Not Bickers' best work. It was interesting
930859
Not Bickers' best work.  It was interesting.

Similar to most of his books, he never finishes the story and leaves you hanging.
2794122
Another one of my Bookbub finds, Somebody Tell Aunt Tillie Shes Dead is not quite as good as I had hoped it would be. Written with an engaging voice, the story is interesting but meandering.

Im going to get technical here for a moment. Novels have a certain structure, which you can learn in a novel-writing class or one of the thousands of books written on the subject. Certain things need to happen at approximately a certain percentage through the story, or it comes out feeling like the story is going on for way too long or is way too rushed. Unfortunately, this novel drags on in the beginning and then rushes through the ending.

All of Part One should have been chopped down to only a few chapters and much of the back story cut. Part Two has an abrupt shift halfway through it, the tone going from light and airy and goofy to somewhat dark and sinister. Then the ending, the big fight with the malevolent spirit that wants to take over Maras life, is packed into too few chapters. The result is that the book feels inconsistent and messy.

The good thing about it, though, is that I really enjoyed the main character Mara. Her voice was interesting, her perspective and knowledge of Pagan rituals, and her earnest discussion of the supernatural goings-on was endearing. Except for her fear of rodents, she was pretty brazen and unflinching in the face of all this trouble.

I cant say the same for her best friend, Gus. Im sure Ms. Miller was attempting to create a sassy, fun gay California man, but to me, he was a complete jerk. He insulted Maras weight, made fun of her lack of boyfriend, and when she was being evicted from her apartment in an unfair situation, never once offered to help her, instead picking on her throughout. I was pleased when Part One was over and I didn't have to put up with his jackassery any more. Mara, honey, you deserve respect, and you can do so much better than being a hag to nasty old Gus.

If you're looking for something different in the paranormal vein and don't mind some of the foibles of a disjointed-feeling book, I would suggest Somebody Tell Aunt Tillie Shes Dead. The detail about witch accouterments and rituals is fascinating in and of itselfperhaps even worth wading through Guss terrible attitude.
900594
I liked it.  Not Simak's strongest, but not every book can be Way Station.
4257928
This has some interesting premises, the country boy-med student-med tech, involved in war as a noncombatant.  However, Sams seems to love some of his secondary characters, e.g. Otten, Will, and gets off spinning stuff about them while the plot lags.  I didn't know what the plot really was until halfway through the novel.
Granted that it's a bildungsroman, and his young character is in the sluggish military, and he's from the south, but Sams needs to get on with his story and show more of Porter Osborne as he grows up and settles his mind on what he really wants to fight and do.
3125561
This book was a quick, interesting read, but the author didn't quite finish writing the book. There were several concurrent story lines...all interesting. An incompetant conman, a not-ready-for-prime-time thug, an adoptee searching for a birth parent...

You just  knew you were reading spokes on a wheel that were all going to come together at the center. And that was pretty much the case, BUT...a few of the spokes kind of glanced off the side of the hub. Or maybe never quite made it to the center. And those that did come to the center got there a little too abrubtly. I still have a lot of  'wonder what happened to...' questions.

  The book was an entertaining Sunday afternoon read, but a forgettable story, once you put it down. Not earth-shattering, but still fun to read
1936161
I found learning the  ins and outs of the B--movie business more interesting than the main plot. Not very realistic.
2457776
It was an interesting read but not a great one.  While the author is a decent writer, there were parts that could have used a LOT of judicious editing.  This is book I'm glad I read but not one I would ever read a second time.
483749
The characters are interesting but sort of one-sided.
The ending is a little disappointing unless you are really into storybook endings.
The authors other book, "Once We Were Brothers," was admittedly better.
2191320
Throughout the novel, the author had avoided passing absolute facts and instead sought to present various scenarios through the dialogues and statements of various characters.
Interestingly, it is also one where the mystery is not definitely solved as the author used the Defence Counsel's arguments to present the supposed answer rather than stating it as a matter of truth or fact.
A bit of grim humour was introduced in her description of the British Court trying a peer of the realm, having to back hundreds of years to find legal precedants and the office of the Lord High Steward.  Here, the author appeared at one point to be revelling in writing about the exaggerated formalities and pomp of trying a peer that it seemed to be her climax and that the case was just an excuse to write about it.
To be fair, she did write about a nice case.
The case itself, which appreared to be another who-dun-it murder, introduced many side plotlines.  As in real life, most of the time, a person finds himself in numerous roles that often when something like a murder mystery occured, most writers neglect all other aspects of the person and present only the relevant ones.  This author however, had managed to present the different roles a character has in "real-life" without falling into a rambling trap.
Certainly for a fan of hard-core detective novels, this book may be rather disappointing in its conclusion.  However, taken as a novel, it provided an interesting glimpse into the British aristocratic society and its interaction with other parts of society as a whole.
Except for the conversational language used, Peter Whimsey could have been substituted by a certain Belgian detective and the entire novel would have appeared as a Christie's.
4440064
I read it with interest. This is not a great book but not really bad also.
1635257
If you have been an avid reader for most of your adult life you may be in my boat.  Most of what is available either isn't worth the time to read or is just too dull.  While I wouldn't say I loved this book -- I will say that is was an interesting read.  That is saying something when so much out there doesn't even make this cut.  If you are looking for an interesting read that is a bit different give this one a chance.
1008930
This book was chosen by our book club, and although it wasn't my preferred reading, it had a good story line-- actually 3 story lines which came together in the end. Neither the best nor the worst book I've read.
1603340
Not written by a "writer", this non-fiction works only because the topic and stories were interesting.  My complaint is that the stories were told in a fashion that was too choppy and disconnected.

In any case, for someone interested in some of the details of prison life this book does hold some interest and I recommend it it on that level.  For a deeper look, or a more scholarly take, you'll have to look elsewhere.

I did find many of the short takes on interactions between the writer (a warden) and some of the prisoners to be intertaining reading.

Where was near the end a rather lame arguement against the death penalty, I say lame because it wasn't that there can't be strong arguements against the death penalty, its just that the arguements for it need to be properly presented if one is going to argue against them (or else you're tearing down a strawman).

The most important point however was made, and made well, and that was that prisoners in the system need to be treated with a certain amount of humanity and respect, or else the system becomes dangerous, makes problems worse and doesn't prepare men for eventual release.  For this part of the book I give the author credit and recommend that it be read.
2913713
I had a preconceived idea of what this book may be about, but I was wrong.  I was surprised to find out that the book was an interesting read, more entertaining and a little thought provoking.  If it would have taken more  than two days to read, I would have lost interest.  The main character  deals with a lot of issues, especially concerning drugs, his family and  religion which would ideally take the book somewhere, but it really didn't  go anywhere.  Not bad, but not the greatest book I'll read this year.
1462552
I was impressed that the story kind of hung together, given that so many authors collaborated on it.  However, the story wasn't that compelling, although it did have its moments.
823479
The plot has three different threads that are fascinating, but I didn't think they tied together very well. I kept expecting to have a big "aha" moment but it didn't happen.
1541844
For PKD fans it is an interesting tale. Better if the reader doesnt expect this as one of his best. Still, written in his flowing text, this is an interesting little journey.