The League of Bloody Brilliant Gentlemen
596397
FANTASTIC! Just when you think that they have done everything with comedy, the League of Gentlemen come up with a hilarious comedy series like this! You'll be in stitches while watching this! TUBS, EDWARD, PAULINE, MICKEY,AND ALL THE REST OF THE CHARACTERS ARE SUPERB!
BUT JUST REMEMBER "THAT THIS IS A LOCAL SERIES FOR LOCAL PEOPLE AND THERE IS NOTHING FOR YOU HERE!"
HA HA HA
jUST BUY IT! BEST MONEY YOU'LL EVER SPEND!
2779624
Building his or her own real baseball team is a dream for many fantasy baseball players.  For two editors of Baseball Prospectus (the current and former editors), that dream becomes a reality when they were allowed to run the baseball operations of the Sonoma Stompers of an independent league in California. The adventures of Ben Lindbergh and Sam Miller running this team during the 2015 season are captured in this excellent book.

Given their occupations and obsession with statistical analysis, the duo tries to assemble the roster completely through their spreadsheets (even calling some of their prospects spreadsheet guys) but soon come to realize that some old-fashioned scouting and legwork will work as well.  The comparisons to Moneyball are inevitable and they actually provide some of the more entertaining passages from the book. For example, one of the funniest lines of the book states that if the As were a collection of misfit toys, as Micheal Lewis wrote, then well be building a team out of toys that got recalled because they were choke hazards.  I was in tears after reading that line.

Some of the passages are also more serious or even poignant such as some of the exchanges between Sam and/or Ben and the players or the manager. When trying hard to sell a strategy such as a defensive shift or using a closer for more than just the ninth inning, the guys realize that there has to be some trust in the instincts and knowledge of baseball men like the manager and scouts. There is a lot of compromise on these types of conflicts throughout the Stompers season.

This format is a winner for the book as it is one that anyone who is a baseball fan, whether a stat geek or an old-school believer; casual fan or addicted seamhead, young or old, should add to his or her baseball library. It will entertain, inform and delight all readers of baseball books.

I wish to thank Henry Holt and Company Publishing for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
841886
I certainly enjoyed the history and the researched revelations regarding real people and actual battles. This is best described as Boys Own adventure. The narrative voice comes close to GM Fraser yet it lacks his unique ability to make me laugh out loud. Flashmans uncle, the rogue depicted here, is a little bit too heroic compared to the cowardly dirty rotten scoundrel so beloved by Flashman fans like me.
4328014
If you love steam punk and Sherlock Holmes this is the book for you.  Think League of Extraordinary Gentleman but with Holmes.
1380509
Savage has written a novel worthy of report. As I began the novel I wasn't sure what to expect. It wasn't long before I was turning pages as quickly as I could read them. The insanely murderous competition in the world of technology is the basis for this book and it is brilliantly used. Although I would have preferred a little deeper rounding out of the characters, I highly recommend this book to one and all.
2480369
This book is a riot. Its a murder mystery that had me in stitches. Its full of humor, jokes, banter, surprises, and cheeky and sexually outrageous episodes. Its set in a mansion full of the usual bunch of sexy, obnoxious suspects, and the great detective, Inspector Cullot, together with his side-kick, Sgt Watkins, and the bumbling PC Blunt, set about solving the murders of two sexy blondes. As I said, its a riot. All the characters are hiding secrets, including the policemen, and its one shock or surprise after another. And its wittily and snazzily written. Couldnt put it down.
1124612
If you love to binge watch on Netfliks, give this show a try.  We are now addicted to it.  Reminds me of A League of Gentlemen.
2741034
If possible I would rate A GAME OF INCHES higher than 5 Stars.  Webb Hubbell is a superb wordsmith.  I loved When Men Betray and Ginger Snaps, however his latest is a must for anyone who is interested in fantasy football, CTE, and corruption.  Hubbell demonstrates great skill in this accomplished, entertaining and thoughtful novel.  You won't be able to put it down and when you do you will go back and read his other Jack Patterson thrillers.
3991799
As a dedicated Pratchett fan, I get a bit nervous any time the man writes something set outside of Discworld. I love Discworld.  I love the characters, the settings.  And I know that I'll love anything set there.

Dodger isn't set in Discworld, but it is absolutely wonderful.  The novel at its core is about what happens to a young man when a Story gets ahold of him.  This is true about at least 50% of Pratchett's Discworld novels.  The flow is familiar for Discword fans, but not at all tired.  The setting (dickensian London) and characters (entirely new, but somehow familiar) are wonderfully written.

There were times when I felt a bit jarred by things happening abruptly.  But what would a Pratchett novel be without abrupt happenings?

If you're a Pratchett fan, you'll love Dodger.  If you're not a Pratchett fan - particularly if you've avoided the man because of a distaste for "fantasy" (which only applies to Discword novels in the losest of terms) - Dodger would be a great place to start.

- Minor Spoilers Ahead -
Sir Terence worked a few real historical personages into the work.  Below is a list of characters (and relevant institutions) encountered in Dodger which you might want to look up, either before or after you enjoy the novel.  I expect that reading up before you plunge into Dodger will

Charles Dickens - Only the greatest author of the Victorian Era.  I'd recommend refreshing your memory on his complete list of works, which will help you recognize a good number of puns throughout Dodger.

Benjamin Disraeli - The man who became Britain's only Jewish (though he was a devout Anglican) Prime MInister.

Angela Burdett-Coutts - The wealthiest woman in England, of whom King Edward VII said, "After my mother [Queen Victoria], the most remarkable woman in the kingdom."

Henry Mayhew - An English social researcher and one of the founders of "Punch".

Queen Victoria - England's queen from 1837 to 1901.

Prince Albert - The Queen's husband.

Robert Peel - The man credited with helping to create the modern concept of a police force - who later went on to become Prime Minister of England.
4892
All the other reviewers have already said what this book is about. All I can add is that this reminded me of the very first books of Mr. Pratchett that made me laugh out loud in sheer delight. Nuanced puns jostled with coarse characters and the simply amazing wizards. Sir Pratchett, you are simply brilliant. After staying up all night reading the book, I confess, I am now eager to hear Mr. Briggs read the book out loud.
4227016
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: the ultimate fan fiction
 " The league is set and the game is on." This isn't the typical league, but the league of extraordinary gentlemen. (LXG by J.K. Anderson )  This book seems like the ultimate fan fiction. Combining from well know and well loved books into one novel.  From the deserts of Africa , to the wastelands of Siberia, to the leadgudary ship, The Nautilus.  This book has everything, down to James bond's own grandfather!!  But Really,  this book stays true to the original characterization.  The Victorian classics are back and revamped. (pardon the pun.)
 Just who is in this League??  Well... Allan Quatermain, the hunter and leader  (from King Solomon's Mine.)  Rodney Skinner, the "gentleman thief" and invisible man .  ( he stole the invisibility potion from the creator ,Dr. Hawley Griffin, and wasn't in the original book.)  Mrs. Mina Harker, vampire and chemist. ( from Bram Stoker's Dracula)  Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde , the scitzo  ( from the book of the same name) Dorian Grey , the immortal ( from The Picture of Dorian Grey) Tom Sawyer , the gun-man ( from Mark Twain's adventures) and Captain Nemo , the engineer ( from 20,000 leagues under the Sea)
 A mystery man, simply known as "M", selects 5 legendary characters to prevent WWI, stop the bad guy, and save dozens of German scientist and their families from his headquarters.  The twists in this novel never end.  Romantic tension,  bizarre betrayals,  misjudgment of a loyal character, death, murder, and every plot twist imagined.
 The thorough characterization are better then any other books about the same old, dusty  characters.  They act and react like normal 20th century people.  Not untouchable, unrealistic, stiff characters they are sometimes.  They are heroes in the own right, but they also have the same behaviors, bad habits, and downfalls everyone has.  For example: Dorian is arrogant ,  Allan has lost faith in his country, Tom talks too much, Mina still has feelings for Dorian, Nemo prides his ship, and Jekyll has paranoia.
 The plot , a typical adventure, has weaknesses.  In some places it seems that Anderson is just setting up for his next book.  Like the way he sets up relationships and sets down the characters.  The plot also evolves around massive fight scenes, sense this is a movie tie-in it really does not work.  The fights are climatic thou , but made for a movie, a big downfall for the reader.
 Language is oppsoleete in this novel.  The diction of the characters don't make their personality.  Except for Sawyer, who uses American slang and terms, like "shucks" or "darlin'" .  The British characters never use British phrases like "Ticky-boo" or "bloody".
 This novel can't be assigned a rating too quickly. It comes from a well written comic book .  The reader should definitely check that out first, this novel is hardly it's equal!  If the reader is a fan of Dracula ( or any of the other books) they may not like this book.  If the reader loves movies, then they may love it.  It depends on the person reading it.  It's hardly a Pulitzer , but it is a great, original idea. Check out Allan Moore and Kevin O'Neil's graphic novel of the same name.
762891
I loved the read, as I do all of the League books. It as love, hate, comraderiery, and betrayal all wrapped up in one book. I like the fast pace and the fascinating characters. The only reason it got docked a star was because I figured out the evil doer way too early in the book, so then everything was pretty obvious. But can't wait for the next installment in May.
1709960
This is the ultimate monetary vengeance book.  Four men who have never met before and who don't know a lot about the stock market are conned into buying the shares of a billionaire businessman for a company that is being wound up by him.
Being gentleman they get together and do not decide to kill their evil enemy, no! They decide that they will rip him off for the exact amount of their loss plus interest.  They will however not take a penny more but likewise will not settle for a penny less.
They have four separate cunning plans each involving all four of them.  This book is brilliantly written and you will not be able to put it down until you know if these men succeed.  It's not that thick a book though is my only disappointment as I would have loved to have read more.
If you love this book or genre read The Money Makers by Harry Bingham it's even better and has a lot more pages.
3475127
At the moment I write this, Kim Newman's "Anno Dracula" is out of print. (Hopefully, by the time you read this, it will be available again.) It baffles me that such a wonderful recent novel (1992) could easily slip out of publication, especially when it is still very popular: apparently used bookstores can't keep this one their shelves for more then a day. With the huge success of Alan Moore's graphic novel "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" you would think this similar blending of Victorian personages, both historical and fictional, would widely available. This is really the dark fantasy version of Moore's heroic graphic novel, and anyone who enjoys either 1) alternative history, 2) vampire novels, or 3) dark fantasy will adore this book and never let their copy out of their greedy reading hands.
Mr. Newman imagines Victorian England if the bloodsucking count had been the victor in Dracula. The Count marries Queen Victoria and becomes ruler of an England rapidly becoming the territory of `new-born' vampires, who seek to be `turned' so they can rise in rank. Dracula opens up a reign of terror reminiscent of a medieval monarchy, yet still filled with traditional British Vicotrian attitudes. It's a delightful mixed brew of history and gothic darkness.
Into this thrilling setting slinks Jack the Ripper (also known as `Silver Knife'), slashing vampire girls in Whitechapel. Charles Beauregard, a human (or a 'warm' in vampire terms) who works for a secret society, and Genevieve, a vampire of an ancient boodline who has great distate for Dracula's reign both search for the murderer. Coming from two different angles, they join forces to try to fathom the mystery of the killings. Their invesitgation will lead to repercussions for all of this topsy-turvy, nightmare  version of England.
"Anno Dracula" is an extraordinary feat of imagination: bloody, violent, erotic, and chock-full of historical and fictional guest stars: Oscar Wilde, Arthur Holmwood, Henry Jekyll, Jack the Ripper, Dr. Moreau, Danny Dravot (from Kipling's "The Man Who Would be King"), Professor Moriarty, George Bernard Shaw, etc. Even a quick mention of Lewis Carroll and Allan Quartermain! It's a Victorian literature lover`s dream come true -- and one for any fan of dark, exciting, BLOODY good fantasy and horror. Look for a copy, and let's hope it will be back in print soon!
292468
I gave the prescribed Metropolitan Police first greeting.

Oi! I said What do you think you're doing?  Ben Aaronovitch, Midnight Riot

Conflict resolution, said Nightingale, Is this what they teach at Hendon these days?
Yes, sir, I said. But don't worry, they also teach us how to beat people with phone books and the ten best ways to plant evidence.  Ben Aaronovitch, Midnight Riot

First, I love British Urban Fantasy. It is often quirky, normally presented in a dry, witty style, and sometimes simply figuring out the language can give it a while other level of subtle humour not found in American English writing. I love it, and Ben Aaronovitch doesnt disappoint with Midnight Riot. Of course, listening to the book rather than simply reading it added a whole other level to my enjoyment. The narration of Kobna Holdbrook-Smith is everything I could have wanted and more. His delivery has the level of dry wit, spot-on delivery and subliminal snark that brings a good book to the level of brilliant.

Peter Grant is a London copper  just off his two year probationary period as a constable, his lack of ability to actually pay attention to what is going on around him has him scheduled for  basically a fancied up secretary. But one cold night on a scene watch under the West Portico of St. Pauls at Covent Garden, Peter meets an odd little man in an Edwardian smoking jacket: don't ask me why I know what an Edwardian smoking jacket looks like: lets just say it has something to do with Doctor Who and leave it at that. That in itself is weird enough. But the fact that he is a ghost is just a tad over the top, even for a Londoner.

Suddenly, Peter finds himself in a world he never knew existed  where ghosts and goulies, goddesses and monsters all exist just below the everyday hustle and bustle of the crowded city streets. In his new position as assistant and student wizard under the tutelage of Detective Chief Inspector Thomas Nightingale. Thomas Nightingale, London Detective and Wizard. Well, nobody ever said being a London cop is simple, you know. Now, there are all sorts of odd things going on around Peter  and all of his friends, his family, and his coworkers, as well as the whole population of London, are in more danger than he ever could have imagined.

Peter Grant is an unusual character. Half white, half Somali, Peter suffers the same sorts of issues that any black man in a mostly white force suffers. He likes his job, but his fuzzy grasp on concentration causes him issues  issues that his Probationary partner, Leslie May, has to pick up the slack on. And of course, the oddity of his new position causes a strain for him within the department, as does the bureaucracy inherent in a huge, ancient city such as London.

As soon as we stopped sleeping with our cousins and built walls, temples and a few decent nightclubs, society became too complex for any one person to grasp all at once, and thus bureaucracy was born. A bureaucracy breaks the complexity down into a series of interlocking systems. You don't need to know how the systems fit together, or even what function your bit of the system has, you just perform your bit and the whole machine creaks on.

Midnight Riot is amazingly creative. Ben Aaronovitch takes the trouble to weave in the history and stories of London, all the way back to its very beginnings, Londinium, a settlement established on the current site of the City of London around AD 47. The focus of the story interweaves history and mythology, witchcraft and ghosts, and Mother and Father Thames and their children, the many other waterways of Britain.

As Tim from Temecula says in his Audio review, Its as British as Chicken Vindaloo or Soccer Violence. Of course, as a former Brit, Tim should know  ;-)

Idiosyncratic and wickedly fun, the Peter Grant Series is an absolute blast. I can highly recommend it! Especially if you listen to the Audio Version narrated by Kobna Holdbrook-Smith. Awesome!
4187593
A. G. Macdonell's seminal opus is the exception to a rather substandard writing career. However, his deliberate effort and enthusiasm shines through with this extraordinary tale of high adventure. Told with a contagiously dashing prose, witty observations, and unapologetic humor, Macdonell brings the tensions of the times to life through his articulately sketched characters. And what characters they were! If Napoleon had generals with similar skill levels of those of either Alexander the Great or Genghis Khan, there's no telling how far his successes would have reached, nor how long they could have been sustained. But that's the point that Macdonell almost uniquely makes throughout his narrative thread: that an army that inherently relied on standouts from the Enlightenment for its glory was also undone by the same tenacity of spirit that engenders all rebels, pirates, and smugglers to return to their roots as individual crusaders led by their own motives.
4156554
I wholeheartedly recommend the Whitewolf Vampire:The Dark Ages guide over every other rulebook in the Whitewolf ensemble.
It manages to encompass all of the magic of the original Vampire edition and also adding a fantastical, middle-ages flair to it.  The potential for great storytelling is increased ten-fold and when complimented with the Mage:Sorcerer's Crusade it makes for an almost unbeatable tabletop roleplaying experience.
The Dark Ages guide contains a set of modified rules for playing several hundred years previous to the modern Vampire rules (rules on blood, enhanced generation, skills/talents etc) and includes the chance to play some of the vampire clans who had been phased out since the modern times (Salubri, Baali, Capadocian among others.  Though they have their own clanbooks as well, enough information in the dark ages guide is included to effectively play them).
I would suggest that any fan of the Whitewolf games pick up this book.  It is masterfully written and even engrossing to read despite being a set of rules.
-Zilean