Stormy Weather

By: Carl Hiaasen

Narrated by: George Wilson

Length: 14 hrs and 15 mins

Publisher's summary

Carl Hiaasen, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and best-selling author, has earned a reputation for perceptive, sharp-edged suspense that also cuts to the bone of environmental issues. His novels have been translated into many languages and are touted worldwide for their quirky characters and surreal adventures set in the ravaged cultural wasteland of southern Florida.

Stormy Weather centers on the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew. The devastation of the storm has attracted crowds of voyeurs and impostors to Florida. Drawn by the chance to prey on Andrew's victims, misfits like the murderous ex-con Snapper and the dangerously seductive Edie find easy targets for their insurance scams. They're not prepared, though, when they meet their opposition, led by a hoary ex-governor who smokes toads.

Both hilariously funny and deadly accurate, Carl Hiaasen's novel will take you into a Florida that is far from the frilly palms and pink flamingos of its post cards. Strap on your seatbelt. Stormy Weather is an unforgettable, turbulent ride.

©1995 Carl Hiaasen (P)1997 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

"Biting wit, wacky characters, and a profound fury." (USA Today)
"These strange characters maneuver through a broken landscape as if born to it, and the author's control of both style and narrative keeps the novel from slipping into silliness....A fiction that explores the intersection of the grotesque and the human." Library Journal)
"Combining slapstick nightmare, black comedy, and moral outrage in just the right proportions." (Booklist)

Funny

I love this author and this book did not dissapoint. It's laugh out loud at times just like most of this author's books and Skink the Governor is back and funny as usual.

Another entertaining story from Carl Hiaasen

Great for commutes when you need a few laughs, this is an entertaining story with classic Hiaasen characters. George Wilson's narration is excellent--half the fun of listening to Hiaasen is in the way Wilson makes the characters come alive.

slow to start but great once you get going.

struggled with keeping track of all the different characters and what was going on between them. this was due to the actually story and not the performance of the narrator.

You cant go wrong with Stormy Weather

Again...another great book from a great author.....i always love the readings from George Wilson....go thru every book of Hiaasen.....all are pure entertainment!!!! Your audiobook credit wont be wasted!!!

Best one yet

I'm a big fan of this author and have heard most of his books, but this one is the funniest by far. It was nice and long and the characters all got such fitting endings. It's good to know that the evil will suffer, and I love Skink.

Wow! What a book!

I have no idea how to describe this book in a way that even begins to cover it accurately. What an odd group of characters. It's kind of a mystery, but really more a comedy. It was 14 hours of pure listening enjoyment. It kind of reminds me Dave Berry's Tricky Business. At no point during the book can you guys what is coming next... Yet it is fun all the way. This shot to my personal #1 favorite spot.

The weather doesn’t let up

You have to pay attention, because this story is complex. But once you get involved with the characters it is a great ride. It will keep you wondering what in the world could happen next. I had to hit the rewind button a few times because I failed to pay attention, but that was OK because it seems like there are always new little details hidden here and there.

It's a fine entertainment.

The usual (maybe not 'usual' except for the folks who end up in the police blotter sections of newspapers) odd Florida characters from murderers to con artists to the distinctly cracked in the head somewhere are involved in various linked ways. This time it's a Florida hurricane which starts the ball rolling, as various couples find the hurricane itself has completely wrecked the lives they had been living before the winds hit and overturned everything that made them the people they felt themselves to be. A Hiaasen book is always entertaining, and like most, this one ends happily as long as you aren't a really bad person.

Entertainingly amusing

What did you love best about Stormy Weather?

The characters are funny and amusing. The story is easily enjoyed and you don't have to pay close attention to it while working and you can continue to follow it.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I really didn't have a favorite character because the store weaves together fairly well and they are all quirky and funny.

Which character – as performed by George Wilson – was your favorite?

George Wilson did an excellent job with the performance and I will continue to follow this series. This is the first one I have listened to and I enjoyed it.

Any additional comments?

I really enjoy stories that are funny and full of colorful, quirky characters.

Karma's a b**ch

The back end of a hurricane is called the dirty side of the storm, often bringing some of the worst weather and tornados. In Carl Hiaason's Florida, the dirty side of the storm is filled with crooked opportunists looking to make a killing, do a killing, or just cynically take videos of personal misery to show to the folks back home. Fortunately this crazy landscape has some good guys too - although they may not be easy to recognize at first, disguised as they are by their quirkey lives.

This is not a story for everyone. The humor is startling, even raunchy - if you get it, you'll find yourself letting out sudden bursts of laughter at absurd moments, thinking one second later OMG that's not funny - and yet it is. Hiaason finds some of the most outrageous ways for the bad guys to get their come-uppance. Karma really is a b**ch.

This doesn't sparkle quite as brightly as Skinny Dip, largely because there were too many characters to keep track of (and to be disposed of), so its pace was a bit slower. The main story threads are terrific and very Hiaason. If he had left out at least a couple of the lesser threads it would have been better. Fairly small complaint. I still enjoyed my journey through this crazy storm-ruined Wonderland. Just what I was looking for as a light guilty pleasure.