A Savage Place, Audio Version

A Savage Place, Audio Version (1981/1987) Robert B. Parker narrated by Michael Prichard

This is another fascinating look at Spenser, his ethics, and how he changes even over the course of the first few book.

He’s still admitting to having served in Korea.

“Do you remember the first time?”

“The time, not the person. It was in Korea. He was just a shape on a night patrol.”

“And it didn’t bother you?”

“Not as much as it would have if he’d shot me.”

One thing to remember is that this was published in 1981–a very different time from now. Yet even then Spenser was thoughtful.

“You still disapprove, don’t you?”

“I do the best I can to approve and disapprove only of my own behavior. I don’t always succeed, but I try. I’m trying now and I’m going to keep at it.”

Also, I think this is the last time Spenser has sex with someone other than Susan.

“No need to generalize. We did more than fuck last night, but we’re not in love. For Susan it wouldn’t have to be love, but it would involve feelings that you and I don’t have: interest, excitement, commitment, maybe some intrigue. For Suze it would involve relationship.

“I can’t say for you, although I bet it had a little something to do with the agent you used to sleep with. For me it was sexual desire satisfied. I like you. I think you’re beautiful. You seemed to be available. I guess we could say that what was involved for me was affectionate lust.”

I still like this passage. It doesn’t feel nearly as dated as it should.

“You weren’t with me. You were there to protect me.”

“Ah-hah,” I said.

She looked at me. There was no humor in her look. Her eyes were wet and her face was somber. “What’s that mean?” she asked.

“It means, loosely, oh-oh. It means that since I’ve been with you, you’ve been between Scylla and Charybdis. You need me to protect you, but the need compromises your sense of self.”

“It underscores female dependency.”

“And in the office up there, you were scared. And being scared, you were glad I was with you, and that underscored the female dependency even more.”

She shrugged.

“And when you told me you could get information from an agent you used to sleep with, you weren’t showing off your liberation, you were being bitter. You were trying to make light of your feeling that to get what you needed, you had to go to a man and get an I.O.U. in return for sexual favors, or something like that.”

It kind of amazes me how well these books have held up.
Rating: 8/10

Published by Random House Audio

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