I got this book based on several 4 and 5 star ratings here and on Audible. Frankly I don't see why it got those and I'm sorry to say so.
Look, this couI got this book based on several 4 and 5 star ratings here and on Audible. Frankly I don't see why it got those and I'm sorry to say so.
Look, this could have been a much better book. It lacks both character and plot development. It's a YA but has a very young feel to the story telling.
I have written and have never been satisfied with most of my writing. Something I've said about some of my own efforts is true here. This reads more like an extended outline than a finished novel. While it tries to deal with somewhat older themes (sex among the characters for example) it comes across very young and underdeveloped.
For example, It was the main character's 18th birthday and his girlfriend meets him in his room. "I want to give you a special birthday present." So they go to bed. He observes, "it was a great birthday." There's no development of the scene it's just the idea stated.
Another thing is that our main character (Colin) might really have been named "Kal-El". When he starts training everything he does is the greatest, biggest, mostest ever seen...or at least for 800 years. Every time he does something it inspires gasps of astonishment, amazement and of course fear. There is also (of course) hate from those who were "the class top".
Another thing this may bring to mind is a school kid's daydream. "If I rescued the prettiest girl in class then she'd love me. Or if I rescue the teacher she'll give me a good grade."
Now that's not necessarily a bad place to start. Childhood fantasies can lead to good novels if done right. Here it's just a sort of young barebones (as I said) outline. Colin can sense evil miles away, destroy evil with almost a thought, he can see your soul, read your memories and spot your evil.
To top all this off I got the Audible version and it's burdened with an awful narrator. No, this could have been a really good story. There were times I thought it was going to surface (so to speak) and tell that good story, but it never managed to do it. I plan to return this to Audible and not follow the series. Maybe see for yourself what you think, but I can't recommend it.
This one dragged a little bit in a few places but not badly. I like it also and stayed with a 4 star rating. As noted, good brain candy. There is stilThis one dragged a little bit in a few places but not badly. I like it also and stayed with a 4 star rating. As noted, good brain candy. There is still a lot of action and gallons of blood with huge explosions and lots of carnage.
So now we get to debate the meaning of, "innocence" and what it means to be innocent. We also get the biggest single "battle" yet.
Yep, get ready for your your room to smell of gunpowder and blood...and enjoy, if that's the word for all this violence????...more
I know, brain candy and a new version of let's do a version of folklore creatures. However this one is still a good read and I really enjoyed it. Our I know, brain candy and a new version of let's do a version of folklore creatures. However this one is still a good read and I really enjoyed it. Our hero has been a police officer (cop, yes he uses the word, no disrespect here) who finds himself...well drawn into a world where everything from vampires to dragons are real.
No long review. Good, enjoyable, sometimes corny and I can recommend it. Enjoy. ...more
Well...sigh. I've read 1 other book by Jennifer Roberson (one of the Tiger and Del books). It is totally different from this one, but I can see the stWell...sigh. I've read 1 other book by Jennifer Roberson (one of the Tiger and Del books). It is totally different from this one, but I can see the style I think...maybe.
Anyway, the sulfur and the molasses...well for me there's only a little bit of molasses, just enough to give it a 3 rather than a 2. So, if you are non-religious, irreligious, an atheist, and/or possibly an agnostic what bothers me will probably not bother you. If however you hold any actual belief...well, we'll talk about it.
If you can read this as just a story (as I try to) you'll find an okay tale. This is however one of those novels where all belief systems are more of less dumped together. If you're a Buddhist, a Hindu, a Christian, a worshipper of the Gods of ancient Egypt, or Rome, or Greece or Scandinavia...or what or where ever then you're on the side of the good angles (and we do see angels, of both camps). Now I've read books like this before and I (as I said going in)sigh and just read it as a fantasy. But here it gets a little...well, blasphemous. Our holy warriors cheerfully use God's and Jesus' name in oaths along with His title (Christ).
So anyway if this doesn't bother you, cool. I give the story 3 but don't know if I'll follow it up. This is for me of course. As I said if it doesn't bother you cool....more
How many times have I expressed my displeasure with cliffhangers????? How many times!?
Yep we end sort of right in the middle of "stuff" and Well crap.
How many times have I expressed my displeasure with cliffhangers????? How many times!?
Yep we end sort of right in the middle of "stuff" and while I realize the next book is scheduled for release next month...it's still...troubling.
Other than that however (and of course I must mention after such a long wait [it's like Jim Butcher thinks he deserves a life or something]) this is still Harry. I must admit that it took just a little longer for me to "fall in with" the rhythm of this volume but once I did we still get Harry's trade make ability to say just the wrong thing at just the wrong time to turn what may have been a problem into a catastrophe. Things haven't really quieted down much in harry's world and Chicago again seems to (somehow) have become the center of world shaking events.
NOW, I'm going to say a couple of things under a "spoiler warning". If you don't want to read a spoiler then please don't click the spoiler warning...okay?
(view spoiler)[ There is one thing Harry does, continually that drives me up the wall. He's done it from the beginning of the series and though I know it's a character trait there are times you'd think that JUST ONCE Harry would get a clue...maybe character growth???
Thomas gets (again) into deathly trouble...this time bigger than ever. So (again) harry goes into "gotta' save my brother" mode. It's family so come hell, high water or worldwide destruction Harry is going to "save family"! However Thomas is a vampire (white court [I assume everyone reading this knows what all that means as this is volume 16 and if you've just started here without reading the other volumes...wow are you lost and missing out on some good reading]) and Harry has never told his grandfather of his (his here being both Harry and Ebeneezer) relationship to Him (him being Thomas). Sooo when Harry gets into the...well big stew over rescuing Thomas Ebeneezer sets out to rescue Harry from the clutches of the evil white court vampires. See Ebeneezer has a BIG hate for the white court, thus Harry never told him Thomas was his grandson.
Now the solid waste is about to hit the rotary impeller and push has come to the proverbial shove. Harry has to do something as he's about to come to magical blows with his grabdfather, the Black Staff, the White Council's hit-man.
So what does Harry do??? Why he waits until the confrontation has begun to spring this wonderful news on to the old man..you have a vampire grandson.
Stupid.
I reveal the outcome of this I'll only mention that Harry does the same thing with Laura Wraith only minutes later...that is spring an iffy plan that he didn't let anyone else in on.
Yep.
It's getting to the point (Mr. Butcher) that it's straining credulity...just a little.
Now all that said, yeah I still love the books so, you know just griping about the bruises on my forehead from banging it down on the table as I tried to tell Harry to just clue the old man in while things weren't so explosive, yet. (hide spoiler)]
Okay long story short (and I know it's too late for that if you read the spoiler) still 5 stars still a great read and still highly recommended.
Oh and if like me you've been getting the audio versions of the books James Marsters does another superb job. To me his voice is now Harry's voice even when I read the print versions Harry sounds the same. Mr. Marsters has him to a "T". ...more
Look, I'm not a TV fan...at all. However if I ever loved a TV show it would (probably) have been Grimm. Grimm was on for 6 (really 5.5) seasons when NLook, I'm not a TV fan...at all. However if I ever loved a TV show it would (probably) have been Grimm. Grimm was on for 6 (really 5.5) seasons when NBC showed the same wisdom the allowed them to cancel Star Trek (possibly the biggest money spinner in 2 centuries [so far]) after 3 seasons.
If you watched Grimm you know that Aunt Marie shows up in episode 1 towing a camper-trailer which becomes almost a character in it's own right. The trailer contained weapons, relics, maps, documents, needed poisons, herbs etc.,etc.,etc. Among all these amazing artifacts were SOME OF the Grimm Books. This book (while not actually a novel) goes into that part of Grimm. It's sort of a walk through one of the books (or possibly a sampling of the books) in said trailer. For "Grimm-o-files" this is a way to wander back into that world (you know between re-re-re-rewatching the DVD or digital recordings of the programs.)
If on the other hand you did not/have not watched the series Grimm, stop whatever you are doing and go...no go right now...and buy, download or watch (on Prime or where ever you can find it) the series. ...more
So, John Smith is now looking as if he's an obsolete asset... Has technology made even John Smith with his ability to read minds a thing of yesteryearSo, John Smith is now looking as if he's an obsolete asset... Has technology made even John Smith with his ability to read minds a thing of yesteryear? Will he join the ranks of the paper phone-book, the print newspaper, the VCR????
Another good read. I'll say that I did enjoy the first book in the series a bit more, but that is a personal decision, a matter of taste and both are excellent reads. With a crazed, mad techie using the zombies of the internet (you know, you and me) to wreak havoc and kill...can John triumph?
You know, I'd read the synopsis of this book and thought, "a book about a guy who reads minds. So he'll know what the antagonists are thinking before You know, I'd read the synopsis of this book and thought, "a book about a guy who reads minds. So he'll know what the antagonists are thinking before they act??? Yeah, sounds boring."
I'd decided against it. Then a friend recommended it (thanks Soo) and you know what??? This is a great read.
Yep the author manages to take what sounds like a predictable story and draws the reader into a fast, action packed story that holds you on the proverbial edge of your proverbial seat.
Like some other heroes our protagonist (creatively named John Smith) was discovered by the government to have certain abilities which the CIA trained him to use and made use of. Now however John is freelancing and making money with his gift...
Of course things do not run smoothly for our hero, if they did we wouldn't have a book.
As to the shelves...we would have to call this, "mild horror" but as it's largely based on the work of H.P. Lovecraft lets put it on the horror shelf As to the shelves...we would have to call this, "mild horror" but as it's largely based on the work of H.P. Lovecraft lets put it on the horror shelf also.
Okay...I'M GOING TO ASSUME YOU HAVE READ BOOK 1 SO THERE WILL BE SPOILERS FOR BOOK 1 IN THIS REVIEW OF BOOKS 2. IF YOU DOUN'T WANT TO READ SPOILERS FOR BOOK 1 DON'T READ FURTHER! REPEAT DON'T READ FURTHER!
To be safe: (view spoiler)[ the first book ended with the world as they (and we) knew it ending. Now our heroes (Lovecraft and Carter) face a world where the Nazis won WW2, the "N" word that no one uses is Nazi as it might offend the Party. America is the only power that could possibly challenge the modern Reich as the Germans defeated the Russians before the U.S. ever entered the war, the Germans convinced the Japanese not to attack the U.S. The Germans sued for peace and since England was now alone peace was made...and Nazi Germany is the world power.
Except there are things that don't seem right about the world. The Waites are gone, the spit of land where they lived is gone and Providence is gone replaced by Arkham where Miskatonic University is "just up and around the corner from the Carter and Lovecraft book shop.
Okay so it's still a pretty good and at times fun read. I am enjoying the series (though I have no idea when the next will be out). I will say be ready for some mild lectures on political correctness. The point is often made that racism under the Nazis is even worse than before and as the U.S. is on or having good diplomatic relations with the Reich...well. The other "N" word is used and no one seems to find it offensive. (that word is not used in the book only referred to). It doesn't detract from the story just thought I'd mention that the book does seem to be striving for some redeeming or relevant content.. (hide spoiler)]
Well...the adventure goes on. Dave is still a jerk, I know he can't help it but there you are. He's a jerk and we might as well say so.
After becoming Well...the adventure goes on. Dave is still a jerk, I know he can't help it but there you are. He's a jerk and we might as well say so.
After becoming a hero (super-hero?) and a TV darling Dave really hates that he has to stop his partying and go back to fighting monsters.
Inconsiderate monsters.
But things are still changing and the monsters have their own agenda...I mean just because they're monsters doesn't mean they can't think, plan, have feelings...enjoy really disgusting foodstuffs. Let us not be monsterphobes...do they not have feelings...do they not bleed as we do...oh well no their blood is a bit different. But come to think of it they will eat each other as well as us.
Anyway the story is progressing, sort of. This might be called "Horor-Humor".
Well....humm. I've seen this compared to Harry Dresden. I can see that, however Dave is nothing like Harry. But then I suppose that's not what the "coWell....humm. I've seen this compared to Harry Dresden. I can see that, however Dave is nothing like Harry. But then I suppose that's not what the "comparers" meant. I'd say the book may be a little like Harry Dresden meets Monster Hunter International...sort of.
Dave is a Jerk, he's also an idiot and worse he is often the kind of idiot who doesn't realize he's an idiot until he's already done or said too much. Maybe the first quarter to half of the book Dave is a whiny ne'er-do-well who's screwed up being a husband, a father and pretty much everything else. However he is good at his job. We meet Dave headed out to the deep sea drilling platform where he works. He's on a chopper, hungover and sick. He's also realizing that he posted pictures of himself with two imported hookers on Facebook where his soon to be ex-wife AND his kids can see them.
Also lets not forget that he spent most of what he'd made while the IRS is hunting him down over back taxes and unfiled tax returns.
Get the picture?
Then the chopper gets the call that there's a fire on the oil rig...then word of what seems to be a terrorist attack.
It's not.
From there the book takes an upturn into it's true genre as an action urban fantasy. The book is not funny in the vein of Harry Dresden Dave is simply too big a jerk.. But it's a good read. I can recommend it. ...more
And the 3rd in the Repairman Jack prequels. We find out how he became a "Repairman" and also how he became a..."Jack".
Having met our basic characters And the 3rd in the Repairman Jack prequels. We find out how he became a "Repairman" and also how he became a..."Jack".
Having met our basic characters and set up the way Jack will operate we now slide back into the original series. these work well filling in some details and fitting with the things we already know about jack. These would work fine as a place to start the Repairman Jack books (though you will not have the Urban Fantasy flavor that is mostly the genre the rest of the series fits comfortably into. Finishing with "some tied up" points and still leaving that flavor of something more going on just out of sight these are good readable books.
I put this on my Urban Fantasy shelf mostly as a nod to "what's to come" in the series. Here we are just establishing the character and filling in groI put this on my Urban Fantasy shelf mostly as a nod to "what's to come" in the series. Here we are just establishing the character and filling in ground work and answering a few questions that may have been in the minds of some readers who have read through the series (these are prequels written after the series). There is even the answer to one of the inside jokes for those who hadn't read vintage or classic science fiction. The name Isher Sporting Goods get explained.
"Jack" (he comes away from "these books" with the name) is involved (mostly) with mundane criminals and terrorists (though a certain group rears its head for the first time)...
As always when it comes to a Repairman Jack book a good read. Enjoy. ...more
Had looked at this before and sort of "intended to get to it" but hadn't hurried. It sounded like another Urban Fantasy somewhat like others I'd read.Had looked at this before and sort of "intended to get to it" but hadn't hurried. It sounded like another Urban Fantasy somewhat like others I'd read. Actually, that's not a bad description as far as it goes.
I've read a lot of books of late (not unusual) but some of you who've "been there and done that" know that sometimes you hit a stretch when nothing appeals. Nothing looks that good, everything you start sort of pales and you can't get interested in it. That's where I've been for a while.
So, why not pick up a book I'd been meaning to get to?
Here we have a government agency that deals with "supernatural occurrences". It was founded by George Washington and so far has done a pretty good job of keeping most people in ignorance of the "World Under"...people who haven't had a run in with it.
Here are story is told by Super Agent Kal Hakala (he's of Finnish descent) who's living out a sort of vendetta against a "super supernatural"...saying more is a spoiler:
(view spoiler)[ The thing is a creature from Finnish folklore but the description sound a lot like Cthulhu. (hide spoiler)]
Anyway the story is a pretty good one. Considering that since I ran on Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden some years ago I've tried several urban fantasies and urban fantasy series. This one has a bit of humor along with the action and not a bad plot. The bureaucracy of the Government Agency is painted fairly well also. The story doesn't fall into some of the cliche traps that are out there and when it winds up it does a good job of setting up the books to come without being too hokey.
I'll give this one a high pretty good and say I can definitely recommend it as enjoyable brain candy.
I'm sorry here. I really wanted to like this book. In fact I wanted to like it so much I may...later....try it again, but I doubt it.
I am (as I've notI'm sorry here. I really wanted to like this book. In fact I wanted to like it so much I may...later....try it again, but I doubt it.
I am (as I've noted elsewhere) a Christian and I'm always looking for GOOD Christian fiction. Sadly quite often books that are overtly Christian seem not to be quite as good as their secular brethren. The idea here is an excellent one. A brotherhood of Goodguys of the road, truckers, motorcyclists, and others who live and work on the highways in service to goodness and facing evils both secular and supernatural.
Again (and I've seem this very often before) this is a case of a good idea with less than great execution. Maybe you should try this one yourself as other do like it more than I and I really wanted to like it.
Okay, you'll note I put this on several shelves. We have here a time travel/alternate universe story that at least attempts to look at some of the thiOkay, you'll note I put this on several shelves. We have here a time travel/alternate universe story that at least attempts to look at some of the things that most stories that delve into this area sort of gloss over.
So what do I tell you without giving a spoiler???? Not much really. Anything I give you is sort of a spoiler so...here's what I'll do. I'll give some info under a spoiler tag and if you want to look it's on your own head.
(view spoiler)[ So our protagonist gets snatched out of the life he actually loves. He's not made any huge splash in his life so far as a career is concerned but he has a wife he's still head over heels in love with even after years of marriage. he has a son he loves and a job he enjoys, teaching.
It turns out he was snatched by a version of himself from an alternate universe where he had used his genius to make huge discoveries and become a premier scientist...but was lonely and unhappy. so "he" decides to replace "himself" in a universe where "he" was happy.
Now the "he" we're concerned with and the point of view we share is of the "he" who had the wife and was happy though not materially so successful. (hide spoiler)]
Okay that's enough to "be going on with" as our cousins across the pond might say. This book/story is really a good one and it tries (it seems to me) to try and split the difference between deeply serious and humorous...and it works. I mean if every time "we all" make a decision there's another universe where "we" went the other way...what does that really mean?
This looked like a good book. The idea was/is good, the synopsis looked great...sadly the execution was less than wonderful.
Let me first sayWell crap.
This looked like a good book. The idea was/is good, the synopsis looked great...sadly the execution was less than wonderful.
Let me first say that I bought the Audible edition. One problem here was the reader/narrator. He just didn't do a good job. I'm sorry Mr. May, maybe you've done better work, I don't know. This however was not a great job of reading. It came across as stiff at places with the emotions coming across (when it did come across) sounded forced. Had the narration been better I might have finished the book... But it wasn't and combined with the other...problems...I laid the book aside after reading half or so.
So, on to the problems with the book itself. I do leather work. Wallets, knife sheaths, belts, holsters I enjoy the work. Sometimes I'll get an idea and my brain will run with it. The idea may grow and I begin cutting and tooling the leather. BUT sometimes the idea has become "ideas" and when I finish I find that the project has become what might generally be called "busy", or just overdone.
This book is like that. There are so many ideas here that range from science fiction to fantasy to comic book characters to mythology. There is one point where we had a fight that seemed more like a fight between Superman and the Hulk. Our hero smashes into the street and leaves a crater (taking no damage of course) and then shatters bricks in the nearby building's wall...
Without spoilers our "hero Victor" woke up 10 years or so ago with no memory of his past. He's apparently immortal, knows about magic (but doesn't seem yo posses any) is filled with biological nanites (which seem to me to bear a remarkable resemblance to "midichlorians" [one of the worst ideas ever to come out of science fantasy]), he can generate a transparent protective shield which protects him but can be extended to do other"stuff". The world has all kinds of "evil" from undead to shape-changers and mythological beings.
Oh yeah and Victor isn't human but he doesn't know what he is.
Anyway I saw echoes of dozens of novels, comic books and movies I'm familiar with...that along with the poof reading was just several bridges too far. I plan to return it to Audible....more
I finished this some time ago but...well...frankly I haven't felt like reviewing for some time. Thus my poor completed books just set there, pining foI finished this some time ago but...well...frankly I haven't felt like reviewing for some time. Thus my poor completed books just set there, pining for a review.
Sad huh?
Any way (anyway?) this/these books are surprisingly good. I mean I did go 5 stars. (By the way, please forgive any typos. I need to get a new key board, the letters are worn off the keys on this one and I'm a self taught typist so you know...)
So we are now up to book 3 and things are getting stickier, more dangerous and possibly more convoluted. We lost one of our protagonists (or did we?) and now the world is so mysteriously turning on it's head. I mean will the world survive all this? Will the good guys be revealed? Will our collage age heroes be able to stay in school...while picking the correct major?
Yes huge decisions and momentous events await!
I hate waiting for the next book.
These books are very well told. This (I thought) at times threatened to get a little wordy on giving our protagonists inner thoughts and their angst filled lives but in the end it/he did a good job of bringing it all together.
So far great brain candy. I like pretty much everything I've read by Hayes....more
So...I've had a bunch of books on my currently reading shelf for...well for a long time. I suppose I should review a few since that's why they're stilSo...I've had a bunch of books on my currently reading shelf for...well for a long time. I suppose I should review a few since that's why they're still there. They're waiting for me to review them.
Here we have another from Larry Correia who's books are in most cases reliably action packed. While they may not be Austen or Dickens (but then would you really want to read only Austen or Dickens?) this brain candy is almost always a good mix of serious situations and humor. These books (set in the Monster Hunter International world) seem always to draw me in and hold my interest throughout.
Here our hero begins his story at/in a very serious point in history...the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing incident where 241 U.S. Service people were killed. The protagonist here is a lonely survivor who is dead for a time and during that time he's given a mission from "on high". The sign he's told to watch for however at first seems a bit nebulous. He's told to watch for the number 57.
As we follow Oliver Chadwick Gardenier through these adventures we'll get burned, shot at, splattered with gore and other less definable materials and we'll mix some laughter with some actual pathos.
This is a good book as all the books set in this "world" have been so far.
Mike (the Paladin)
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