A very small law firm takes on a corporate giant in a legal dispute over a drug that may cause heart defects. Their clients do not cooperate. The judgA very small law firm takes on a corporate giant in a legal dispute over a drug that may cause heart defects. Their clients do not cooperate. The judge may be compromised. Their partnership is not strong, as they are more interested in pursuing dollars than justice. This is anything but cliched. Loved it.
Obviously he got paid by the word. It does not hold up, and should only be read as a cultural artifact. There's a solid 10% of the book involving 4 faObviously he got paid by the word. It does not hold up, and should only be read as a cultural artifact. There's a solid 10% of the book involving 4 family members dancing around the house NOT talking to each other, but they might! The largest failing is that there are essentially 4 villains. The hero only confronts 1, but defeats none. I won't spoil it by saying what happens to each of the 4. Their are other weaknesses and failings to the book, but these are the two that matter.
I am not one for a straight thriller, and this is a thriller, not a mystery, not an adventure, but right out of the box it is a thriller. It only moveI am not one for a straight thriller, and this is a thriller, not a mystery, not an adventure, but right out of the box it is a thriller. It only moves forward, with a few flashbacks. The bad guy is bad without apology, which is welcome, because I have grown tired of bad guys who are written such that the reader feels sympathy. If I was more of a thriller fan, this would get a 5. The missing star is about my taste and not about the quality of the writing.
Just OK. The author's mastery of the language shines in this book, but still it's not on par with his best work. The author sometimes needs an editor Just OK. The author's mastery of the language shines in this book, but still it's not on par with his best work. The author sometimes needs an editor he's a afraid of. The pacing of the action can get knocked off the rails with technical detail. Early in the book the technical detail is fun, but when we're building to the climax, the scary editor needs to tell Dan, "Not here!"
At times this read as though there were a mini-series playing in the author's mind. An episode has a bit of comedy, tension, mini-resolution or increased threat, then on to the next episode. I wonder if this was intended.
Started listening because of an Audible sale. It's a thriller much more than a mystery. I enjoyed it, but the author does a few too many summarizationStarted listening because of an Audible sale. It's a thriller much more than a mystery. I enjoyed it, but the author does a few too many summarizations for people not paying attention for my taste.
The quality of the stories was all over the board. A few were very memorable, especially the spooky ones by Kipling and Doyle, as well as the funny onThe quality of the stories was all over the board. A few were very memorable, especially the spooky ones by Kipling and Doyle, as well as the funny ones by Compton and Lewis. I'd read Mirage by Maugham before, and it's still very good and relevant.
The Adventure of the Snowing Globe is a fun fantasy and perfect for Christmas reading.
Veronica got bored with it, so we moved on from reading it for bedtime stories.
As one would expect from Folio Society, the presentation is excellent. It's a beautiful book....more
I liked parts of this book. Stephen King kills J.D. Salinger while sticking a knife into John Updike. King describes a pair of books, much like descriI liked parts of this book. Stephen King kills J.D. Salinger while sticking a knife into John Updike. King describes a pair of books, much like describing the stories of Misery Chastain, and we'd like to read these fictional "Gold" books (which I interpret to be Updike's Rabbit books).
I did not like the action in the third act. The characters do to few things that seem reasonable. The inner dialog of some characters gets overdone. The leaps of faith in getting the characters into the correct place at the correct time with the correct motives would carry the readers across canyons.
It was surprising to read about a bookstore owner who was not a misunderstood genius, smarter and better than all of us normal humans. I can't think of one other book ever in which the bookstore owner is not near superhuman....more
I've caught Stephen King, having now read/listened to all his novels and short stories collections along with a bunch of other stuff he's written.
It'I've caught Stephen King, having now read/listened to all his novels and short stories collections along with a bunch of other stuff he's written.
It's fun to report that Mr. Mercedes is not like any of his other books. It's closer to something by Dean Koontz, but not quite. There are no supernatural elements in the book. The villain is a psycho. The early book is scary as we're inside the mind of the killer, and the reader thinks, "This must be how that crazy ass kid at West Virginia thinks or the Batman killer thinks." That is real, and it's scary. There are no clichés here.
The reader is excellent, especially through the last third of the book. I've got a lot more respect for Will Patton after this and the last King book I listened to....more
Stephen King has some cojones. After "Different Seasons," one of the greatest books of fiction every written, it amazes me he'd go down the four storiStephen King has some cojones. After "Different Seasons," one of the greatest books of fiction every written, it amazes me he'd go down the four stories-one book path again.
While I enjoyed this book, it does not make 5 stars. King has set a high standard for himself, so his good is what other writers would rate their very good, but not great.
One story, "Fair Extension," should have been subtitled, "Needful Things, an Afterword."
This is currently my second favorite book title, right behind "Ill Met in Lankhmar."
There are two readers for this book, and they are both excellent. Craig Wasson is one of the best book readers I've come across. ...more
Two stories, and both are good. The first will appeal to any baseball fan. It's the sort of story youCraig Wasson is a great reader! Really top notch!
Two stories, and both are good. The first will appeal to any baseball fan. It's the sort of story you could see Archie Goodwin writing for Creepy magazine. Wasson brings it to life.
In the second story I felt King channeling Richard Matheson. Mare Winningham is also a good reader....more
The second story, by King and Hill, was better. Ultimately the end of the story didn't do it for me. Duel was OK, but not as good as the version with The second story, by King and Hill, was better. Ultimately the end of the story didn't do it for me. Duel was OK, but not as good as the version with Dennis Weaver as Mann.
I read that Stephen King had dismissed this as not one of his best efforts. I enjoyed the book, far more than Insomnia. That's the other book that KinI read that Stephen King had dismissed this as not one of his best efforts. I enjoyed the book, far more than Insomnia. That's the other book that King dissed from his sort of distant past. Rose Madder begins as a crime/woman in danger novel, and it's quite good. Then it morphs as fantasy elements crash into the thriller. The villain is scary. The heroine is someone we root for. There is a lot of tension and many surprises. It's a good story.
My only gripe with the book is that it has maybe 5 post-story "here's what happened next to the characters" vignettes. Only one was needed and a couple were drudgery.
I thought I was going to read a book version of the terrible TV show Rose Red, so was completely surprised by the plot.
Blair Brown is a very good reader. Stephen King reads the portions of the book focused on the crazy killer, Blair Brown the rest of the book.
I'm now only 17 years behind in my Stephen King reading/listening....more
I'd heard many negative reviews of Gerald's Game. One friend told me it was her least favorite King book. I enjoyed it. It was tense. It did not go asI'd heard many negative reviews of Gerald's Game. One friend told me it was her least favorite King book. I enjoyed it. It was tense. It did not go as predicted 10% or 20% or even 50% of the way through the book.
I would have given it 5 stars, but there is a strange 4th act pasted to the end of the book. It would have been better without the 4th act, much better.
--There is a strange unexplained magical connection between the main character and Dolores Claiborne which I liked.
--King is a great observer of different types of people and marriages.
--A couple of the characters from Needful Things show up, which I also liked.
I read this book on the beach in Maui.
I'm only 18 years behind in my Stephen King reading....more
I enjoyed listening to Lisey's Story. It's a good yarn, but middling for King. I sort his works as great(a few), good(most), and horrible(very few). LI enjoyed listening to Lisey's Story. It's a good yarn, but middling for King. I sort his works as great(a few), good(most), and horrible(very few). Lisey's Story was inventive, and when one reads a fantasy isn't that half the whole thing? It reminded me of Rose Madder in a good way. Maybe the secret world here is that same as the one visited in Rose Madder.
Similar to Misery, which leaves the reader wishing King would write the Misery Chastain book he excerpts throughout that novel, here we are left wishing King would write a Scott Landon novel. You know it is half-written and rattling around upstairs somewhere.
This work is something of a genre mash-up, romance/thriller/horror/fantasy.
The falling action was overly long, and the story would have been more satisfying if it were truncated about 4% earlier. One story point was not resolved, getting "The Professor" his just desserts. The reader wants the Professor to "get his." Given the length of the falling action, it was a surprise he didn't pop in for one more scene.
The reader of this audio was very good.
I'm now only 6 years behind in my Stephen King reading/listening....more
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