Creative and creepy. Definitely a take on the Klan I never would have expected. It combines some actual history with an occult, Lovecraftian,3.5 Stars
Creative and creepy. Definitely a take on the Klan I never would have expected. It combines some actual history with an occult, Lovecraftian, Clive Barker-ish twist.
My 3.5 Stars means I enjoyed, but was not blown away. The story felt forced at times. At others it felt like the author was winking at me saying "see what I did there". Also, the way it was written made it a bit hard for me to get into it at times.
However, I will say that I can tell a lot of horror fans are going to be really into this one. Also, there is something to be said for an epic battle between a black heroine and the Ku Klux Klan (I mean, even with my minor complaints, I was cheering). Because of this, I give it some extra points and am rounding it up to 4 stars.
If you really like gruesome horror (this does not pull punches on the gore) and want to see some historically proven baddies get their comeuppance, this is worth checking out....more
Everyone tells Chuck Norris jokes, but what type of jokes does Chuck Norris tell?
Chuck Norris tells Velvet Templeton jokes!
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Velvet Templeton is Everyone tells Chuck Norris jokes, but what type of jokes does Chuck Norris tell?
Chuck Norris tells Velvet Templeton jokes!
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Velvet Templeton is 100% smooth, 100% sexy, 100% badass! This is the strong female lead you have been looking for! Everyone underestimates her . . . and that was a big mistake. This issue, and the whole series, are action packed and dripping with political espionage. It has to be one of the best written and finest presented spy thrillers I have ever read. 5+ stars!
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I love the art in this book! The covers are fantastic and the panels inside are a throwback to old school comics. The art keeps the story moving along perfectly – and this is extremely helpful as often I find espionage stories get confusing and convoluted and my mind starts to wander. This is not the case here – the images kept my face glued to the page and the story moving right along.
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I cannot recommend this series enough. If you like action comics, spy/espionage thrillers, kick ass female leads, etc. you just cannot go wrong here. Seriously – read it!
Kabuki is my first graphic novel of 2020, but is a revisit of an old favorite from back in the 1990s. In fact, the volume I have is apparently one of Kabuki is my first graphic novel of 2020, but is a revisit of an old favorite from back in the 1990s. In fact, the volume I have is apparently one of the originals and, as of the time I am writing this review, not able to be selected on Goodreads.
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Cool side story to start. I found this artist and series back in the 90s when I was in an alternative comic book phase. I say “alternative” because I was not into DC and Marvel, it was more Image and Dark Horse and any other “off brand” of comic. However, I did not find this book by inquiring at the local comic book store. I was helping out my mother by doing a summer acting workshop for kids in her school district. I was a theater major at the time so it seemed like a perfect summer project. As part of it, I wrote a play and directed it. In addition to school kids, some of the teachers and substitute teachers got involved. One of the substitute teachers found out that I liked comics and recommended his brother’s title . . . at this point you can probably see where this is going . . . he was David Mack’s brother and the title was Kabuki.
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I was glad that I did not have to use any of my acting chops to make his brother believe that I liked it. As soon as I picked it up, I was instantly into it. While I am a fan of both black and white and color comics, I think black and white is my favorite, which made this very appealing to me from the get go. (Another title I was very into at the time was Terry Moore’s Strangers in Paradise – also a black and white title).
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So, how did it hold up after all these years?
1990s me gives it 5+ stars 2020 me gives it 4 to 4.5 stars – I am going to round it up to 5 as an average between old me and new me!
Why the reduction in stars? Well, I suppose it has to do with that feeling you get when you go back and watch or read any favorite after years away from it. There is a chance it might appeal just as much, but there is also a good chance that your memory of it will shine brighter than the revisitation. I think, too, that at the time I was in college, so I was into more artsy and works. This title is very artsy and poetic to the point that the story is sometimes not straightforward and requires analysis through introspection. That just isn’t quite me as much anymore. It’s still good, but preferences change.
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If you are into really great artwork, Japanese lore, poetry, symbolism, revenge, etc. I cannot recommend this title enough. If you need your story and art to be clear and concise, you may not enjoy this one quite as much. But, for graphic novel fans who like to dabble in all aspects of the medium, I think this is a title you cannot afford to miss.
I enjoyed this collection of Joe Hill short stories and flew through the audiobook – I could not stop listening! It hFinal Average Rating – 4.07 Stars
I enjoyed this collection of Joe Hill short stories and flew through the audiobook – I could not stop listening! It had its high points (Late Returns) and low points (Thumbprint) but, overall, a solid collection.
I have included my short review of each story below – you may have already seen them as my status updates as I was reading.
Also, interesting note on the audio edition: It does not include Twittering From The Circus of the Dead. After finishing the audio yesterday, I had to go out to the library and check out the large print edition of this book (the only copy they had) so I could finish it. I have included my quick analysis of it between The Devil on the Staircase and Mums which is where it falls in the print edition.
Introduction- 5 stars - King family intros are always a pleasure!
Throttle - 4 stars - I listened to this previously when it was combined with Matheson's Duel. A dark and gritty story of revenge - very much in the same spirit as Matheson's story. Written with Stephen King.
Dark Carousel - 4 stars - Hill's take on the evil carnival. Basically, don't mess with or disrespect creepy people at a travelling carnival. If there are consequences, don't say that Hill didn't warn you!
Wolverton Station - 4 stars - A commentary on American capitalism taking over the world. Anthropomorphic mayhem! Warren Zevon would be a fan of this one!
By the Silver Water Of Lake Champlain - 3 stars - A decent little creepy story for fans of Cryptozoology. Took me a while to get into and kind of left me feeling like there should be something more.
Faun - 3.5 stars - I liked the way this one started. It fell off for me towards the end. Not your C. S. Lewis Narnia
Late Returns - 5 stars - The best so far! I loved every part of this story. Well crafted, mysterious, and tugs at the heart-strings. This is a short story worth visiting even if you don't try any of the others.
All I Care About Is You - 4.5 stars - I am not quite sure why I liked this one so much. In fact, halfway through I didn't think I liked it at all. But, the ending really brought it home for me. Very clever storyline and twists.
Thumbprint - 2.5 stars - a story of PTSD. This one didn't really do much for me. It was okay, but I couldn't get into and then it was suddenly over
The Devil on the Staircase - 3.5 stars - the shortest story in the book so far. Interesting and chilling. A take on the "selling your soul" story.
Twittering From The Circus of the Dead - 4.5 stars - clever and entertaining! Silly but scary! Glad I went and got a physical copy from the library so I could read this one.
Mums - 4.5 stars - Very well done story of madness, horror, paranoia, and revenge. Sowing the seeds of family dysfunction.
In The Tall Grass - 5 stars - creepy and disturbing excellence. Not for the easily queasy. This one is about as shocking as they come! Written with Stephen King.
You Are Released - 4 stars - straight forward, not tongue-in-cheek, commentary. If you are easily terrified by flying and the current political climate of our world, this one will definitely scare the crap out of you!...more
It is finished! An adventure about 25 years in the making has come to an end – I have finally read the entire original run Strangers in Paradise serieIt is finished! An adventure about 25 years in the making has come to an end – I have finally read the entire original run Strangers in Paradise series. I restarted reading it from the beginning twice and was finally able to take the time to push it through to the end!
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It wasn’t that at any point the series was not good. I have always loved it very much. The thing was I started reading it in college back when it was still being released monthly. As life is topsy-turvey during the college years, I got away from comics around 2000 when there were only about 30 issues out. Then, later I went back (about 10 years ago) and bought up the whole series and started again. But, shortly after that (when I had, ironically, made it back up to about issue 30) I moved across country and started a new career. Strangers In Paradise - back on the back burner!
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I like to thank modern technology and Goodreads for helping me finish on this most recent push. Because of easy access to graphic novels on Hoopla and through my local library I have made it a habit of reading one volume of a graphic novel series per week. This was a goal I could easily track through Goodreads and connect with others who had similar graphic novel interests. Because of all this, I started again by including Strangers in Paradise in the rotation. I was not reading an SIP volume each week, but interspersing it at a rate of about one a month so I could savor the journey.
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After about 2 years or so of this most recent effort, here I am at the end of the ride. Kinda weird to say how sad I am that something is over when it actually ended 12 years ago . . . but I am! This series is amazing in so many ways – love, heartache, action, espionage, humor, birth, death, LIFE! Terry Moore is a wonderful writer and artist. Unlike some other graphic novels, he remained both writer and artist throughout the entire run. If you haven’t tried his work, it is so worth it and I cannot stress enough that Strangers In Paradise is a great place to start!
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I already have the first volume of his next series, Echo, lined up and ready to go. There is also Rachel Rising after that, so I do have more of Moore to go (HA! More of Moore, I like that!). Also, I will be looking into the fact that he started releasing new issues of Strangers In Paradise last January to celebrate 25 years since he started the original series. I think it is up to 7 or 8 issues and I will be excited to continue this adventure – I know it will be just as awesome as his first run!
5 stars all the way - this graphic novel is excellent! Do you like westerns? Do you like vampires? Do you like vampire-westerns? If you answered yes t5 stars all the way - this graphic novel is excellent! Do you like westerns? Do you like vampires? Do you like vampire-westerns? If you answered yes to one or more of the above, then step right up!
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I figured it sounded interesting, but I did not think I would end up reading one of the best approaches to the vampire genre I have seen. It is creepy, gory, sexy, etc. - all the things you expect in a good vampire tale. Also, it has the element of wondering exactly who you should be cheering for - at some points I found myself very intrigued by the charisma of the main protagonist/antagonist. Will I be for him or against him in the future? I am hooked and I look forward to more.
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As a graphic novel, the art is great. I would say it has a slightly less cartoonish feel than Chew, but there is a similar look. The monsters and the gore are well done. And, as I started my Red Dead Redemption II journey last night, I am loving the western art.
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I think this is a worthwhile selection for vampire fans to try even if they are not into the graphic novel format....more
This was a fun trilogy. Not super deep or anything, but the perfect bit of escape reading. I might also say that it is a bit of guilty pleasure in thaThis was a fun trilogy. Not super deep or anything, but the perfect bit of escape reading. I might also say that it is a bit of guilty pleasure in that it is obviously not written with my demographic in mind, but I still enjoyed it immensely. I recommended this series to my wife after the first book, and she ended up finishing it before I did. Every time I started “squealing” with each gossipy reveal or cheesy hookup, I am pretty sure she was amused.
I will say one thing, and I have said it before (and maybe it was about the books earlier in this series), it really isn’t a guilty pleasure because I AM NOT ASHAMED! Bring on the syrupy teen drama, backstabbing, and romance!
I am giving this one 5 stars because I loved the series as a whole. This one by itself felt more like a 4 to 4.5 – mainly because it felt a little bit like things were being drug out to make the book a little bit bigger. Perhaps this is a side effect of the seeming need for every series to be a trilogy whether or not there is actually three full books of content? Not sure, but it is only a minor criticism – not enough to warn people away.
One thing I can say that should prove how readable this book is is how quickly I got through the last couple hundred pages. I am trying to finish up all the books I am in the middle of before the end of the year and that will sometimes lead to some extra reading time. If I am not really into a book that I am trying to rush to finish I will end up falling asleep or at least lose interest quickly and need to switch to a different book (something to cleanse the palate, if you will). This was not the case with this one! The pages just flew by – I read about 90 in an hour!
READ this series if you like cheesy teen romance/thriller stories laden with gossip, misunderstandings, and young adults thinking they know what’s best right before they do something really stupid.
DON’T READ this series if you don’t like that stuff – simple math! ...more
Molly and Poo is a short side project from Strangers In Paradise creator Terry Moore. Not really a graphic novel (see second image below), but sold inMolly and Poo is a short side project from Strangers In Paradise creator Terry Moore. Not really a graphic novel (see second image below), but sold in comic book format. It is basically a series of letters and prose sections dealing with the relationship between Molly and Poo in Victorian England. As the letters progress, it goes from simple infatuation to a dark and twisted place.
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Even though these issues were sold under the Strangers In Paradise banner, the tie in can only be loosely inferred - and even then it is a bit of a stretch. Molly could be a representation of Francine while the more blunt and aggressive Poo might be Katchoo. I am betting if I did some background research on this I could find more details from the author, but it seems like a likely explanation since it came out with SIP.
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While it was a bit hard to get into at first with the abrupt format change, in the end it was a pretty suspenseful and gruesome tale. In fact, the nature of the story ended up being perfect for Halloween (I read this the last week of October), even though I did not know that going in. You will definitely be shocked when (view spoiler)[the story shifts from cutesy romance to erotic horror! (hide spoiler)]
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I don't think it would be difficult for a non-SIP fan to jump right into this. However, an SIP fan may appreciate the Moore style a bit more (not necessary for enjoyment, just a little extra bonus!). If you can get past the slow and potentially confusing start, you might enjoy this Victorian erotic-horror-romance-thriller!...more
You just cannot go wrong with Sin City! So much is in these pages: action, intrigue, really bad baddies, really good (but tragic) goodies. My only cauYou just cannot go wrong with Sin City! So much is in these pages: action, intrigue, really bad baddies, really good (but tragic) goodies. My only caution is it may be a bit much for some. If you prefer you violence, language and sex tame, this may not be the series fro you.
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But if you are ready for some serious corruption and bloody revenge, this is the book for you. I have enjoyed every volume equally so far. It is just so darn creative and enthralling. You have likely seen me say in my reviews before that if I am cheering for or talking back at what I am reading it is the sign of a good book. That is definitely how I was with this volume.
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For those who have seen the first Sin City movie, you will recognize this story. In fact, while the whole movie was great, I think this is the part I remember the most from the movie. Usually the book is said to be better than the movie. Rarely does the movie surpass the book. In this case, I would say that they are both equally fantastic!
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"An old man dies, a little girl lives. Fair trade."
Such a creative and well written story combining legends of the past, the peril of the present, and the hoThis series is awesome, do ya kennit?
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Such a creative and well written story combining legends of the past, the peril of the present, and the hopelessness of the future in Stephen King’s Dark Tower Universe. This volume completes the path from the innocence of youth to the responsibility of adulthood for our protagonist, Roland, and his group of friends. Some of this story you know from The Dark Tower novels, but this graphic novel series is now really starting to expand on stories that King only hinted at.
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I didn’t do any research into this, but I felt like the artwork changed in this volume. It still had the same feel, but I felt like the characters looked different than in the earlier volumes and, in general, it has become more impressionistic. I am thinking the main artist might have changed? I still think the art is great, but I did not like it quite as much as I did earlier.
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King fans, graphic novel fans, fantasy fans, western fans, Arthurian legend fans, and people who like things that are good should all check this series out!
I cannot say enough about this graphic novel series! If you are a fan of The Dark Tower, you must check this out. So much of Roland’s early story is bI cannot say enough about this graphic novel series! If you are a fan of The Dark Tower, you must check this out. So much of Roland’s early story is being fleshed out and the artwork is fantastic. I am riveted!
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This is the first volume that expands a lot on story that was not included in the main book series. The first two volumes were basically a graphic novel retelling of Wizard and Glass. While this one does have a few events in it hinted in the book series, there is so much more!
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Also, this story pulls no punches. It is vicious and raw. Every character is battling both internal and external demons. And, the evil depicted is pure and beyond all acceptable boundaries. Gilead and its surroundings are a world of turmoil and magic, honor and deception, love and hatred.
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No one is safe, everyone is conflicted, the future is foreboding. Read this series . . . if you dare!
Did I just read one of the most amazing books I have ever read? Yes, yes I did!
I cannot say enough about this book, the story, the w7.2 MILLION STARS!
Did I just read one of the most amazing books I have ever read? Yes, yes I did!
I cannot say enough about this book, the story, the writing, the characters, etc. etc. etc. Everything is perfect!
If someone had said to me, “Here is a 1000 page book about the building of a cathedral 1000 years ago in England” I probably would have fallen asleep before the end of their sentence. But, do not judge a book by its description – it is a 1000 page book about the building of a cathedral, but Follett does an amazing job of crafting a historical fiction story around it that will keep you engaged from page one until the very end.
With 1000 pages, there has to be filler, right? There is not! Every sentence, every word – all of it adds to the story. And, events on page 25 may have ramifications on the events of page 825. How the author kept the storyline together, intertwined, and fully applicable throughout is amazing. I picture him referencing a very complicated flowchart covering his entire wall while writing this book. Sounds confusing – it is not! Despite the intricacies, it was very easy to follow.
Do you love to hate evil characters and feel passionate emotions for the ones you love? READ THIS! I don’t think I have ever wanted to reach into a book more and strangle a character than I did with this book. Then, I found myself audibly cheering and groaning as the relationships of my favorite characters developed, succeeded, and sometimes failed. I was emotionally spent loving and hating these characters – and it might be the most I have ever been emotionally invested in characters in a long time (if ever).
I cannot say that this book will be for everyone, but it is worth giving it a try. Especially if you like any of the following:
• Historical Fiction • British Fiction • Stories about church vs government • Knights, monks, kings, and other medieval dramatis personae • Character studies
This comes with a warning, though: I know I have some book friends who do not like violent depictions of sex. If that is a problem for you, either go into this story being aware that you will be uncomfortable, or steer away from it completely....more
Whew! Action packed! I held my breath a lot throughout this volume. So much is revealed, so much of the past is resolved, and so many relationship dynWhew! Action packed! I held my breath a lot throughout this volume. So much is revealed, so much of the past is resolved, and so many relationship dynamics changed.
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I will admit that at the beginning of this storyline it felt like we were stumbling a little clumsily back into some of the skeletons from past issues. It isn't something I can put my finger on, but I honestly thought to myself, "uh oh, I don't think I am going to care for this one". Part of it may be an unfortunate side effect of the fact that the beginning of this volume is where I have stopped reading this series twice before.
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But, oh man! Moore finishes up this storyline with a great mix of political intrigue, action, and meaningful moments between characters. And, a lot of unanswered questions and cliffhangers are left for future volumes - there are just so many ways this could go!
Art. Poetry. Love. Deception. Life. Death. All the feels . . .
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Strangers In Paradise is perfect!
Thank you for following along with me on my jourArt. Poetry. Love. Deception. Life. Death. All the feels . . .
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Strangers In Paradise is perfect!
Thank you for following along with me on my journey to reaquaint myself with the early issues of this series and finally finish it all the way through to the end. Volume 2 covers issues 1 through 9 of series 2.
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This series is about as raw and real as it gets. I would be surprised if you could make it through this without both laughing your ass off and using up all your tissues as you weep uncontrollably. Here you will find deep relationships, secrets from the past, and hope for the future.
Also, it's not your typical graphic novel. Despite the pictures I have posted here, all the art in the book is black and white. Also, Moore intersperses pages of art with pages of prose to tell a more complete story than you would get with just the art.
I am not even going to say "if you like this" or "if you like that" you should read this. I am just going to say "Read this series! Do it!"
I have seen a lot of mixed reviews on this book. The subject matter - suicide - is controversial. The show they made of this book is controversial. BeI have seen a lot of mixed reviews on this book. The subject matter - suicide - is controversial. The show they made of this book is controversial. Because of that, I am going to avoid too much commentary on the subject matter and just say that the content of this book is serious and does affect teenagers in different ways. I didn't have the easiest if teenage years, but I made it through okay, so it would be easy for me to say that this story is an overreaction. But, I would be a fool to not understand the we we all different and a cautionary tale like this one could result from the same events that another person might just brush off. It is important to keep that in mind.
As to the book itself, I give it bonus points for creativity of delivery. Learning what happened along with the narrator and hearing his emotions since he was directly affected is pretty powerful. I did find myself a bit on the edge of my seat ready to find out what happens next. Also, this book is a quick read. I think this is important to help make it feel like we are along with the narrator in real time.
Remember going in that the subject is suicide and if that bothers you, do not read this. However, if you are open to exploring the mind of someone going through this sort of pain, I think it could be a moving and enlightening experience....more
I am so glad that I am finally reading this. I saw the movie years ago and loved it! This first volume was fantastic and almost every frame of it is iI am so glad that I am finally reading this. I saw the movie years ago and loved it! This first volume was fantastic and almost every frame of it is included in the movie as is! I love it when they don't mess with the story.
The black and white art is great. It had to be more difficult to do a simple face using only the negative space through the rain or in the shadows than a complex picture with all of the colors you want.
If I could give it more than 5 stars I would! It is creative, raw, dark, action-packed fun!
I enjoyed it. I did not like it quite as much as some of the other big classics I have read, but it was veryOver 1200 pages of suffering and revenge!
I enjoyed it. I did not like it quite as much as some of the other big classics I have read, but it was very good. The two things that brought it down a bit for me were:
- It felt a bit more drawn out than it needed to be. At a couple of points I was ready for Dumas to get to the point. - Some of the plot was very convoluted. While this did lend itself well to the Count's intricate plotting, I would occasionally get to a chapter and say, "Wait, what!?" A few times I tried to reorient myself with chapter summaries online, but stopped after it became difficult to avoid spoilers.
With all the negative out of the way, I will say that is was definitely a great book. At times it was riveting. At others it was clever. At pretty much all times it was dark and seemingly hopeless. The unabridged is great because it has everything as Dumas wanted it, but it does require quite a bit of commitment.
Final judgement: A must for those who want to read all the classics, but probably a bit much for the causal reader. ...more
“What the f#%, indeed” – Agent A. X. L. Pendergast
One thing I can say for where this series stands and what this book stressed to me: pay attention to“What the f#%, indeed” – Agent A. X. L. Pendergast
One thing I can say for where this series stands and what this book stressed to me: pay attention to every detail from every book, you never know when something is going to come back and be an important element. Remember that hobo that sneezed in book 5? Yeah, that’s probably important in book 15. Seriously, Preston & Child weave quite a web!
I cannot say too much more about this book without spoilers. Just mentioning a character at this point could be a spoiler. I was talking to a friend who has already completed the series and I remember him saying that a book farther along in the series seemed to be all about a certain character. At one point during this book I was certain that character was going to die. I “thanked” him for ruining that suspense for me! I am in the middle of discussing the earlier books in this series (Hello, Ginger and Terry!) and I have to be very careful about what I say.
That all being said – this book is great, this series is great, you cannot go wrong if you like mystery and suspense. Where you can go wrong is starting in the middle! Go back and start from the beginning, you will not regret it!
Here is a fun spoiler – it is pretty big stretch but is a big clue to one of the key plot points of this book. CLICK IF YOU DARE!
This is a dark and gruesome tale of the wild mountain west and the treacherous planes. The key story here is of survival and revenge, tragic heroes anThis is a dark and gruesome tale of the wild mountain west and the treacherous planes. The key story here is of survival and revenge, tragic heroes and scoundrels, Mountain Men and Natives, truth and fiction.
I am glad that they made a movie of this book, because I am not sure my attention would not have been drawn to it without the hype.
I recommend this book, but only to the strong of stomach!...more
Enjoyable and creepy. Lots of shocking detail and action.
However, with all of the Cormoran Strike mysteries - I have always found that 3.5 to 4 Stars
Enjoyable and creepy. Lots of shocking detail and action.
However, with all of the Cormoran Strike mysteries - I have always found that around 75% through the resolution it falls a bit flat. In each I was like, oh, here we are at the end and this is what happened. Okay, I guess . . .
I will keep reading this series because I enjoy the characters and the details, but I hope it the future to be surprised and excited by the ending....more
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