10/17/2006: "We All Knew They Were Coming..."

Sent to me by a friend of mine, with the subject line reading: "Sorry, man..."

First of all, let me say it's a fair and totally understandable review, in that any review this book gets will be understandable (to me) on some level. The opening line says it best:

"IT'S an understatement to say that Craig Davidson's The Fighter isn't for everybody."

It goes on from there. Unflatteringly. Fairly, though, I would say. I wrote the damn thing to galvanize people, make them love/hate it; I guess this falls squarely on the "hate it" side, and fairly so. But then I got a call yesterday from a fellow who'd just read the book (how he got my number I do not know, but I was grateful to receive his call) and made a point of phoning to say how much he loved it. So, I would like to hope I've written that sort of a book: hate it, love it, have some extreme opinion of it in any case.

The errors pointed out in the review actually shame me the most: as those who've followed this blog for awhile know, the editing process on this book was sort of fractured, and I hate to think that such things made it into the book, but I can only say that I and everyone at Penguin did our damndest to prevent them (there were also some in Rust and Bone, and I suppose there are some in most every book, considering most publishers don't have a resident polymath on hand to catch all mistakes). Still, all goofs on my part.

Even Mr. Armstrong's last line isn't inaccurate—not that anything in a novel review can be inaccurate, really, since it's one person's perception. I'd like to think I'm not so enamored of violence, that I try to make it serve a purpose, but I can easily see how one could think that.

In any case, one thing: please no "chin up" emails. It's a review. And it's a fair one, to my mind. I've got no issues at all with it. And, as I've said countless times before, if people are buying my books, any reviewer can say whatever the heck they'd like—water off a duck's back to me. But yeah, the book sort of need to be selling.

So, if you were going to write a "chin up" email, may I suggest other uses of that same energy (selfishly, yes, on my behalf):

1. Buy the book. Buy it based on this shitty review, natch: show The Man you will not be dissuaded by his tools of PROPAGANDA! It's available in most bookstores now, too.

2. Write a review on amazon.ca or on your blog. A decent one, a critical one, whatever. An honest one, is all I'd ask.

3. Tell a friend about the book. Quote liberally from the review; use these quotes, peer-pressure style, to browbeat your buddy into submission. Tell them, "The message is that Craig Davidson thinks violence is cool—don't you?" If they say no, say, "What the hell sort of a pantywaist are you? Are you a freakin' mountain climber or something?" (this will seem more humorous/derogatory after you've finished reading the review)

4. Get a tattoo of THE FIGHTER's cover on your ass. That would be so TOUGH! Oh my GOD!

Keep checking this space often for a contest I'm cooking up. A very cool (and by "cool" I mean, more aptly, "disgusting") prize will be offered. Late this week/early next I'll put it up.

Until then, the review. I thank Mr. Bob Armstrong for it (and I do mean that seriously. Any review I can get, good or ill, at least gets the word out in some form or another).

All best,
Craig.

PS: I apologize to the phantom of Robert Frost for stealing his line. Please refrain from haunting my apartment.

REVIEW:
www.whatsonwinnipeg.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9304