UM Book Club: The King of Methlehem by Mark Lindquist - Part II
September 12, 2007 by Greg
Next Assignment
Pages: 120-178 / up to Trust
Due: Wednesday Sep 19th, Noon.
Part II
pages 63 - 119
Characters
- Howard Schulz - Meth cook
- Wyatt James - Detective
- Martin - Initial tweaker narc (second run in)
- Midget - New narc found at identity theft scene
- Brandy - Howard’s current meth lab host
- Porche - Brandy’s 12 year old daughter
- Joe - Brandy’s 10 year old son
- Suki - Wyatt’s girlfriend
- Mike Lawson - Prosecutor
- June - Mike’s girlfriend
- Cocktail Ted Haller - Howard’s public defender
We see a lot of things crammed in to less than 60 pages. Howard adapts to family life with his new meth lab host, Brandy. He flirts with the 12 year old daughter, Porche, advises the 10 year old son, Joe, into a sprained ankle, and sets up shop with hopes to become a big time cook in the barn. After buying 3 pounds of psuedoephedrine from a Canadian, he finds himself arrested by a cop he had an encounter with in the previous chapter.
Mike and Wyatt remain general douche bags with ridiculous movie quotes and annoying music drops. They continue teetering in fantasy land dating PhD candidates who befriend book club frequenting strippers. Wyatt and Mike ponder deals and marriage over a game of texas hold ‘em poker. I continue to get the impression that Howard is the only decent character in the book.
Points:
- Why does Howard use famous aliases? It seems like it is only going to cause him more trouble. Does this tie into the conversation with Porsche about being famous?
- With so many character introductions, it’s fun to think about who is mere scenery fodder and who is going to make a re-appearance. I would like to see Pastor Ed and Pastor Jack come back.
Thoughts?
re: famous aliases. 2 ideas about that.
1. depending upon how addled his mind is the easiest names to remember are probably those that he’s heard over and over through repetition, thus famous names.
2. subconsciously i’m wondering if howard also keeps using famous names hoping that part of what made those people successful will rub off on him
as for howard, yeah i def. agree he does seem to be the most interesting character but i think that might be a combination of the author putting so much effort into fleshing him out as someone who is so despicable as to make the readers hate him combined a bit with self editing details on his two alteregos to keep that from hitting too close to the mark for potential real issues he dealt with.
with all the mention of the midget i’m surprised they never really fleshed his character out at all…
The poker game annoyed the crap out of me mainly because the author tried to show off his vast knowledge of the texas hold em jargon dorkery. Goat, interesting thought on #2. I think the main reason he uses the aliases he does is because he thinks he’s smarter than ‘the man’ and will do everything in his power to prove it. Thinking he can get away with anything is the reason for the names, in my opinon.
Greg; as for your second point- I’m enjoying the book so much I’m almost finished. I can tell you; everyone’s scenery other than the people you list above. Also; if you thought Howard was evil thus far- just wait.
Goat,
I dig point #1.
Maybe there’s also some kind of interrupt that happens with people when they hear those names as well. Hearing Howard Schulz, while not drawing a direct conclusion or consciously recognizing it, may spark an automatic reaction to trust the indivudal.
Cash,
That sounds reasonable that he’s trying to stick it to the man, proving he’s smarter than the cops. I like this explanation the best.