Entertaining and funny, yet dark and serious.
347522
This book pulls you in and keeps you. It reads like a movie. Its highly entertaining, funny and serious as a heart attack all at the same time.
2359290
This novel feels like real life. It is both amusing and serious. It reminds me how black people find humor in the midst of difficult challenges and still remain strong. I highly recommend this book.
2462270
"Kill Your Friends" isn't really a serious novel. It's serious in that it's well written and the author knows what he's talking about regarding the music business but other than that it's not going to be a psychological study in murder and the build up and after effects of such a deed (except of course getting away with it). And it's also not serious in that it's actually pretty bloody funny in parts too.

The part I laughed out loud to was the part involving the coked out rapper bunkered down in his studio working on 30 minute songs. I also loved the indie bands portrayed in here. I wondered what bands they were based on and then thought they're all the same anyway so all of them. There's also a lot of corporate ladder climbing by our wily protagonist which leads to the murders.

It's a really quick and funny read satirising the music industry and I loved it. John Niven's character voice is bloody minded but strangely likeable and always interesting. Good stuff. Encore!
1522223
I remember this film mainly as a comedy, but when I went to watch it again I was amazed by the serious issues it raised. Genre pieces today seem to stay comfortably in their own domain. Comedy is usually nothing but funny and action films are usually nothing but skilful computer effects. There is a tremendous amount of crying going on in this film that isn't comic, but a real portrayal of the complex arrangement of desire and its negative effects. This is especially so because of the children involved and you have to wonder that if it were real life would it all end so happily. In any case, I find myself now remembering it as funny again because any situation where a pig-headed man gets humiliated will always be funny. Victoria Abril is simply sexy and the juxtaposition of her with the charismatic Josiane Balasko is simply a hoot. It is also good to see issues of homosexuality portrayed in a slightly more humorous manner than hard dramas that end in tragedy and doesn't compromise the character's to a mere comedy of campness at the same time. It is a very entertaining film that you will enjoy though you may not remember the emotional impact it had on you correctly.
111199
This film is funny, serious and quirky all at the same time. It's a fun time with a good story.
1182204
The main character reminds me of a friend of mine: dark dry sense of humor, self deprecating, smart and interesting to be around. One of my favorite qualities about this series is that it's written the way people actually talk rather than getting lost in trying to be prosaic.
3490216
Condon knows how to put together an ensemble of characters for a fun and engaging comedy exploring the modern nature of relationships.

His peculiar mix of optimistic misanthropy brings a realism to his characters and credibility to the story telling.

It's a light read, taking the audience on a journey reminiscent of a Preston Sturges or Howard Hawks comedy. That means I recommend it.
3277346
Robert Grossbach's Easy and Hard Ways Out naturally compares to Joseph Heller's Catch-22 and to many of Kurt Vonnegut's novels, but his characters seem even better developed--and funnier.  Here's a dark comedy where almost all the characters reveal themselves not only through their unpredictable actions in absurd situations but also through their often petty desires, fears, and obsessive concerns.  From idiosyncratic airmen with targets to hit in Vietnam to the fragile domestic tranquility of insecure suburbanites in America--to the trivial rules and fixations of personnel in an engineering firm called Auerbach Laboratories, Grossbach creates hilarious, fully drawn characters whose personal concerns seem constantly to weigh heavily against their responsibilities to the Air Force, their families, or workplace.  Yet underneath all the satire and comedy are deeply troubling moral questions that Harvey Brank, the main character, must face.

Read the sample and you'll be hooked on this dark comedic novel.
2344031
This is the story of family relationships strained by tragic events and secrets.  Searles has a strength in giving his characters enough depth and empathy that you feel connection to them and are able to see events through their eyes even if they are unable to see through each others eyes.  I enjoyed the dark, yet funny, tone of this book.

This is my first experience with this author, but I will look for him again.
3435910
"Waking Up Dead" is a dark comedic mystery  that begins with the murder of George Pearmain and his mother Jessica on the eve of her 99th birthday. Masterfully satirical and highly entertaining George wakes up in an incorporeal body to search for the killer who poisoned his wine and left his mother bludgeoned to death in the kitchen the previous night. As the criminal investigation progresses he mingles with his wife, family and friends, learning about the man he once was.

The plot is cleverly constructed as George not only keeps tabs on the police investigation to uncover the killer but sadly in death learns the value of life and the depth of his love for Esmeralda. Intermingled with a talking Irish wolfhound, iconic references to the past, and an amusing allusion to modern media with Lulu Belhatchett's program "Come Sit on My Knee" Nigel William's crafts a murder mystery rooted in greed and jealousy.

Breathing life into this imaginative mystery are characters that infuse the drama with passion, intensity and drama like George Pearmain the fat, crusty, and aloof retired bank manager who farts and drinks a lot. Yet for all his weaknesses and with more enemies than friends he is fair-minded and honest, his mother bequeathing him her million dollar estate to administrate. His wife Esmeralda in contrast is smart, insightful, and assertive, although she can be shy and often irritable with George's thoughtlessness. Like the clever, logical and frank DI Hobday who can be slightly uncouth, Esmeralda shows a knack for detail and police work.

Among the other characters in this engrossing novel Frigga Pearmain is the batty sister who has no aptitude for anything except being depressed, hating George and feeling guilty; Stephen Pearmain the responsible, successful, condescending younger brother; Lulu Belhatchett his snobby, vain and ambitious wife; and Pawlikowski the insensitive, ill-mannered pathologist.

I liked " Waking Up Dead" although I'm not sure it's to everyone's taste. Well-written and funny it should be read and enjoyed by those who'd like a dark, satirical murder mystery with an unusual ghostly hero.
143119
A very funny approach to some serious subjects.  I could not put it down, but then didn't want it to end.
2184124
funny on many levels
an urban fantasy with a lot of realism to uncover
looking at the light side of very heavily embedded themes
including capitalism and beaurocracy
mixed in with subtle skewed politics
theres just enough whimsy to keep the kids truly entertained
this book will grow with the reader
as the reader matures and realizes the duality of the meaning of the plot
and the authors quest for enlightenment
2499252
A wisecracking shamus who just might make you laugh out loud as he runs amuck killing the bad guys and saving the damsels. A lot of fun but still serious stuff.
3487888
Thoroughly enjoyed reading The Fourth Channel.  Very nice addition to urban fantasy with some creative twists that set it apart.  While the overall plot is serious, there is a lot of humor added in that frequently had me laughing out loud and getting odd looks from my wife.

Looking forward to the next in the series.
3935250
This kept me smiling and laughing, but also had it's serious side. Definitely well written with a lot of thought, and a great read!
4042037
After a hesitant start this develops into an ingenious and genuinely entertaining crime caper, with a lovable villain at its heart. A slightly preaching tone in the early chapters reveals the authors deep seated disdain for tabloid journalism, populist television and dumbing down of any kind, but this is delightfully compensated by a wicked sense of humour. According to the Daily Mail is a light and extremely enjoyable read, but one with a serious comment on contemporary values at its heart. Even die-hard Sun/Mirror/Express/Mail consumers will find it rewarding. (OK, maybe not Daily Mail ones.)
2112357
A surprisingly dark and well-crafted novel that packs a punch.