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dantastic's review against another edition
3.0
Down and out ex-cop Andy Destra uncovers a decades old conspiracy that will shake Auction City to its core. Who really runs the city and how does it connect to how Andy was booted off the force?
I got this from Netgalley.
New Johnny Shaw books don't fall out of the sky every day and I jumped at this one the instant Shelby tipped me to it being on Netgalley and dropped what I was doing to read it.
However, things were off to a rocky start. I was discouraged for the first 10%. The plot moved slowly and gone was the trademark Johnny Shaw wit. My motivation flagged. My lady friend urged me to continue despite my misgivings, noting that I'm a crabby bastard when I don't get my reading time. As in most things, she was right. I stuck with it and things really took off.
Floodgate is the story of the people behind the curtain, the people that keep Auction City's various factions from killing one another and destroying the city. In a way, Auction City reminds me of a modern version of Deadwood and the people called Floodgate are Al Swearengen.
Andy Destra isn't too far from the usual Johnny Shaw leading man, a guy that many would consider a loser. However, he stands up for what he believes in despite being in way over his head. While I was bored by the book initially, Johnny Shaw really did a hefty amount of world building, with Rocco, The Flood, Kate, and the rest.
One of my favorite lines was "The last time he masturbated, he fantasized about a previous time he masturbated." Pure Shaw.
Anyway, the book was a slower build than Shaw's other work but had a bigger payoff in the form of the orgy of violence that was the last 30% of the book. While I wouldn't recommend this be anyone's first Johnny Shaw, it's still a solid book. Three out of five stars.
Originally rated a four, downgraded to a three after further reflection.
I got this from Netgalley.
New Johnny Shaw books don't fall out of the sky every day and I jumped at this one the instant Shelby tipped me to it being on Netgalley and dropped what I was doing to read it.
However, things were off to a rocky start. I was discouraged for the first 10%. The plot moved slowly and gone was the trademark Johnny Shaw wit. My motivation flagged. My lady friend urged me to continue despite my misgivings, noting that I'm a crabby bastard when I don't get my reading time. As in most things, she was right. I stuck with it and things really took off.
Floodgate is the story of the people behind the curtain, the people that keep Auction City's various factions from killing one another and destroying the city. In a way, Auction City reminds me of a modern version of Deadwood and the people called Floodgate are Al Swearengen.
Andy Destra isn't too far from the usual Johnny Shaw leading man, a guy that many would consider a loser. However, he stands up for what he believes in despite being in way over his head. While I was bored by the book initially, Johnny Shaw really did a hefty amount of world building, with Rocco, The Flood, Kate, and the rest.
One of my favorite lines was "The last time he masturbated, he fantasized about a previous time he masturbated." Pure Shaw.
Anyway, the book was a slower build than Shaw's other work but had a bigger payoff in the form of the orgy of violence that was the last 30% of the book. While I wouldn't recommend this be anyone's first Johnny Shaw, it's still a solid book. Three out of five stars.
Originally rated a four, downgraded to a three after further reflection.
sjj169's review against another edition
4.0
When I saw this book I did not even take a minute to read the blurb. I just knew if Johnny Shaw wrote it that it would be mine! I did go into it expecting some of his previous works. Johnny Shaw then laughed; and then kicked my ass, because this book is nothing like his previous books that I've read. [b:Dove Season|11303323|Dove Season|Johnny Shaw|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347617885s/11303323.jpg|15642993], [b:Big Maria|15034489|Big Maria|Johnny Shaw|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1356071281s/15034489.jpg|20751104] and [b:Plaster City|18640958|Plaster City|Johnny Shaw|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1385950982s/18640958.jpg|26439027] are some of my favorite books ever. They feature interesting characters that are a tad bit on the rednecky side.
My people.
Then I start this book and I whined. I admit that at first I hated this sucker. I kept reading.
Andy Destra is a cop that got kicked off the force for trying to be honest. In a town full of bad guys that just couldn't fly. He just can't stop digging though and it will end him up dead.
Auction City is a crime riddled place and it wants to stay that way. Then Andy stirs up a hornet's nest and a gang war is coming.
Andy finds out that he may have to straddle the fence between what he feels is wrong and right. Family ties pull at him and Auction City's sordid past comes to life all over again.
"You're looking for good guys and bad guys. We're the effective guys. If there's a problem, Floodgate has the power to fix it. .
I hate to be so vague about the book but dammit I want people to read this. To me it mixed in shades of the movie Sin City with old time Noir. Then threw in some characters that I couldn't look away from. Including a six foot bald, black woman that you would not want to get on the wrong side of.
The projectile rolled near Andy's feet. A can of soup. The woman had weaponized Campbell's Cream of Mushroom. Take that, Andy Warhol.
Several women in this book are the toughest characters.
In the movies the heroes won. In movies there were such things as heroes. Movies were full of shit.
For someone who hated this book in the beginning I had to eat my words. Now I can't get this book out of my head. Damn you Johnny Shaw.
Booksource: Netgalley in exchange for review.
After my initial panic that I would not like this book and would one star it and be trolled by a certain reviewer and her boar because I made her get this one. I was relieved when Original smarter Dan liked it. So Boo-yah!
My people.
Then I start this book and I whined. I admit that at first I hated this sucker. I kept reading.
Andy Destra is a cop that got kicked off the force for trying to be honest. In a town full of bad guys that just couldn't fly. He just can't stop digging though and it will end him up dead.
Auction City is a crime riddled place and it wants to stay that way. Then Andy stirs up a hornet's nest and a gang war is coming.
Andy finds out that he may have to straddle the fence between what he feels is wrong and right. Family ties pull at him and Auction City's sordid past comes to life all over again.
"You're looking for good guys and bad guys. We're the effective guys. If there's a problem, Floodgate has the power to fix it. .
I hate to be so vague about the book but dammit I want people to read this. To me it mixed in shades of the movie Sin City with old time Noir. Then threw in some characters that I couldn't look away from. Including a six foot bald, black woman that you would not want to get on the wrong side of.
The projectile rolled near Andy's feet. A can of soup. The woman had weaponized Campbell's Cream of Mushroom. Take that, Andy Warhol.
Several women in this book are the toughest characters.
In the movies the heroes won. In movies there were such things as heroes. Movies were full of shit.
For someone who hated this book in the beginning I had to eat my words. Now I can't get this book out of my head. Damn you Johnny Shaw.
Booksource: Netgalley in exchange for review.
After my initial panic that I would not like this book and would one star it and be trolled by a certain reviewer and her boar because I made her get this one. I was relieved when Original smarter Dan liked it. So Boo-yah!
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