Legal Thriller Amid a Racing Background, 15. Oktober 2008

The classic Dick Francis books are filled with heart-pounding steeplechase action, deadly criminals, and arcane insights into horse racing from a jockey's perspective. The least appealing books in the series are those where the interaction with steeplechases is minimal. Silks is somewhere between the two extremes. The steeplechase setting is present for bits and pieces of the story, but courtroom drama substitutes for much of the potential on-course action. Fortunately, the legal thriller aspects of the story are pretty well done and bring new perspective for American readers into the English legal system.Geoffrey ("Perry" to his fellow jockeys) Mason is a barrister (a lawyer who tries cases in England) whose hobby is riding his horse, Sandeman, in mostly amateur steeplechases. As the book opens, he is defending an unsavory sort, Julian Trent, who seems to be a psychopath. Losing the case turns out to be a bad turn for Mason when Trent decides he wants revenge against his barrister.A little time later, Trent has gotten out of jail through an appeal where the witnesses refuse to testify against him, apparently having been intimidated. Rather than immediately kill Mason, Trent instead seems more interested in controlling Mason's legal work for fellow jockey, Steve Mitchell, who is accused of murdering another jockey. Mason is thoroughly intimidated and unsure what he will do. The stakes are raised when the threats start to include those close to Mason.The reference to silks is a very clever choice for a title, referring to racing silks as well as the term for Queen's Counsel, the cream of the litigating attorneys. Mason as an owner has racing silks, represents his own racing silks when he rides, and hopes to earn the position of a silk within the legal profession.To me, the book's main drawback is an exceptional amount of violence. I normally find it hard to deal with the most intense scene in most Dick Francis books. Where that violence permeates a book like this one, it definitely takes some of the shine off my ability to enjoy the story.There are definitely two writers for this story, as evidenced by many classic Dick Francis sections and many new story-telling sections that must be from his son, Felix. As they write more books together, I'm sure the two styles will blend together more smoothly than they do here. I hope that will involve a lighter hand on the whip.

      Legal Thriller Amid a Racing Background, 15. Oktober 2008

The classic Dick Francis books are filled with heart-pounding steeplechase action, deadly criminals, and arcane insights into horse racing from a jockey's perspective. The least appealing books in the series are those where the interaction with steeplechases is minimal. Silks is somewhere between the two extremes. The steeplechase setting is present for bits and pieces of the story, but courtroom drama substitutes for much of the potential on-course action. Fortunately, the legal thriller aspects of the story are pretty well done and bring new perspective for American readers into the English legal system.Geoffrey ("Perry" to his fellow jockeys) Mason is a barrister (a lawyer who tries cases in England) whose hobby is riding his horse, Sandeman, in mostly amateur steeplechases. As the book opens, he is defending an unsavory sort, Julian Trent, who seems to be a psychopath. Losing the case turns out to be a bad turn for Mason when Trent decides he wants revenge against his barrister.A little time later, Trent has gotten out of jail through an appeal where the witnesses refuse to testify against him, apparently having been intimidated. Rather than immediately kill Mason, Trent instead seems more interested in controlling Mason's legal work for fellow jockey, Steve Mitchell, who is accused of murdering another jockey. Mason is thoroughly intimidated and unsure what he will do. The stakes are raised when the threats start to include those close to Mason.The reference to silks is a very clever choice for a title, referring to racing silks as well as the term for Queen's Counsel, the cream of the litigating attorneys. Mason as an owner has racing silks, represents his own racing silks when he rides, and hopes to earn the position of a silk within the legal profession.To me, the book's main drawback is an exceptional amount of violence. I normally find it hard to deal with the most intense scene in most Dick Francis books. Where that violence permeates a book like this one, it definitely takes some of the shine off my ability to enjoy the story.There are definitely two writers for this story, as evidenced by many classic Dick Francis sections and many new story-telling sections that must be from his son, Felix. As they write more books together, I'm sure the two styles will blend together more smoothly than they do here. I hope that will involve a lighter hand on the whip.