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i know but you want your first introduction to be in keeping with what makes the thing great (straight man/risk pool/nobody's fool/empire). it's like going to the barcelona game and finding out messi is playing in goal. okay i'm done
Well, so far, if those other books are better than Bridge of Sighs, then they must be masterpieces. I am thoroughly enjoying the novel, the storytelling, the characters, and the plot. The prose is dense, but flows along so effortlessly, and the dialogue is excellent.
I'm looking forward to binge reading Russo over the next couple of years. Thanks for the head's up.
 
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Well, so far, if those other books are better than Bridge of Sighs, then they must be masterpieces. I am thoroughly enjoying the novel, the storytelling, the characters, and the plot. The prose is dense, but flows along so effortlessly, and the dialogue is excellent.
I'm looking forward to binge reading Russo over the next couple of years. Thanks for the head's up.
they really are! risk pool, nobody's fool, empire, straight man. but glad to hear it! he's brilliant.
 
@Bulk VanderHuge @mcmurtry66

I'm continuing to spend my reading days exploring Hiaasen. Read Nature Girl this week. I thought it was the weakest effort so far of the books I've read. It wasn't bad, by any means, but a lot of the plot was really slapdash and did not successfully suspend disbelief. Plus, as I'm moving to some older books, the satire is becoming outdated, and I'm realizing how important the satire is to the enjoyment of his books. But, I still thought it was a good romp, and I'm glad I read it.

Skinny Dip is next.
 
@Bulk VanderHuge @mcmurtry66

I'm continuing to spend my reading days exploring Hiaasen. Read Nature Girl this week. I thought it was the weakest effort so far of the books I've read. It wasn't bad, by any means, but a lot of the plot was really slapdash and did not successfully suspend disbelief. Plus, as I'm moving to some older books, the satire is becoming outdated, and I'm realizing how important the satire is to the enjoyment of his books. But, I still thought it was a good romp, and I'm glad I read it.

Skinny Dip is next.
I wondered if it would be dated. There ya have it. Skinny dip and sick puppy were my favorites. Again they may not stand the test of time
 
@Bulk VanderHuge @mcmurtry66

I'm continuing to spend my reading days exploring Hiaasen. Read Nature Girl this week. I thought it was the weakest effort so far of the books I've read. It wasn't bad, by any means, but a lot of the plot was really slapdash and did not successfully suspend disbelief. Plus, as I'm moving to some older books, the satire is becoming outdated, and I'm realizing how important the satire is to the enjoyment of his books. But, I still thought it was a good romp, and I'm glad I read it.

Skinny Dip is next.
Spot on.
 
I wondered if it would be dated. There ya have it. Skinny dip and sick puppy were my favorites. Again they may not stand the test of time
Continuing my recent pace of two novels per weekend, tonight I did Skinny Dip. I liked it better than Nature Girl, but I still noted some weaknesses in plot. Namely, the events don't really feel like they are being caused by the characters, but instead are just happening to them. Hiaasen, I think, even makes a bit of a knowing joke about this during a late conversation between Mick and the detective about cases that sort of just wrap themselves up on their own, while you just sit back and watch it unfold.

Also, if I wanted to be really picky, I could point out that it's pretty obvious that most of Hiaasen's male protagonists are author surrogates to some level and sometimes inch perilously close to being Mary Sues, but I actually don't mind that in this case, because they are so damn fun, and Hiaasen clearly writes them with a decent level of self-awareness about what he's doing, unlike, say, Brad Thor.

I've also noticed with these two older novels that he doesn't quite build suspense the way he does in his most recent two novels. I wonder if he's gradually moving toward a more traditional mystery structure. I said that Squeeze Me reminded me strongly of Lawrence Sanders. Skinny Dip reminds me more of Jimmy Buffett or Dave Barry.

Anyway, overall it's a mortal lock now that you can officially add me to the list of fans. I will be finding time to catch up on all his novels, hopefully before the summer is out (my hold on Remains of the Day is about to come through, so I'll be switching authors as soon as that happens).
 
Continuing my recent pace of two novels per weekend, tonight I did Skinny Dip. I liked it better than Nature Girl, but I still noted some weaknesses in plot. Namely, the events don't really feel like they are being caused by the characters, but instead are just happening to them. Hiaasen, I think, even makes a bit of a knowing joke about this during a late conversation between Mick and the detective about cases that sort of just wrap themselves up on their own, while you just sit back and watch it unfold.

Also, if I wanted to be really picky, I could point out that it's pretty obvious that most of Hiaasen's male protagonists are author surrogates to some level and sometimes inch perilously close to being Mary Sues, but I actually don't mind that in this case, because they are so damn fun, and Hiaasen clearly writes them with a decent level of self-awareness about what he's doing, unlike, say, Brad Thor.

I've also noticed with these two older novels that he doesn't quite build suspense the way he does in his most recent two novels. I wonder if he's gradually moving toward a more traditional mystery structure. I said that Squeeze Me reminded me strongly of Lawrence Sanders. Skinny Dip reminds me more of Jimmy Buffett or Dave Barry.

Anyway, overall it's a mortal lock now that you can officially add me to the list of fans. I will be finding time to catch up on all his novels, hopefully before the summer is out (my hold on Remains of the Day is about to come through, so I'll be switching authors as soon as that happens).
Agreed on all fronts. They are quick easy reads that you can’t take too seriously (or dissect too much lol).
 
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Anyone been watching The White Lotus on HBO? Have found it pretty entertaining w/ great visuals.
 
Anyone been watching The White Lotus on HBO? Have found it pretty entertaining w/ great visuals.
It’s been very good, but almost uncomfortable to watch considering every character is in a downward spiral or on the edge of a cliff. The butt licking isn’t something you see a lot of on TV…
 
Just started watching Dr. Death on the Peacock. It’s pretty entertaining so far. Story is a bit dark and based on a true story. Alec Baldwin and Christian Slater is a bit of an odd pairing on screen but I’m enjoying it so far.
 
No detailed review, but just wanted to let you know Sick Puppy was freaking awesome. The bad guys were cartoons, but they were fun cartoons, and the story was a deliriously fun ride.
Fantastic!! It's my favorite of those. Damn you're a fast reader!! @bulkvanderhuge I think will concur: now stop! You've had the experience move on. He's written a lot of shitty ones and if you keep going you'll waste time better left to better books
 
I am going to have to try this series Goat and others are talking about. Darn it, I can find books I need to read far faster than I can get through them. I need to train myself to listen to audible at 300% speed.

Over the past couple weeks I:

Completed the first book of a series called Murderbot, and it was excellent. Lighter Sci fi. I am looking forward to the rest.

I read Seveneves, hard sci fi. I enjoyed it but it could have used some editing. It sort of reminds me of 2001, the visuals dominate the story. Or it reminds me of LoTR, enjoy the journey because it matters more than the destination.

I read Pearl Harbor that was used by Dan Carlin. Big takeaway, the attack on Pearl was as crazy as the start of WW1. At the same time, some Japanese were working to start the war and others to stop the war and others doing both at the same time. Tojo is portrayed far differently than he is often portrayed in the US. He didn't want to be Prime Minister, and at one point in November he sounded like LBJ. He gave the go-ahead to do a last-minute attempt to stop the war. He basically said he knew Japan could not win a war but he had no choice as abandoning China would mean all those Japanese deaths in China were in vain and he wasn't strong enough to tell their families that. So honor required him to continue toward war if the only alternative was an immediate withdrawal.
 
I am going to have to try this series Goat and others are talking about. Darn it, I can find books I need to read far faster than I can get through them. I need to train myself to listen to audible at 300% speed.

Over the past couple weeks I:

Completed the first book of a series called Murderbot, and it was excellent. Lighter Sci fi. I am looking forward to the rest.

I read Seveneves, hard sci fi. I enjoyed it but it could have used some editing. It sort of reminds me of 2001, the visuals dominate the story. Or it reminds me of LoTR, enjoy the journey because it matters more than the destination.

I read Pearl Harbor that was used by Dan Carlin. Big takeaway, the attack on Pearl was as crazy as the start of WW1. At the same time, some Japanese were working to start the war and others to stop the war and others doing both at the same time. Tojo is portrayed far differently than he is often portrayed in the US. He didn't want to be Prime Minister, and at one point in November he sounded like LBJ. He gave the go-ahead to do a last-minute attempt to stop the war. He basically said he knew Japan could not win a war but he had no choice as abandoning China would mean all those Japanese deaths in China were in vain and he wasn't strong enough to tell their families that. So honor required him to continue toward war if the only alternative was an immediate withdrawal.
Crazy how fast goat reads.
 
i'm jealous. i read slowly. ran out of time on tests etc.
52 years of reading contracts, cases, and briefs builds a slow reader. My stoker reads at light-speed too. I plod along while digesting every sentence. I always tell her my speed is better. I can savor a good book for weeks while she is done in a day. Do you gulp a fine wine or sip it?
 
52 years of reading contracts, cases, and briefs builds a slow reader. My stoker reads at light-speed too. I plod along while digesting every sentence. I always tell her my speed is better. I can savor a good book for weeks while she is done in a day. Do you gulp a fine wine or sip it?
LOL i hear ya but i've always been a slow reader. billables was never going to be an option....
 
Well you guys sucked me in on this and I started Sick Puppy this morning. Already on Chp 6, not getting much work done today....
I know you've mentioned you have kids but if memory serves they're little right? If not He has a great line of books for tweens
 
they really are! risk pool, nobody's fool, empire, straight man. but glad to hear it! he's brilliant.
So, finished Bridge of Sighs by Russo.
Such a good novel, well told, about people and places the reader can care about. I enjoyed the way he revealed the turns and twists of the plot. Just a heartwarming, human story, without being corny or preachy.

So, what specific book do you suggest next by this guy, after you warned me off this book as an introduction to him? And it better be good.
 
So, finished Bridge of Sighs by Russo.
Such a good novel, well told, about people and places the reader can care about. I enjoyed the way he revealed the turns and twists of the plot. Just a heartwarming, human story, without being corny or preachy.

So, what specific book do you suggest next by this guy, after you warned me off this book as an introduction to him? And it better be good.
damn you read fast too. now to the really good stuff: any of empire falls, nobody's fool, straight man.
 
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damn you read fast too. now to the really good stuff: any of empire falls, nobody's fool, straight man.
So, for some stupid reason, the central library in Indy does not house that many Russo books (which is the reason I started out with Bridge of Sighs), and I didn’t feel like waiting for a hold, so i broke down and purchased Straight Man on kindle.
The first chapter is about the main character as a kid, constantly bugging his parents about getting a dog, and he was a huge pest about it. The following line cracked me up, mainly because it summarized my kid personality, my kids’ personality, and probably every kid’s personality:
“It was a deeply satisfying look of pure exasperation they (his parents) shared at such moments, and if I couldn’t have a dog, this was the next best thing.”
Holy shit…that is hilarious, insightful, maddening, and universal, all at once.
This is going to be a fun book.
Thank you, mcm.
 
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