He is a frequent narrator of Hiaasen books in audio and always acquits himself well.Ĭarl Hiaasen has a hilariously objective way of observing the absurdities that exist in my former state.

He captures the right touch of irony as well as enthusiasm in his reading. Wilson's deep gravelly voice is perfectly suited to this material. I'm not from Florida nor, despite numerous visits, am I a Florida-phile, but there is something about its unique landscape and people-scape that makes for good books, especially in the hands of people who know it so well, like Hiaasen (and Tim Dorsey and others). Florida itself acts as a major character, especially its corrupt local politics and Hiaasen's omnipresent environmental awareness, all quite typical of his body of work. By contrast, the novel's version of Erin, to its credit, is nothing like Demi Moore, the opposite of how she was promoted and portrayed in the film. Perhaps that positive visualization made this character come to life for me a little more than others. Although I've blocked the movie version out of mind for good reason, I do recall Ving Rhames being well cast in the role of Shad. Shad is a stand out supporting character, the tough guy with a heart of gold whom Hiaasen and narrator George Wilson elevate far above that seeming cliche. The entire affair is quite humorous - the movie, if it evoked any laughs, were of derision.

Hiaasen occasionally shifts point of view to previously unknown characters who hardly if ever reappear in order to show a different perspective on what happens to the more central characters, like the Montana locals who discover the body of Jerry Killian - a device that adds to the depth and charm of the story. Some are over the top, like the Congressman and Darrell Grant, but most are engaging and funny. One big difference is the vast array of characters in the book, typical of Hiaasen - his plots are far less important than his characters. But don't let any of that deter you - as bad as the movie was (it was the big winner of the 1996 Raspberry Awards for worst movie), the novel is that good. You probably never associated it with Carl Hiaasen's Florida-based comic crime capers, but yes, it was adapted from his novel of the same name - one of the few of his many books that have made it onto the big screen, a head scratcher since they seem natural material for film. If you're old enough to remember the 1990s, you surely remember the movie Strip Tease starring Demi Moore.

Strip tease by carl hiaasen