Crooked Little Vein
Encyclopedia
Crooked Little Vein is the first novel by established comic book writer Warren Ellis
, published by William Morrow
in July 2007.
The novel is written in the first-person
, similar to much of the hardboiled
detective genre. The book was based on research material posted on Ellis' websites, mostly odd news items and disturbing pictures from the web that the author had found or had been sent.
The novel has been translated into Spanish, German, French, Czech and Italian.
is hired by a corrupt White House Chief of Staff
to find a second "secret" United States Constitution
, which had been lost in a whorehouse by Richard Nixon
. What follows is a scavenger hunt across America
, exposing its seedier side along the way. McGill is joined by surreal college student side-kick, Trix, who is writing a thesis on sexual fetishes.
McGill has to deal with strange events sometimes unrelated to his adventures – he describes himself as a 'shit-magnet', with weird phenomena following him wherever he goes.
reviewer Jonathan Lasser called Crooked Little Vein "an ace put-up job" and that it was "evidence that freedom is more valuable than repression".
Whitney Pastorek, reviewing for Entertainment Weekly
takes pains to note that the work "is not for the faint of heart", and that Ellis has "got a bright future outside of the picture books".
Interviews
Warren Ellis
Warren Girard Ellis is an English author of comics, novels, and television, who is well-known for sociocultural commentary, both through his online presence and through his writing, which covers transhumanist themes...
, published by William Morrow
William Morrow and Company
William Morrow and Company is an American publishing company founded by William Morrow in 1926. The company was acquired by Scott Foresman in 1967, and sold to Hearst Corporation in 1981. It was sold along to the News Corporation in 1999...
in July 2007.
The novel is written in the first-person
First-person narrative
First-person point of view is a narrative mode where a story is narrated by one character at a time, speaking for and about themselves. First-person narrative may be singular, plural or multiple as well as being an authoritative, reliable or deceptive "voice" and represents point of view in the...
, similar to much of the hardboiled
Hardboiled
Hardboiled crime fiction is a literary style, most commonly associated with detective stories, distinguished by the unsentimental portrayal of violence and sex. The style was pioneered by Carroll John Daly in the mid-1920s, popularized by Dashiell Hammett over the course of the decade, and refined...
detective genre. The book was based on research material posted on Ellis' websites, mostly odd news items and disturbing pictures from the web that the author had found or had been sent.
The novel has been translated into Spanish, German, French, Czech and Italian.
Plot summary
Michael McGill, a burned-out private eyePrivate investigator
A private investigator , private detective or inquiry agent, is a person who can be hired by individuals or groups to undertake investigatory law services. Private detectives/investigators often work for attorneys in civil cases. Many work for insurance companies to investigate suspicious claims...
is hired by a corrupt White House Chief of Staff
White House Chief of Staff
The White House Chief of Staff is the highest ranking member of the Executive Office of the President of the United States and a senior aide to the President.The current White House Chief of Staff is Bill Daley.-History:...
to find a second "secret" United States Constitution
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
, which had been lost in a whorehouse by Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
. What follows is a scavenger hunt across America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, exposing its seedier side along the way. McGill is joined by surreal college student side-kick, Trix, who is writing a thesis on sexual fetishes.
McGill has to deal with strange events sometimes unrelated to his adventures – he describes himself as a 'shit-magnet', with weird phenomena following him wherever he goes.
Critical reception
About.comAbout.com
About.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
reviewer Jonathan Lasser called Crooked Little Vein "an ace put-up job" and that it was "evidence that freedom is more valuable than repression".
Whitney Pastorek, reviewing for Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
takes pains to note that the work "is not for the faint of heart", and that Ellis has "got a bright future outside of the picture books".
External links
- Chapter 1 of Crooked Little Vein available from amazon.com (pdf).
- Sample chapter (Ch. 16) of Crooked Little Vein posted by Ellis to his LivejournalLiveJournalLiveJournal is a virtual community where Internet users can keep a blog, journal or diary. LiveJournal is also the name of the free and open source server software that was designed to run the LiveJournal virtual community....
account.
Interviews