Reviews by eknapp
Oy. I used to love the Karp-Ciampi series (this is somewhere around the 22nd entry). It was like Law & Order with colorful characters and more action.
Somewhere along the line the dialogue became drier and more expository than burned toast. (Yes, toast can be expository.) The good guys practically have wings and halos and float six inches off the ground; the bad guys are laughably, cartoonishly evil and often buffoonishly incompetent.
Used to be a fun series, with at least the occasional ATTEMPT at moral grayness. Alas.
Anyway, in this outing Butch tries a black Muslim imam for the torture-murder of one of his congregants; the defendant breaks out a big-lie "the government is out to get all Muslims" defense. Marlene defends Dirty Warren when he's framed for murder. Guess who wins.
Somewhere along the line the dialogue became drier and more expository than burned toast. (Yes, toast can be expository.) The good guys practically have wings and halos and float six inches off the ground; the bad guys are laughably, cartoonishly evil and often buffoonishly incompetent.
Used to be a fun series, with at least the occasional ATTEMPT at moral grayness. Alas.
Anyway, in this outing Butch tries a black Muslim imam for the torture-murder of one of his congregants; the defendant breaks out a big-lie "the government is out to get all Muslims" defense. Marlene defends Dirty Warren when he's framed for murder. Guess who wins.
Reading "Jennifer Government" was just a fantastic experience. In a near-future world, democracy/capitalism has run amok. Everything is privatized, even the Police. If your daughter is murdered, you have to sell your house to fund the investigation.
The characters are reasonably compelling in spite of being quick-drawn. The author's writing style is riddled with quick wit. I had a blast with this book.
My one complaint is that a few questions go strangely unanswered. What happens to Violet after shooting Buy? Why does John get out of prison after only twelve years? Why is he able to become so successful so suddenly and dramatically; what was holding him back before? And what exactly inspires Hack to sudden and sustained assertiveness? It just sort of happens.
Minor complaints though. Fantastic read.
The characters are reasonably compelling in spite of being quick-drawn. The author's writing style is riddled with quick wit. I had a blast with this book.
My one complaint is that a few questions go strangely unanswered. What happens to Violet after shooting Buy? Why does John get out of prison after only twelve years? Why is he able to become so successful so suddenly and dramatically; what was holding him back before? And what exactly inspires Hack to sudden and sustained assertiveness? It just sort of happens.
Minor complaints though. Fantastic read.
It starts out with a promising premise: a "Pulse" turns everyone who uses a celphone into a mindless homicidal/suicidal maniac. A few "normies" band together for protection and to find the son of their leader Clay.
Apparently King wasn't happy with his antagonists because they gradually change into something else over the course of the book. Unfortunately they become more bizarre and unbelievable and less interesting. And the leaps of intuition made by the heroes are absurd.
Cell isn't awful but I wouldn't mind having the time I invested in it back either.
Apparently King wasn't happy with his antagonists because they gradually change into something else over the course of the book. Unfortunately they become more bizarre and unbelievable and less interesting. And the leaps of intuition made by the heroes are absurd.
Cell isn't awful but I wouldn't mind having the time I invested in it back either.
In 2040, a trio of young journalists following a presidential candidate become the targets of repeated assassination attempts, mostly involving zombies.
It's not really an apocalypse story...zombies do wreak some havoc but it's really about how society changes in order to live with the ever-present threat of the chompy undead. The security protocols are so extensive and intrusive that they actually began to detract from the story...it became hard to see how society could have survived at all. Still, good stuff and I'm looking forward to the sequel.
It's not really an apocalypse story...zombies do wreak some havoc but it's really about how society changes in order to live with the ever-present threat of the chompy undead. The security protocols are so extensive and intrusive that they actually began to detract from the story...it became hard to see how society could have survived at all. Still, good stuff and I'm looking forward to the sequel.
Vol 3 is magnificent. Gabriel Rodriguez does wonderful things, using the panels' shapes, sizes and organization to help tell the story. Gorgeous, GORGEOUS artwork. I love this series.
Dodge uses the Shadow Key to terrorize the kids into giving him the Well Key and Omega Key. It doesn't work. Kinsey still knows no fear and almost drowns because of it.
Dodge uses the Shadow Key to terrorize the kids into giving him the Well Key and Omega Key. It doesn't work. Kinsey still knows no fear and almost drowns because of it.
