Dennis Jameson

Comfort Listening

Reviewed: 12-07-24

Tony and Anne Hillerman's books are special. They are, however, unlike any mystery, crime or police procedurals I've listened to or read. My tastes run to Mike Herron (Slow Horses), Mark Greaney (Gray Man), Nelson DeMille (John Corey), Michael Connelly (Bosch, Lincoln Lawyer), Linda La Plante (Jane Tennison), you catch my drift, but these books about the Navajo Tribal Police Officers (Leaphorn, Chee, Manuelito) are really opposite in pacing, cultural intrigue, belief system and bureaucracy, than the aforementioned authors and a few others (such as Michael Stephen Fuchs and B.V.Larson) whose most recent works I can't wait to listen too (even halting whatever I am listening to, to make way). The Hillerman Books I hold onto and wait for that special time when I want to go somewhere away from the modern world, and techno troubles, and go somewhere contemporary where life is lived at a walking pace, and technology has not entirely supplanted detective work. It's not fantasy and it's not the past--just a completely different set of equations. It's like chicken soup for the mind! The Navajo reservation is spread out over Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico, and interspersed are other Native American Reservations (Ute, Zuni, Apache, Comanche, and Hopi) each with their own tribal customs, taboos, laws, councils and police, not to mention the interspersed county and state governments and police jurisdictions, and superimposed over all this hodge-podge of competing jurisdictions is the FBI. (Even John Scalzi, in his wildest imagination, couldn't have invented such a tangled bureaucratic wonderland.) No, these books are to be savored. They aren't for everybody--my wife finds them boring, but then she has a hard time following the other books on my most wanted list--she likes Baldacci, Patricia Cornwall, Sue Grafton, which I find repetitious and sometimes over the top seeking more outlandish situations, to superimpose on the same plot. If you want to read something out of the ordinary, but not outlandish, and learn a lot about American History and Native American ethos you might be pleasantly surprised. Unsurprisingly it bears little resemblance to the TV Series, which is more like Starsky and Hutch in a man bun, with full tilt Hollywood rock 'em sock 'em, run roughshod over the respect for and attention to detail of the books. Just sayin' . . .

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Start Slow, but Roars to a Conclusion.

Reviewed: 11-30-24

Started off slow, even lugubrious, had to put down for awhile. Then the next chapter started off with the comfortable feel of a workmanlike Connelly police procedural, then about half way thru the story was kicked into hi-gear. By the end it was full tilt boogie. Very engaging and even more satisfying. Maddie Bosch got to spread her wings, as her old man declines. the ensemble performance was well done, but the voice of Detective Ballard was especially good. All together a satisfying and worthwhile listen. I was sorry to see it end.

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Very Good

Reviewed: 11-27-24

Held my attention to the end. Almost passed, glad I didn't. Amazon optioned the book, hope the series maintains the flavors, cultural differences and geographical contrasts. The narrator kicked it up a notch, hope she narrates the next book which I can't wait to listen too.

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Re-Read

Reviewed: 11-07-24

Reminded me how much I like the Harrington series. I'm listening to them again!

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Terrific Narratives

Reviewed: 09-27-24

This was a terrific narrative of forgotten battle in a forgotten war. Would have been nice to have more details of TO&E. When author says anti-air and anti-tank guns joined artillery to repel attack, would be nice to know what they were, how many, how'd they get there, was it local initiative or were they ordered to fire. What ammo used, AT doesn't seem very effective, but AA could be very useful. Also lack of maps made it difficult to envision tactical situation. It was a worthwhile resd/listen if for no other reason than the dearth of information on the subject. Narration was very good.

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1 person found this helpful

Best Grey Man so far.

Reviewed: 08-12-24

Besides an intesting plot line, great locations and the usual characters the story is enough to scare the crap out of anyone following the rapid takeover of life by AI's. Ended on a hell of a cliff hanger. Narration superb.

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Somewhat disappointed!

Reviewed: 07-26-24

I'm conditioned to Hasting's works be exhaustive and thorough. I'm not disappointed in what he said, but in what he didn't. He gave the Naval services short shrift, and while decrying lack of tactical CAS on the part of USAF, he only mentioned in passing the critical CAS on the part of Navy and Marine units, and completely ignored Naval Gunfire, it's use and misuse. And while he did talk about the army's aversion to special operations, there was no mention of the numerous raiding parties put ashore behind enemy lines by both USN and RN. Last chapters sounded more like a summary of notes made for chapters not written, like was the war winnable, how was winning to be defined, why did US make the same mistakes in Vietnam they made in Korea--with same effect (and made in Iraq and Afghanistan too)? The narration was great, just the right mixture of British superciliosness and amazement that everything turned out as well as it did--all things considered. I wouldn't recommend this for the beginner, T.R. Fehrenbach's This Kind of War is the seminal work, everything else is just texture. what Hasting's did say was excellent, but a lot could have used more context and I couldn't help feeling he was pulling his punches and being way too tactful on his American cousins!

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Great Intro to A Little Known Subject

Reviewed: 07-13-24

I'd read the authors prrvious book on the collapse of civilization, and this book discussed how civilization pieced itself back together. Fascinating stuff, though it is a bit wonkish. It would help the general reader to have some knowledge of the kingdoms before the fall, because the author just summarizes the status quo ante before getting into the nitt-griity of the subject. Probably helpful to have read his book on the fall of civilization. I found the book engrossing and like all interesting things I have a few questions. if you've listened to the Great Courses Ancient Western Civilizations you'd be all set for the authors book on the fall of civilization and its aftermath. And then you're ready for GC on Greek Civilization and the Rise of Persia. I find it all very interesting and these books are perfect bridge between ancient and classical civilizations. The narration was great, even impressive. The author's intro and epilogue not so much.

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4 people found this helpful

Ripping Good Yarn

Reviewed: 07-01-24

I believe the narrator, Justine Eyre, had a lot to do with the enjoyment of the story. Unlike Scott Brick she is not melodramatic over every sentence. It's not Scripture or even Shakespeare--it's a good story that a lively and enthusiastic narrator made better. It's one of the best Halo stories, but it would be tough listening to Scott's droning on with the same emphasis regardless of context. I look forward to more stories narrated be Justine. She is a credit to Kelly Gay's creativity.

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Addictive

Reviewed: 06-20-24

I wish it was more historically accurate, especially the weapons. I don't think long bows, catapults and plate armor were common, if extant at all, during this time period. And plate armor was prohibitively expensive. That being said the tale is addictive. The narrator is well suited and a joy to listen too.

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