Among the pulp community there is often talk about pulp and literature. Even some of the best modern pulp writers out there sometimes express doubt that a novel can both be pulp and be literature. Other authors have set out to prove it’s possible. While no one was looking, someone did. And her name is Katie Kitamura. Kitamura isn’t a name famous to pulp circles, but she isn’t all that well know out of them either. Kitamura has only written a handful of books, but it is her MMA tale The Longshot that shows that she not only gets pulp, but is an expert at writing it. Clocking in at under 200 pages, The Longshot is sports pulp at its finest. It tells the story of Cal and his trainer, Riley, two men that are on a quest to bring Cal back to the top of professional MMA. In order to do it, they travel to Mexico with a fight against the legendary fighter MMA. Cal is the only man that ever took Rivera the distance, but in the process he nearly ended his own life. Kitamura details the days leading up to the fight in taut, hard-hitting prose. The fights are narrated with simple, straight-forward power. Never is a word wasted as the story barrels ever forward towards the inevitable make or break fight for Cal and Riley. The Longshot isn’t the happiest novel you will ever read. In the finest tradition of strong literary fiction, not everything comes up roses at the end. But for page after page, Kitamura gives one of the finest sports tales you will ever read. Recommended. I know that most of my friends will assume that I'll automatically like this book. After all, it combines two things I love: reading and mixed martial arts. I'll admit, those facts ARE the reason I bought the book in the first place. I'm a huge UFC fan and I decided I'd take a chance on it. After all... I WAS one of the "three chicks in the whole world" to read Forrest Griffin's book, "Got Fight?." I did have reservations though... I was worried that the auhor wouldn't really know anything about the sport and I'd get disgusted with it. I have sworn off an author (no names *cough* Amanda Ashley *cough*) for that exact reason. She wrote a novel with a "painter" as a main character, but never even told us what kind of paint she used. I believe she mentions the character choosing a flat brush, but did not explain why she did, or what effect she was going for by using that type of brush. I was pleasantly surprised that this was NOT the case in The Longshot.I have one compliment/complaint. I know; confusing right? I'll explain. Kitamura writes in the VERY detailed sytle of most Brit Lit. At times, this is wonderful. At other times, it simply makes me want to pull my hair out! For instance, she could have just said "he practiced for two hours then went back to the hotel and took a shower." Instead, she lists off everything his coach drills him on with such vivid detail I could see it happening in my head. Also, the way she described the fighter's hightened senses before the fight made it more believable, more authentic. I truly felt like I was in his head, gearing up for battle and finding that quiet moment... the calm before the storm.... But when she's describing their breakfast orders word for word and then the order in which they eat it and in what fashion... It just gets boring. The dialogue gets tedious when it goes on for more than a couple sentences at a time. Luckily the character's internal monologues aren't quite as droll.I DID find the "fight or flight" moment both fighter and trainer experienced was very touching. Both realized they could just walk away and never come back... But they stayed. We all come to that point at some time, when we realize we could just give up~ Be we MMA fighters or just regular people. I won't say anything about the ending. I don't want to give anything away. I will simply say... it ended how it had to! This book had my stomach in knots the whole time, nervous and anxious for the upcoming fight! I loved it and highly recommend it. =)
What do You think about The Longshot: A Novel (2009)?
A great noir novel set in a less regulated world of MMA fighting.
—Eyelessjack82
Read in one sitting, but had periods that seemed drawn out.
—bammbamm
