Anderson's detective conventionally investigates murders whereas Larsson's journalists investigate criminal activities that come to involve murders, police investigations and the intelligence services. Both series have, to this reader, exotic settings: San Francisco and Sweden, mainly Stockholm.
Larsson, a journalist, wrote only these three volumes of fiction whereas Anderson wrote - how many novels and short stories? One criterion of good fiction is that it can be read with pleasure and reread with increased pleasure. This is certainly true of Larsson's trilogy and of most works by Anderson. I have yet to read Murder In Black Letter and am not in any hurry to read the other two but I expect that they will eventually be reread and with increased pleasure.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
Not only did Poul Anderson write three Yamamura mystery novels, he wrote as well at least two or four short stories featuring that detective. I think A COMPLETE COLLECTED WORKS OF POUL ANDERSON could bind the first two Yamamura novels in one volume while a second could collect the third novel with the short stories.
I know of persons who think it is odd to reread a book one has already read. They apparently find it difficult to understand that a good book should and can be reread with as much pleasure as the first time reading. I've tried to suggest that second or third readings gives one the chance to notice details of plot and background and character development that can be missed on a first reading.
Sean
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