Great Scot

The narrator’s talents did NOT fit this genre.

Revisado: 12-31-18

Not a bad story, but the narrator was not suited for this book. He was talented, but his voice was too feminine for such a masculine themed book. Tell a story of shooters and death with a romcom narrator? Not a good choice.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 2 personas

Like the final season of Lost? Buy this book.

Revisado: 08-03-18

The beginning 3/4 of this story is wonderfully told. It has well-developed, interesting characters and a compelling story line. Unfortunately, the ending felt like a completely different story. It reminded me of the last season of Lost: unrecognizable and a little preachy.

The story follows various characters who attempt to deal with a mysterious sleeping sickness that affects only women. It has an apocalyptic feel (with a few jump-scare zombie scenes) that reflects genuine emotions. As the story mysteriously unfolds, you begin to see that sides are being drawn up and a battle will ensue over a possible cure. Characters are drawn together, women you cared about succumb, and villains run amok in the chaos. It reminded me of The Stand, my favorite King novel.

Then it all went wrong.

In the final chapters, the tone changes and Stephen and Owen King begin a very odd Sunday school lesson, "Now, Children. What lesson can we all learn from this apocalypse?"

I think Stephen King is the best story teller around, but I've found that some of his more recent books fall flat at the end. I wonder if the father and son team thought this one through to the conclusion (the post novel discussion implies that they didn't). Too bad that a great story ended so disappointingly.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

The Hunger Games but with no winners.

Revisado: 08-03-18

Follow young men from around the country on a death march which guarantees that only one will live and the winner will live miserably. There are so many obvious similarities to The Hunger Games that I wonder if Suzanne Collins used this as inspiration. This novel has no winners and no triumphs., but it is amazingly compelling.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Ticktock: Can we stretch this out any longer?

Revisado: 08-03-18

I loved the main character, Tommy Phan. He was wonderfully written. His partner, a hippie airhead blonde, was terrible. She was awkwardly antagonistic and a blatant know-it-all. After a few suspenseful chapters, the story devolved into repetitive silliness and grating interrogations by the blonde. Fun beginning, plodding middle, and anti-climactic climax. It felt as though Mr. Koontz was trying out a new series.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 13 personas

Did I ever finish this one?

Revisado: 05-13-18

I found this book to be very plodding and uneventful. In the first few chapters the story was obvious: the giant mining companies are bad and the little lawyer will bring them to justice. Add a subplot of the little lawyer deciding to stay in the backwoods mining town instead of moving back to corporate law and it was entirely predictable. I think I played the ending twice because I couldn't remember if I had finished it. Not a powerful novel.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Grisham does Snowflakes and it is cringeworthy.

Revisado: 12-31-17

Wow. Grisham once wrote about serious injustices in A Time to Kill and The Street Lawyer. Now his protagonists face a new apocalypse: they will need to work hard to climb the ladder of success. Oh, the humanity!

This pandering novel follows a group of law students who have realized that they are not gong to be immediately wealthy and successful upon graduation. They face the harsh reality that they need to start from the bottom, pay their dues, and work their way up - like every generation before them. Instead of pushing on and living with any integrity, they drop out of school and pretend to be real lawyers (ruining clients' lives with their incompetence). They also hatch a plan to sue their school and default on their loans. Page after page, I despised this dishonest, entitled group of brats more .

I found the ending insulting, not merely because I disliked the protagonists, but because it completely broke with reality and reason.

I have long been a fan of Grisham's novels and realize he pushes a political agenda - often one I oppose. I continue to read his books because he develops compelling story lines and endearing characters. In The Rooster Bar, he sets up unlikeable characters and shoves trendy political topics down our throats. I'll think twice before I buy another.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Tedious story. Overdramatic reading.

Revisado: 12-03-16

I have been trying to listen to this book for months, but I just can't finish it. The scenes are described in excruciating detail and the narrator reads as though every line is a climactic moment. It's painful for a Stephen King fan to say, but this audiobook reeks.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 23 personas

Great story but not so great narrator.

Revisado: 08-19-14

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Very nice story with lots of twists.

What didn’t you like about Suzanne Toren’s performance?

Toren seemed to be way too dramatic for portions of the story that didn't require any. I think she read with a lot of exclamation points added.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

My favorite King in a long, long time.

Revisado: 07-24-14

What made the experience of listening to Mr. Mercedes the most enjoyable?

A great mix of odd but eerily believable characters.

What other book might you compare Mr. Mercedes to and why?

This book reminded me of a James Patterson thriller, but written way better.

Any additional comments?

Obviously, Stephen King knows how to tell a story. Probably as well or better than anyone. However, the endings of most his books don't seem to fit and are, frankly, usually lame. As I listened to this one, I found that I was hesitant to tell anyone if I was enjoying the book because I dreaded the usual last minute supernatural surprise or disjointed ending. Mr. Mercedes was creepy and weird from beginning to end and everything fit together perfectly. I loved this book from start to satisfying finish.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Outstanding! I can't wait for the next book.

Revisado: 07-24-14

Any additional comments?

Brandon Sanderson weaves several interesting stories together into one great epic. I thought the length of these books would necessitate wordiness, but it didn't happen. I didn't want to miss a word because every scene is part of the fabric of the entire piece. I found the length made me even more involved in the story. Very, very well done.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña