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4.02 AVERAGE
4.02 AVERAGE
This is ~ the 18th book in the Pendergast series, so it's understandable that the authors struggle a bit to come up with new things to happen to Pendergast. It's getting a bit formulaic now, and the main difference between the other recent books of the series is that they use some very obscure vocabulary words. So, 'A' for effort there. Other than that, these books do generally keep me entertained and I enjoy reading them. But I think it's probably time for A.X.L. Pendergast to retire soon.
3.5/5
This was a standalone novel within the Pendergast universe in which the title character takes on a case for the FBI in Miami. An apparent serial killer who calls himself Mister Brokenhearts is at large, and Pendergast has been given a partner to help investigate. Agent Coldmoon is pretty much there to babysit Pendergast because of his questionable track record with suspect deaths. This is a change from previous novels, being a cut-and-dry mystery. I felt that the end reveal was a little too lackluster and things were discovered a little too conveniently, but it was ultimately a good read.
This was a standalone novel within the Pendergast universe in which the title character takes on a case for the FBI in Miami. An apparent serial killer who calls himself Mister Brokenhearts is at large, and Pendergast has been given a partner to help investigate. Agent Coldmoon is pretty much there to babysit Pendergast because of his questionable track record with suspect deaths. This is a change from previous novels, being a cut-and-dry mystery. I felt that the end reveal was a little too lackluster and things were discovered a little too conveniently, but it was ultimately a good read.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
this was a pretty good time! it felt way closer to the older pendergast books in a way i really enjoyed. its got all the parts they include in every book (opening vignettes, closing shootout ect) but without a lot of the scraping the bottom of the barrel type plot stuff they've been doing as they run out of ideas for new books.
obviously i already knew coldmoon because i've read almost all of these out of order but this one was pretty rough in terms of the weird focus on how hes native american. WE GET IT. can he have any other personality trait please??? like he slowly got more personality as the book went on and he sort of bonded with pendergast but oh my god does every character need to remark about how hes racially ambiguous. i love the attempt at representation especially because i think they partnered with a lakota person but just every other sentence is him talking about it as if any person in real life talks like that. im not mad hes native american im mad at how weirdly and inauthentically he's written.
mystery was pretty interesting! i liked generally what was happening but the ending summary had almost too many names going on to actually remember who they were. also, if you have to literally describe the plot/mystery at the end event by event, theres something wrong with your writing (show don't tell....) brokenhearts was cool tho
obviously i already knew coldmoon because i've read almost all of these out of order but this one was pretty rough in terms of the weird focus on how hes native american. WE GET IT. can he have any other personality trait please??? like he slowly got more personality as the book went on and he sort of bonded with pendergast but oh my god does every character need to remark about how hes racially ambiguous. i love the attempt at representation especially because i think they partnered with a lakota person but just every other sentence is him talking about it as if any person in real life talks like that. im not mad hes native american im mad at how weirdly and inauthentically he's written.
mystery was pretty interesting! i liked generally what was happening but the ending summary had almost too many names going on to actually remember who they were. also, if you have to literally describe the plot/mystery at the end event by event, theres something wrong with your writing (show don't tell....) brokenhearts was cool tho
Another great Pendergast novel. I haven’t read one is years (decades!) after some of the books started to get a little too “out there” for me. I restarted the series with one of the most recent novels and remembered how much I liked the characters and writing. Thoroughly enjoyed the book
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
I found this Pendergast book refreshing and enjoyable. The previous books in the series have felt repetitive and formulaic, but in Verses for the Dead, we see a new side of Pendergast; one which I felt was very endearing. I loved the introduction of Coldmoon as a novel character. As much as I like the usual cast of characters, Coldmoon offered a nice change in dynamic. While the last quarter of the book dragged a bit, and I was slightly disappointed by the "twist", I really liked the book overall. It renewed my interest in the series!
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
I quite liked Coldmoon and the intro of a new character. About three-quarters of the way through, one of the secondary characters was acting stupid and it annoyed me. I also found the conclusion convoluted and unrealistic, which is why it didn't get 4 stars.
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
mysterious
fast-paced