Dickensian

For me a slow start; but now am eager for book two

Revisado: 08-11-24

For me story struggled for traction at the start; maybe I should say my mind struggled for traction in the beginning. The narrative needs time to build a very alien world. Having reached the end of Book One I can’t wait for book two! Just when my mind got the gears engaged in that strange world, the book ended, leaving me dangling-darn it.

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Outstanding Story Very Well Written

Revisado: 05-02-23

Lois McMaster Bujold on the top ten list of world building. She builds worlds consistently working in the theosophical and cultural bricks that create a consistent world. It’s not so much fantasy as a historical novel set in a alternate world. The magic she works into this story is subtle and very deep. A deliberately slow start I to a corking good story. However, to “get” this tale in the fullest, “Curse of Chalion” should be read first.

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Much Appreciation for W McGraw Accomplishments AND YET

Revisado: 05-22-22

Championship bull riding takes seconds and the bull rider has a sizable support staff with the clown and pickup men. Ditto the military with its huge support staff and the comradery of others. Granted combat engagements are a longer grind than bull riding; nevertheless, Mr McGraw offers little to those folk in the world who are the one and only care giver for a permanently disabled adult child (or parent or sibling). Caregiving can be a unrelenting daily grind with no pickup men or corps members to provide support. Caregivers don’t deal with dangerous animals except sometimes an inner beast; caregivers don’t engage with enemies of our country but sometimes they have to fight the good fight to stop themselves from becoming an enemy to the folk for whom they care. Great leaders and the movers and shakers come and go. However, my accolades belong to those who pick up the pieces left after the leader passed by

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So Glad to Revisit Again and Agsin

Revisado: 10-23-21

With O’Brian the writing, the story, the characters all outstanding. I read and reread Master and Commander series over and over again. Harry Potter was fun but I will never reread again; quality of the writing doesn’t have a patch on O’Brian.

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Can't Jump on the Band Wagon for This One

Revisado: 03-10-19

This book reverberates with echos of "Research" by Phillip Kerr, and "The Talented Mr. Ripley, by Patricia Highsmith. IMHO the plot is the only thing its got going for it, and I had sniffed it out about half way through the book.. Yes, of course, a mystery requires a good plot, and a good plot twist is icing on the cake. However, a strong plot does not a great book make: it needs engaging characters and excellent writing. In this book I found the characters flat, and the writing mediocre.

The protagonists were needy whiners; in itself that is fine, yet the author failed to give the reader one spark of anything interesting about their winging. In spite of the fact the narrative was in the first person, I always felt that I was looking at the characters through the wrong end of a telescope: they were not only distant, but they were also cardboard cutouts. To give the author credit, this book could be study of what happens to men and women who depend upon others to give their life meaning, but I suspect I am stretchingfor something to praise here. With so many books and so little time; I no longer feel obligated to finish a book that doesn't grab and hold my attention. On the other hand books that I love are read a dozen times over. So here's the final verdict: I did finish this book, but I won't bother to read it again.

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Disappointing effort by an excellent wtiter

Revisado: 09-05-18

George Guidell is a narrator who finds the nuances and brings out the best of books. Craig Johnson is a writer who I really admire so much. And yet -though I am happy to believe in dragons and elves, I found some of the actions and motivations in this story not only logically inconsistent, but unbelievable. Walt Longmire has mutated from a smart down to Earth sheriff to a sheriff crossed with a character from a Marvel comic.

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Uneven writing deftly covered by competent narrator.

Revisado: 02-06-18

Altered Carbon is an interesting premise, well plotted and well enough written for me to listen, with interest, to the end. But this writer was not well served by his editor, who sadly missed inconsistencies in "the world" of the story that were jarring enough to throw me out of the story. Odds are 100 to one that the editor was a man also. In a world with the technology to decant a person from body to another, you can bet your bottom dollar women would no longer be saddled with monthly periods, and yet one of minor characters is dealing with it. Most likely pregnancy would also be technically altered as well.

The protagonist is has been trained as an envoy, an entity supposed feared among planetary cultures for superior skills, superior manipulative skills. Such superiority is supposedly evidenced by a general indifference and minimal feelings, this idea was generated by Spok, the Vulcan and has become a stereotype that needs to by reexamine by the currant crop of writers. But I digress, our protagonist appears surprisingly inept from time to time through the story. Flawed as I find this book, it is still imaginative and I recommend it for other sci fi buffs who prefer future society over sword and dragon fantasyland.

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Kudos From "Reader" who NEVER Reads Thrillers

Revisado: 12-27-17

Would you consider the audio edition of The Midnight Line to be better than the print version?

In this particular audio, the narrator Dick Hill finds and presents all the nuances that make this a compelling story. When a writer is very good, a very good narrator highlights the best qualities of the writing. When I read text, I read fast and often miss the skilled use of language. Therefore, for me, the audio edition gilds the lily.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Reacher is my favorite character in this novel, as it is in all of the books of the series. He is my favorite character because I enjoy seeing the United States through his eyes.

Which character – as performed by Dick Hill – was your favorite?

Reacher is my favorite character because the character is the most developed character in the series. Why not? He is the center of the narrative universe.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Absolutely. Burned the midnight oil for this one

Any additional comments?

As a writer, I am always interested in good writing, and I always study how the writers I enjoy use language, and manage sentences. Lee Child is a million miles from Vladimir Nabakov; however both use minute detail to both create atmosphere and move the action forward. Good models for my beginning writing efforts. As a sideline, either Lee Child, or Jack Reacher, or both find middle American small towns as places filled with darkness and mayhem. Now I am always wary when I drive into a small agricultural town. . .

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Much Better Than Expected

Revisado: 11-27-16

Nice combination of opened, honest scepticism combined with shifts in preconceived ideas. Interesting resolution to conflicts yet entertaining.

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For a Young Adult a restrained coming of age

Revisado: 11-12-16

I bought this book because of the reader' s voice. For a YA book it was a well written coming of age story. Author love unique elements into a believable story. It held my attention, and warrants a second listen. Recommend

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