Funky Reading

The Deceived ~ Brett Battles

Funk Rating: 9 out of 10

This was a great book by a new author (to me) with a great new character. This is a great thriller that kind of splits the gap between detective mystery, spy thriller, and political storyline. What I loved was that the political storyline was underplayed and the detective mystery was the headliner.

The characters are all pretty original. I wouldn't say as far to the edge as Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, but far enough to be fascinating. Some great writing that has a sense of humor and wit, and some great pacing in the writing. The main characters are "cleaners" who clean up after dead bodies. Gives them reasons to have "skills" without creating another agency and terrorist plot that they have to uncover and stop. In this case, they can pursue their own agenda - for loyalty, friendship, and "good"...

This was the 2nd by this author and I'm certainly going back for #1, and then looping back around for #3. I'd definitely put this on your paperback list - it's a worthy read.

The Ark ~ Boyd Morrison

Funk Rating: 8 out of 10

This was actually a pretty fun book and a good, original storyline. Messianic complex, combined with technology and a very creative re-interpretation of Noah's Ark and what the flood was all about. The characters are pretty fun, and the story moves along well.

My issue is that he trumped up the action scenes just one notch too many. James Bond got out of fewer tight spots (across ALL his escapades) than the characters in this book. But, perhaps that's what kind of made this fun - it forces you to suspend disbelief and just go along for the ride.

I'm borderline on telling you to buy the hardcover. But if you want something different that still reeks of NYT pulp bestsellers, grab it. Enjoy!

Lullaby Town ~ Robert Crais

Funk Rating 10 out of 10

Crais rocks. I love Elvis Cole and Joe Pike, and this is just one fabulous book. Will it change your life like Ayn Rand? Heck no, this is pure page-turning, plot-twisting, fabulous-character type NYT bestselling fiction. This is simply a great way to spend a few hours enjoying a great storyteller.

I suppose you have to like Cole & Pike to begin with, and I suspect you have to be in a bit of a mood to suspend disbelief around some of the stereotypes. But the writing is quick and clever, I can't help but laugh out loud at some of the cleverness, and the storyline is pretty original (although the characters are classic stereotypes, which is what makes it fun).

Definitely worth a pickup at your local paperback bookstore...

The Lost Throne ~ Chris Kuzneski

Funk Rating: 9 out of 10

Oh my! An author I've never heard of before that has a bunch of NYT bestsellers - loved this one! I am so excited to find a great author that I can go back and buy paperbooks from :)

This is a great story with some fun characters and a fabulous plot. None of the really major characters die, but I love it when an author isn't afraid to kill off some of the good guys along the way (I mean, c'mon, the bad guys don't always miss). Not a spy thriller in the traditional sense, but there are government agents scattered around. 

This is just a fun, different, energizing beach or airplane read. Had me turning the pages and I loved how he anchored it in a lot of real, true history. Worth a look for sure!

The Burning Wire ~ Jeffery Deaver

Funk Rating: 7 out of 10

Oh, how sad it is to see one of the best authors, with one of the best characters, just pound out an average-rate plot with weak imagination. It's possible my expectations were just too high, and from anyone else I would have enjoyed this. But this is the weakest Lincoln Rhyme story I think in the series.

The plot isn't credible from the start, and I had it pegged from about halfway through. Which never happens with Deaver and Rhyme, and shouldn't have happened now. Oh, there were certainly some clever parts, and it was nice to see a novel that used some pretty clever techniques to avoid just simple bombs and guns.

But, and this is a big but, the story was goofy and the characters stiff.

Read any other Deaver/Rhyme story before this one. Once you're through them all, then read this one. It's not that it's awful; it's just awfully short of maximum potential...

South of Broad ~ Pat Conroy

Funk Rating: 8 out of 10

Conroy is one of those all-too-rare authors that can really write. Gorgeous, flowing text draws you into a story that captures your heart and keeps you turning the pages. You feel the characters, you imagine the history, you are right there.

I found the overall story arc quite enjoyable, and between the scenery and the characters, Conroy wove a great tale (albeit perhaps a little formulaic). I felt he tricked it up just one notch too many, in way that wasn't even remotely necessary. And I don't know why he did that - for at the end it felt like Conroy had a score to settle or something. A statement that just wasn't necessary; almost like he wanted to twist the knife based on his own life or something. 

Well, regardless, if you like Conroy's writing, you can't miss with this. And if you see this on a bookshelf, it's a fine read.

The Lion ~ Nelson DeMille

Funk Rating: 9 out of 10

Oh what fun it is to have John Corey and DeMille back in hand for another summer read! While the plotline is very odd timewise (set in like 2004), it's a chuckle and a half to read the smart-aleck writing of DeMille via one of his superheroes (aka John Corey). Formerly NYPD, recently on the Anti-Terrorist Task Force. As is typical, the pace is rapid, the characters classic, and the tension high.

This is about as good as it seems to get this summer, and the stakes are as high as it gets with revenge killings, weapons of mass destruction, cutting edge technology, and good old fashioned detective work and puzzle solving. DeMille probably overbuilds the cat-and-mouse game a bit, and it gets silly in spots. But it's still a great, fun read in my mind.

Enjoy!