Saturday, April 27, 2013

Paperback 634: Moment of Untruth / Ed Lacy (Lancer Books 73-554)

Paperback 634: Lancer Books 73-554 (2nd ptg ?, 1967)

Title: Moment of Untruth
Author: Ed Lacy
Cover artist: illegible [underneath and perpendicular to guy's right arm] [Al Parker?]

Yours for: $8

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Best things about this cover:
  • This is seriously the dumbest-looking cover hero I've seen in a while. Looks like he's wearing a shorty terrycloth robe. Also, like he's carrying a giant woman's purse while not wearing pants. 
  • "We need to play on the phrase 'Moment of Truth'..." "Oooh, I have an idea ..."
  • There's "earth tones" ... and then there's feces. And we're *right* on the border here. 
  • Not sure I like what he's doing to that poor girl with that gun. 
  • I call ellipsis abuse.
  • That woman needs to Dominate this cover. What the hell were the designers thinking?
  • "Mexico: Come for the Food and the Fun, Stay for the Taut Immediacy"

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Best things about this back cover:
  • TOUIE! That is a name I can get behind.
  • "He was a Negro, and at age forty he knew exactly what that meant." Unfortunately, I have no idea exactly what that means.
  • Copywriting has apparently been given over to some randomizing algorithm. "Random assertion ... Random plot point ... ELLIPSIS!"

Page 123~

"Ask, does a woman pilot this second plane with the two engines?" I said, feeling the excitement well up within me.
When the kid translated, the godmother shook her head, seemed to indicate  a woman by pointing to her own flat breasts.

This may be the most implausible breast-related action I've ever heard of. I'm trying to imagine this happening in a way that isn't entirely comical and/or enigmatic. I mean, it's a yes/no question, why in the world would she point to her own breasts? It's a redundant, ridiculous move.

~RP

[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter and Tumblr]

4 comments:

Tulse said...

I like Touie's miniature pet bull that he carries around with him perched on his shoulder.

Karl said...

"Does a man pilot pilot this second airplane?"
The grandfather shook his head, seeming to indicate a man by pointing to his own formidable...

Nope, that doesn't work either.

Anonymous said...

Is the cover artist Allan Kass? Looks a little like his signature...

David Clemons said...

My best guess for the artist is Al Parker. It looks similar to how he was signing his work at that time.