Jean Martel

Great story, compelling characters

Revisado: 08-24-24

This is a great mystery with a touch of horror, well-written, with interesting settings and characters. Lots of suspense, will keep you listening.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Misleading title, mostly a rant

Revisado: 08-24-24

The whole book is a rant about Save the cat and screenwriting self-proclaimed experts who are not successful screenwriters themselves. It can be summarized by "ignore the so-called rules and beats, just write a compelling screenplay". Those are legitimate complaints (watch Blank Check or Stop Or My Mom Will Shoot and ask yourself if those are screenwriting gems worthy of being studied) but that's not what I was expecting.

There's nothing wrong about that type of book but presenting it as a practical guide is misleading. The title itself is a gimmick, barely discussed, and refers to the dog being killed in John Wick which the author seems to interpret as the opposite of "Save the cat", which it really isn't. When you think of it, avenging a dead dog is pretty much a Save the cat moment, it makes the character relatable in the same way as if he had saved it.

So if you're looking for industry anecdotes peppered with name-drops, or even just initials when the full name is no longer needed (like QT), if you want to hear about petty office politics and minor details about well-known TV shows or movies, that's what you'll get with this book.

But if you're looking for practical advice beyond how many drafts you should write or whether you should have interiority in your script, look elsewhere. In this one you'll learn about making playlists to get in the writing mood, listening to advice from beta readers, and not worrying about the font size. I probably would have enjoyed the book a lot more of it had been presented as a memoir or a rant rather than a guide, I got increasingly annoyed as I realized that what I assumed was a bit of a venting introduction was in fact the essence of the whole book.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 2 personas

True leadership

Revisado: 09-06-21

I was skeptical at first because it starts slow, but the book is filled with immensely valuable advice from a type of leader we don't hear about very often, one that tries to build on the work of his predecessors rather than start over.

This book works equally well as a business textbook and a memoir, and the New Hampshire accent of the author/narrator gives a genuine tone to the story. There is a peculiar change of "room sound" in the last third of the book but it's not a big deal.

Also this is the first time I hear an author openly giving credit to his ghostwriter. Real class act.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 4 personas

Why mention Trump?

Revisado: 11-24-20

I pre-ordered this book, as I have all the others in the series. This is an okay courtroom drama, but it would have been better without the Trump and Fox News bashing which added nothing to the story. At least they didn't need to be named explicitly. Politics are a drag, and adding real life elements in the story makes the suspension of disbelief more difficult.

Unusual for a Michael Connelly book, the plot is not completely resolved, and there are two love stories with an abrupt transition in between. Cameo characters like Bosch mostly phone it in.

Although thin, the plot is engaging enough to keep listening, always the sign of a great writer. I will probably keep buying these books but from now on, I will wait for reviews and won't pre-order. Maybe I've been spoiled by all the amazing books be wrote!

Great narration.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 2 personas

Fun story

Revisado: 10-12-20

This is a great comedy. The podcast format doesn't always work for these types of story but in this case it's a perfect fit. The plot is interesting but it's mostly the interactions and the peculiarities of the characters that make it a great listen.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

Needs editing

Revisado: 10-02-20

This is a book about a violent incident that made the headlines a few years ago, and I was amazed by the complexity of the real story.

However, getting through the book was a grueling experience. There is no clear structure; it feels like the journalist just read the notes she took during her investigation. And there's a tsunami of tedious details, like police report numbers, surveillance camera serial numbers, endless list of names, etc. There are many dead ends that are needlessly explored in details, and way too many protagonists to keep track of.

The journalist also lets her political views influence her reporting, and this is unfortunate because it minimizes the role played by the victims in their own tragic end, which strips the story of its nuances and leaves us with a black and white version of a really complex chain of events that can shed light on many aspects of life in Mexico.

This is the kind of story that would make a terrific documentary series on Netflix, but in its current form it's really challenging to get through.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 2 personas

the gold standard

Revisado: 10-02-20

This is book 1 of 24 in the Parker series. When it comes to noir fiction and extreme alpha male protagonists, this is as good as it gets.

The writing is clever and understated, the plot is simple and yet filled with surprises along the way. There is not one dull moment, not one dull character. Dialogues are terrific and the overall ambiance is addictive.

Great narration, although in my opinion the voices of the syndicate leaders don't reflect their sophistication and standing.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

For ASMR aficionados

Revisado: 09-25-20

The story is interesting and the tech topics are well researched, but the main character keeps eating and drinking, there's recurring sounds of unwrapping, chewing and swallowing. Worse, she often talks while there's food in her mouth. If you're into ASMR and mukbang that's fine, otherwise it's gross at times and distracts from the story.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

A wild ride

Revisado: 01-05-20

If you like the comedy style of Doug Stanhope you will love this book. It's crude, uncompromising and hilarious. There's the celebration of booze and drug use; graphic sex scenes; politically incorrect comments. No pretenses, no lies, no justifications.

The book is a biography of sorts, full of great stories told in a hilarious manner, with the protagonists chiming in at the end of every chapter to support or question some of the statements made by Mr Stanhope. Endless laughter.

This is the second book he releases, and I hope there's more coming.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

The best of Grant Cardone

Revisado: 01-05-20

Like any Grant Cardone books, this one is better in audio version because he frequently goes off-script and the way he talks amplifies his message.

This is not a cerebral book about management frameworks or marketing strategies. This is motivation, pure and unadulterated; an eye-opening message about personal commitment and the pursuit of success.

Since I started to listen to Grant Cardone books, I have noticed improvements in all areas of my life. I often listen in my car on the way to work and it gets me in the right mindset for the day. I'll probably listen to the entire book three or four times a year for the foreseeable future.

If you have to pick one of his books, this is the one.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña