Book Review: Kem Nunn and his surf novels Part 2
Filed in archive by raphael on December 07, 2005

Once I had a taste of Kem Nunn's supposed invention of 'surf noir' I wanted more. Does that mean that I fell into the trap of buying into this whole "genre categorization" thing? Or that I was really just a surfer who wanted to read books with surfing in the storyline? Maybe. Just like people who like riding horses will read books like . . . never mind.

One photograph of this supposed mysterious big wave surf spot, and Jack could be back on top after he seemed to be near the epilogue of his career. With the popularity and recognition, Drew could regain his old fame as professional champion surfer. He too would be back from the edge, after almost falling over that precipice of destitution. Money underlies the motif of these white men attempting to trample on ancient Native American grounds, for that is where this million-dollar surf break lies, on sacred, forbidden land. This mistake, coupled with the accidental death of a young Native American boy who helps the surfers make the illegal crossing, causes Kendra, Drew's wife who's blood runs fifty-fifty to suffer untold horrors. This only manages to further the cycle of vengeance.
Violence, madness and poverty seem to always work their way into Nunn's package of scenes and dialogues. His ability to access the dark side of the American Dream is uncanny. There is an underworld that exists, and no writer I know other than Don DeLillo is better able to expose the desperation that runs amuck in this parallel world. If you decide to read the suspenseful and shocking parade of words orchestrated by Nunn, prepare for a walk on the other side of the tracks.
ER Harris
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