The Irresponsible Reader - I Read (a lot) and then Rant, Rave and maybe Review

Having one of those days — have three new reviews partially done, and no time this morning to finish. So . . .

—–

I’ve often felt conflicted about my appreciation for protagonists/leading characters who are murderers–professional hitmen (Peter Brown, Jimmy the Tulip, Martin Blank, Hawk, Jules Winnfield) or serial killers (Dexter Morgan, early Hannibal Lecter), but I can usually get over it because of what their creators do with them. But Angela S. Choi’s Fiona Fi Yu, from Hello Kitty Must Die, doesn’t get to join their ranks in my book. There’s little to commend her, or the book, if you ask me (which is sort of implied if you’ve read this far).

Fi is a successful, thirtysomething Chinese-American lawyer, living with her parents, who stumbles into serial killing (I’ll leave the details to those who read it). An unpleasant childhood, filled with overbearing parents, a strict Catholic school, and one sociopathic friend primes this perpetually single (and proud!) woman for an adulthood that’s even more unpleasant. Until the aforementioned stumbling, anyway. She’s a whiny, selfish, me-first person all the way, with a personality only a parakeet could love. Essentially, she’s a very unpleasant person–beyond the murdering. Sure, she can mix pop culture references into her narrative like Dennis Miller in his prime, but in a post-Tarantino/Whedon/Apatow/Abed Nadir age, is that really so noteworthy? Besides, if Humbert Humbert taught us nothing at all, he taught us that “You can always count on a murderer for a fancy prose style.”

What about the story itself? It starts off semi-promising, and then goes straight downhill from there. Well, let me amend that. It starts off offensively, but it’s a staged, calculated offensiveness. Choi trades in an actual narrative hook for a hook constructed of shock value. But a few pages later, it gets semi-promising. There’s no redemption of the character–not even growth. Nothing commendable about the events, characters, or cultural commentary.

On the other hand, it was a quick read.

The Heist by Janet Evanovich & Lee Goldberg

By HCNewton

On June 26, 2013

In A-F, Fiction, Fox and O'Hare, Janet Evanovich, Lee Goldberg, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

The Heist by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldberg
Series: Fox and O’Hare, #1

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Despite being a big fan of Lee Goldberg and Janet Evanovich, the prequel to this (Pros and Cons) left me apprehensive about The Heist. But I’m, so, so glad that I went ahead and picked this up.

Kate O’Hare’s a top-notch, driven FBI agent, cream of the crop type, who’s obsessed with bringing down Nick Fox, an equally driven and top-notch con man. After years of trying, she finally gets the cuffs on him, only to find herself thrown into an unwilling alliance with her target in an off-book mission to bring down some of the FBI’s most-wanted and most-difficult to catch. And then the globe-trotting hijinks ensue.

There are a few moments that are pretty heavy-handed, and early-on the humor is a little broader than it needed to be. But on the whole, this is a fun read. I was initially tempted to go over some of the laugh and/or smile generating lines and try to guess which author came up with them, but soon gave that up and just enjoyed them (I’m still pretty sure I could get 70% or better on a test of them).

The temptation would be to focus on Fox, O’Hare and their target. But Evanovich & Goldberg are sure to give the reader a decent amount of supporting characters — providing other people for the protagonists to react to, other perspectives for us to see the protagonists through, as well as people whose possession of skills Fox/O’Hare don’t have keep them from being total super-hero types. They need a team of experts to get them through this mission, and thankfully, the experts here are pretty amusing. I’m not sure I need to see most of them again — I’m not opposed to it, but it would be interesting to have an ever-changing team working with them. Other than O’Hare’s father, anyway — it’s clear he’s sticking around, as he should.

I’ve seen a few reviews on Goodreads compare this to USA’s White Collar — and I get that (tho’ Neal and Peter have a very different chemistry). But this feels more like Remington Steele to me — a tough, no-nonsense female investigator and a suave and debonair con man with an historic pop-culture obsession thrown together in an uneasy partnership with more than enough sexual tension to spare.*

Fun story, fun characters, with good action (and yet no one has a car get blown up!!), and some laughs. Promising start to a new series, I’m coming back for more!

—–

* Only thought of the Remington Steele comparison when I was about halfway through this, and now I’m pretty sure I’m going to be seeing Stephanie Zimbalist and Pierce Brosnan in my mind next time I read one of these.

Saturday Miscellany – 6/22

By HCNewton

On June 22, 2013

In Books, Fantasy, Harry Bosch, Janet Evanovich, Lee Goldberg, Michael Connelly, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, News/Misc.

Odds ‘n ends over the week about books and reading that caught my eye. You’ve probably seen some/most/all of them, but just in case:

Reading novels makes us better thinkers — ah ha! I have a~~n excuse~~ justification to read! Not that I needed one. Or that it seems to make me much of a decision-maker.
The 30 Harshest Author-on-Author Insults In History — some of these are great. I particularly enjoyed Twain on Austen and the contrast between Hemingway and Faulkner.
Amazon Orders Cop Drama Pilot Based On Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch Novels — Oh please let this work. I’m thinking Michael Cudlitz.
How to read a lot of books — a lot of good advice here. May try out some of his organization. (via Lifehacker)

Wisp of a Thing by Alex Bledsoe — The Hum and the Shiver was almost unbelievably good, almost afraid to try this sequel. Not sure it can live up to it.
Killer Ambition by Marcia Clark — I’ve enjoyed the first two, should be a fun read
The Heist by Janet Evanovich & Lee Goldberg — despite what I said about the prequel, I’m sure I’ll enjoy it
The Ocean at the End of the Lane: A Novel by Neil Gaiman — be sure to read Patrick Rothfuss’ review

Man! I’ve got to get to reading…

Dusted Off: Guilt by Degrees by Marcia Clark

By HCNewton

On June 22, 2013

In Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Guilt by Degrees by Marcia Clark
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I think it’s safe to say that Marcia Clark got out-lawyered in that one instance we all know about, and it’s safe to say that there are better legal-thriller writers out there. But, all in all, it was clear she was a pretty good prosecutor, and it’s pretty clear she’s a pretty good legal-thriller writer.

There were a couple of clunky sentences — one early on that would’ve been enough to throw the book away, but I muscled on 🙂 Other than that, and some obnoxious early chapters focusing on the piece’s villains (mostly paid off in the end), it was a strong book with just enough twists and turns to keep things moving.

I do think her first novel was a bit stronger–but that might just be because I was surprised it wasn’t horrible, and this time out I had higher expectations. Regardless, a compelling, well-paced mystery that leaves you wanting another one, and soon.

Dusted Off: Guilt by Association by Marcia Clark

By HCNewton

On June 22, 2013

In Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

Guilt by Association by Marcia Clark
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I picked this one up out of curiosity, and ended up enjoying it a lot more than I expected to. Sure, Rachel Knight is a thinly-disguised Marcia Clark (and she shows an incredible lack of taste when she knocks Coconut M&Ms), but at least she’s a fun thinly-disguised version of herself.

Solid legal thriller, like Mickey Haller’s kid-sister. If Knight & co. are back for a second round, I’ll be there.

The Broken Places by Ace Atkins

By HCNewton

On June 21, 2013

In Ace Atkins, Authors, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Quinn Colson, Spenser

The Broken Places by Ace Atkins
Series: Quinn Colson, #3
</br

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I remember reading a review of one of the new Jesse Stone author’s books, where the reviewer wished that Atkins had taken over Stone as well as Spenser, wondering what that would’ve been like. Well, I don’t think we need to wonder–Quinn Colson is Atkins’ Jesse Stone.

The catch is, Colson’s Jericho, MS isn’t Stone’s Paradise, MA.* It’s poorer, everyone knows everyone’s business, everyone’s — criminal and not alike — a bit more open about everything (to an extent); and everything seems bleaker — more hopeless — more real?

I’d say something like how the stakes haven’t been higher for Colson and his county, but that’s pretty much a given — Atkins keeps upping the stakes, the tension and the action each time out. The violence — at least the scale of it — is toned down here. It’s a sign of skill and confidence that, Atkins doesn’t feel compelled to have major armed confrontations in each novel. In addition to three escaped convicts coming to Colson’s county, there’s a recently pardoned murderer trying to show that he’s worth the pardon (despite a lot of warranted cynicism from Jericho’s citizenry). Naturally, the escapees have unfinished business with him — and are going to do whatever they can to make him hold up his end of the bargain.

Oh, did I mention that Colson’s troubled sister is romantically involved with the newly pardoned man? Yeah, there’s plot complications a’plenty there. Throw in other personal and political storylines that have been building and developing since the first book, and there’s a good deal for Colson and his associates to deal with.

What’s best about this — both daring and inventive — is throwing a natural disaster in the middle of the action. It keeps the story from playing out as the reader expects, creates hurdles for all the characters, and gives a couple of people the chance to show their true colors.

I have no idea how Atkins is going to pull off the next book — at least I hope he limits it to one book, some writers might stretch it out — the fallout from this one is going to be messy. But I can’t wait to read it.

—–

* And Colson’s a better soldier than a cop, and…it’s not a perfect analogy. Roll with it.

Dusted Off: The Lost Ones by Ace Atkins

By HCNewton

On June 20, 2013

In Ace Atkins, Authors, Fiction, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Quinn Colson, Spenser

Well, while I enjoy my time in Tibbehah County, Mississippi with The Broken Places, figured I’d dig this one out of the archives

—–

The Lost Ones by Ace Atkins
Series: Quinn Colson, #2
</br

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Atkins’ has left me cold with his Nick Travers series and I’m still trying to figure out how positively I feel about his take on Spenser (pretty sure it’s very), but there’s no doubt that this series about Quinn Colson just plain rocks.

This time, Colson’s been elected to sheriff, but he’s still learning the ropes, still more soldier than cop. He and his childhood friends (now mostly employed by Colson) have a lot to deal with: a recent Afghan war vet running drugs, a Mexican drug cartel, a child-abusing/selling family, not to mention a few more federal agents than Colson’s comfortable with. Plus a bunch of personal stuff (current and past), and the corrupt local government that Colson started wrangling with last time out.

Tense, fast-paced, morally murky…Atkins has really nailed this. Can’t wait for the next one.

P is for Peril by Sue Grafton

By HCNewton

On June 19, 2013

In Fiction, Kinsey Millhone, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Sue Grafton

P is for Peril by Sue Grafton
Series: Kinsey Millhone, #16

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Well, this is totally not surprising at all…a solid mystery novel, with plenty of satisfying twists and turns from Sue Grafton.

A name from the past (and one of my favorite Grafton books) refers Kinsey for another missing persons case — against her better judgement, she takes it and before too long finds herself in the middle of broken family politics, pouty teenagers, a potential stalker, and cases of grand theft, fraud, murder, and a handful of other brushes with human frailty and depravity.

I did rather enjoy all these voices from the 80s complaining about the labyrinth that is Medicare/Medicaid/other federal health regulations — if they only knew!

I do wish, and I don’t think I’ve complained about this before, but Kinsey blabs way too much — to friends (especially new ones), to suspects/interviewees/sources, and even to clients. Maybe it fits with the research that Grafton’s done about proper P.I.-ing, but man. Every time she starts to divulge information I want to reach into the book and slap my hand over her mouth. Seriously, lady, keep it to yourself.

The conclusion to this one is atypical — we don’t get resolution to any of they mysteries she’s involved with; well, we sort of get resolution to one of them, but it has nothing to do with any sleuthing on Kinsey’s part. The rest of the mysteries are solved by Kinsey, but we don’t see the resolution of the story line — we don’t even get the (often) heavy-handed wrap up where she reflects on the events of the novel. Nope. Not saying that’s good or bad (honestly, I’m not sure). It’s just not par for the course. Not sure why Grafton did it that way, but it worked this time (could get to be tiring if she keeps it up)

Blood Trade by Faith Hunter

By HCNewton

On June 18, 2013

In Authors, F-J, Faith Hunter, Fiction, Jane Yellowrock/Soulwood, Urban Fantasy

Blood Trade by Faith Hunter
Series: Jane Yellowrock, #6
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Jane Yellowrock is slowly, but surely, becoming a real favorite of mine. In the beginning, she struck me as a fairly generic vampire hunter, with an obnoxious streak and a complicated ethnic/childhood background that was passed off as interesting. Nothing special, but good enough to keep reading.

But lately, I’ve found myself anticipating the next installment. Blood Trade resolved a few dangling plotlines from previous books, developed a couple more, and set the stage for at least 2-3 more books in the series. And while doing so, provided a story with good action, some nice twists, and some genuine heart.

I really, really liked the new characters introduced here — two former classmates of Jane’s back from her Christian school days and the child of one of those classmates. It was good to see Jane through the eyes of people that didn’t primarily know her as a vampire killer.

Jane’s relationship with Eli and the Kid grew in a positive way, and I really like the shape of their relationships, and hope they continue to develop in this fashion.

One thing I hope Hunter improves on — although I don’t see it happening — is the romance front. I couldn’t care less about Jane’s vacillating between various romantic (using the term as broadly as possible here) interests here. It’s tedious, Jane’s usually shown as little more than base desires, and constantly self-sabotaging. If there was some growth there, some change at least, I might feel differently. But Hunter shows no sign of moving off this point, and I bet I’m one of the few who don’t like it. So I need to continue to deal with it.

Christ Of The Bible And The Church’s Faith by Geoffrey Grogan

By HCNewton

On June 16, 2013

In Non-Fiction, Theology/Christian Living

Christ Of The Bible And The Church by Grogan, Geoffrey
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

It’s tough to know what to say about this, it’s a wholly carefully-written, exhaustive, entirely orthodox look at Christ as set forth in Scripture and in the doctrines of the Church. It’s an apologetic for the Faith once delivered as well as an explanation of it.

However, wow. It just didn’t work for me at all. The points I liked, I’ve seen better developed, better explained elsewhere. His most evangelical moments seemed half-hearted and perfunctory (although I don’t think they were, it just struck me that way). He is far too concerned with unbelieving scholarship, and does not respond to critics with as much force and thoroughness as he ought. There’s just doesn’t seem to be much heart to this work.

Your results may vary, certainly any book carrying the cover blurbs on it that this does would catch my eye, and I’d expect to be well worth the time, but this just didn’t work for me.