The Prince of Frogtown
Author doesn’t pull punches, but his voice smooths out some of the pain. Last couple of chapters are pretty tough.
Archive for the 'Books' Category
Ike – An American Hero
Underwhelming – not much info on the development of the interstate highway system. Not much new on the WWII years. Some interesting info on Panama and time with MacArthur.
Crusader’s Cross
Pretty good overall. Unravels a bit at the end and needs an Epilogue to drop stitch everything together.
Crusader’s Cross: A Dave Robicheaux Novel (Dave Robicheaux Mysteries)
Downtown
I haven’t read many McBain outside the 87th series, Definitely a different take. This one is a bit odd and loose.
Fiddlers
Classic McBain – “The one thing he couldn’t stand was a smart ass nun.”
Fiddlers: A Novel of the 87th Precinct (87th Precinct Mysteries)
The Turnaround
Another chapter in the Pappas saga. Unravels a bit at the end, but pretty good overall.
Big Bad City
The Cookie Boy and nuns with implants. Carella sees it all
At Death’s Door
Ok. A bit dated, but at least it doesn’t drone on for 400 pages.
The First Billion
Even skimming a 1/3 of this book, it was still a waste of time.
The Pirate Queen
Well written and researched. Sections on Drake are the most interesting. Would have preferred more detail on the re-design and armament of the English fleet during Elizabeth’s reign.
The Pirate Queen: Queen Elizabeth I, Her Pirate Adventurers, and the Dawn of Empire
The Runner
Author has an honest writing style. Really pushes the willful suspension of disbelief. Not bad for kicking back.
Nathan Hale: The Life and Death of America’s First Spy
The author preens and struts as he and his best friend Nathan come of age during the revolution. Boring! I couldn’t even finish a third of this self indulgent tripe.
Guns At The Forks
A detailed history of Fort Duquesne (Pittsburgh) and the conflict between France, England and colonial USA.
Numbered Account
Not bad for the international conspiracy genre, which isn’t my favorite.
Along the wall and watchtowers
A couple decent chapters near the end.
ALONG THE WALL AND WATCHTOWERS: A JOURNEY DOWN GERMANY’S DIVIDE
Julius Caesar
Well written and engaging. The kind of book you look forward to picking up in the evening.
The Program
Not real keen on switching from first to third person throughout the book. Story was ok.
Spy Wars
If the CIA is a screwed up as this book makes out, then George Tenant getting the Medal of Freedom make a lot more sense.
War Journal
The history and back story of the religious conflict in Iraq are interesting and well written. But Engel’s overweening ambition oozes through the pages and makes any attempt at personal revelation seem forced and disingenuous.
Resolution
Picks up where Appaloosa left off. Not sure how often gun fighters quoted Rousseau, but there it is.
