Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.5 AVERAGE
3.5 AVERAGE
Audio book DNF after 20 minutes.
Maybe I'm being too hard on the book. (Honestly, I probably am.) But after a very graphic description of how to kill someone with a knife and 'seeing' it done my 'surprise gore quotient' was met very early on. Add to that the annoying voice the (male) narrator uses for one of the (female) characters and I was getting frustrated.
There's also the problem that this book seems to have omniscient third person point of view - which sounds an awful lot like head hopping which gives me a headache. The final straw was the accent slippage. (Seriously, I don't care if the narrator is british or not, I just want the accent when he's reading to stay consistent for the character.)
Maybe I'm being too hard on the book. (Honestly, I probably am.) But after a very graphic description of how to kill someone with a knife and 'seeing' it done my 'surprise gore quotient' was met very early on. Add to that the annoying voice the (male) narrator uses for one of the (female) characters and I was getting frustrated.
There's also the problem that this book seems to have omniscient third person point of view - which sounds an awful lot like head hopping which gives me a headache. The final straw was the accent slippage. (Seriously, I don't care if the narrator is british or not, I just want the accent when he's reading to stay consistent for the character.)
I wanted to like this so bad (because of my undying love for the Artemis Fowl series and Half Moon Investigators) but this book just got worse and worse! The characters are boring and there’s a few halfhearted attempts at humor but ultimately there was nothing there that made it interesting. No character development, no witty banter, basically nothing that Colfer is famous for. I got about 75% finished but it wasn’t worth reading to the end.
I would not be against continuing the series when I get some time.
Paired with Wells's The Time Machine in the 2014 Sync Audiobook giveaway
Paired with Wells's The Time Machine in the 2014 Sync Audiobook giveaway
A very dark read for a children's book, quite a lot of violence in it. I'd say it would be better as a teen book, but then I think most of the teen books have way too much in them sometimes. It is a good story and an enjoyable read. 3 stars as it's not a story that I'm likely to keep in my head for very long.
Was a great book if you really love all thing Eoin Colfer. And I have to say I am very fond of how he writes his Villain in this book.
The more I watch and read things I have come to the conclusion that I am in love with psycho and sociopaths, so naturally I loved the complexity of Garric's (if I remember his name) complexity.
The more I watch and read things I have come to the conclusion that I am in love with psycho and sociopaths, so naturally I loved the complexity of Garric's (if I remember his name) complexity.
This book was a lot of fun to read. I enjoyed following Riley and Chevron on their escapades through both Londons, and Garrick was a great opponent for them. The pacing was fast enough to keep me interested but not so fast that I was felt like I was missing out on something. Both characters are believable and entertaining. I would recommend this book not only to Colfer fans, but also to any teen or tween who enjoys adventure stories. This also would make a great read-aloud book, particularly for a teacher/librarian/parent who is able to read with an accent.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley for the purposes of review.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley for the purposes of review.
I've like other Eoin Colfer books better, but I want to give this one a chance on audio before I decide whether or not to read future books in the series.
It mixes time travel, scifi, and serial killer thrills in a way that was fine, but not something that kept me reading for hours on end. I found some parts of it confusing and other parts convenient - the killer comes through the worm hole and suddenly has the memories and skills of both scientists he killed, plus new supernatural abilities like being able to alter his facial and body structure just enough to change his appearance.
And the killer is the most interesting character, in my opinion. I'd like to know more about Riley, the orphan from the past, but Chevie did not grow on me...she's not bad, but I didn't connect with her as a character.
Good for readers who like their action spiked with a little blood and violence, and are prepared to get more character development and clarification of some pretty big ongoing plot points in future books.
It mixes time travel, scifi, and serial killer thrills in a way that was fine, but not something that kept me reading for hours on end. I found some parts of it confusing and other parts convenient - the killer comes through the worm hole and suddenly has the memories and skills of both scientists he killed, plus new supernatural abilities like being able to alter his facial and body structure just enough to change his appearance.
And the killer is the most interesting character, in my opinion. I'd like to know more about Riley, the orphan from the past, but Chevie did not grow on me...she's not bad, but I didn't connect with her as a character.
Good for readers who like their action spiked with a little blood and violence, and are prepared to get more character development and clarification of some pretty big ongoing plot points in future books.
I was beyond excited to read The Reluctant Assassin when it came out earlier in 2014 because I adore Eoin Colfer--from the delightful Legend of Spud Murphy to the brilliant Artemis Fowl series (and although I have many people violently disagree me on this: I think it far superior to Rowling's Harry Potter series). I was both disappointed with and drawn into The Reluctant Assassin.
It is, like Colfer's other works, creatively and solidly plotted. It is a fast-paced (almost breakneck speed) and thrilling adventure. I found myself holding my breath, clenching my stomach and reading faster at certain moments as if I was being chased myself. Chevron Savano is a 17-year-old orphan turned quasi-FBI agent. She is a castaway from an ill-conceived and now defunct teenage-agent-in-the-schools, CIA-covertly-funded FBI initiative to root out young people being recruited by middle-eastern terrorist organizations. The program blows up in a spectacular way when Chevie discovers the Iranian family she has "infiltrated" is no more terrorists than she is; but they ARE victims of violent prejudice from their fellow American students. After defending the family in self-defense the program goes public and an embarrassed FBI ships Chevie to England to babysit an empty room with a single agent for a year or two until the publicity dies down.
Furious, Chevie's abrasive, sarcastic attitude both frustrates and inevitably endears her to Agent Felix Smart, under whose command she finds herself in London. Meanwhile, in Victorian London in 1898 14-year-old Riley is apprentice (though not by his own decision) to the murderous mercenary Albert Garrick.
When Chevie discovers she is babysitting a time travel pod, a wormhole connecting Riley's time to hers the two young people, along with the terrifying Garrick are thrown into an edge-of-your-seat, life-and-death race to return to and remain in their own time. Things are complicated when it is revealed that Riley has connections unbeknownst to him to both 1898 AND the present.
My biggest issue with The Reluctant Assassin--and it is a HUGE one--is the level of violence in the story. I actually checked it out of the library immediately upon its arrival but was so appalled by the violence of the first 2-3 pages that I angrily returned it. I checked it out again because I DO love Colfer and felt I had perhaps not given The Reluctant Assassin a fair chance. It is completely inappropriate for a book touted (and shelved in the library) as a juvenile reading choice. The violence is on a par with many adult thrillers I have read by authors such of James Patterson and Dean Koontz. The violence portrayed in The Reluctant Assassin is absolutely accurate to the Victorian Age among the criminal element in London at the time, but the graphic nature of Colfer's portrayal is unnecessary to convey the evil undertones and extraordinary suspense of the story. Even as a young adult selection I have reservations, given what we know about brain development in adolescents. However, truthfully, there are many other young adult novels which contain similar levels of violence.
The Reluctant Assassin is the first in a new series (WARP) by Colfer. Honestly, I will read--and have already checked it out from the library--the second in the WARP series, as Colfer's storytelling remains masterful. But I do NOT, under any circumstances, recommend it as a children's reading selection.
It is, like Colfer's other works, creatively and solidly plotted. It is a fast-paced (almost breakneck speed) and thrilling adventure. I found myself holding my breath, clenching my stomach and reading faster at certain moments as if I was being chased myself. Chevron Savano is a 17-year-old orphan turned quasi-FBI agent. She is a castaway from an ill-conceived and now defunct teenage-agent-in-the-schools, CIA-covertly-funded FBI initiative to root out young people being recruited by middle-eastern terrorist organizations. The program blows up in a spectacular way when Chevie discovers the Iranian family she has "infiltrated" is no more terrorists than she is; but they ARE victims of violent prejudice from their fellow American students. After defending the family in self-defense the program goes public and an embarrassed FBI ships Chevie to England to babysit an empty room with a single agent for a year or two until the publicity dies down.
Furious, Chevie's abrasive, sarcastic attitude both frustrates and inevitably endears her to Agent Felix Smart, under whose command she finds herself in London. Meanwhile, in Victorian London in 1898 14-year-old Riley is apprentice (though not by his own decision) to the murderous mercenary Albert Garrick.
When Chevie discovers she is babysitting a time travel pod, a wormhole connecting Riley's time to hers the two young people, along with the terrifying Garrick are thrown into an edge-of-your-seat, life-and-death race to return to and remain in their own time. Things are complicated when it is revealed that Riley has connections unbeknownst to him to both 1898 AND the present.
My biggest issue with The Reluctant Assassin--and it is a HUGE one--is the level of violence in the story. I actually checked it out of the library immediately upon its arrival but was so appalled by the violence of the first 2-3 pages that I angrily returned it. I checked it out again because I DO love Colfer and felt I had perhaps not given The Reluctant Assassin a fair chance. It is completely inappropriate for a book touted (and shelved in the library) as a juvenile reading choice. The violence is on a par with many adult thrillers I have read by authors such of James Patterson and Dean Koontz. The violence portrayed in The Reluctant Assassin is absolutely accurate to the Victorian Age among the criminal element in London at the time, but the graphic nature of Colfer's portrayal is unnecessary to convey the evil undertones and extraordinary suspense of the story. Even as a young adult selection I have reservations, given what we know about brain development in adolescents. However, truthfully, there are many other young adult novels which contain similar levels of violence.
The Reluctant Assassin is the first in a new series (WARP) by Colfer. Honestly, I will read--and have already checked it out from the library--the second in the WARP series, as Colfer's storytelling remains masterful. But I do NOT, under any circumstances, recommend it as a children's reading selection.
What a great way to start a new series!
I received a digital galley of The Reluctant Assassin from NetGalley and this is my honest review and I received no form of compensation. (Clearly, who would pay for my ramblings, but thank you to whoever approved it, I'm not sure I should have been approved because of the reader preferences on the publisher's page!)
Although the story starts off slow, I feel this is a great beginning to a new series! I didn't have an issue with the slowness in this story, but it was the one detraction. As with any first novel introducing new characters and concepts, there will be some pacing difficulties. How much action should there be? How much back story do you reveal? There were a few times where it seemed Colfer struggled, but it wasn't enough to deter me, because the story is sound and engaging and the cast of characters are definitely interesting and keep you on your toes!
Continue reading on my book blog at geoffwhaley.com.
I received a digital galley of The Reluctant Assassin from NetGalley and this is my honest review and I received no form of compensation. (Clearly, who would pay for my ramblings, but thank you to whoever approved it, I'm not sure I should have been approved because of the reader preferences on the publisher's page!)
Although the story starts off slow, I feel this is a great beginning to a new series! I didn't have an issue with the slowness in this story, but it was the one detraction. As with any first novel introducing new characters and concepts, there will be some pacing difficulties. How much action should there be? How much back story do you reveal? There were a few times where it seemed Colfer struggled, but it wasn't enough to deter me, because the story is sound and engaging and the cast of characters are definitely interesting and keep you on your toes!
Continue reading on my book blog at geoffwhaley.com.