Heidi

Winter of the World was very good!!!

Reviewed: 10-07-12

I listened to Follett"s previous series and I enjoyed it...

Then when I got the first book in this "century" series..."Fall of Giants"...I was BLOWN away...it was WONDERFUL...I couldnt stop talking or thinking about it for months...I have gone back and listened to it again...and it still is wonderful...

"Winter of the World" is a good continuation...but I felt a lack of connection with the characters that I had in the first book...it just didn"t have the same feel to me...also I felt as though there was too much non-historical drama to me...the previous book had a nice balance between the actual history and the fictional characters...I felt like that was off this book...

Please understand...I recommend the book, and I enjoyed it...and I am listening to it a second time...

I will also say, that he set the book up very well for the next and final book in the trilogy...and I am looking forward to it very much...

Again, I recommend it...it just felt like there are too many fictional characters...and the balance is just a bit off in relation to the actual history...

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1 person found this helpful

CONFLICTED!!!!!!!!!!

Reviewed: 08-25-12

Okay...I wont go into too much detail...because that would ruin the book for others...but all I will say is this...it is beautifully written!!!!! The characters are not beautiful people...which you dont understand until half way through the book...so your already pretty invested at that point...and I cannot say I didnt enjoy the book, I DID, it was just an awkward pill to swallow...

As far as the story goes, it is crazy GOOD with details...and the mind who thinks up the details of these characters is crazy in itself...and again beautifully written...

But with all of the above being said...if you allow books and the emotions they bring up to take part in your personal life...this might not be a book for you...as that was a rough week for me personally...and a rough week for my husband...who has no idea why I was in such a bad mood...!!!

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If you liked "Born to Run"...get this book!!!

Reviewed: 07-25-12

It is a real person with a real life story. It isnt all happy endings and wonderful times. Scott has an amazing drive, and strong need to run, but we see that he is just a human too. So there is bad, good, and even harsh. I laughed out loud quite a few times, and cried quite a few as well, but I felt as though I was on the journey with him. I have even more respect for him after this book than I did after "Born to Run", which is where I learned about Scott. I have followed Scott since I read that book, and have enjoyed his career, and I find him very inspirational.

I was amazed by his candor, and ability to talk about some of the personal things he covers. It truly makes me ADMIRE him all the more.

If you liked "Born to Run", you will like this book. Please remember it is a personal memoir, not a bunch of different people"s stories as in BtR. Although you do get to meet all of those characters from Scott"s point of view.

I highly recommend this book!!!

OH...one more thing...Alot of the vegan receipts at the end are great!!! I went out and bought the hard copy for a cook book!!!

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40 people found this helpful

WOW!!! THANK YOU...THANK YOU...THANK YOU!!!

Reviewed: 06-21-12

All I can say is, this book had more out loud laughs than any book I have ever listened too...and as if that wasnt enough of a reason to love it...you fall in LOVE with the characters...Henri and Lucien are perfect together...and you cant help but feel their friendship...and sympathy for their trials...as well as their large group of friends who weave in and out of the entire book...

As a bonus measure there is alot of information about the city of Paris in the 19th Century...and the painters who lived there...I love any books about Art, being an Art major in college, but the personality he gives all of these famous people make them feel closer and more realistic (albeit fictional personality)...and it actually inspired me to dig my old books out of the attic and follow along with the paintings in the story...BRILLIANT...then I found out the 1st edition of this book comes with some of the art in the novel...so I ordered that too...

This is my first Christopher Moore book, and I will be checking out all of the rest, if they are even half as funny as this one, they will be well worth the credit...

Note: if your not into bawdy or blue humor...all about brothels, syphilis, the female back end, or the male front, this might not be a good book for you...If you dont mind a dark comedy, or love them...PLEASE do yourself a favor and get this book!!!

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3 people found this helpful

What a life...

Reviewed: 11-08-11

I am a Mac convert, as of 10 years ago...love the product, and love the speakings of this charismatic man...and then I bought "the book"...I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book...yes he was not always the best man...and yes he made some bad decisions in his life and his career...but such an amazing story...

The author makes sure he tells both sides of the story, and talks to a lot of the past people from his life...and you truly get the sense that your getting to know the REAL Steve Jobs, not the hype or the man behins the mic...but that is the beautiful thing about it, it is the no holds barred Steve...the angry, spiteful, impetuous, forward thinking, artful, visionary of a man...and through all of the ups and downs of his life...at the end of this book, I still respected him, and what he brought to our world...

And yes Steve, you did change the Universe!!!

PS in regards to all of the reviews about the reader...he is not the best, and can kind of drone on, when another reader could have put "more" into it, but you do get used to it, and it doesnt seem to bother me as much towards the end of the book...so dont let it discourage you...

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The best book of the series!!!

Reviewed: 10-21-11

Please note that I have listened to the entire series 3 times...and I am pretty sure this is my favorite of all of the books...although Lorelei Lee is a very close second...and the series is soooooooo good that I had to buy book 9 (cause I couldnt wait for it to come out in audio).

This book (Jolly Roger) is sooooo brilliant...I love the mix of sailors, pirates, and werewolves (inside joke)...I stated in a previous review that I loved the characters around Jacky and this is the book where that REALLY starts...Joseph Jared and Higgens are just 2 of the characters that you will fall in love with...and want to follow their lives just as much as you want to follow Jacky"s...

I highly recommend this book and the entire series, and you will love the Wake of the Lorelei Lee (book 8) too...

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2 people found this helpful

WOW!!!

Reviewed: 10-21-11

What a fabulous series of books, I really enjoyed Bloody Jack...but that is just the beginning...Curse of the Blue Tattoo is also good...but it REALLY gets going with Under the Jolly Roger...I laughed...so loud...my husband kept coming in the room to see what I was doing...

Where have these books been, and why havent I heard of them before??? This should be a HUGE series with lots of followers...there is stuff for everyone in these pages...now granted...my favorite character is not Jacky, that is not what snared me into the series, it is all of the people around her...they are the ones to follow...I could not wait for the 9th book to come out on audible...I had to buy the hardcover version...

I highly recommend these books for anyone who enjoys YA.

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VERY HARD TO LISTEN TO...

Reviewed: 07-11-10

Now understand I like books with characters that have very little to like about them, but they grow on you. This book was terrible, all of the characters have little or no value at all. I have listened to some books in my past that I didnt like, but this one, WOW, I couldnt finish it at all.

If you dont like rambling, selfish, disgusting people, then I do not recommend this book.

Sorry.

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1 person found this helpful

Great final book to the series.

Reviewed: 07-11-10

I really enjoyed the first book (dragon tattoo) even though it was dark and graphic, but I loved the characters and plot. I loved the second book (plays with fire) even more, but I was left hanging by the ending. I have been looking forward to this final book since finishing the second, and I was not let down. It picks up literally moments after the second one ends, and just carries on with the story. It is done brilliantly!

Dark as usual, but there is a shift that happens once Lizbeth is taken to the hospital. You want to see the bad guys to get what is coming to them, but will they? The final book does not leave you hanging!!!

If you read and enjoyed the first two books, you will be extremely satisfied with the 3rd and final book.

I highly recommend this book!!! 5 out of 5 stars aren"t enough!

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2 people found this helpful

LOVED IT!!!

Reviewed: 07-11-10

I read this book when it came out in the 90"s and loved it. Recently while planning a vacation to Savannah, I decided to listen to it again. I forgot how good it is, the characters, the humor, the stories, and side plots. What a wonderful combination to round out a nice thriller and mystery. Even if you read it 15 years ago, I recommend revisiting it. I consume at least 4 books a month, and rarely do I laugh out loud while listening to a book.

This is based on a true story, although the author was not there when Williams killed Hansford, but he does explain the circumstances of writing himself as the only fictional character (until he catches up with himself after the murder) in the interview that takes place after the book.

If you like humor and intrigue nicely wrapped up in a GREAT story, this is a wonderful book.

I highly recommend it!!!

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61 people found this helpful