Beating up on the LAPD - CrimeSpace2024-03-29T07:37:53Zhttp://crimespace.ning.com/forum/topics/beating-up-on-the-lapd?feed=yes&xn_auth=noThe first C. J. Box book I re…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-05-22:537324:Comment:1995852009-05-22T22:13:45.000ZJ. F. Juzwikhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Crimewriter
The first C. J. Box book I read was called Free Fire and it was fantastic. I currently have Blood Trail, Winterkill and I made sure I picked up Blue Heaven, and am very anxious to read them all. His books are fantastic--great storylines and characters. I read them simply to enjoy them and do enjoy them very much.
The first C. J. Box book I read was called Free Fire and it was fantastic. I currently have Blood Trail, Winterkill and I made sure I picked up Blue Heaven, and am very anxious to read them all. His books are fantastic--great storylines and characters. I read them simply to enjoy them and do enjoy them very much. I love O'Brian, but I'm glad…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-05-22:537324:Comment:1995772009-05-22T21:17:25.022ZI. J. Parkerhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Ingpark
I love O'Brian, but I'm glad you got BLUE HEAVEN also. Most likely the thread will sell several copies.
I love O'Brian, but I'm glad you got BLUE HEAVEN also. Most likely the thread will sell several copies. I purchased the book Wednesda…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-05-22:537324:Comment:1995562009-05-22T16:57:23.270ZEDWARD C MORGANhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/ECMorgan
I purchased the book Wednesday, along with for or five others. It will be my first CJ Box novel and I'm looking forward to it. However, I must apologize to CJ - I've been working through the Master and Commander series of novels, purchased The Nutmeg of Consolation in the series and started it first. But it's a holiday weekend, so I should get to Blue Heaven late in the weekend.
I purchased the book Wednesday, along with for or five others. It will be my first CJ Box novel and I'm looking forward to it. However, I must apologize to CJ - I've been working through the Master and Commander series of novels, purchased The Nutmeg of Consolation in the series and started it first. But it's a holiday weekend, so I should get to Blue Heaven late in the weekend. Ouch! Well, I deserved this f…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-05-22:537324:Comment:1995202009-05-22T14:11:21.440ZI. J. Parkerhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Ingpark
Ouch! Well, I deserved this for reacting to the book about half-way through. Yes, I finished the book -- a compliment in itself -- and I did say in the same thread that the novel is strong, moves very well, and has an admirable variety of characters.<br />
But the image of the four LAPD policemen who, for the first half of the book, are shown to be brutal killers and torturers, while their presence is linked to the retirement village of LAPD officers in general was a little hard to take. I saw the…
Ouch! Well, I deserved this for reacting to the book about half-way through. Yes, I finished the book -- a compliment in itself -- and I did say in the same thread that the novel is strong, moves very well, and has an admirable variety of characters.<br />
But the image of the four LAPD policemen who, for the first half of the book, are shown to be brutal killers and torturers, while their presence is linked to the retirement village of LAPD officers in general was a little hard to take. I saw the distinction being made later and wondered if that was an afterthought to guard against reactions like mine. Whatever it was, it helped a great deal.<br />
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I never intended this to get back to you, C.J. -- though that was silly of me -- and apologize for causing you even the slightest twinge of dismay.<br />
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The novel did raise issues worthy of discussion on this thread, and that was my primary concern at the time. I'm afraid the ensuing discussion caused me to make some statements about the novel as a whole that are misleading. BLUE HEAVEN is indeed a very strong novel -- and as I've said before, I hope everyone here reads it. Call me a dreamer, but I thin…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-05-22:537324:Comment:1994672009-05-22T02:36:05.284ZJon Loomishttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/JonLoomis
Call me a dreamer, but I think writers have to assume that the vast majority of their readers are smart enough to know the difference between fiction and documented fact. If some readers are as credulous as you say, that's not really the writer's problem.
Call me a dreamer, but I think writers have to assume that the vast majority of their readers are smart enough to know the difference between fiction and documented fact. If some readers are as credulous as you say, that's not really the writer's problem. A reader clued me in to the l…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-05-22:537324:Comment:1994492009-05-22T00:52:08.810ZC.J. Boxhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/CJBox
A reader clued me in to the lively discussion going here about my novel BLUE HEAVEN. While I wouldn’t normally comment, I’m compelled to jump in because the premise of BLUE HEAVEN, as described by I.J. Parker in the post that launched the thread, is misleading at best. So the whole argument here is based on a falsehood.<br />
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Yes, the story includes four corrupt former cops who retired in North Idaho among hundreds of other LAPD officers. Parker writes, “the book makes it clear that the Idaho…
A reader clued me in to the lively discussion going here about my novel BLUE HEAVEN. While I wouldn’t normally comment, I’m compelled to jump in because the premise of BLUE HEAVEN, as described by I.J. Parker in the post that launched the thread, is misleading at best. So the whole argument here is based on a falsehood.<br />
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Yes, the story includes four corrupt former cops who retired in North Idaho among hundreds of other LAPD officers. Parker writes, “the book makes it clear that the Idaho community is the retirement village of large numbers of crooked LA cops: their Blue Heaven.” Oh, really? She's reading a different book than the one I wrote.<br />
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In fact, the crooked cops in the novel are outsiders and isolated from the other retirees as well as the community. They’re forced into the open due to the investigation by another California detective so dedicated to seeing justice done he pursues them across the country even after his own retirement. And there’s an important scene in the novel where the four bad cops – after taking over the search for the “missing” children who witnessed their crime and fled – turn away a long line of retired ex-LAPD who have lined up at the station to volunteer to help in good faith.<br />
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I.J. Parker has every right in the world not to love the novel, or to think “There is very little here that, to my mind, deserved an award.” To each his or her own. But she doesn’t have the right to mislead the readers here in regard to the plot and premise of the novel to make an argument better suited for another author or work.<br />
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C.J. Box For many people, public servi…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-05-21:537324:Comment:1992872009-05-21T01:37:23.550ZEric Christophersonhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/datahog
For many people, public service is a calling, and that includes many cops. These people aren't simply cashing paychecks. Do you want to strip soldiers of their benefits too simply because they get paid?<br />
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The reason for the special protection for cops--as well as for corrections officers--is because they would be targets otherwise, targeted by the criminal classes for sure but also by drunk people pulled over for weaving across lanes. The level of violence would soar. It'd be harder to recruit…
For many people, public service is a calling, and that includes many cops. These people aren't simply cashing paychecks. Do you want to strip soldiers of their benefits too simply because they get paid?<br />
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The reason for the special protection for cops--as well as for corrections officers--is because they would be targets otherwise, targeted by the criminal classes for sure but also by drunk people pulled over for weaving across lanes. The level of violence would soar. It'd be harder to recruit cops soon enough. We'd end up with something like a Mexico. Volunteer firefighters, sure,…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-05-20:537324:Comment:1991872009-05-20T15:45:59.109ZJohn Dishonhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/whiteskwirl
Volunteer firefighters, sure, because they're risking their lives without compensation. But cops get a salary, so it's not a thankless job. I'm not going to give them a cookie every time they do what they're paid to do, which is protect and serve. Yeah, they don't get paid much, but the low pay of police officers is no secret and no one forces you to become one.<br />
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The police offer a public service like so many others, and I don't believe they deserve special treatment at all. Obviously we're not…
Volunteer firefighters, sure, because they're risking their lives without compensation. But cops get a salary, so it's not a thankless job. I'm not going to give them a cookie every time they do what they're paid to do, which is protect and serve. Yeah, they don't get paid much, but the low pay of police officers is no secret and no one forces you to become one.<br />
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The police offer a public service like so many others, and I don't believe they deserve special treatment at all. Obviously we're not going to agree on that one. I don't know anything about v…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-05-20:537324:Comment:1991822009-05-20T15:26:32.518ZBernd Kochanowskihttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/bkjanolaf
I don't know anything about violent cops in the USA, but would assume that you can find corrupt policemen anywhere.<br />
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In my personal opinion there is one major reason why this book won the Edgar. It is an book about the classical American principles (or rather what you think they are) written almost in an western mood. These bad policemen represent the bushmen (and women) who convinced people in the US of their agenda and almost broke the moral back of the USA.
I don't know anything about violent cops in the USA, but would assume that you can find corrupt policemen anywhere.<br />
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In my personal opinion there is one major reason why this book won the Edgar. It is an book about the classical American principles (or rather what you think they are) written almost in an western mood. These bad policemen represent the bushmen (and women) who convinced people in the US of their agenda and almost broke the moral back of the USA. Police officers deserve a lev…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2009-05-20:537324:Comment:1991752009-05-20T15:03:41.488ZDana Kinghttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/DanaKing
Police officers deserve a level of special consideration--call it protection, even--because of the unique nature of thier jobs. Cops, firefighters, and other emergency personnel run toward danger when everyone else in his right mind runs away. We expect them to do that. In eturn, they should be able to expect support for their actions that may occur in the heat of the moment. Yes, their training demands we hold them to a higher standard, but they should be granted leeway in matters than involve…
Police officers deserve a level of special consideration--call it protection, even--because of the unique nature of thier jobs. Cops, firefighters, and other emergency personnel run toward danger when everyone else in his right mind runs away. We expect them to do that. In eturn, they should be able to expect support for their actions that may occur in the heat of the moment. Yes, their training demands we hold them to a higher standard, but they should be granted leeway in matters than involve arrests and keeping order, especially when they, or someone else, may be in danger.<br />
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Should falsifying reports, abusing witnesses, and outright criminal activity be tolerated? Of course not. The cops who tased that guy 19 times should face severe consequences. Let's not forget that while those three were acting up, hundreds of thousands of others did a thankless job well.