The Killer Is Dying by James Sallis is a dark and existential novel that follows the lives of three main characters - an aging hitman, a cop investigating a botched assassination, and a young boy abandoned by his parents. The story delves into themes of death, suffering, and loneliness, as each character navigates their own struggles in a bleak and unforgiving world. The narrative is clipped and filled with keenly rendered details of urban life, moving at a fast pace while maintaining a dream-like quality that keeps the reader on edge.
The book weaves together the lives of these characters in a unique and interconnected way, exploring the unlikely bonds formed between them amidst the backdrop of death and despair. Through minimal prose and achingly beautiful writing, James Sallis engages the reader in a tale that is both dark and insightful, refusing to conform to commercial norms and offering a thought-provoking exploration of the human condition.
From The Publisher:
In what is at once a coming-of-age novel and a realistic crime novel, The Killer Is Dying is above all the story of three men of vastly different age and background, and of the shape their lives take against the unforgiving sunlight and sprawl of America's fifth largest city, Phoenix. The detective is looking for the killer, Christian, though he doesn't know that. Christian is trying to find the man who stepped in and took down his target before he had the chance. And the boy, Jimmie, is having the killer's dreams. While they never meet, they are inextricably linked, and as their stories unfold, all find the solace of community.
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