Pedestrian Writing, 2-D Characters Make for Disappointing Outcome
343484
I am a big fan of John Grisham, not only of his legal thrillers but also of his more literary undertakings. "Playing for Pizza" was just a huge disappointment for me. It felt like a potboiler Grisham dashed off to justify the expense of an Italian vacation or to make use of some scrap notes he'd made while working on a larger project.

The book's characters are quite 2-D. Ex-NFL quarterback Rick Dockery does undergo a small amount of personal growth in his acceptance of his situation in Italy but that's a pretty minor transformation against a backdrop of predictable stereotypical supporting cast members.

The plot is all but non-existent. It's really a slice of life rather than a true narrative. It has a beginning and a middle but no end. Not only is the story line unfinished (that's not a crime, but in this case it's piled on top of the other issues the book presents and adds to the sense of incompletion), it's not clear it would have been interesting had Grisham bothered to bring it to a conclusion.

Overall, it's not only that I expect more of Grisham, it's that I expect more from any good book. This book just doesn't rank as one I'd recommend to anyone.
3671931
I really enjoy Michael Marshall Smith's writing style, and heartily recommend one of his earlier novels, THE STRAW MEN.  But THE INTRUDERS is pretty much a middling effort, at least when it comes to the plot.

The first half of this novel is certainly well written, but the plotline is disjointed and makes little sense.  Smith keeps on shifting perspectives and deliberately keeps the reader off-balance.  While some readers may enjoy this type of storytelling, I prefer novels with straightforward narratives.  Smith tries to tie everything together toward the end, but his "explanation" is so silly and contrived that I felt cheated.  In the end, I felt the whole story was pointless.

THE INTRUDERS is further weakened by the lack of a truly likable character. While all the characters are intelligent, most of them are dour and anti-social.  There are also too many characters to keep track of, and some of them are just stereotypical (the world-weary hit man for example).

Still, Smith is a terrific writer of prose, one of the best out there in genre fiction.  There are many passages in thsi novel that I re-read because I was struck by their cleverness and insight.  I recommend THE INTRUDERS if you enjoy good writing, but if you want a great story, you should try THE STRAW MEN instead.
1942732
Allowances need to be given for first novels, and there are many aspects of this debut that are commendable. The authors portrayal of the protagonists initial trials are compelling, the supporting cast is at first very interesting, and I found myself laughing out loud a number of times. However, these virtues make the novel's flaws all the more glaring. The initial subversion of a hackneyed romance plot vis a vis vicious betrayal is quickly unsubverted when the main character forgives the betrayer, who sold her into medical slavery, where extreme traumas are inflicted on her in a repeated and escalating fashion, and then begins to romance him. It feels contrived, and uncomfortable; as if the author had looked at Edward Cullen and said "you know, Edward is nowhere near sociopathic, creepy, and possessive enough. I'll fix that." The result is a character who is as two dimensional as he is unlikable. Unfortunately, towards the middle of the story, even the initally compelling characters seem to flatten into well worn stereotypes, and never really recover any depth. Which is a shame, because I genuinely enjoyed parts of this book, and I feel that if the author was willing to take a step outside the current YA zeitgeist, they could produce something intriguing. But this novel is not that. I do not recommend this book, but might be open to reading another novel by this author in the future.
2775547
The story was somewhat original and well edited, but that is the end of the positive. The writing was shallow across the board: very limited world building, simplistic back story, scant physical descriptions of both the main characters and the physical environments, and last, but arguably the worst offense, was a plot that was spoonfed to the reader. I finished the book quickly, yet still feel that I wasted 2 hours of my life. I would not read this author again, and highly recommend looking elsewhere for a fun read.
662233
The main characters (the detectives) are actally well done.  Demaree is very skilled with caricature.  But that gets buried under unnecessary food descriptions and exaggerated eating rituals.  Other character tho are very two-dimensional.  Plot had a lot of promise but the solution and MO and the way they got the evidence is not believable at all, reads like it was written by someone else entirely, and would get the case dismissed on a whole list of technicalities.  I might try one more book by this author just to see how he develops.  (Pls excuse any typos. Keys r sticking.)
571797
I approached this book with no prior knowledge of Baldacci's work... The characters are one-dimensional, each supplied with a name (usually unbearably precious) and a single, overweening personality trait. Lou is Protective Tomboy; Oz is Cowardly, Sensitive Younger Brother; Diamond is Pretty Much Huckleberry Finn without the Funny. Then, even though the author spends too much of his time trying to convince us to love these caricatures, he has no problem killing them for no reason other than providing plot devices. None of the deaths in the story is inevitable, or capricious, or the logical result of a chain of events. They are all carefully timed and arranged to kick-start the story or provide the writer a way out of a corner into which he has painted himself. It's all too convenient, and leads to a climax and an epilogue in which the surviving characters all have their wishes granted by the blue fairy. The wafer-thin characters and plot failures, however, are not the book's greatest problem. That distinction goes to its writing style. The writer lacks descriptive power, whether he's relating a beautiful view, a violent action, or a deep emotion. He's unable to summon the simple, true, poignant phrasing that is the hallmark of great writers of prose, and falls back on the inflated, flowery constructions of the hack. The writing is full of stock phrases and redundancies. Crucial details pop up suddenly and are backfilled, providing the telltale sign of an author too lazy to go back and add details where they should fall, rewriting around them if necessary. This failure is made all the more acute by the book's obsession with a dead character who was an exceptional prose stylist. One could, I suppose, be generous and regard this juxtaposition as intentional irony, but I'm not feeling generous today. I just finished reading Wish You Well.
4692149
4 stars for the 1st 75% of the novel, and 1 star for the last 25%.  I found the writing better than the 2nd entry in this series, and the plot development was well-done, even courageous with the "Game of Thrones" worthy character demise, until the author couldn't figure out how to write his way out of several threads.  The resolution of the story is laughable to the point of being insulting to anyone other than a mouth breathing slack-jawed troglodyte (hat tip Mr. Burns).  I won't give away the ending but believe that I lost IQ points reading it.  Might have just as well had vampires appear. Did anyone at Seventh Street Books actually read the manuscript, much less edit it? Embarrassing.
1496524
Compared to it's predecessor, this is a pale shadow. Same characters, same world, some great descriptive writing and very imaginative scene setting. But the plot development and antagonists are very one-dimensional and lack complexity (and, occasionally, motivation or wit). The book mixes two plotlines that individually could have been separate novels, and both suffer in the process. Both main protagonists occasionally behave out of character (unnecessarily cruel, lacking pragmatism or smarts, winning the day through deus-ex machina saves as opposed to preparation). Lynch has proven that he can do much, much better and I have high hopes for his future work. This sequel, though, is not up to what I had come to expect of him.
3117140
I had high hopes for this, based on the reviews, and I have to admit that I was sorely disappointed.

It gives in to two of the worst tropes of fantasy.  First, there are lots of different races, and some hints of complex relations between them, but the racial dynamics serve more to add a colorful sense of otherness to the story than anything else.  The result is a world that is extremely elaborate, but that we don't adequately explore.

My biggest complaint, however, is the multiple story lines that never come together.  I realize that this isn't the only series to do that, not by a long shot.  But more and more I see that kind of fragmentation of storyline as a cheap device to keep the readers going than anything of actual value, because it relieves the writer from the necessity of keeping his or her story interesting at all times.  (I stopped reading Kate Eliot's "King's Dragon" series for the same reason, though at least I got through three volumes of that before giving up--the individual story lines were better, and the world was more thoughtfully imagined.)  I realize that fantasy authors having been using these plot-splitting devices since Tolkein.  But that doesn't make it good writing, or good reading.  In this case, the story suffers from choppiness.  And since many of the characters aren't particularly likeable or otherwise compelling, I resented getting pulled away from the plots that I did enjoy.  Basically, I wish that more fantasy writers would discipline themselves enough that readers had at least a basic sense of how the various plots and characters connect to each other by the 2/3 mark of the first volume of any series.  That shouldn't be a difficult litmus test, and most of the best writers pass it with flying colors.  But this book doesn't: even at the end of the first book it is still not clear how the main plot lines connect to each other.

Believe me, I have nothing at all against literary complexity.  But if I'm going to make the effort to deal with complexity, I want to be rewarded for it.  And with this book, I didn't feel rewarded enough for it to be worthwhile.  And I do love fantasy--just not when it's done like this.

There are some interesting characters, yes, including one very enterprising young woman--who is the most interesting character and stars in what is by far the most interesting plot.  She is a strong and refreshing female character, and her development over the course of the story is excellent.  (It doesn't hurt that the other main characters in her plot line are also particularly well done.)  If her story had been separated from the rest and sold as its own novel, I'd be writing a much more positive review.

Also on the plus side, the book does a pretty good job of handling magic so that it is interesting and meaningful without overbalancing either the story or the characters.  I found the political plot somewhat trite, but then I usually do.  The main problem is that that plot line thinks itself far more original than it is.  The religious aspect is the most interesting, though it was light in some ways (can't be more specific without introducing spoilers).  It's not that Abraham is doing a lot of things wrong, so much as that he's dragged down by his adherence to some very unfortunate conventions.

There are no huge flaws, but few crowning achievements, either.  The strong points are sadly diminished by the story not forming a unified whole.
986098
My biggest complaint about torpedo is its sub-two dimensional characters, characters which, in most cases are there and gone before the reader has even gotten to know them.

The characters would be forgivable I suppose, since torpedo's selling point seams to be its stab at at how a naval skirmish between the US and the Germans might play out, but the naval combat in torpedo is nearly as shallow as it's characters. As apposed to a contest of whit and cunning between the Germans and Americans which I assume most readers are expecting, most conflicts play out with little creativity on either side. Most engagements in torpedo can be summarized as follows: sides make contact, sides fire various high tech weapons at each other, sides either evade through use of countermeasures or suffer damage, sides continue as usual. Even on the few occasions that either side innovates in any significant way it never seams to change the situation, the battles just continue as before, albeit with one side at a slightly different advantage.

In a nutshell Torpedo boils down to two modern and nearly faceless navies trading textbook blows until one of them runs out of ships. The writing styles solid, but there's really nothing in the tactics or characters to make it a story worth reading.
1481240
The concept of this story is brilliant. The first sentence introduces a mystery that drives you to turn pages all story long. The events and backstory--on a macro level--are awesome. One of the most creative concepts I've read and I read a lot.

But the execution of these concepts was sloppy. Characters suddenly swing into rages, standing and yelling at each other. The health and fitness aspects weren't believable (some people run distances too easily and later in the story are winded by less, healing happens too quickly. The social dynamics aren't nuanced--they're pretty stereotyped. And for a long while I wasn't sure I liked the main character.

So it's worth reading, but you'll have to be patient with immature writing. I'm hoping the author got better in the next books.
1372657
After high hopes for this book, having heard an author's interview on NPR & read several reviews, both of us were somewhat disappointed.  Although the writing was adequate, it did not help the reader feel empathy for the main characters.  Matthews' style is competent, but nowhere near the page-turning thrill of a David Baldacci book, or an elegant LeCarre mystery.  The extreme violence in general & the close-to-misogynistic torture of the women in particular were almost unreadable at times.  The ending was unsatisfactory & although it lends itself to a sequel, neither of us would be in a hurry to read more about these lost & disillusioned undercover agents, who seem to have lost not only their identities, but also their souls. -- Diana & Rob
1663388
This book sounded fascinating, but it disappointed me.  Unfortunately it is written in a labored, heavy, and somewhat pretentious literary style, which snuffs out much of the fun.  I had hoped for a straightforward character-driven novel and fun mystery.  The author's dreamy narrator, an imaginer of the past, is so much less fun than a historical narrator who is a character in the drama, or an omniscient narrator.  Somehow the style of writing overshadowed the plot and fascinating characters for me.  I really wanted to love this book, but it's many labored metaphors and narrator musings made the book much less fun than I had hoped.  A more clear exposition, more clear or chronological organization, and greater charcter development might have made this a story I could love.
3569088
"A true statement of one's character was how they reacted when they were knocked down and hurt."

Although not labeled as such, Shackleton's Burden reads like it was written with a young-adult audience in minds.

The story, while interesting in concept, suffers in my opinion by incorporating very unrealistic character morphology: a protagonist in the form of an android with a metallic human torso, horse body and 24 tentacle arms; and, antagonists in which have long floppy ears like rabbits.

I also feel that character development suffers to a great extent. After reading the story, I can tell you virtually nothing about the its two or three main characters. I know more about the characters that are victimized in the story than I do of those who rescue them from the bunny-eared villains.

This free [at the time of review] kindle edition short story is serving as an introduction to a new series, so don't expect to get a solid sense of closure at the end of its twelve very short chapters - many mere pages in length.
3602237
Good writing, a neat concept and a great support cast - I loved the exchanges between Gus and Seth.  The first third started very well, with bold action, mysterious magic, gothic suspense and an intriguing lead.  But the protagonist seemed to shrink and weaken with every page.  Charlie shifted from a strong, streetwise, self reliant female to the worst of helpless damsel stereotypes who did little more than stay home to avoid danger or faint repeatedly while awaiting rescue (a change notably coinciding directly with the transition from male to female garb and grooming).  The romantic interest was psychotic, violent and misogynistic, a Gary Stu so arrogant in his superhuman abilities that he broke all suspension of disbelief.
1358880
Let me start by admitting I only made it about 215 pages through this 416-page novel before I gave up. I may eventually go back to it if only because I paid for the novel. I'd rate this 2 and a half stars. I didn't dislike it; it was more that my interest waned as Nekropolis (the city) overshadowed the main character.

The concept for Nekropolis is original and inventive, but the execution felt crammed with too many creatures and world-building details that overwhelmed the main plot: Zombie detective helps half-breed vamp-human offspring of Dark Lord locate missing object.

Matt Richter is a likeable character, less downtrodden than your typical noir-PI, but somewhat less "fleshed-out" so to speak, because of his lack of emotions, explained in the novel by virtue of the fact that zombies lose their human sensations and emotions after death. This makes him difficult to relate to. Matt's description of events often reads very dry because he is emotionally indifferent to events occurring to and around him.

Devona, the half-breed vampire who engages his services to locate a missing magical object from her father's collection, is annoying. And somewhat unbelievable. She is the bastard daughter of a powerful Dark Lord born and raised in a Halloween-Horrortown where all manner of evil creatures live and dwell, and her reactions are often reminiscent of a spoiled teenager. Naivite in a world where creatures openly commit heinous acts of violence on a daily basis just doesn't seem realistic.

Meanwhile, at any given moment during the investigation, Matt and Devona are randomly attacked by various bizarre creatures that serve no apparent purpose other than describing the electic pantheon of scary creatures who live in Nekropolis. One or two of these would have been enough, but the overload was enough to make me lose track of the original purpose to their investigation. I had to keep reminding myself what they were supposed to be doing as they escaped each new confrontation.

Often, the dialogue was cliche, particularly for villains who attacked them. (There are so many, I cannot recall names.) Overall, I think this novel could have benefitted by "trimming the fat" and paring down the story to its bare bones. This would have placed more emphasis on the characters than the world they are inhabiting.

I had high hopes for this story, but sadly, it was too dry to hold my interest. I prefer sharply-written urban fantasy with crisp dialogue and well-developed characters. Sadly, Nekropolis didn't qualify. I may return to this author after subsequent novels to see if the writing improves. I still love the idea of this story, but the writing just isn't there yet.
3339434
When I saw the cover of Hope Never Dies and read the blurb, I couldn't resist the book.  I thought the idea was funny and the story would be light and entertaining.  I continued to feel that way as I started reading the book.
As the story progressed, though, I felt more and more disappointed.
The book reads like fanfic.  Although fanfic doesn't inherently have to be bad, the term does carry a certain connotation of being unpolished or undeveloped.  In this case, the writing is easy to read, but frustrating.  Obama's character feels flat--an undeveloped enigma who occasionally utters pertinent statistics.  Biden's character is a loose cannon.  If you like watching medical or crime shows where renegade characters continually get away with breaking laws because they're too good for the rules to apply to them, you might like the Biden character. . .or you might be bothered because it isn't skill or finesse that enables him to find clues and keep getting away with breaking the rules--it's a combination of connections and sheer luck.
What I was looking for here was a zany adventure tale starring fictionalized versions of Obama and Biden, but the book isn't nearly as upbeat as I'd hoped.  There's darkness, griping, bitterness, and decreasing optimism--plus numerous injuries, many of them head injuries.  Michelle and Jill only really figure into the story as abstract ideas--for most of the book, the main characters' absentee wives seem to go about their separate lives in a misty, detached realm.  Jill does make brief appearances and even speak and leave notes, but otherwise she's just a concept--a figure Joe will have to answer to at some point in the future, if he lives that long.  I find it ironic that characters who nominally occupy positions of power in Hope Never Dies are female, but most of the female characters are still so undeveloped that they don't actually affect the course of the story much.
I wasn't expecting a lot of research to go into a book of this nature, but--despite not being knowledgable about all the real-life figures the characters are based on--I had a nagging feeling as I read that there wasn't much factual basis for how people and situations were presented.  I could only make a strong case for inaccuracy in one place, but the feeling kind of bugged me anyway.
In the end, instead of an upbeat buddies-solving-crime-and-leaving-us-with-a-feeling-of-cheerful-possibility story, I felt like I got another privileged-white-guy-breaking-all-the-rules-because-he-can story.  It's a shame, because I think the idea was really inspired.
Also, although I love the cover art (and maybe it's temporary cover art that will change), I'm really confused that it features a Firebird when both men's vehicles are described, and neither is a Firebird.