Like his character, Dugain starts on the Bleeding Edge. But lack of fuel at the end.

Avenue of the Giants is a novel describing the path of Al Kenner since his teens until his life in prison. The character is also largely inspired Edmund Kemper, well-known American serial killer, languishing for the past forty years in a California state prison. "Patterned" would be more accurate that "inspired", as the portrait seems true. By the way, Marc Dugain explores American society at the turn of the 60s and 70s, including the Vietnam War and the hippie movement.

The first half of the book is very successful, constantly revealing new facets of an extremely troubled character. It would be an exaggeration to call Al Kenner endearing, but Marc Dugain still arouses a real empathy for their "hero". The second half I was less convinced. First because of its length: During a hundred pages, disgust of Kenner for hippies communities is constantly repeated without significant changes. The end is not more satisfactory, with its true-false surprise revelation. One wonders who Dugain tries to surprise.

Reading the whole remains pleasant, but I regret that the high quality of the first half has not encroached further into the novel.