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michaelbtice's reviews
154 reviews
Raise the Titanic! by Clive Cussler
2.0
Apparently James Cameron hates this book.
First, he ruins the ability to even think we could raise the Titanic by going to it and showing it's in multiple pieces.
Then he ruins the whole idea of some unobtainable mineral with that unobtanium bullshit in Avatar.
I get it, it's an easy book to hate, but coming out of the first two published Dirk Pitt books, this is almost a breath of fresh air with its only slightly over the top sexism. I mean, at least it doesn't have Dirk raping a woman, after slapping her, when we first meet him or have the rampant homophobia of Dirk pretending to be the most stereotypical hetero idea of what a gay man is like.
Has some good action. Dirk does stuff that could only be done through the power of plot. But I don't think I came here for the realism.
At least reading this one hasn't turned me off Dirk Pitt books for the next couple years.
First, he ruins the ability to even think we could raise the Titanic by going to it and showing it's in multiple pieces.
Then he ruins the whole idea of some unobtainable mineral with that unobtanium bullshit in Avatar.
I get it, it's an easy book to hate, but coming out of the first two published Dirk Pitt books, this is almost a breath of fresh air with its only slightly over the top sexism. I mean, at least it doesn't have Dirk raping a woman, after slapping her, when we first meet him or have the rampant homophobia of Dirk pretending to be the most stereotypical hetero idea of what a gay man is like.
Has some good action. Dirk does stuff that could only be done through the power of plot. But I don't think I came here for the realism.
At least reading this one hasn't turned me off Dirk Pitt books for the next couple years.
Promised Land by Robert B. Parker
3.0
It was ok. I think my main issues are really just because it was written in the 70s, and there's some stuff that just wouldn't fly these days. Being the first time Hak shows up, though? Loved that. When I first started reading the Spenser books, I also started watching the Spenser For Hire TV series, and did not even realize that this was the basis for the mini series that started the show until the gun sale was going to happen and then I thought, "Wait, I've seen that in an episode."
This is the only comparison I have to make between the tv show and the books, and that's that Avery Brooks completely captures the spirit of Hawk in every way possible.
Worth a read, just for the inclusion of Hawk and how it advances Spenser and Susan's relationship, but beyond that it was just an ok book overall.
This is the only comparison I have to make between the tv show and the books, and that's that Avery Brooks completely captures the spirit of Hawk in every way possible.
Worth a read, just for the inclusion of Hawk and how it advances Spenser and Susan's relationship, but beyond that it was just an ok book overall.
Peace Talks by Jim Butcher
5.0
Harry, How I’ve Missed You
Look, it’s a Dresden Files book. If you’ve come this far, then you’ve read 15 other novels and a bunch of short stories, so you know what to expect. The gang’s all here. I wish I had read through at least the last couple again to remember everything that happened, but as a Narrator, Harry does an alright job filling in the missing pieces.
So, does this book go anywhere different or do anything new? You know the answer to that. That’s not why we read these. We read them for Harry’s wisecracking and magical hijinks with the supernatural world. Peace Talks has you covered, and when you get to the end of this roller coaster, you’ll see that you’re actually perched at the top of another hill and will fully understand why Butcher’s next Dresden Files book comes out in like 2 months.
Look, it’s a Dresden Files book. If you’ve come this far, then you’ve read 15 other novels and a bunch of short stories, so you know what to expect. The gang’s all here. I wish I had read through at least the last couple again to remember everything that happened, but as a Narrator, Harry does an alright job filling in the missing pieces.
So, does this book go anywhere different or do anything new? You know the answer to that. That’s not why we read these. We read them for Harry’s wisecracking and magical hijinks with the supernatural world. Peace Talks has you covered, and when you get to the end of this roller coaster, you’ll see that you’re actually perched at the top of another hill and will fully understand why Butcher’s next Dresden Files book comes out in like 2 months.
Past Tense: A Jack Reacher Novel by Lee Child
3.0
Jack Reacher is a man with a Past. And it’s definitely Tense. While deciding to journey across the hypotenuse of the ole US of A, he comes across the town where his father grew up and decides to do a little genealogy research. That story gets a 3. It was ok. I mean, predictable. But, then again, it’s a Jack Reacher book. Aren’t they all? I was happy to see a brief return of Jack listening to the music in his head. That went away after the first book, didn’t it? And that always right clock. Hadn’t heard that one in a few.
There Is a secondary plot about some kids from Canada and a motel and them being stranded there, and eventually Reacher’s path crosses with those Canadians. It was also pretty predictable, especially considering a few movies that have come out recently with the same subject matter. Still, I give that story 4 stars.
So, a slightly better than average Reacher book. Call it 3.5 stars when you average the two together. As always, I rate Reacher novels only as compared to other Reacher novels.
There Is a secondary plot about some kids from Canada and a motel and them being stranded there, and eventually Reacher’s path crosses with those Canadians. It was also pretty predictable, especially considering a few movies that have come out recently with the same subject matter. Still, I give that story 4 stars.
So, a slightly better than average Reacher book. Call it 3.5 stars when you average the two together. As always, I rate Reacher novels only as compared to other Reacher novels.