YOU KILLED WESLEY PAYNE is not for everyone, and it took me a while to warm up to it, but I could NOT stop reading it once I started. Yes, it is Private-I-Noir-Fiction-for-Teen-Boys, but it is also what I imagine Chuck Palahniuk, the author of FIGHT CLUB, might write if he were writing for a younger audience. Personally, I'm kinda' grateful that Chuck Palahniuk does NOT write for teens. Still, this was lots of fun. Here's one of my favorite excerpts:
" 'Don't push it, murse,' Chugg hissed through his neckless smile, so only he and Dalton could hear. 'Just 'cause I got word from above to be cool doesn't mean I might not . . . stomp your teeth for you anyway.'
Chugg was smaller and decidedly wider, and he had at least twice as many hairs on his chin as Dalton. He was too dumb to be of use for anything except brute intimidation and running into things full speed. His already limited purview would grow smaller within minutes of graduating from Salt River and continue to compress in on itself over years of unappreciated labor, miserable family Christmases, and beers with the guys on Wednesday nights until nothing remained but the vague odor of Chex Mix and a desiccated sweat sock. So it was hard to hate him too much."
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