Tag: From the Archives Page 2 of 28

Dusted Off: Savages by Don Winslow

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On July 14, 2014

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

Savages (Savages, #1)Savages

by Don Winslow

Hardcover, 302 pg.
Simon & Schuster, 2010
Read: September 2, 2012
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

At this point, I just need to be honest with myself and just buy everything this guy has written/will write. I was nervous about starting this, as it wasn’t in The Dawn Patrol-verse. Would it be as good? Would it be better, making me like Boone, et al. less? Stupid, yeah.

Winslow’s books are the kind of cool I thought Tarantino was after Pulp Fiction (not saying QT isn’t great, I just don’t think he’s the kind of great I did then)–an insane mix of hip, crime, violence, honor, love and fun.

—–

5 Stars

Dusted Off: The Informationist by Taylor Stevens

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On July 14, 2014

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

The Informationist (Vanessa Michael Munroe, #1)The Informationist

by Taylor Stevens

Hardcover, 307 pg.
Crown, 2011
Read: September 19 – 20, 2012

Heckuva ride. Vanessa Michael Munroe is Lisbeth Salander with a healthier mental state (not saying she’s perfectly well adjusted…she’s just better adjusted). Same intensity, same ferocity, same tenacity. A character you want to see more of.

I think the novel had a couple too many twists and turns–don’t ask me which could be cut out w/o sacrificing the whole, though. But really, if my major complaint about the novel is that the mystery is too complex, keeps you guessing too much? Is that really a knock?

—–

3 Stars

Dusted Off: Fool Me Twice by Michael Brandman

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On July 14, 2014

In Fiction, Jesse Stone, Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller, Robert B. Parker

Robert B. Parker's Fool Me Twice (Jesse Stone, #11)Robert B. Parker’s Fool Me Twice

by Michael Brandman
Series: Jesse Stone, #11

Hardcover, 288 pg.
Putnam Adult, 2012
Read: September 26, 2012
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

sigh…I shouldn’t have been able to finish this in an hour.

It was fun enough, and I think this was an improvement over Brandman’s first try. But…it was just slight, I guess. Sort of like this review–not a lot to it, but gets the point across.

Not that all of Parker’s Stone books were dynamite, but it was easier to overlook his weaker works because of all the others. Brandman doesn’t have others, just this weak tea.

—–

2 Stars

Dusted Off: Ashes of Honor by Seanan McGuire

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On July 7, 2014

In Authors, Fiction, Seanan McGuire, Toby Daye

Ashes of Honor (October Daye, #6)Ashes of Honor

by Seanan McGuire
Series: Toby Daye, #6


Mass Market Paperback, 353 pg.
DAW, 2012
Read: September 5 – 6, 2012

Best.Toby Daye.Ever.

Sure, that just means it’s the best since the last one (which was the best since the one before…and so on). But still, wow. Really wow. This series has entered the terrain of Harry Dresden or Mercy Thompson–why bother writing a proper review? The reader knows it’s going to be good, the only question is, how good is this entry–really good or just great?

Action, intrigue, splash of humor, character development, romance…this one has everything. We get more of some old friends we haven’t seen in awhile, some characters who were in danger of over-use get scaled back…

couldn’t ask for more from this one.

—–

4 1/2 Stars

Dusted Off: The Dirty Streets of Heaven by Tad Williams

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On July 7, 2014

In Fiction

The Dirty Streets of Heaven (Bobby Dollar, #1)The Dirty Streets of Heaven

by Tad Williams

Hardcover, 406 pg.
DAW Hardcover, 2012
Read: September 27 – October 01, 2012

Well-plotted, well-executed UF, really, really well-written–great quotable lines, more than it’s fair share of dazzling sentences. And I just didn’t like it.

Why? Because the angels aren’t all that…angelic, for lack of a better word. Honestly, the demons aren’t terribly demonic, either. Demons are pretty much your typical UF bad guys, just ugly, and we’re told really, really evil; the angels act almost identically to them, but they’re prettier. Amoral, promiscuous, substance abusing…and honestly, not that powerful aside from their ability to see the recently departed and each other’s supernatural natures.

If we can do vampires that aren’t that human, lycanthropes that aren’t terribly human, why do we have to have angels that are? Sure, coming up with heroes that are wholly (holy?) good–and keeping them interesting is challenging. But it can be done. If Williams had done that, I’d have been all in. But, ugh. Bobby Dollar and co. are nowhere close–and I’m all out.

—–

2 Stars

Dusted Off: The Calling by Neil Cross

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On June 30, 2014

In Mystery/Detective Fiction/Crime Fiction/Thriller

The CallingThe Calling

by Neil Cross

Hardcover, 336 pg.
Touchstone, 2012
Read: September 13 – 14, 2012

Wow. Just…wow. The same disturbed depravity, intensity, dedication, drive that are displayed in each episode of Cross’ show are in full force here. You’ve got one very, very sick murderer (and I mean that in every possible way) being hunted by Det. Luther across London. And even tho’ most people who pick up this book know exactly how it ends (the opening scene of episode 1), you’re still on the edge of your seat, white-knucklin’ the book, breathing only when you remember.

The visuals are straight off of the show, too. I’m so, so glad that I don’t have to see the two major crime scenes on TV. Just having read them is going to stick with me for awhile, a long while probably.

Possibly even more brutal is watching the break-up of the Luther marriage. Again, we met Luther post-divorce on TV, but having to go through Zoe’s turmoil and Luther’s obliviousness at the beginning of the end…ugh. Just rip my heart out, please.

All the police characters at the heart of season 1 are here and are note perfect. Quite the achievement.

—–

4 Stars

Dusted Off: Rusty Nail by J. A. Konrath

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On June 30, 2014

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

Rusty Nail (Jack Daniels Mystery, #3)Rusty Nail

by J.A. Konrath

Hardcover, 292 pg.
Hyperion, 2006
Read: August 11 – 12, 2012

Laugh out loud funny, sit on the ,of your seat tense, heartfelt moments, a couple of utterances of “ew.” This third outing for Jack Daniels is great detective novel, a heckuva read–just like the first two. I really dig this cast, this world that Konrath’s building.

What’s most impressive, I think, is the way that the first three entries to this series — while remaining pretty much standalone works — are so intricately tied together.

Of course, I appreciated the nod to Robert B. Parker and Spenser, as it was Konrath’s chapter from In Pursuit of Spenser: Mystery Writers on Robert B. Parker and the Creation of an American Hero that led me to Jack in the first place.

—–

4 Stars

Dusted Off: Mark of the Demon by Diana Rowland

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On June 23, 2014

In Fiction

Mark of the Demon (Kara Gillian, #1)Mark of the Demon

by Diana Rowland

Mass Market Paperback, 370 pg.
Bantam, 2009
Read: August 15, 2012

Great mix of procedural and urban fantasy. Perhaps a little heavier on the fantasy than it needed to be, but that’s not really a knock. Some interesting characters–some that need a lot more fleshing out in future installments–a heckuva magic system, a great world, good locale in that world and a strong protagonist. Pretty much all you can want.

I really, really, really didn’t need the level of detail Rowland gives about the relations between Kara and the demon. That aside, a heckuva read.

Looking forward to more.

—–

4 Stars

Dusted Off: Greywalker by Kat Richardson

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On June 23, 2014

In Fiction

Greywalker (Greywalker, #1)Greywalker

by Kat Richardson
Series Greywalker, #1


Mass Market Paperback, 341 pg.
Roc Trade, 2006
Read: August 18 – 20, 2012

Wow. Great, great first chapter. Had me hooked on the book within the first few paragraphs and really didn’t let go.

Solid, solid read. Action, little humor, dash of romance, and a really good crew of likeable characters.

I had a couple of quibbles: There was one transition between chapters that involved a time jump, which (eventually) got enough explanation that I didn’t feel shorted, but it didn’t fit with the rest of the narrative style of the book. Too much of the book was Harper learning about the Grey–the world of magic/paranormal/etc., so it’s hard to see what future installments would be like.

Obviously, the series is pretty successful at this point, and this book makes it easy to see why, don’t think I’ve felt this way about a debut UF book since Rosemary and Rue.

—–

4 Stars

Dusted Off: The Girl in the Clockwork Collar by Kady Cross

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On June 16, 2014

In Fiction, Steampunk

The Girl in the Clockwork Collar (Steampunk Chronicles, #2)The Girl in the Clockwork Collar

by Kady Cross

Hardcover, 416 pg.
Harlequin Teen, 2012
Jul. 16-18, 2012

A rollicking good read — lots of action, humor, a splash of romance. On the whole, a sequel that surpasses it’s predecessor (though most of that was due to world-building, set-up, and whatnot).

Sure, there was plenty of rehashing key conflicts from the first book, more than was needed. But once you accept that, it’s easy to deal with.

The villain is convincing, the plot twist is easy to spot a few miles away, but it still works. I’m hoping there are many more of these to come.

—–

3 Stars

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