Ghost of a Chance

By: Simon R. Green

Narrated by: Toby Leonard Moore

New York Times best-selling author Simon R. Green has crafted numerous acclaimed science-fiction and fantasy novels, including Blue Moon Rising, Blood and Honor, and Shadows Fall. In this first installment of the Ghost Finders series, JC Chance, Melody Chambers, and Happy Jack Palmer are agents of the Carnacki Institute - a place where the sole purpose is to “do something” about ghosts. But what exactly? Lay the spirits to rest? Send them along their merry way? Or maybe just kick some ghoulie butt?

©2010 Simon R. Green (P)2010 Recorded Books, LLC

They can't all be winners

Normally in my opinion Simon R. Greene writes gold with every series - Nightside, Blue Moon Rising, Secret Wars. All series I love and found utterly delightful. So it was shocking to actually be let down by one of his series. The book isn't bad, it's just next to his other works it's very blah. The hero's power, he has a good conversation with these ghosts. His companions a psychedelic psychic and a horny computer geek. Next to characters like Walker and Suzie Shooter these are just meh. And that about sums it up- meh.

Ghost of a Chance

I'm addicted to Simon R. Green; sometimes I haven't loved the narrators for his work, but Toby is very good. I wasn't sure there was going to be enough action in this book to keep me listening; but then the "Vampire Sharks" showed up and once again I was rivited. Go Simon!

Good but not great

Good book but ... I would try next one and hope for better. Not a bad read

I normally love Green's work, but...

This isn't his best work. It feels more like an early attempt then his more "finished" works like Nightside or Secret Histories. I plan on sticking through the series to see if it gets better.

If you liked Nightside you like this series

This is book one of the "Ghost" hunter series. typical Simon R Green. and the narrator does a fine job. Book two "Ghost of a Smile" was equally good and leaves off for another title. I enjoy SRG's stories and so far the narrators on the "Nightside" series and this on has been excellent. Well worth it for a SRG fan.

Nightside on the ghost side

I like Simon Green's work for two reasons -- first, they're silly and second they're British. This new series seems is pretty similar to the Nightside series, same author voice, same phrasings, same random inclusion of highly unlikely characters and plot directions. I'll probably keep reading it, provided the prices don't get too high. Green appeals to my sense of fun, although I wish he'd drop some of his over-used phrasings. "It was the easiest thing in the world" comes immediately to mind.

Ok Not one of this author's better books

I did not really enjoy the narrator, to unattached to the characters he was narrating. Sorry OK, but not anywhere up to par with this author's other series. Sort of disappointed!

I draw the line at animal torture

The story started out okay, but when one of the antagonists uses a mutilated living cat which he tortures to achieve his ends I stopped in my tracks and deleted the book from my library. Can’t remember encountering anything remotely like it in the Drood or Ishmael Jones books.

I LOVE Simon R Green. But....

What did you like best about Ghost of a Chance? What did you like least?

I have loved Greens books so much, that I feel like I'm betraying a friend by saying this. But this book didn't work. I don't even know where it went wrong. Maybe it's because I'm spoiled by John Taylor and Eddie Drood. But I gave this book more chances than it deserved. After I had lost interest, I still put-on my headphones, rewound and tried to find interest. It just wasn't there. It felt like recycled second rate monsters and second rate talent.
I don't think I even got half way through the book. If you've never read his other works, it may work. Then you can graduate up and be blown away.

No Real Connection

I've never read one of Simon R. Green's works again, and I'm a bit hesitant to give his work another try.

Despite this books' place as the first in a series, I never really felt like the author helped me connect to the characters. Although they each had their own little quirks, all of the characters seemed to fit types from previous books that I've read. JC, Melody, and Happy never really seemed real, so I wasn't as concerned about what happened to them. In all honesty, it seemed like a first draft of work that never really got revised. The plot seemed a bit repetitive and since the character development never really happened, the plot didn't ever really seem to pull me in as much as I'd hoped. The narrator/performance was fine, but not memorable.

Overall, I was hoping for something better.