Scan barcode
scheu's review
3.0
The pernicious Mr. Pennyman aims to gather the last of the thirty pieces of silver given to Judas Iscariot. Standing in his way is Andrew Vanbergen, Vancouver innkeep and cereal connoisseur. Vanbergen has to be one of the dumbest protagonists I've come across - genuinely doltish, the sort of person who thinks they're much more clever than they actually are. I had hoped for more tension in the story than Blaylock provided; the concept was certainly interesting.
seraphljfh's review
3.0
I struggled with this book at first, I found the first 100 pages very muddled. It did even out and became a smoother read as I got the hang of the writing.
I honestly didn't like any of the characters but it felt like that was how the reader was supposed to feel.
I honestly didn't like any of the characters but it felt like that was how the reader was supposed to feel.
_viscosity_'s review
dark
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
socr8sjohnson's review
4.0
This book is quirky, which, I understand, is how many of Blaylock's novels are. It is pretty funny and enjoyable, but if you're looking to laugh out loud a lot, I wouldn't say this book brings that on. It definitely brings on some smiles, a few chuckles and an admiration of the characters.
baumwal's review
2.0
Kurz vor Ende (90%) weggelegt, weil mir die Energie zum Weiterlesen gefehlt hat. War kein schlechtes Buch, aber mit dem Protagonisten bin ich bis zum Schluss nicht warm geworden, zu unverständlich und sprunghaft war mir sein Handeln.
Ausserdem habe ich das irgendwie in Robert Rankins "Brentford"-Romanen schon viel besser gelesen, z.B. in "The Antipope".
Ausserdem habe ich das irgendwie in Robert Rankins "Brentford"-Romanen schon viel besser gelesen, z.B. in "The Antipope".
jonahbarnes's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Fantastic. My favorite book so far this year.
fredsphere's review
4.0
Blaylock combines two very different kinds of stories here: a magical thriller and a screwball comedy. The comedy dominates for the great majority of the book, leaving the thriller neglected.
The magical premise concerns the 30 silver pieces paid to Judas. These have vast power, when gathered into the possession of one person. The villain of the book, Mr. Pennyman, after surviving for centuries, is nearing his goal.
The hero is Pennyman's landlord, a schlub called Andrew Vanbergen. Andrew is not nearing his goal. It takes him forever (past half the book) to wake up to the threat, or discover that the "spoon" in his possession is in fact the last coin Pennyman needs. (It came to him, via his aunt, out of the mouth of a pig. Yes, really.)
Andrew spends much of his time pursuing hairbrained schemes and spinning insane lies to explain away the inevitable disasters that result. I really, really, wanted this story to focus on the threat and build the tension instead.
Blaylock has a wildly inventive mind and I've enjoyed his writing before. ("The Pink of Fading Neon" is a short story featuring an unforgettable, mock-horrifying horde of armadillos. It's an example of Blaylock getting the horror-humor balance perfectly right.) I wanted to read more Blaylock and found this book at a used bookstore. He's won the PKD award with [b:Homunculus|421130|Homunculus (Narbondo, #2)|James P. Blaylock|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1348302165s/421130.jpg|410258]; I think that's the one to read next.
The magical premise concerns the 30 silver pieces paid to Judas. These have vast power, when gathered into the possession of one person. The villain of the book, Mr. Pennyman, after surviving for centuries, is nearing his goal.
The hero is Pennyman's landlord, a schlub called Andrew Vanbergen. Andrew is not nearing his goal. It takes him forever (past half the book) to wake up to the threat, or discover that the "spoon" in his possession is in fact the last coin Pennyman needs. (It came to him, via his aunt, out of the mouth of a pig. Yes, really.)
Andrew spends much of his time pursuing hairbrained schemes and spinning insane lies to explain away the inevitable disasters that result. I really, really, wanted this story to focus on the threat and build the tension instead.
Blaylock has a wildly inventive mind and I've enjoyed his writing before. ("The Pink of Fading Neon" is a short story featuring an unforgettable, mock-horrifying horde of armadillos. It's an example of Blaylock getting the horror-humor balance perfectly right.) I wanted to read more Blaylock and found this book at a used bookstore. He's won the PKD award with [b:Homunculus|421130|Homunculus (Narbondo, #2)|James P. Blaylock|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1348302165s/421130.jpg|410258]; I think that's the one to read next.
More...