Nonnie Mar

Glad to see Department Q is still in business.

Revisado: 10-19-15

The central story was the usual complex mix. The back stories for all of the characters are intriguingly advanced, but none resolved. None of the back stories appear to be near resolution, which is a good thing promising more than one more story in the series.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Over the top, but in the right way.

Revisado: 04-19-08

The first book in the trilogy, The Eye in the Pyramid (I reviewed it favorably too), was performed by two actors (with some "walk ons," if I recall). In this second book, the gruff-voiced narrator has been replaced by a broader cast of performers. The multiple voices help to keep track of the many characters, which, with the sudden segues, can be a challenge.

The content of the book remains as over the top as ever. The conspiracies reach back thousand of years, but are only "reported" through the 1970's, considering the books were written then. Can't really fault the authors for a lack of omniscience. Regardless, it is only when plot elements of that time, J. Edgar Hoover, Nixon, the JFK assassination, are utilized that the books remind us when they were written. The fact that one wishes the authors had been able to see the future, or had written the books last year, confirms how well they played with history and conspiracy.

I don't want to discourage a potential listener. This isn't like reading outdated speculative literature where we have moved past anything the writers imagined and nothing of value remains. Wilson and Shea were true to their story, weaving a conspiracy myth that is only strengthened by the events since they published.

Google the trilogy and you will find that the K.L.F. (1980's "acid house band," per Google, but read about their own over the top history) and the Church of the Subgenius (still in business) grew from or were fundamentally influenced by the trilogy. The authors played with history and played it well. The story has legs.

This performance of Part 2 is great. Part 3 is due to be released this winter, a present for fans.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 5 personas

Over the Top and Proud of It

Revisado: 02-14-08

I read the trilogy in the 1970's when it first came out. There appears to be a limited audience for the book, as it is disjointed, difficult to follow, and all around over the top. But that is clearly the intent of the authors. This is not intended to be an intellectual discourse on conspiracies, religion, or whatever. But at another level, it succeeds at playing with conspiracies and religion and all in a way that, dare I say, enlightens the reader/listener.

Reading the book was difficult, and I did not have a linear recollection or understanding of the book when reading it or after it was finished. But it also stuck in my mind as one of the more original and intense books I have experienced (not read, experienced).

I just finished listening to this first book of the trilogy, and while I found the narrator's piratical, gruff and mumbling style at first off-putting, I quickly became convinced it perfectly matched the book -- the narrator's out-of-control stagger through a staggeringly out- of-control story has contributed to an understanding of the book which I did not get from wading through the written word 35 years ago. The other performer who does the voices equally contributes to a knowing experience of the book. For instance, one of the characters, a 23 year old hippie, is played as a naive juvenile. At first off-putting, it soon becomes a meta-comment on the character -- he is chosen for enlightenment because he is gullible, "but in the right way."

These books were never intended to be comprehended in a linear fashion, or in detail. More of an understanding of the whole. I plan to obtain the second book and listen after I decompress a bit, and hope the third one is also produced. Some of the messages echo strongly today -- the bad guys planned assassinations and terrorist acts which would leave Americans begging to surrender their freedom for security.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 35 personas