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Spider Season A Benjamin Justice Novel Benjamin Justice Novels John Morgan Wilson 9780312341480 Books

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Spider Season A Benjamin Justice Novel Benjamin Justice Novels John Morgan Wilson 9780312341480 Books

John Morgan Wilson writes again of Benjamin Justice in the eighth novel in the series. SPIDER SEASON is so much better than the seventh, RHAPSODY IN BLOOD. I was afraid, when I read that one, that Mr. Wilson was losing his touch. He is not. With the exception of Mr. Wilson's usual tribute to another great mystery writer Walter Mosley--I kept looking for that nice touch to no avail--the other earmarks we have come to expect in these mysteries are here. First many of my favorite characters are back: Maurice and Fred, Justice's landlords and now in their 80's and of course Templeton, the journalist that Justice took under his week many novels ago. The novels are always set in the middle of current events: in this instance Proposition 8--Maurice is working against it-- terrorism--Templeton has just written a book on the subject--and the immigration issue--Benjamin's new romantic interest Ismael Aragon is a social worker trying to reunite immigrant families "torn apart by deportation." And this novel, as the previous one, provides a geographic and historical map of West Hollywood-- Griffith Park, Foursquare Gospel Church, A Different Light Bookstore, Santa Monica Boulevard--where the action takes place.

Of course what makes this novel shine is Wilson's portrayal of Benjamin Justice who has just had published a memoir DEEP BACKGROUND about his having been found out for writing a fictional piece and passing it off as a factual narrative some 18 years ago. He is about to turn 50 and has wasting and lipodypstrophy because of the medical cocktail he is taking for HIV. Not unlike many of my friends and me, Justice spends much of his time fighting off the urge to have a drink--he has been sober for several years--and mulling over the mistakes of his past. In short, he is a really compelling fleshed-out character whom we cheer for.

The plot is gnarly, the suspense palpable, and Wilson from time to time makes statements worth remembering about things in general. He is spot on about the demise of gay bookstores: "A Different Light still sold books, but more and more of its display space seemed devoted to CDs, sexy magazines, and rainbow tchotchkes and less and less to gay literature, as the store struggled to survive the onslaught of the discount chains and online booksellers." And he pays tribute--an unselfish touch--to other writers that A Different Light, where Justice has a reading and signing--showcases: Edmund White, Michael Cunningham, Alison Bechdel, Armistead Maupin, Michelle Tea, Eloise Klein Healy, Bernard Cooper, Manuel Munoz, Katherine V. Forrest, Mark Doty, Radclyffe, Adrienne Rich, Clive Barker and Christopher Bram. "It pleased me to see my book among those of such luminaries, although I felt a bit like a beggar who'd sneaked into a fancy dinner party."

SPIDER SEASON is a refreshing welcome-back for those of us who are Mr. Wilson's fans. Also newcomers to his fiction will not be disappointed. I understand that all his previous Justice novels have been recently reprinted so all his gems are now available for those who haven't read them yet.


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Spider Season A Benjamin Justice Novel Benjamin Justice Novels John Morgan Wilson 9780312341480 Books Reviews

Excellent novel by a gifted writer. "Spider Season" continues the Benjamin Justice series whose flawed and conflicted protagonist (of the title name) has just published an account of his turbulent--and sometimes violent--life. The book seems to stir up a veritable spider's nest of reactions which have Justice under attack from several quarters at once. Benjamin Justice's own responses to these attacks are often irrational and self-defeating, making him an increasingly tragic figure through most of the book and making the story's eventual ending murky, at best.

While author John Morgan Wilson takes the novel's scenario pretty close to over-the-top, with extreme characters and hard to believe coincidences and plot zig-zags, the very fine writing (narrative and dialogue) and the well-sketched Southern California setting, ultimately make the story line digestible and enjoyable.

Of particular interest to this reader, there are redemption and personal connections that bring some peace to the very long-suffering protagonist in the end. The Benjamin Justice series is a very fine one indeed, reminiscent of the classic gay detective stories by Joe Hansen, with Dave Brandstetter as protagonist in the same Southern California setting.
Spider Season finds Justice on the verge of turning 50. He's still on the wagon, takes his HIV meds faithfully. He's also off the Prozac and injecting therapeutic testosterone to combat HIV wasting. Given Justice's history, the aggressive side-effects this type of drug can have on his naturally pugnacious disposition is like carrying coals to Newcastle.

Ekeing out a living turning his still considerable talents to odds bits of writing, Justice has penned his memoir. Herein lies my chief objection to Spider Season. Despite their versimilitude,Justice's public readings and book signings slow the narrative of Spider Season to a crawl (no pun intended)as he rehashes bits of his backstory with which readers are already familiar. The memoir's publication dredges up two men from Justice's colorful past. The mystery of one of these men's connection to Justice was so painfully transparent that by the time it was revealed some 250 pages into the narrative,it was anticlimactic.

Author John Morgan Wilson continues to pepper the narrative with topical themes the great suspicion of veracity the memoir genre has undergone in recent years; Jayson Blair, whose journalistic transgressions may have been partly inspiration for Justice, was invoked once more; the speed and pervasiveness of the Internet; the gay rights struggle to have same-sex marriage remain lawful in California. Alas, Morgan Wilson also touches upon the natural gulf that can develop when straight women have gay men as friends. Templeton makes only cameo appearances in Spider Season, forfeiting her former role as Justice's investigative sidekick.

The tale goes far left of center when Justice attempts a particular form of violence. Given Justice's history, the implications of this act are all the more jarring and distasteful. The outrage is compounded as Justice seems almost rewarded for it.

Another reviewer raised the question as to further installments in the Justice series. I, too, found some words author Morgan Wilson had Justice say ".. going on vacation and has no idea when he will be back..." possibly to be prophetic. Given Spider Season's feeble plot, I wouldn't mind not seeing another Justice novel until the author has developed a more compelling and original plot worthy of this fine series.
John Morgan Wilson writes again of Benjamin Justice in the eighth novel in the series. SPIDER SEASON is so much better than the seventh, RHAPSODY IN BLOOD. I was afraid, when I read that one, that Mr. Wilson was losing his touch. He is not. With the exception of Mr. Wilson's usual tribute to another great mystery writer Walter Mosley--I kept looking for that nice touch to no avail--the other earmarks we have come to expect in these mysteries are here. First many of my favorite characters are back Maurice and Fred, Justice's landlords and now in their 80's and of course Templeton, the journalist that Justice took under his week many novels ago. The novels are always set in the middle of current events in this instance Proposition 8--Maurice is working against it-- terrorism--Templeton has just written a book on the subject--and the immigration issue--Benjamin's new romantic interest Ismael Aragon is a social worker trying to reunite immigrant families "torn apart by deportation." And this novel, as the previous one, provides a geographic and historical map of West Hollywood-- Griffith Park, Foursquare Gospel Church, A Different Light Bookstore, Santa Monica Boulevard--where the action takes place.

Of course what makes this novel shine is Wilson's portrayal of Benjamin Justice who has just had published a memoir DEEP BACKGROUND about his having been found out for writing a fictional piece and passing it off as a factual narrative some 18 years ago. He is about to turn 50 and has wasting and lipodypstrophy because of the medical cocktail he is taking for HIV. Not unlike many of my friends and me, Justice spends much of his time fighting off the urge to have a drink--he has been sober for several years--and mulling over the mistakes of his past. In short, he is a really compelling fleshed-out character whom we cheer for.

The plot is gnarly, the suspense palpable, and Wilson from time to time makes statements worth remembering about things in general. He is spot on about the demise of gay bookstores "A Different Light still sold books, but more and more of its display space seemed devoted to CDs, sexy magazines, and rainbow tchotchkes and less and less to gay literature, as the store struggled to survive the onslaught of the discount chains and online booksellers." And he pays tribute--an unselfish touch--to other writers that A Different Light, where Justice has a reading and signing--showcases Edmund White, Michael Cunningham, Alison Bechdel, Armistead Maupin, Michelle Tea, Eloise Klein Healy, Bernard Cooper, Manuel Munoz, Katherine V. Forrest, Mark Doty, Radclyffe, Adrienne Rich, Clive Barker and Christopher Bram. "It pleased me to see my book among those of such luminaries, although I felt a bit like a beggar who'd sneaked into a fancy dinner party."

SPIDER SEASON is a refreshing welcome-back for those of us who are Mr. Wilson's fans. Also newcomers to his fiction will not be disappointed. I understand that all his previous Justice novels have been recently reprinted so all his gems are now available for those who haven't read them yet.