Creator of the Bob Lee Swagger novels wins Pulitzer

ABC News ^ | 4/7/2003

[ArcLight]

Stephen Hunter won the criticism Pulitzer for his "authoritative film criticism that is both intellectually rewarding and a pleasure to read."

Hunter writes excellent film criticism for the Washington Post, and also writes adventure novels about Vietnam-era master sniper Bob Lee Swagger. As I'd be willing to bet there are some Hunter fans here, I thought you'd want to know.

[Poohbah]

(not to mention rootin' at the end, for that poor SOB that couldn't spell in "the Day before Midnight". Man! Talk about suspense!)

That was a great touch...

And it was great how he'd alluded to the guy not being able to read during the story.

The think-tank guy who fast-roped into the fray was good, too.

[Poohbah]

If you want another outstanding sniper novel, try David Mason's Shadow Over Babylon.

[archy]

Hard to pick a favorite scene, but..."Daddy's home." is one great line in context and a dynamite underline to a climax.

There's no moss growing on Hunter. But for two masterful examples of a slamming end to a story that doesn't reach the full climax until the final paragraf's punchline, check out Freddy Forsyth's most recent collection of short stories, entitled The Veteran and give the title story, first one offered in the book, a straightthrough read. [First six pages available as free teaser *here.*

And he manages just as masterfully to repeat that neat trick in one of the other four stories within, The Miracle.

If Forsyth and Hunter were ever to corroberate....

-archy-/-

[Travis McGee]

I'm almost finished my second amendment novel "Enemies Foreign And Domestic." I'm down to the last few chapters, and then printing.

The first half is already posted on the website. There's lots of sniping in it, but not the usual run of the mill variety.

[archy]

If you want another outstanding sniper novel, try David Mason's Shadow Over Babylon.

Or the Late Donald Hamilton's [yes, the author of the Matt Helm spy yarns] obscure but outstanding Line of Fire

[Mr.Clark]

Congratulations to Hunter, who is an absolutely great writer, both in his reviews and his wonderful Bob the Nailer series. He's one of the best novelists going right now.

[BOBTHENAILER]

If you want another outstanding sniper novel, try David Mason's Shadow Over Babylon.

If that is the one where the Brits find an extraordinary deerhunter/marksman, and then go after Saddam, I think I've read it and you're right. It was superb. All the ones about Gunny Hathcote were great as well.

[Poohbah]

My favorite Forsyth short was in his No Comebacks collection, titled "Money With Menaces."

[19th LA Inf]

Another good, and timely, sniper novel is "Holding the Zero"
by Gerald Seymour. Action takes place in Iraq. Mild mannered Brit gets the call to go there and help the Kurds after our letting them down in GW1.

[Rummyfan]

Big Stephen Hunter fan. As good as the Bob Lee novels are, his movie reviews are right there too. Always like to listen to him on Kornheiser Friday at noon.

Congratulations Stephen Hunter!

[firebrand]

Stephen Hunter fan checking in. Also loved Hot Springs.

[archy]

My favorite Forsyth short was in his No Comebacks collection, titled "Money With Menaces."

Check out The Veteran, it'll very much remind you of No Comebacks.

You at all familiar with the minor action involving the SAS at Mirbat in the Oman in 1972, involving in particular a Fijian SAS trooper named Sgt. Talaiasi Labalaba? He makes an appearance.

In the opinion of a good many folks aware of what happened at that place on 19 July 1972, Labalaba deserved no less than a V.C.

Th word is that a couple might be announced for the actions of a couple of SASmen for recent activities in Afghanistan, and that might be a particularly fitting time for such an award to be made. It's been an odd sort of SAS tradition that they never really needed a V.C. awarded to their lot, as they knew best what the others who hadn't beaten the clock had been about.

-archy-/-

[Poohbah]

Have you read "Money with Menaces?"

[archy]

Have you read "Money with Menaces?"

The fella blackmailed after a luncheon with a hooker? I believe so.

*Duty* is the one I best recall of the lot, and is said to be the only one of the collection not a work of fiction.

Ever read Forsyth's short story The Shepherd?

That's another, though not in any collection of his of which I'm aware.

-archy-/-

[wildbill]

Read it. Didn't know it was his, but didn't think it was great.

I read a lot and seldom pay much attention to the author.

[gbunch]

Congrats Mr. Hunter!

My first Hunter book was Point of Impact, and I read Hot Springs recently. Guess I'll have to track down the others now... So much for sleep...