The Hanged Man's Song (Kidd Book 4)

John Sandford is a very talented writer. I enjoy his Davenport novels as much as I do Robert Parker's Spencer books. My rating is more focused on the subject than on John Sandfords excellent abilities. The plot and action is worth your time. However, I'm not too overjoyed by control geeks undercover ops attempting to take over the world.

I enjoyed the characters in this book along with complicated plots. I am reading the Kidd series in order so that I have a better understanding of their history and the connections they share with Kidd.

John Sandford is best known for his "Prey" series featuring Lucas Davenport, a tough, street-smart cop. Sandford's alter-ego to Davenport is Kidd, a "gray area" hacker often on the dubious side of the law. While "Prey" and Davenport hog the headlines for Sandford, its the Kidd novels I find most intriguing and fun.
As an intro, Kidd is an artist...hacker; his love is art but his trade is hacking. As the Kidd novels grow, we find Kidd becoming a more demanded artist but again, his penchant for the dark side is where the fun is. This is the fourth in Sandford's Kidd series, featuring our anti-hero Kidd, and LuEllen the thief, Kidd's companion/sometimes lover.
THE HANGED MAN'S SONG abruptly begins with the murder of none other than the mysterious Bobby, the hacker's hack, the mysterious man with his finger on the pulse of all that is computer geekdom. Bobby has set up an elaborate network of hackers, all of whom "know of" Bobby but don't know Bobby. Kidd is a part of this network and knows exactly the power of Bobby. Bobby was the faceless friend of Kidd and LuEllen who had assisted them in previous "jobs" of a somewhat nefarious nature. Upon learning of Bobby's "silence," and what turns out to be his murder, Kidd and others in the network become extremely concerned about Bobby's missing laptop, apparently stolen by Bobby's killer. This laptop held many, many dark secrets, facts, and evidence...information that could destroy lives-including Kidd's.
Kidd, LuEllen and another network friend, John, begin a frantic investigation into Bobby's murder and missing laptop. Their obvious goal is to retrieve the laptop and secure the information contained therein but, just as importantly, nab and "bring to justice" Bobby's killer.
As with all Kidd novels, HANGED MAN unflinchingly proves that Sandford is rather salty when it comes to computers and hacking. The somewhat dark side of Kidd's character is further developed with this offering and shows some emotion not seen before; that of retribution. Kidd and LuEllen pull out all the stops in their search for this retribution. Along the way, Kidd and LuEllen's off & on romance is rekindled, one of borne of need, desire, and, of course, lust.
HANGED MAN is a great read but also provides a glimpse of the power of information, something we've all been exposed to. Further, it poses the great question of the real potential of "Big Brother." Highly recommended.

While Sandford is known far and wide for his dozen or more "... Prey" series, starring Lucas Davenport, often in chase of serial killers, this novel comprises just the fourth entry in the artist computer expert, Kidd. [If he has a first name, we don't know it.] In the first three stories, Kidd is for hire to generally right wrongs for clients who cannot acquire justice for usually white collar crimes by conventional methods. Most of what Kidd does is technically illegal, but we grow to admire not only him but his sidekick, LuEllen, a definite thief and burglar who seems to have few redeeming qualities, other than that she is the best at stealthy breakins, and oh by the way, a fun bedroom companion of Kidd. A third character completes the regular cast, "Bobby", a reach-only by computer links-type guy who can hack into anywhere and find out anything -- so he's a frequent Kidd helper.
This story starts with a big surprise -- Bobby gets murdered. Immediately, Kidd sets out to find not only the killer but to protect his own future from the secrets he fears Bobby may have stored on computer about him and LuEllen. The race that follows between Kidd (with a little help from LuEllen who seems to be along for just companionship for a change) and the bad guy is typical Sandford suspense at his best. Indeed, the bad guy makes very clever use of the computer network to pretend to be a Bobby successor and suck Kidd out and keep tabs on him. Things pretty much turn out OK at the end, at which point LuEllen and Kidd start to have some very interesting conversations about the future.
Computer technology changes quickly -- if you haven't read the first three in the series you might wish to do so before the tech stuff is just totally lame. For the same reason, this series as is has a questionable future: could our leading couple go straight, settle down, and have "Kidds" ???!!!

After reading 8 Prey novels by Sandford, I read the latest Kidd novel, The Hanged Man's Song, and enjoyed solid yet unremarkable effort by Sandford. Kidd, don't think his first name was ever mentioned, is a computer hacker who tries to find out what happened to "Bobby" when he is no longer online. Bobby is the ultimate hacker that has info that if it is in the wrong hands, could destroy many people including Kidd and his squeaze LuEllen.

This book draws on some past characters I was unfamiliar with, including John, a black man with a militant past that he too wants hidden. They find Bobby murdered in his home and know they can't call the authorities without bringing suspicion upon themselves. Kidd draws attention to the case in a unique way and then after that its up to Kidd, LuEllen and John to track down the most valuable thing in the world, Bobby's laptop computer. Bobby's computer contains enough hacked information to destroy the USA. Kidd must operate outside the law while at the sametime work with Senators and congressmen.

I enjoyed this book, but it didn't overwhelm me like the first Prey novel I read. Kidd seems a lot like Lucas Davenport to me. Sure, he doesn't know how to use a gun and isn't a good fighter, but he is smart and cunning and comes across as a man without much depth, or at least we are not given a history to sympathize with why Kidd is the way he is.

I have yet to read Sandord novel I didn't enjoy and will probably go back and read the first Kidd novel and then the rest of the series.

I am an avid John Sandford reader and Lucas Davenport fan but the Kidd series is my favorite. Since there have been relatively few books featuring Kidd, I was delighted to see the publicity for this book until I read on the book jacket that Bobby's murder and its ramifications form the central element of the plot. Bobby has been such an essential supporting character in the previous books that I was afraid that the author had chosen this method to end the series and thus my enjoyment of this story might be bittersweet. While it is always disappointing to say goodbye to an old literary acquaintance such as Bobby, Kidd fans should be relieved that the ending holds out the possibility that the series will continue. But beware, Kidd and Luellen will be forever changed.
The story is very simple, superhacker Bobby, Kidd's online lifeline and friend, goes silent and when Kidd and a friend assemble the clues that reveal Bobby's physical location (they have known him only in cyberspace), they discover that he has been murdered. Ominously, Bobby's laptop has been stolen and Bobby's circle of friends are very worried about what secrets might be revealed (including clues to their identities) if the encryption is cracked. Therefore, they have the dual goal of avenging Bobby's death and protecting themselves as well. Soon, secrets from Bobby's laptop start becoming public that involve powerful people, strike at the heart of government, and increase the risks to all concerned; thus their quest becomes a race against time. This is the quintessential Kidd, a libertarian loner with his own agenda, operating on both sides of the law and torn between his artistic impulses and his computer skills. And, as usual, his sometime partner (in crime and romance) who he knows only by her alias of Luellen figures in the action as the puzzle gradually unravels.And we are left with Kidd to puzzle out the identity and the meaning of the Hanged Man who keeps appearing in the Tarot spreads which he does to attempt to stimulate his insights about the problems which they encounter.
As Kidd and Luellen match wits with Jimmy James Carp, we see the ambiguities that develop when combating evil; at times they have to decide whether the ends justify some questionable means. This is a fast paced story that I found hard to put down, and I suspect that we may meet Rachel Willowby (the young hacker whose role is crucial to the story) if there are future sequels in this series. So the story raises many questions, from whether Bobby's death will be avenged to such existential musings as whether people are really dead if elements of their lives continue to exist. As Luellen muses about Bobby "he's like Janis Joplin... I heard ME AND BOBBY MCGEE on the radio... Janis is dead, but I never knew her personally, and I keep hearing her song so to me, it's the same as if she is still alive..." Can Bobby's computer keep him alive, or can Lemon (whoever he may be) successfully become his successor? And, you may even discover Luellen's real name.
I rated this slightly less than a full five stars for two reasons. First, a few loose ends were not satisfactorily tied up. Second, it had a few incidences of some pretty gruesome violence and very unpleasant situations. (However, they were relatively integral to the story.) But, it was a great read and I loved the existentialism and ambiguity of the ending, which cries for a sequel.
The one caveat I would provide is that while this is a self contained story, a reader will have much more depth of understanding of Kidd's and Bobby's (and Kidd's and Luellen's relationships) and of some of the references if the previous books in the series are read first. (Even though computer technology has changed so rapidly that some of the stuff is now obsolete.) This is especially true of the immediately preceding book THE DEVIL'S CODE, especially re: the identity of the man known as Bill Clinton. I believe that at a minimum that book should be read first, and it is as good a story as this one.
Tucker Andersen

Bobby is killed off in the first couple of pages--anyone who has not read any of the previous Kidd series (this is number four) should probably go back and do so...this one stands on its own, but you miss much of the back story, inside jokes, and character development if you start here.

Kidd follows a very thin trail of clues which leads through cyberspace straight to Washington DC and a hornet's nest of corruption.

Along the way, we get a glimpse of how pervasive the invasion of privacy is these days, and the realistic limits on the use of mass data collection as a means of solving crimes (basically, too many false positives)--note to politically interested readers--this is pretty clearly a knock on the Bush Administration's TIPS and associated programs).

Of course, in usual riveting fashion, Kidd--assisted by his coterie of burglars, revolutionary former Black Panthers gone straight (sort of), and cute little kids--gets his man, reduces corruption (a little), but has little effect on the larger corrupt climate.

It will be interesting to see how Sandford resolves the dilemma both Kidd and LuEllen are facing at the end of this installment of the Kidd series--how can you continue to live off the radar when (1) the government knows you exist, (2) lots of powerful people would like to find you, and (3) government has the ability to find out anything about anyone in this age of computer databases? Will they really retire to Palm Springs to live happily ever after together?

I have heard that millions of people use the store and I have to wonder what percentage of those million fall somewhere on the technology spectrum between computer lover and baby hacker (like I do). I'd guess over half if not as much as three quarters. Being that's the case, I have some good news - we finally have a hero to root for and relate too. Instead of yet another detective, doctor or lawyer solving the puzzles and saving the day, John Sandford's "Kidd" novels highlight the talents of a computer extraordinaire.

Even better news is the fact that this novel is not the first to feature the great Kidd and his hacking skills. This novel is the 4th in the series and I strongly recommend going back and starting with "The Fool's Run" so that you can be properly introduced to Kidd as well as his amazing partner in crime, LuEllen, and the mysterious Bobby. If you have read the others, then prepare yourself for another fine installment in the series. I hate to break it to you, but Bobby is murdered in the first three pages and the rest of the book pivots around Kidd's desperate search to locate Bobby's laptop (full of the world's secrets naturally) and the killer. LuEllen is also involved and fleshed out even more, which is a plus. A very good read from a very good author.

This is my first John Sandford book, and even though it is the fourth installment of the Kidd series, it can be read as a separate novel, and I was able to follow along without any trouble.

These are the adventures of Kidd, a computer genius/super hacker/criminal mastermind who happens to paint as a sideline, and his on and off girlfriend LuEllen, a cat burglar. I have no idea if the computer stuff is accurate, and if it is, it's certainly scary that people can track you with every step you make, but it makes for good reading anyway.

The murder of a secretive uber-hacker named Bobby causes a lot of problems for Kidd and co, and it becomes a matter of life and death for them to retrieve Bobby's laptop, which contains enough dirt to bring down many major politicians, as well as Kidd, LuEllen and many more in the network.

Fast paced, vividly detailed and extremely plausible, at least to non-techies, it makes for a quick and thoroughly entertaining read.

Amanda Richards, August 8, 2005

I bought this book as a Christmas gift to myself. Thank me very much.
I have read some previous Kidd novels and enjoyed them, but I much prefer the Prey series overall. Well, I used to anyway. The Prey series is still my favorite of all time, but this book has closed the gap significantly.
The book begins with the murder of Kidd's longtime online associate Bobby the hacker. Kidd has to find the killer in order to retrieve Bobby's laptop, which may contain personal information about Kidd and others. There is also the matter of avenging Bobby's death.
The story twists and turns via events involving various senators, old friends, secret government groups, LuEllen (gotta love her), new friends, a young girl, and a few cities. I could easily picture every single character and every single scene as I read this book, a testament to Sandford's brilliance.
I am very happy with my Christmas present. Again, thank me very much. And thank you Mr. Sandford (Camp). Merry Christmas.