Scan barcode
jmoses's review against another edition
5.0
This was an excellent book. Fast paced and (at times) touching and hilarious. Just go read it.
dantastic's review against another edition
4.0
When three men with nothing left to lose go looking for a lost gold mine in the Yuma Proving Grounds, they have no idea the forces they will be up against...
Johnny Shaw is quickly blazing his way up my list of favorite authors. Big Maria is the tale of three losers looking for their big score. Frank is an old man with cancer. Harry Schmittberger (guess what his nickname is) is a prison guard. And Ricky was a bus driver until he wrecked his bus and became the defendent in a couple dozen lawsuits. When the legend of the Big Maria Mine reaches Harry's ears, the three men join forces, forming a unit almost as capable as one regular man.
The supporting cast is also pretty good. Bernardo and Ramon, Frank's nephews, are hilarious and even I was afraid of Frank's domineering daughter Mercedes. Cooker, aka Worky, was as close to a villain to be found in the book but I eventually felt sorry for him. Poor Worky. The obstacles the trio encountered were well done and seemed fairly accurate since they were venturing into an inhospitable desert that was also a firing range.
Big Maria is one hilarious book. From the opening with Harry puking into his own pants while passed out on the toilet, I was hooked. As with Shaw's other books, Dove Season and Plaster City, the prose is peppered with hilarious lines. Unlike a lot of humorous crime books, this one doesn't lose its luster after fifty pages or so and the humor doesn't descend to a ridiculous level. It's a lot like a Joe Lansdale books and like Lansdale, I think it would be a blast to go to a barbeque at Johnny Shaw's house.
The ending was great. It wasn't all blowjobs and rainbows and I liked how things were resolved.
Like Shaw's other two books, Big Maria would make a great movie. Four out of five stars.
Johnny Shaw is quickly blazing his way up my list of favorite authors. Big Maria is the tale of three losers looking for their big score. Frank is an old man with cancer. Harry Schmittberger (guess what his nickname is) is a prison guard. And Ricky was a bus driver until he wrecked his bus and became the defendent in a couple dozen lawsuits. When the legend of the Big Maria Mine reaches Harry's ears, the three men join forces, forming a unit almost as capable as one regular man.
The supporting cast is also pretty good. Bernardo and Ramon, Frank's nephews, are hilarious and even I was afraid of Frank's domineering daughter Mercedes. Cooker, aka Worky, was as close to a villain to be found in the book but I eventually felt sorry for him. Poor Worky. The obstacles the trio encountered were well done and seemed fairly accurate since they were venturing into an inhospitable desert that was also a firing range.
Big Maria is one hilarious book. From the opening with Harry puking into his own pants while passed out on the toilet, I was hooked. As with Shaw's other books, Dove Season and Plaster City, the prose is peppered with hilarious lines. Unlike a lot of humorous crime books, this one doesn't lose its luster after fifty pages or so and the humor doesn't descend to a ridiculous level. It's a lot like a Joe Lansdale books and like Lansdale, I think it would be a blast to go to a barbeque at Johnny Shaw's house.
The ending was great. It wasn't all blowjobs and rainbows and I liked how things were resolved.
Like Shaw's other two books, Big Maria would make a great movie. Four out of five stars.
radbear76's review against another edition
4.0
Great book! It's like an R - rated version of Goonies had a child with Treasure of the Sierra Madre. Highly entertaining.
jfr_wi's review against another edition
5.0
Awesome story! I listened to the audiobook. The excellent narration added to the depth of characters and the overall story. Adventure and smarmy humor - what's not to love.
sjj169's review against another edition
4.0
This might be the most epic male buddy book I've read. Well, if all the buddies are somewhat lacking in the smarts dept.
You have Harry Schmittburger, a down on his luck loser who just gets by day to day in his job as a prison guard. Ricky, a hard luck guy with a wife and young daughter-he ends up causing heartbreak wherever he goes and Frank, an elderly Indian dying from cancer. When Frank tells the crew about his grandfather's stories about gold in the Big Maria mine, they all know their luck has to change. They decide to go ahead and go for it. Even if it is in the middle of a military training range.
There are several things that I've learned from reading a Johnny Shaw book:
1. If you are two stoners that have decided to build a moat around your property, filled with barbed wire and dog shit smeared spears, chances are if you can get over it. Other people also can.
2. I'm going to be more careful with my drinking choices. Why?
You know when you get high and Nacho Doritos sound better than a lady hole? Or at least as good? Shooting at things, firing a gun at cans and bottles, and signs and furry animals, that's the Doritos of alcohol. GI Joe down there, he's wasted. I'm thinking tequila. Definitely not red wine. Red wine makes you more stabby.
3. If you get lost in the desert with your crazy mom. Eating moto aka weed as a salad may not be a better choice.
4.When one of your friends tells you that bringing the dead guys head on a trip could be bad mojo..He might be right.
5. Reading one of Shaw's books will cause you to laugh very hard. My throat is actually sore this time because my stupid ass got choked laughing and I coughed my head off.
Totally worth it though.
You have Harry Schmittburger, a down on his luck loser who just gets by day to day in his job as a prison guard. Ricky, a hard luck guy with a wife and young daughter-he ends up causing heartbreak wherever he goes and Frank, an elderly Indian dying from cancer. When Frank tells the crew about his grandfather's stories about gold in the Big Maria mine, they all know their luck has to change. They decide to go ahead and go for it. Even if it is in the middle of a military training range.
There are several things that I've learned from reading a Johnny Shaw book:
1. If you are two stoners that have decided to build a moat around your property, filled with barbed wire and dog shit smeared spears, chances are if you can get over it. Other people also can.
2. I'm going to be more careful with my drinking choices. Why?
You know when you get high and Nacho Doritos sound better than a lady hole? Or at least as good? Shooting at things, firing a gun at cans and bottles, and signs and furry animals, that's the Doritos of alcohol. GI Joe down there, he's wasted. I'm thinking tequila. Definitely not red wine. Red wine makes you more stabby.
3. If you get lost in the desert with your crazy mom. Eating moto aka weed as a salad may not be a better choice.
4.When one of your friends tells you that bringing the dead guys head on a trip could be bad mojo..He might be right.
5. Reading one of Shaw's books will cause you to laugh very hard. My throat is actually sore this time because my stupid ass got choked laughing and I coughed my head off.
Totally worth it though.
happy_hiker's review
2.0
I picked this up because I was in the mood for something different than what I had been reading/listening to, and thought this could be fun. And though there were many bits that were funny, I never really became engaged in the book -- I listened to the whole thing and at the end was a little sad because I had invested nine hours of time in this when I have so many other books on my list. I can't really pinpoint what didn't work for me, so this review will be helpful to no one, but maybe I just wasn't in the mood for a caper.
w88mul's review against another edition
5.0
This is a proper story. I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone who appreciates good writing. I was given this book as a good reads giveaway and was completely drawn in to the lives of the characters. The story shocked me at times, made me laugh out loud in places, and cringe in pain at times. Even while I wad still reading it I was thinking about who I would lend it too next. There are few books I have read that I have enjoyed more. I must get a copy of Dove Season!
whatmeworry's review against another edition
4.0
Big Maria is a thoroughly entertaining tail of 3 no hopers on an unlikely treasure hunt. It's laugh out loud funny, exciting and moving by turns and proves that characters don't have to be likeable to be engaging. I really liked it.
nkmeyers's review against another edition
5.0
A good read for sure - this book's got it all - alcohol, drugs, crime, action, adventure, humor, pathos, donkeys and many name brand snacks.