Friday, July 5, 2013

Plugged - Eoin Colfer


This was another one I grabbed off the shelf.  Well actually I grabbed a few and saw that this one said by the same author who wrote Artemis Fowl.  I thought to myself "I've heard of that" even though I still have no idea what it is.  But if he wrote one good book this one can't be too bad right?.

(Probably not the best strategy for picking things)

The lead character/ narrator is an Irish ex-military balding doorman of a seedy casino in New Jersey.  He recently got a hair transplant (his own hair not from a rat as he points out) from a dodgy Israeli doctor who we end up half searching for throughout the book. This doctor also becomes one of the main characters as a voice in Dan the doorman's head.

I was glad I listened to this is in an empty room because I laughed out loud quiet a few times and it would have taken a while to explain the Irishisms (references to Westlife etc) and in-jokes that you become a part of.  When Ghost Zeb (Israeli doctor) speaks up you get that sense of "O typical GZ" or "I knew he would say that".  That's when you realize you're really into the story.

I haven't read a lot of crime novels but I liked the clues and cliff hangers that make you wonder who did what and who are really the good guys.  It's also interesting to see Dan's "morals" in this amoral environment.    Also his realism in a place that could be full of stereo types - "I'm on my feet, pacing around the room, punching a fist into my palm, which I stop doing when I realize how drama queen it feels."

It had a slightly 'lock stock' feel to it by the end,
Spoiler Alert-click to show



Great characters (I love moronic bad guys even though its a bit cliched), great story line but way too much cussing for me to recommend.  I might take a look at 'Artemis Fowl' or the sequel to 'Hitch hiker's guide to the galaxy', if I ever find them.





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