About 150 pages in, I’m throwing in the towel, which is something I never thought I would do with a Frank Bill book. I loved Donnybrook so much and haAbout 150 pages in, I’m throwing in the towel, which is something I never thought I would do with a Frank Bill book. I loved Donnybrook so much and had looked forward to the release of this one for so long, maybe my expectations were just too high. Maybe I’m just not in the right mood. All I know is it was feeling like a slog. I was not engaged or invested in what was happening at all. There was something off about the writing style this time that I didn’t like either, when I adored Bill’s prose when reading Crimes in Southern Indiana .
I’m the first to admit I’m a bad reader right now, my attention span and focus isn’t what it should be, but I’m also fairly certain all of the failing isn’t mine alone. Some of it is this book. Because I didn’t finish it, I’m not going to rate it. Maybe I’ll return to it someday and give it another chance to change my mind. ...more
Abandoning this one at about the 50% mark. I gave it the ol' college try, but turns out this really ain't for me. Densely written, huge passages of wo Abandoning this one at about the 50% mark. I gave it the ol' college try, but turns out this really ain't for me. Densely written, huge passages of world-building (and terraforming), but not enough of a propulsive plot or engaging characters to keep me turning the pages. ...more
I tried. Oh how I tried. The premise for this book had me at hello. The audiobook starts out very charming and engaging with a winsome scene of Hell'sI tried. Oh how I tried. The premise for this book had me at hello. The audiobook starts out very charming and engaging with a winsome scene of Hell's bureaucracy. The dialogue is crisp, witty and very British. Narrator Christopher Cazenove reminded me of Alan Rickman, which is made of win for me.
Then there's the confrontation with Lucifer that's just as delightful and intriguing. Johannes Cabal is a Necromancer who traded his soul to the Devil. But now he needs it back. However, known neither for his mercy nor sense of fairness, Lucifer offers Cabal a wager he cannot refuse -- get 100 people to sign over their souls in one year and his soul will be returned. Fail to accomplish this task and Cabal forfeits the rest of his mortal life as well as his already misbegotten soul. Fun, right? I mean, if you're not the Silver-Tongued Devil himself, how do you get not just one but one hundred people to trade away their souls? That would be a neat trick.
So things started out on a high note. I was having a lot of fun. Then the exacting, fussy paragraphs of dense description of every single miniscule detail (or so it seemed in the listening) started to bog the story down. I would listen to loooooong mintues of prose and feel like the story had made very little progress at all. Even the snappy dialogue started to lose its snap. I was getting impatient. Rather than tickle my funny bone and engage my senses, everything started to feel oh so droll and pip pip cheerio, you know?
I'm not going to say I *hated* this book, because that would mean I thought it was poorly written and bad for everyone. No, it's not bad for everyone, it just isn't for me. I ran into the same problem with Roger Zelazny's A Night in the Lonesome October. I have friends who that is their favorite book, but it did very little for me. And this book reminded me a lot of that one, so I'm going to make a bold suggestion here that if you're a Zelazny fan, then you might love this too. I could be way off, but I'm going to throw it out there anyway just in case it sweetens the deal. ...more
I tried to immerse myself in this one. I really tried. Reviews are fantastic. Friends have loved it. But alas, this book and I were not meant to be an I tried to immerse myself in this one. I really tried. Reviews are fantastic. Friends have loved it. But alas, this book and I were not meant to be and I am officially abandoning it. Perhaps something is lost in the audio version; the reader sounds very prim and "English" to me, not conducive to imagining oneself in Ancient Rome. There are LOTS of Greek and Roman names thrown at you in the beginning and I had a hard time keeping track of who was who. Never a good start. Perhaps I'll return to this at a later date....more
Just not my thing ... didn't like the narrator and I have a mental block for any book set in India - too exotic a locale for me I guess - I don't haveJust not my thing ... didn't like the narrator and I have a mental block for any book set in India - too exotic a locale for me I guess - I don't have the context and find it challenging to nail down a frame of reference that works. I will confess this book did not get a fair shake from me, just because I've been distracted by other books on my to-read pile. As I write this I'm gazing lovingly at Pat Conroy's new book, South of Broad. Cant' wait! ...more
This series lost something critical from Book 1, Time of the Reaper to the follow-up, Slave Harvest. The first book hurtles along at a pulp-riff-page-This series lost something critical from Book 1, Time of the Reaper to the follow-up, Slave Harvest. The first book hurtles along at a pulp-riff-page-turning pace; this sequel lags and sort of loses its way. In fact, I found the execution a little immature and, at times, painfully derivative. I probably could have finished it, but with so many more books waiting in the wings clamoring to be read, gladly didn't finish it. ...more
This book just did not grab me. Maybe it was my mood, but the onslaught of action sequences wore me out. The plot felt tired to me, one step up (barelThis book just did not grab me. Maybe it was my mood, but the onslaught of action sequences wore me out. The plot felt tired to me, one step up (barely) from a slasher flick (and the characters about as well-developed). The first chapter shows a lot of promise, but the book quickly descends into mindless, senseless brutality with HEAPS of mediocre prose to prop it up. ...more
This one looks really interesting; LOVE the title and the setting!
I had such high hopes for this one but just couldn't get lost in it (which was the eThis one looks really interesting; LOVE the title and the setting!
I had such high hopes for this one but just couldn't get lost in it (which was the experience I was hoping for). Excellent writing, but the odd magical elements and the jumping around in time and with characters kept me shut out of the story. I may come back to this one at another time. I may......more
I've had my sights set on this one for quite some time. The premise seemed like something I would absolutely adore. It just took me way too long to geI've had my sights set on this one for quite some time. The premise seemed like something I would absolutely adore. It just took me way too long to get past the half-way mark. Once Joby grows up, I found the whole thing just kinda stalled altogether. I kept getting restless, putting the book down to read something else. After awhile I realized the desire to finish just wasn't there. So I officially cry uncle. I'm out. I didn't hate this book (so no one star), and I'm feeling too ambivalent to give it more stars than that since I didn't finish it. I just lost interest.
One thing that probably put me off here immediately - I hated the Lucifer character - spoiled, petulant, spiteful, churlish ... just a douche really. I like my Satan with a lot more self-control and dignity - a villain worthy of Shakespeare, not some over-the-top drama King screaming bloody murder and stomping his feet when things don't go his way. He should be a worthy opponent - not some souped-up bully. ...more
What is up with this book? I was so looking forward to reading it, absolutely loved Blindness, but hard as I tried, I just COULD NOT get into this oneWhat is up with this book? I was so looking forward to reading it, absolutely loved Blindness, but hard as I tried, I just COULD NOT get into this one. I know Saramago's writing style can be a challenge, but I was ready for that. By page 120 when the story still had not engaged me (and I found myself skipping whole pages) that's when I knew it was over and laid the book down. I simply found it too inaccessible. One long, rambling parable with no real characters to identify with. Wonderful idea but this time Saramago just does not hit it out of the park. Hell, I couldn't even get to second base, forced to give up in frustration. ...more
I don't think you can watch the film adaptation and remain unmoved by Graysmith's story and his obsessive quest to uncover the identity of the Zodiac I don't think you can watch the film adaptation and remain unmoved by Graysmith's story and his obsessive quest to uncover the identity of the Zodiac killer. There was no question that I had to read his book. Graysmith was a cartoonist by occupation, not a journalist, and it shows. He makes the number one blunder of any amateur writer of either fiction or non-fiction -- he tries to include every last detail. Graysmith's obsession with the Zodiac killer means every minutiae of the case is deemed critical. As a reader, you're completely snowballed by facts and circumstances. I'm not a fan of police procedurals anyway, so this proved to be a bit much for me. Watch the movie; it's quite excellent....more
Have been pecking away at this book for a while now, but won't finish it. I discovered that it's more fun (and addictive) to watch Friday Night LightsHave been pecking away at this book for a while now, but won't finish it. I discovered that it's more fun (and addictive) to watch Friday Night Lights (both movie and TV show) than it is to read about them. May come back to this some day and give it another shot....more
Just a little too weird for me, and I know he has a HUGE loyal following, but I find Palahniuk's writing too inaccessible *koff*pretentious*koff*crap.Just a little too weird for me, and I know he has a HUGE loyal following, but I find Palahniuk's writing too inaccessible *koff*pretentious*koff*crap....more
I may come back to this volume (or not). I just couldn't get into it, and it's the first time in the series where I felt like somebody else could haveI may come back to this volume (or not). I just couldn't get into it, and it's the first time in the series where I felt like somebody else could have written it; I really missed Gabaldon's voice for some reason. ...more
Loading...
