for abc's you review: loser's town by daniel depp (drafts)

This is what i'm planning to write..comments?:

I picked the book because.. of the cheesy title :p and it might be an easy one to review. Summarised, the story goes like this: An ex stuntman, trying to protect an A-list Hollywood star, from a B-list gangster. The author was Daniel Depp, further googling revealed that he is johnny depp's half-brother. From then on the truth dawned upon me that i'm going to review a relative of my favorite Hollywood actor. enough of the stardom bafflement, daniel depp's novel promised a noir-hollywood work of fiction. embellishing the fact that he's an insider so it should offer "juicy" details about the most famous complex on earth.

Being the first part of a series of novel that is more to come, it should be pretty important for this début to engage its readers with the main character, the ex-stuntman aka cowboy aka texas aka David Spandau. Which he succeeds. But for the rest, the novel doesnt really give anything special. The "inside Hollywood" feel can be achieved nowadays via extensive news feed, tv shows/series.. people who reach to this book on the bookshelf might be somebody who is curious about the author, looking for a light crime-nuanced read, but don't expect to find a literature masterpiece.

would they be intrigued enough to read the sequel? they might. amidst the rather weak climax, unripe character development, and a blatant ending, with enough marketing, the series might find its own niche reader. being the half-brother of johnny depp surely helps.


and here's a new japanese trailer for watchmen :D


version 2.0. - updated 130109@11.30am

Loser's Town is to be the first from the David Spandau crime novel series. In his début novel, Daniel Depp took his reader to the world of David Spandau. An ex stuntman now making a living as a Private Investigator for Hollywood celebrity clients. He got hired by Bobby Dye, a rising star who feared that he got black-mailed by Richie, a local mobster.

The author tried to deliver, as promised by the back cover, detailed sceneries and trivia of Tinseltown. The glam, the fame, the precognitive "all that glitters is not gold". The book is constantly playing with the concept that everybody loves tragedy, a sad story behind the superficially sovereign. The romanticism of the forlorn cowboy in a jungle of fake confidence and greed. Aren't we all just lonely human beings in the end, trying to make out something from our lives. Or from Richie's perspective (and according to Depp, everybody else who lives in Hollywood), make movies.

Amidst the rather weak climax, unripe character development (except for the main character), and a blatant ending, Depp managed to polish Spandau's persona in a way that make readers sympathize in the end. Personally speaking, the reason why I might be interested in reading the sequel is to find out whatever will happen next to Spandau. Loser's Town does not need to be an acclaimed literature. With good marketing the series will find its own niche reader. I hate to say this but being the half-brother of Johnny Depp surely helps.