Gnick

Very cool concept

Revisado: 01-02-20

Everyone knows that the best literary detectives are always damaged in some way or another. In this case, author Drew Hayes just lays it right out there from the get-go in the title. This detective is damaged. And indeed he is. A fascinating twist on the Holmes legacy, a modern-day take-off that openly acknowledges the original fictional character and the bizarre nature of the current Damaged Detective and his Watson.

First and foremost, let me say that I truly enjoyed this book and I look forward to the sequel. The characters were well developed, likeable and you can't help rooting for them as you try to figure out how they'll escape their current jam. But (there's always a "But," isn't there?) it's not easy to create a story that has just the right narration / action mix and Drew almost gets it right. Almost. We spend a lot of time inside the head of Watson, exploring his motivations and his own level of damage. Yes, it's illuminating. To a point. After that it just gets old, bordering on annoying and doesn't contribute to the advancement of the story. But - again with the "But" - the characters are so likeable, it's relatively easy to overlook the narration diarrhea.

The performance of this novel is very well executed and I had no trouble distinguishing between characters as performed primarily by Scott Aiello, so well done there. Carol Monda makes a brief appearance at the end and we will hopefully get a chance to hear her really show us her performance chops in the sequel.

All things considered, this is a very dang good listen and I can't help liking it, despite itself.

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It's good, see? Real good.

Revisado: 06-15-18

I'm tempted to just say that this is simply out-dang-standing and leave it at that. That's pretty minimal though, so I'll also say Christopher Moore created a very unique, engaging story populated by characters you want to meet and with whom you would have lively, hilarious conversations as you share a beer, or perhaps some rot-gut whiskey. And the style? I swear the Noir genre was created for these characters, at this time, in this story. And what-not.

As the narrator, Johnny Heller puts in a performance that brings the characters and story to life. His interpretation captures it all perfectly and I can't imagine anyone else reading this book.

We listened to this story on a long drive and there were times I had difficulty seeing through the tears of laughter. It's that good.

Buy it. Listen to it. Now, see?

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Agatha tried something different here

Revisado: 01-24-18

What did you like best about The Big Four? What did you like least?

I liked the departure from Christie's standard format for this Hercule Poirot adventure. It seems to me I once read that she really detested Poirot as a character and wanted to quit writing his stories, but fans insisted. I think here, she attempted to make him more of a James Bond character, in an attempt to at least shake things up and perhaps focus more on Hastings. The plot twists in this book are of a different, more fantastic variety and more than once I LOL'd at some of the wildly fortunate developments, but that just made it more fun. Since Agatha returns to her previous Poirot style after this one, we can safely assume her experiment was something less than successful and I'll be glad to get back to a more traditional Poirot novel with the next one, but this one is still a hoot.Re: what I liked the least, I can't think of anything that I didn't particularly like. It was different, certainly, but still an enjoyable listen.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

Now who are we to suggest changes to an Agatha Christie story? I ask you. Sheesh. Sorry, but I think that's a silly-ass question.

What about Hugh Fraser’s performance did you like?

Hugh does an outstanding job, once again. His Belgian accent fades at times but still, he puts in an another exceptional performance. I don't know why it's so surprising when English performers capture American accents so well, but Hugh does a great job with all of the various voices of this one, including the Yank.

Was The Big Four worth the listening time?

Certainly it's worth the time investment. Don't pay attention to the reviews telling you to ignore this one. Honestly, it's a hoot, just because it is different, if for no other reason. Give it a listen. It's entertaining. Really. I'm not lying. I wouldn't do that. Not about this at any rate.

Any additional comments?

Nah. Not so much.

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Didn't stink, but...

Revisado: 09-02-16

Would you try another book from J. D. Robb and/or Susan Ericksen?

Most certainly. I've listened to every book in the series and I'm not stopping now. I just didn't like this particular story. As we all know, these books are very formulaic; it's the characters and the ingenious crimes and villains that have us coming back. This go-around just didn't grab me.

What could J. D. Robb have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Perhaps it's just a personal thing, but I truly don't care for some of the more disturbing plot lines and I found this one falling into that category. And while hard-core fans may find it blasphemous, I'm getting a little tired of the repetitive nature of Eve's childhood nightmares. I was relieved when those scenes faded into the background. Not because they weren't well-written, but because we've been there. A lot. (Yeah, yeah, yeah. Flashing red light. Snapping bone. Cheese knife. We got it.) True, this book did reveal a long-standing mystery but for me, the reward of that knowledge wasn't worth trudging through the nightmare scenes and the less-than-great villain's escapades. For the first time ever, I actually hit the FF button.

Which character – as performed by Susan Ericksen – was your favorite?

Why does there have to be a favorite? Choosing just one character as performed by Susan Ericksen is like trying to pick your favorite chocolate or ice cream. I won't do it. You can't make me. That being said, I absolutely love the nerd-ness of Peabody. Her comic relief and sappy nature are perfect counterpoints to Eve and the way Susan characterizes her is priceless. I also have to say that I think Dr. Mira's voice is exceptionally sexy. There. I said it. I meant it and I'd say it again. She rocks.

Do you think New York to Dallas needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

Okay, now this question shouldn't even be applied to a long-standing series. Of course it needs a follow-up. Isn't that the whole idea here? We can't wait to find out what crazy, mad-cap adventures those wacky folks at the NYPSD will have next. Bring it on! Hopefully the next one will be more fun.

Any additional comments?

Not so much.

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Dang - something else ruined by politics

Revisado: 07-31-16

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Not particularly. It started out well, but quickly went downhill when Mr. Correia's political views got in the way of the story. The humor is generally very good, the concept is outstanding but for me it falls flat when he steps over the lines in pushing his own views of politics. Of course, we've known all along how Mr. Correia feels about gun control, and that's understandable considering his story lines and his own personal background as a competitive shooter. However he generally stopped short of insulting, sophomoric jokes at the expense of current political figures. Here, he not only stepped over that line, he vaulted over it and ruined what could have been a great story - and now I'm that much less inclined to read his future work. He departed from entertaining fiction, into political editorial and for me, regardless of his views, it ruined the escapist aspects of the story.

Would you recommend The Adventures of Tom Stranger, Interdimensional Insurance Agent to your friends? Why or why not?

I would recommend this to my friends who watch a lot of Fox News. Anyone else? Not so much.

Have you listened to any of Adam Baldwin’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Mr. Baldwin does an excellent job.

Did The Adventures of Tom Stranger, Interdimensional Insurance Agent inspire you to do anything?

Yes - to listen to a different book.

Any additional comments?

Nah.

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Another home run in the Eve Dallas series

Revisado: 04-30-16

If you could sum up Strangers in Death in three words, what would they be?

No I won't

What did you like best about this story?

I thoroughly enjoyed the story arc, the villain and of course the consistently excellent elements of the series: the witty banter and relationship development of our Merry Cast of Regulars. And of course there's the steam. Not that I noticed. I've also mentioned before that I'm thinking we are beginning to get more peeks into Rourke's thoughts and those of the other characters. Either I just didn't notice it before (entirely possible) or it's a minor tweak in the usual narrative. I choose to think I've noticed a subtle nuance in the evolution of the series. So there.

What about Susan Ericksen’s performance did you like?

Everything. The characters are clearly defined, we always know who is speaking. I cannot imagine anyone else being able to capture Dallas, Rourke, Peabody, McNab, Feeney, Dr. Mira and the rest of the Wacky Gang in the simply outstanding way Susan Ericksen gives them voice. She rocks.

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

It's almost that good, but no. Frankly, there have only been one or two books I've ever encountered that fall in that category and this is not one of them. But that doesn't mean this isn't one of my favorite series of all time. It's still outstanding. Just not bleary-eyed, marathon, binge-listen worthy.

Any additional comments?

I'm a Libra. I like mystery and procedural cop novels - and anything else that makes me chuckle. In the literary sense. Get your mind out of the gutter. Sheesh.

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Dancing on the wrong side of the edge

Revisado: 04-18-16

Is there anything you would change about this book?

Only the premise. Well, okay, maybe not that drastic, but that's my shoot-from-the-hip response. Generally, it's easy to accept a certain amount of graphic violence in a procedural cop story. It goes with the territory and when done properly is also an indicator of an authors ability to present that material in an exciting, logical and artfully descriptive way without being gratuitous. It's a thin line and generally Robb / Roberts dances skillfully down that line - the graphic material is so organic you don't really notice. Unfortunately, for me at least, this one strays on the wrong side of that razor edge - razor being the operative word, along with blow torch, hole punch and other assorted toys. It was just too much.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

As always, the relationships, the witty banter, the arguments / resolutions and of course the pure unadulterated steam were the best parts of this one. In this case though, the bad guy, his methods and madness were not as entertaining or dynamic as the usual villain. He was simply, disgustingly twisted. Worse than being a disturbing character, he was boring.

Which scene was your favorite?

The Thrilling Conclusion of course but any time Eve has to touch the baby is a hoot and this obligatory Mavis / baby scene is no exception.

Did Creation in Death inspire you to do anything?

It almost inspired me to move on to the next one without finishing it, but I stuck it out and I'm mostly glad I did. While I personally feel this one could be skipped, if you don't mind the unsettling graphic parts, this is another fun-filled romp through the life of Eve, Rourke and the Whole Wacky Crew at the NYPSD.

Any additional comments?

One thing I noticed in this one was what seemed to be a new depth to some of the subordinate characters. We get a new glimpse into the thoughts of Rourke and Feeney especially and to a lesser extent, Peabody. Subtle, but still noticeable.

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Good, but...

Revisado: 09-26-15

Would you consider the audio edition of Secondhand Souls to be better than the print version?

Having not read the print version, I can't say and quite frankly, I think that's a silly question. We're here at this site because we like audio versions, no? Audible.Com? Hello? That being snarkily said, the print version may very well be better, because the performer here was most definitely sub-par.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Secondhand Souls?

There wasn't a moment that made me want to rewind and listen to it again, or that really jumped out at me. I'd have to say that whenever Mr. Moore refers to other characters, or events in other books, I get a charge out of it.

How could the performance have been better?

The performance was the most disappointing part of this book. While Mr. Stevens shines at doing the really bizarre voices, his interpretation of the general narrative and of the non-monster characters is lacking. His words often don't match the text. It's as though he's reading it himself for the first time, the operative word being "reading." He's not performing, he's simply reciting the text, and not very well, at that.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I certainly wouldn't say I had any extreme reactions. There was no rending of garments, or conversion to a new religion. Neither did I laugh or weep uncontrollably. There were definite LOL moments, though not as many as previous books.

Any additional comments?

A good (not great) book, that would have been better served by a different performer.

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A little disappointing but still good

Revisado: 07-03-15

Where does Bite Me rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This one falls near the upper-middle of the pack. Christopher Moore is outstanding, even on a bad day, though I would by no means calls this bad - still, it's not as good, not as satisfying as some of his other novels.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

The ending was particularly disappointing. Though he tied up the loose ends, I just didn't find it gratifying, or in some cases, even that believable. (After all, these are real people, right?)

What about Susan Bennett’s performance did you like?

She is simply outstanding. She captures the quirky humor of Moore's style and characters perfectly. In a word, she rocks. Okay. That's two words, but she deserves it. There. I said it. I mean it. I'll say it again. She rocks.

If you could rename Bite Me, what would you call it?

Now that's a Silly Ass question and I refuse to answer it. So there.

Any additional comments?

It's worth the price of admission. If you've listened to the other two books in this series, you really have no choice but to see it through to the bloody end. Really. No choice at all, so you might as well just buy it and listen to it. You'll still laugh out loud, people on the road will still wonder what in the world you're laughing about, you just won't laugh quite as much as you might have at the first two. Oh, for Pete's sake, just buy it.

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Another good book ruined by the narrator

Revisado: 05-13-15

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Yes, I would recommend the book, but not the audiobook. The premise is outstanding, the characters are relate-able, the plot is interesting, but the narration is, (I hate to say) awful. I accidentally bought the second book in the series when it popped up in one of Audible's surprise sales. Once I realized I'd bought the second book, without listening to it, I threw caution to the wind and bought this, the first one. If I'd known how awful the narration was, I would have returned the second one and bought the Kindle version of both. When will I learn? Always, always listen to the free sample!

What did you like best about this story?

The idea behind this book is outstanding and while it's certainly not Life Changing Literature, it's an interesting way to pass the time on the road between Orlando and Miami. The humor is well done and would more than likely actually make me smile, if it wasn't delivered in such a drab way.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

For those of us who are children of 60's, I can best compare the narrator to Jack Webb of Dragnet fame. His delivery is flat, his character development is non-existent, his pronunciation is off and I can't help re-narrating the text to myself while listening to him. (For once, the voices in my head come in handy.)

Could you see Dead Eye: Pennies for the Ferryman being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

Oh puh-leeze. This is a lame question and I refuse to answer it. I won't do it. You can't make me. So there.

Any additional comments?

By all means, buy this book, take a pass on the audiobook. Sorry, Mr. Kafer, but you need to keep your day job.

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