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Skink also known as Clinton Tyree is a fictional character in series of novels by renowned author Carl Hiaasen. He is featured as a governor of Florida in 1970’s. The author describes him to have the attribute of the desired candidate such as; he is native to Florida, a football star and also prominent Vietnam veteran. He is handsome, articulate and charismatic and a retired professor at the University of Florida.
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Order of Skink Series
| # | Read | Title | Published | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Double Whammy | 1987 | Description / Buy | |
| 2 | Native Tongue | 1991 | Description / Buy | |
| 3 | Stormy Weather | 1995 | Description / Buy | |
| 4 | Sick Puppy | 2000 | Description / Buy | |
| 5 | Skinny Dip | 2004 | Description / Buy | |
| 6 | Star Island | 2010 | Description / Buy | |
| 7 | Skink--No Surrender | 2014 | Description / Buy |
He is described as being an honest man and probably the only true office bearer in Florida after he turns down a bribe offer from real estate developers. People perceive him as a great leader through his passionate speeches and legislative proposals that curtail land development, discourage tourism and protect the environment.
He is a music lover and listens to music from the 1960’s and 1970’s. Though he is 72 years old, he is still vigorous and fit. He is a six foot tall and proportionally broad. His skin appears to be dark brown due to many of the years he spends outdoors. He is lost one eye from a beating by some teenage thugs and replace it with a glass eye. He is exceptionally one of a kind and the author vividly states that despite his old age Skink is one of a kind gentleman whom ladies would love to be an association.
Skinks best friend is Jim Tile an American state trooper. He also has a brother named Doyle who fought alongside him during the Vietnam War.
The first book in the series is Double Whammy published in 1987. It features a private investigator who is hired to expose Bass Fisherman, (a renowned celebrity) as a fraud but ends up being framed for murder. Skink is later introduced in the novel and appears in the subsequent books by Carl Hiaasen.
SKINK AWARDS:
In 2014 the author Carl Hiaasen was awarded National Book Award Long list Selection-Young Peoples Literature for the seventh novel in the Series Skink: No Surrender. The author has won other awards. In 2005 he received Rebeca Caudill Young Readers Book Award for his work the Hoot, in 2004 the Denver Press Club awarded him the Damon Runyon Award. In 2010, the National Society of Newspaper Columnist was pleased with his work and service and awarded him the Ernie Pyle Lifetime Achievement Award.
SKINK BOOKS INTO MOVIES:
No books in the Skink series have been made into movies or television shows yet.
Skink Characteristics
The thing about Clinton Tyree aka Skink is just how specific of a character he is and what makes him, him. He’s six foot six inches tall, tanned dark brown with green eyes. Well, green eye as he lost one in a fight with some thug teenagers. He took the a glass eye from a barn owl and used it for his own. This guy is unique in many ways. His long beard is his trademark as he often braids it or puts trinkets in it.
He goes out to pick up roadkill on the highway, wearing a bright orange rain poncho. He wears military boots with a Rolling Stones t-shirt. Despite what you may think from what you’ve read about him before this (redneck), his teeth are perfectly white and straight with a trademark smile. Not surprisingly, women and are strongly attracted to him.
While the nickname Skink has stuck with him, he usually prefers to being address as “Captain” which was his rank in the Army during the Vietnam War. Skink is a big music fan who listens to the classic rock of the sixties and seventies. The Rolling Stones, Beatles, Allman Brothers, the Eagles and the Who are some of his favorites. He is also a voracious reader as he travels with a large library that he keeps stored in old junker cars.
He is a fan of natural hallucinogens including smoking bufotenin joints. He was also referenced in the Jimmy Buffet song “The Ballad of Skip Wiley” as a friend of Skip. This is a reference to Carl Hiassen’s first novel, but there is no proof that the two characters have interacted before.
BEST SKINK BOOKS:
These are two of the best books in the series Skink written by Carl Hiaasen.
Skink: No Surrender. This is the best novel in the series. It describes a story of a young girl, Classic Malley who takes off with a guy she met on the internet to avoid being sent off to boarding school. Malley is stubborn and sassy with a wild streak. Her cousin, Richard is a dependable and level headed young boy. Even though this escape is not new to the Malley family, Richard realizes that this time is different and it even dangerous. The one-eyed skink, an ex-governor of Florida begins a journey together with Richard to track Malley down. They are determined to search the entire states without the fear of the binding storms; flying bullets crazed pigs and the giant gator just to find Malley.
Stormy Weather. The novel published in 1995, focuses on the southern parts of Florida when tourist business is at its climax. During this season, ferocious hurricane hits- many characters in the novels described by the author as “Predators” take advantage of the situation to their benefit- it features a greedy and corrupt society where even the weakest take a fight.
OTHER BOOK SERIES YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:
Many fans of the Skink series also love the “Triple Threat” series written by Lis Wiehl which features three professional women, an FBI specialist Agent, Federal Prosecutor, and a Portland (Oregon), television news reporter.
The “Chronicle of Egg” series written by Geoff Rodkey is also an ideal match for the skink series (No surrender). A story about a 13-year old boy named Egg- described as full of heart and humor.
What Is The Next Book in The Skink Series?
There doesn't seem to be an upcoming book in The Skink Series. The newest book is Skink--No Surrender and was released on September, 23rd 2014.
The Skink books are wildly complex stories surrounding the corruption that exists in the wild world of fishing in the south. I’m proud to say I followed the storyline through to the end, although I will admit it was tricky to keep track of at times. Carl Hiaasen is such a great writer, though, that you can’t put the book down until you find out how it ends. Who knew a peaceful pastime had such a seedy underbelly (talking about fishing).