The Maltese Falcon

The opening sentence of this classic work of detective fiction morphs gloriously into arguably the greatest opening paragraph in the history of western literature. Of course, that sounds like an utter nonsense but read the excerpt below from page one of this glorious tome and you will see what I mean:"... Samuel Spade's jaw was long and bony, his chin a jutting v under the more flexible v of his mouth. His nostrils curved back to make another, smaller v. His yellow-grey eyes were horizontal. The v motif was picked up again by thickish brows rising outward from twin creases above a hooked nose, and his pale brown hair grew down - from high flat temples - in a point on his forehead. He looked rather pleasantly like a blond satan..."I have never considered anything looking remotely like Satan to be even close to resembling pleasantness, but I digress. If anything is going to set the mood of a book with a wonder-inducing gasp of bewildered joy, this paragraph is it. I defy anyone to read the above quote and finish without a smirk on their face, and fail to emit snort of utter disbelief.And of course, from page four we have the somewhat poetic description of the life and death of a cigarette:"... on Spade's desk a limp cigarette smoldered in a brass tray filled with the remains of limp cigarettes. Ragged grey flakes of cigarette-ash dotted the yellow top of the desk and the green blotter and the papers that were there. A buff-curtained window, eight or ten inches open, let in from the court a current of air faintly scented with ammonia. The ashes on the desk twitched and crawled in the current."Art in printed form. Anyway, on with my book review...The book is a delight. For classic noir fans, you have found your printed nirvana. For everyone else, you have found an entry point into the noir universe. In chapter one, we meet the cast of the show. Sam Spade, PI. Partnered in business by Miles Archer. Spade's first client of the book is the delightfully petite but apparently wealthy Miss Wonderly, who is evidently worried sick for her sister, who ran off from England with a Mr Floyd Thursby. Spade and Archer agree to follow Thursby to a rendezvous to retrieve the sister and track Thursby back to his base of operations. Of courses its lies, lies and more darn lies! But who cares? It's all serious fun.The first major shock of the book comes halfway through chapter two. The first major plot twist occurs barely eight pages later. This stellar and legendary tale is rife with drama and suspense. Nobody trusts anybody and threats come thick and fast as the players of the game sort each other out. Or die trying.Hammett's writing will soothe your soul with its attention to detail and damn near stop your heart with the atmosphere of the suspenseful moments. An example of the former lies with the writer's depiction of the art of enjoying a cigarette (please see quote above). An example of the latter can be found on just about any page picked at random. But chapter two's early interaction between Spade and two desperate cops is classic. Characterisation is first class. So is emotional attachment. Fans of the movie (and who isn't?) will find interesting parallels to muse over as their finish each chapter of the book. The book turns mean close to its finale and you almost feel sorry for one of the lost souls. But the baddies each get what's coming to them anyway and one in particular gets a reprieve and possibly a chance at redemption.Reading this book is a no brainer. Buy it, borrow it, live it, saviour it. Keep it. Pass it on to your kids. But don't ignore it.Some books will change your life.This one will rule it.BFN Greggorio!

Few books influence not only a whole generation of readers but also create a new genre of novels and cinema, but this one does. As such, it is a reading must to any serious student of 20th century Americana and writing.Hammett's breakthrough detective novel is well written and transcended the prior decades of popular crime pulp fiction magazines to create a more believable but "hard-boiled" detective fiction for wider and more sophisticated audiences. Serving as both prototype and template to future detective noir books and movies, this landmark work is filled with snappy dialogue and vivid characters often repeated in lesser developed and cliche-ridden efforts. This is the "original" depiction of a slice of American culture that entertained and influenced future generations of writers and readers.The storyline effectively reflects the cultural and economic conflicts emerging in American society and urban communities during the crime-ridden world emerging after World War I, during Prohibition, and complicated by social disparities soon to be magnified by the ravages of the Great Depression.The story amplifies the devaluation of everyday people by those with power or money, while adding a dark-humored theme to the ragged edge between criminals and law enforcement. The "tough-guy" and manipulative female characters are stereotypical but often revealing of human foibles that makes a story interesting and insightful. Several important and helpful insights punctuate the otherwise focused story.Newer readers might find Hammett's tale bland and outdated, while not recognizing how edgy it was when written. Although well depicted in the 1941 classic film, the book is better, more engaging, and interesting.This work illustrates well the uncertain and ambivalent world in the 1930s when morality and fairness blurred among those just trying to survive. However, it remains an entertaining classic worth of a serious read and some well-deserved reflection.

The best ever...

An exremely well written book by a very talented author. This is an american classic that can be enjoyed by anyone that loves the murder- mystery genre that continues to captivate audiences around the world!

A top novel. Hammett provides clear descriptions of the characters. Houston must have had these in mind when he cast the movie. An excellent read.

Hey Amazon, what about some quality control every now and then? This copy is disrespectful with readers, to say the least…

Finally I have been able to read the Maltese Falcon after having watched the movie a long time ago and becoming a fan of the movie. It didn't dissapoint me. Looking forward for reading more of Dashiell Hamett.