Tom

Michael Connelly is a master. Connelly started out as a writer for a newspaper so it makes sense he would have a story about a reporter. I really like how he switched the point of view between Jack McEvoy (the reporter) and a creepy pedophile/murderer. At first there seems to be no connection in the storyline, but eventually it becomes apparant that these two are destined to clash. When I realized how early the book was was climaxing I was happy that my radar for the bad guy seemed to be intact. I was wrong.

Isn't it fun to read 20 year old books? People having to find pay phones, dial-up internet connections and no cell phone tracking.

This Box set Includes 3 of the Harry Bosch series; The Narrows, Echo Park and The Overlook. The Closers is not included but fits in the series The Narrows and Echo park. Pick it up at the same time and you are still getting 4 for the price of 2.

The Narrows:
While investigating the death of a former FBI profiler friend at the request of the friend's wife, Harry stumbles upon the return of the Poet. Something was a little off with this story. It may have been the combination of first person with Harry's telling and third person with the other characters. But Connelly is still 10 times the writer most others are.

Echo Park:
Another excellent book. But I think Rachel is right, Harry gets tunnel vision when it comes to bad guys. He cannot find a way to work with others and he does not take appropriate precautions to keep himself and others safe. It is obvious throughout the series but finally someone he cares about slaps him with it. Think that'll change his ways? Nope, he just dumps Rachel.

The Overlook:
The layers in these mysteries are amazing. no wonder so few of his novels have been made into movies, it is too hard. So much of the story would have to change you are left with something not as powerful. Blood Work is exactly that, okay movie, awesome book. One thing I am not liking though is that too often Connelly is going back to the corrupt cop. This is book 13 and probably 5 times he has tapped the bad cop/federal agent.

I love to read historical fiction. Especially if it is a great story that follows real history as close as possible. This does both. I know little about the Normans or the Lombards but apparently they both existed in some troubled times. In fact, the first time I heard about Norman it was Monty Python doing rasberries and caltipulting a cow at King Arthur.

This story follows the large family of a Norman lord. But because it is a large family he can't support them all so they go do what Normans did back then, become soldiers of fortune. The two oldest sons head to what is now Italy to join other Norman mercenaries already there. Their ambition is kindled while there and we will follow their quest for power and fortune in the next two novels.

This book has cemented in my mind that sailing is for crazy people. The story was interesting and entertaining, but I found them to be a bit preachy when it came to explaining the whole "the world is a schoolroom". They tried to sound noble saying the trip was for their kids education, but this was totally about them, not the family.

I love the ending when John explains how he watched a young family at the zoo enjoying the "extraordinary beauty of the planet" then mentions how lucky his family was to have the resources to make the trip they did. He finishes with the thought that that beauty of the planet is all around and we can find it anywhere. It sounded to me like he was wishing they had just gone to the zoo!

I loved this book. Harry Bosch is one of those guys that depresses me but I can't help but really care about what is happeening to him. This story is pivitol in the making of Bosch. It sets up a defining experience in Harry's life, the investigation of his mother's murder.

The only drawback for me was some of the courtroom drama was too contrived. It made sense to move the story alog, but it did not seem to belong in a real courtroom.

I have listened to Dick Hill perform several Connelly books and I think he is great. If you have the opportunity to listen to these don't pass it up.

Another fantastic story by Connelly and performance by Hill. I gave it lower marks for a couple reasons; I figured it out myself too soon and, in my opinion, Harry goes too far off the reservation at the end. But all together a great addition to the franchise.

For sci-fi lovers this is some awesome stuff. For the casual reader this is real heavy and will be slow going. I am some where in between so I liked it but I am not raving about it. Larry Niven has some fantastic novels and I know this is one that has spawned other ideas and inspired other authors and at least one massively popular video game. His mind goes places others can't touch.

This story is told from the point of view of Louie Wu but is really about Teela Brown. I can't go into why without spoilers so either read it or ask me later. There is not much of a plot here as the entire book is spent with the 3 alien races discussing thier own science and life philosophies (where Teela Brown's sitation comes in). This is what makes it classic science-fiction, the science is primary the story secondary.

A good ending to the trilogy. Robert and Roger (pronounce it with a french accent) complete the conquest of Sicily and sounthern Italy. This has been interesting to me since I knew nothing of the Normans and what kind of influence they had on the world in their time. I have stood on the wall of a Norman keep in England, and seen Monty Python's impersonation in The Holy Grail, but never realized what they did other places

I was looking forward to the continuation of De Houteville brothers' story but it was not like I expected. This seemed to be more the set up for the final conquest of southern Italy by the Normans. This was more the political intrigue between Byzantium and the Lombards that set up what is to become their loss of control as they try and wrest military power from the Normans...typically done through assasination. In telling this part of the story the book moves slow, talking is not as exciting as a calvary charge.

Reading about the Norman mercenaries you get the sense for the military power they represented, but what they lacked was the mind for politics. They were brutes. We were introduced in the first book to the beginnings of the Norman desire to acheive more than being mercenaries, real power is land and titles. This book explained how that was acheived. I look forward to the next as they consolidate and expand their influence.

I like the idea of knowing the story from the viewpoint of "the bad guy." I listened to this book on audio and I enjoyed the way it was performed. The delivery really encouraged sympathy for the hitman. He became just a regular guy with a demanding job. He has relationship problems, trouble with the boss, visits a shrink and really hates amateurs...I mean REALLY hates them.

This was a great introduction to Michael Connelly and Harry Bosch. I have decided that small doses of Connelly are best. I find him to write dark stories. Not only do bad things happen around him, but he is a sad and depressed man. Now I know why.

Harry Bosch has been an LA cop since he returned home from Vietnam. In his opinion, it was either that or be a criminal. Harry has already had some serious successes in his carrier and has a knack for catching serial killers. His success has been so good that he even got a TV movie deal and local fame. But Bosch is still haunted by his Vietnam service. He was a tunnel rat. A soldier that searched and destroyed the multitude of underground tunnels the Viet Cong used. Bad things happened to him down there and more often than not he sleeps in an easy chair where the nightmares and insomnia are easier to handle.

The Black Echo, also what tunnel rats called the tunnels, follows Harry's investigation of the murder of a former Vietnam comrade. He ends up forced to work with the FBI after being accused of being a co-conspirator in a bank robbery involving tunneling into a vault. His relationship with his FBI counterpart becomes more than it should be which adds to the complication of the case.

There are some good twists and curve balls thrown in. It did not end the way I thought it would. Be prepared for lots of coarse language. Michael Connelly's characters are not boy scouts.