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blogthatbook's review against another edition
4.0
Wow, this is one seriously full book! It looks like an ordinary paperback book but I swear there is actually 806 pages, not just 406!
I was looking for an angelic novel, something dark and brooding, it's surprising how few there seem to be out there, when my wife suggested I look into Tad Williams' Bobby Dollar series. After I chuckled a little and asked what the hell that was, I looked it up and instantly felt a little stupid when I realised just how cool the idea sounded. And if Patrick Rothfuss is a big fan then who am I to argue?
I bought the first instalment and after just a few chapters I put in my order for the next two in the trilogy, it was so good.
Anyway, about the book itself. Don't let the page count fool you, this thing is chock full of text, and it really needs to be to, there is so much going on in here. Fantastic characters to root for, dislike and be confused by. A very imaginative twist on the path to heaven or hell for the soul of the newly deceased: in this book the decision isn't predetermined, it's 'argued'. Exquisite demonic characters, shadowy figures and even an intelligent hog. The story itself rips along beautifully, for most of the book anyway. I really got a kick out of Bobby, the main character, addressing the reader with comments, quips and alluding to past antics he refuses to discuss.
Usually I'm not a fan of first-person perspectives, but in this book I hardly even noticed it, a testament to the rich writing I imagine.
I also appreciated the author didn't seem to shy away from answering some awkward questions on how angels and heaven itself works. It would have been easy just to avoid some of those subjects but Tad apparently enjoyed tackling those awkward aspects of angelic existence, and the story felt so much more involving for it.
Unfortunately, there are a couple of things that soured my enthusiasm just a touch. The last quarter or so floundered a little I thought, as the pace stumbled and it felt like there was some filler, although I couldn't exactly pinpoint it.
The turning point seemed to come about as the love story segment got into full flow, or rather the sex. It was almost like the author had taken a break from writing the book and when he came back to it his mind was in a different place, it just didn't seem like the same world I'd previously been reading about, somehow.
I also have to confess I spent a lot of my time wondering why Tad hadn't simply written a gum-shoe detective story instead of continually hijacking this book with that trope. Don't get me wrong, it does work for the character, it just constantly intruded and detracted from the main themes of the book for me. I actually think, based on this book, if Tad decided to write a gum-shoe detective noir along the line of those classic Bogart movies, it would be bloody good!
I was looking for an angelic novel, something dark and brooding, it's surprising how few there seem to be out there, when my wife suggested I look into Tad Williams' Bobby Dollar series. After I chuckled a little and asked what the hell that was, I looked it up and instantly felt a little stupid when I realised just how cool the idea sounded. And if Patrick Rothfuss is a big fan then who am I to argue?
I bought the first instalment and after just a few chapters I put in my order for the next two in the trilogy, it was so good.
Anyway, about the book itself. Don't let the page count fool you, this thing is chock full of text, and it really needs to be to, there is so much going on in here. Fantastic characters to root for, dislike and be confused by. A very imaginative twist on the path to heaven or hell for the soul of the newly deceased: in this book the decision isn't predetermined, it's 'argued'. Exquisite demonic characters, shadowy figures and even an intelligent hog. The story itself rips along beautifully, for most of the book anyway. I really got a kick out of Bobby, the main character, addressing the reader with comments, quips and alluding to past antics he refuses to discuss.
Usually I'm not a fan of first-person perspectives, but in this book I hardly even noticed it, a testament to the rich writing I imagine.
I also appreciated the author didn't seem to shy away from answering some awkward questions on how angels and heaven itself works. It would have been easy just to avoid some of those subjects but Tad apparently enjoyed tackling those awkward aspects of angelic existence, and the story felt so much more involving for it.
Unfortunately, there are a couple of things that soured my enthusiasm just a touch. The last quarter or so floundered a little I thought, as the pace stumbled and it felt like there was some filler, although I couldn't exactly pinpoint it.
The turning point seemed to come about as the love story segment got into full flow, or rather the sex. It was almost like the author had taken a break from writing the book and when he came back to it his mind was in a different place, it just didn't seem like the same world I'd previously been reading about, somehow.
I also have to confess I spent a lot of my time wondering why Tad hadn't simply written a gum-shoe detective story instead of continually hijacking this book with that trope. Don't get me wrong, it does work for the character, it just constantly intruded and detracted from the main themes of the book for me. I actually think, based on this book, if Tad decided to write a gum-shoe detective noir along the line of those classic Bogart movies, it would be bloody good!
songwind's review
3.0
I enjoyed this book, but not as much as I had hoped. The pacing was odd, and a few too many of the plot points hinged on the main character acting like an idiot.
shalini_gunnasan's review against another edition
3.0
I like the story and the worldbuilding. It's unique and pretty fun. I liked the mystery story, how it develops and the philosophy behind it. I don't like the main character enough to care about his next adventure though, so I'll stop at this book.
One of my big cons is the way women are represented here... damn, do better. The way the love interest is so 2D and not a person, and referred to in child-like terms, was just too creepy. Women are constantly referenced in sexual terms, this angel is such a horndog and any woman he can't shtup just doesn't appear in his orbit somehow. Terrible. There are even a couple of scenes where consent was NOT given explicitly. Really have a bad vibe from that.
One of my big cons is the way women are represented here... damn, do better. The way the love interest is so 2D and not a person, and referred to in child-like terms, was just too creepy. Women are constantly referenced in sexual terms, this angel is such a horndog and any woman he can't shtup just doesn't appear in his orbit somehow. Terrible. There are even a couple of scenes where consent was NOT given explicitly. Really have a bad vibe from that.
schwahawk's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
kreppen's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
lanica's review against another edition
3.0
Gritty and dark noir fantasy. Some erotic scenes. I liked it a lot more than I thought I would. Noir is not my thing, but I do like urban fantasy. I’ve also played a rpg about angels and demons fighting thier good vs evil war on the earthy realm called InNominae which this reminded me of. I’ll keep reading...
sandygx260's review against another edition
2.0
When I saw this book from Tad Williams, I felt pretty excited, since I adored "The War of the Flowers." To me, this book had the same "vibe"
Wow, was I wrong.
Let me list this book's seven deadly sins:
1) Super obnoxious first person POV;
2) Sloppy editing;
3) Logistical errors;
4) Long-winded back story blah-blahs;
5) Shallow characters;
6) Willfully stupid decisions;
7) Tons of excess verbal padding.
I could probably crank this list into many other deadly writing sins but why bother?
To me, Bobby Dollar is indeed dead. His character started out obnoxious, which, if written well, could be funny. The problem is Dollar remains at the same level of snarky, willful stupidity. I mean I love snarky, witty characters... but only if they are witty. Dollar is as annoying as fingernails ripping across a blackboard, a fitting cliche for him.
The only reason I grant this two stars is for some of the action sequences. Other than that, well... to Hell with it.
Wow, was I wrong.
Let me list this book's seven deadly sins:
1) Super obnoxious first person POV;
2) Sloppy editing;
3) Logistical errors;
4) Long-winded back story blah-blahs;
5) Shallow characters;
6) Willfully stupid decisions;
7) Tons of excess verbal padding.
I could probably crank this list into many other deadly writing sins but why bother?
To me, Bobby Dollar is indeed dead. His character started out obnoxious, which, if written well, could be funny. The problem is Dollar remains at the same level of snarky, willful stupidity. I mean I love snarky, witty characters... but only if they are witty. Dollar is as annoying as fingernails ripping across a blackboard, a fitting cliche for him.
The only reason I grant this two stars is for some of the action sequences. Other than that, well... to Hell with it.
extrasmallburger's review
2.0
This book was really good at times, but could have shaved off 50-100 pages. It needed some tightening. If it had been that way I probably would have given it 4 stars hands down. The world building was insanely interesting, and I loved the characters from both heaven and hell. Bobby Dollar I enjoyed 50% of the time. There was something about him that felt frustrating to me, like he was full of it but didn't back it up with any substance of character. He also talked a lot about how he trusted his gut, and his gut continued to prove to be the last thing he should trust. I found it to be annoying, but understand that it was done to move the plot forward.