.” He shows us richly appointed hotels and casinos set in the most beautiful natural valley on the planet, blessed with magical healing waters from the depths of the earth. This book desperately needs to be brought to the silver screen with the most gifted cinematographer available.It is in this incredible setting that Hunter sets his story. It is ultimately a story of redemption, or maybe salvation. While the main character starts out as “broken,” he avoids the trite cliché by turning this into a story of ultimate triumph. The cost is high, and not all of the protagonists will see the final victory. Still, at the end I found it it be a story of hope. An uplifting tale that pulled me into this world and introduced me to people I’d like to know in real life.And so far, I’ve just covered the side dishes. The action is non-stop. Half-way through the book I thought I was coming to the end of a darn exciting story. Then I discovered that I was only at the beginning of another adventure. And then, when I thought things were winding down, we took an unexpected turn and were off again, with the excitement and tension building even higher. I lost count of the times I was blown away at a new twist. It doesn’t stop until the last page. If you’re reading this in a recliner, make sure it has seat belts.I haven’t read any of the other books in the series, but I assuredly will read them all. If you live in, or like, Hot Springs this is a must read. If you just like damn good books, this is a must read. If you read books, this is a must read.A last lament:I also wrote a book that takes place in Hot Springs and taps into the gangster lore of the 1920s. I think it’s a good book and thought it was the best book ever written about the area. Darn you Mr. Hunter. I didn’t realize how hight you had set the bar.

I found the mixture of real history and the fantasy created by the author to be superb. I knew a little bit about Hot Springs in its heyday, since one of the guys I went to college was from there - well, he had been born over in Hope, but was raised and grew up there in Hot Springs, so the stories I had heard were from my freshman year 1964-65. The first time I actually got there was 1970 when I stopped by to see my college friend, he was away at law school up North, but I had a nice visit with his mom and step-dad. The town was starting to fray at the edges since the gambling and such had been shut down for good in 1967.So for the time frame of this book, I had to forget the Hot Springs of 1970, and remember the stories I had heard and try to place myself back in 1946. The author made it easy to do that by setting the stage well with plenty of descriptive narrative.The plot is fast moving as one follow Earl Swagger a Medal of Honor winner in WWII as he and D.A. Parker, a former FBI agent - (probably based somewhat on the real life D.A (Jelly) Brice) take on the mob in Hot Springs using DA's FBI training and his very fast gun handling, as well as Swagger's combat abilities. The author takes into the plot Ben (Bugsy) Siegel, Virginia Hill, and others to create a very interesting story.A very enjoyable book.

I'm reading the whole Bob Lee/Earl Swagger series from Stephen Hunter back-to-back (and have read four books beyond this one) and this by far is the best book in the series. That's not to say the others aren't worth reading - they are. It's just that Hot Springs is a cut above the rest. This is actually the 5th book (I think) in chronological release order and whether you start with Point Of Impact or start here with the first complete book about Earl Swagger - you will not be disappointed. This is one of the best books I've ever read and the fictional story tied in with the true life events surrounding Hot Springs, Arkansas is a jolt of stunning, non-stop action. If you've read the 4 books leading up to this one - this one will kick you in the pants like no other and compel you to read the next book in the series. If this is the first book Swagger book you've read - you'll suffer sleep deprivation staying up late nights to finish this masterful read - and then hurry to your computer bleary-eyed to find the chronology of the series to order them from the start. And once you've read the first 4, you'll probably read this one again. I was shocked by how much I loved this book. Earl Swagger is a deeply complex character. The book stands on its own as a action/thriller and I rank it with James Ellroy's, The Black Dahlia, and with Raymond Chandler's, The Long Good-bye. Don't make the mistake of passing this by. This is a MUST READ! Hope this review helps you make an informed decision about your next purchase. If it does - please give me a Helpful Review CLICK below :)

Another excellent book by a Very good author. Bit of a puzzling ending. The Swagger books are quite good, can get just a tad far fetched at times, but still well worth reading.

Another book I just don't want to finish. A gripping, surprising journey into a past world of intrigue and conflict.

Amaze balls