Monday, January 30, 2012

Upgunned-David J. Schow

Upgunned


David J. Schow

Dunne, Feb 14 2012, $26.99

ISBN: 9780312571375



Elias McCabe had sex with his best friend Clavius’ ex-wife Nasja and took pictures of her naked when a man holding a very formidable looking gun enters the photographer’s loft. Elias considers that Clavius might be annoyed for his banging his mentor’s former spouse, but soon realizes otherwise. Gun Guy escorts Elias at gunpoint before taking him to meet his teammates Cognac and the Professor, and a dead Dominic Sharps who made the news whenever LAPD was involved. The photographer’s assignment is to take shots of Sharps seemingly having sex and afterward Elias will leave with ten grand. However, if he opens his mouth Gun Guy will reuse Sharps’ body bag.



During the shooting, Elias video records the event without Gun Guy knowing what he did. When Elias finds out what Gun Guy has used the shoot for, he places his video version of the encounter on the Internet where it goes viral and destroys the blackmail scheme. Raging Gun Guy begins killing those who were involved while seeking Elias, who hides on a New York movie set. Elias knows flight is impossible from this ruthless maniac so he must fight but a shoot to him is a photo gig not a gun gig.



This is a super satirical noir starring an antihero who is comfortable with shooting porn but not shooting guns. His adversary Gun Guy is terrific as a violent stranger who gets mad and even. With a biting mocking of fictional violence and an even more acerbic masticating of the American obsessive quest for the perfect look at any cost, fans will anticipate the High Noon encounter between the porn photographer and the Gun Guy.



Harriet Klausner



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