Constant Reader

A Spy Thriller with No Thrills

Revisado: 12-11-24

Story begins slow...and then gets slower. I kept waiting for it to kick into gear. And it just didn't. The protagonist goes rogue because he's bored. And his boredom permeates the book. The best characters are the Russians. And they pretty much vanish early on. At least it's not long. Unfortunately, not long is too long.

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Everything But the Kitchen Sink...

Revisado: 08-13-24

Let's see: The book is built around a hero named Levi Yoder. Raised Amish. Traveled the world studying martial arts. Given semi immortality by an ancient Egyptian artifact. Master of disguises. Fixer for the Mafia. Has to help the CIA recover two stolen nukes from the Russian Mob. Black bartender sidekick who’s a cyber tech genius. Yiddish spouting Jewish mamala who supplies him with armaments. He’s also a major gourmet. Drinks only seltzer. I’m sure in the next book we discover Yoder can fly! One was enough!

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It Takes Awhile...and Then Kaboom!

Revisado: 12-03-23

This Hurwitz/Brick classic begins hot, then cools off for many pages, until finally catching fire in the last three hours. The villains are as evil as ever -- what would do without Eastern Europe? The hero is struggling to stay alive long enough to save his family -- a ticking timebomb in his body. His daughter and her boyfriend are annoying. But not unbearably so. Until Orphan X returns, this will do just fine!

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A Gripping Tale of Pure Evil

Revisado: 10-31-23

Like Orphan X, Jade Marlowe has a fine case of OCD, which I’m guessing reflects GH doing some projecting. The story definitely held me. And I’m befuddled by the complaints of brutality. There’s plenty. But fans of X won’t flinch!

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Gregg Hurwitz's Most Claustrophobic Thriller

Revisado: 09-22-23

I've read almost everything Gregg Hurwitz has written -- including the hugely entertaining Orphan X series. This one felt like...work. I could only listen to it in short bursts, because it made me so awfully uncomfortable. If that was Hurwitz's goal, he's succeeded brilliantly. But it's both a painful experience -- and a book I had to finish, to find out the whats and the whys. I truly did not enjoy his putting Mike's daughter in so much constant danger. On the other hand, I was glad everytime Shep appeared. He was essentially Orphan X. He took care of business.

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Superb Winslow...Until the Ending

Revisado: 05-05-23

Much like the endings of Hannibal and Under the Dome, City of Dreams is a great listen, enthralling, amazing...until the conclusion. Which seems rushed and utterly far-fetched, as if Winslow's deadline loomed large, and he needed something, anything. Which is what he gives us. It didn't ruin the book for me -- nothing can ruin Winslow. But it did leave me with a big WTF hanging in the air...

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Needs Subtitles!

Revisado: 12-04-22

The accents are so thick, large segments are incomprehensible! And large segments are self indulgent, in the extreme. Many hours, only a few minutes well spent!

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A Well Written Confusion In a Fascinating Muddle

Revisado: 05-06-22

As I've come to expect of Jim Harrison, the writing is briliant. The images are unforgettable. The metaphors and similes are outrageous. The characters stagger with their depth. And the story makes no sense at all. It feels like a string of vignettes, all glued together around a retired, burnt-out detective. Enjoyed it -- as long as I was able to put any hint of reasoning to bed. A fine read on a very long drive!

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I Miss Jonathan Cecil!

Revisado: 10-04-21

Most of the Wodehouses I've listened to have been read by the excellent Jonathan Cecil. John Wells is barely tolerable. And when he's doing women's voices, downright intolerable. He's also often incomprehensible. Did this reading not have a director or a producer Or an engineer? Did no one notice he's turned Lord Emsworth into a woman? Jonathan Cecil makes his characters fun. For him, they're Scotch and soda. John Wells makes them weak tea.

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Not as Bad a Read as Suggestd!

Revisado: 09-20-21

Listen to the book at regular speed, and the reader does, indeed, seem to be in a bit of a rush. But slow it to .9 and the reading is just fine, with Bertie and Jeeves clearly defined by their affects. Not as good a reader as Jonathan Cecil, but quite acceptable.

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