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dreamerfreak's review against another edition
4.0
[a:Alex Bledsoe|644349|Alex Bledsoe|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1312811497p2/644349.jpg] writes an amazing new twist to the classic tragedy of Arthur and Guinevere in the latest Eddie LaCrosse novel. When a mysterious coffin is delivered to the tavern housing Eddie's office, Eddie tells the true tale of what happened on the island of Grand Bruan seven years ago when the happy peace established by King Marcus collapsed. The legends told since then haven't quite gotten it right, and Eddie just might be the only one still alive who knows the truth... even if it's not so glamorous.
I loved the first two Eddie LaCrosse novels, and Dark Jenny didn't disappoint me in the least. A little younger, but no less stubborn (and cynical), Eddie always amuses. Through accusations of murder, treasonous plots, broken fingers, and magic of all sorts, he still manages to unravel the snarled secrets that have been brewing for two decades and more. Don't count on knowing the ending of this book, just because you know the legend that inspired it. Dark Jenny is a fascinating mystery that will keep you wondering even after you've finished.
The only thing that kept this from being a full five star review was that I wished that there was more of the "present" time involved in the story. But that's why I'm waiting so impatiently for the next book.
[I received this book for free through First Reads and was not required to write a positive or any other type of review. All opinions stated herein are solely my own.]
I loved the first two Eddie LaCrosse novels, and Dark Jenny didn't disappoint me in the least. A little younger, but no less stubborn (and cynical), Eddie always amuses. Through accusations of murder, treasonous plots, broken fingers, and magic of all sorts, he still manages to unravel the snarled secrets that have been brewing for two decades and more. Don't count on knowing the ending of this book, just because you know the legend that inspired it. Dark Jenny is a fascinating mystery that will keep you wondering even after you've finished.
The only thing that kept this from being a full five star review was that I wished that there was more of the "present" time involved in the story. But that's why I'm waiting so impatiently for the next book.
[I received this book for free through First Reads and was not required to write a positive or any other type of review. All opinions stated herein are solely my own.]
majkia's review against another edition
4.0
How can you not love a sword jockey who says things like, "And like a moron, I ..."
ptaradactyl's review against another edition
4.0
I have never liked Arthurian legend. Ever.
The impending tragedy (and the frequent stupid decisions that led to it) frustate me--as does the fact that the dream is never realized, something I didn't realize until I read this book. I really appreciated Alex Bledsoe's take on the whole hypothetical mess.
I like Eddie LaCross, and his adventure through the legend is one of the best versions I've encountered. The book worked very well as a stand-alone novel, and I'm ready to go back and read the first two in the series because of it.
The impending tragedy (and the frequent stupid decisions that led to it) frustate me--as does the fact that the dream is never realized, something I didn't realize until I read this book. I really appreciated Alex Bledsoe's take on the whole hypothetical mess.
I like Eddie LaCross, and his adventure through the legend is one of the best versions I've encountered. The book worked very well as a stand-alone novel, and I'm ready to go back and read the first two in the series because of it.
srlemons42's review against another edition
4.0
As far as loose retellings of the King Arthur mythology goes this one was pretty good. It was a mildly well worn tale and not-so-unique and yet it kept me entertained for the whole story. I call that a win!
shirezu's review against another edition
4.0
The third book in the Eddie LaCrosse series is a prequel of sorts with Eddie telling the story of events set before the first two books. This book brought the series back to the detective style of the first book and was better for it. Eddie once again on a proper, paid job to discover the truth through his unique methods.
It brought the mystery and intrigue back the previous book was missing. Here Eddie working his way around the land in his youth is in an unfortunate place at an unfortunate time and his only way out is to solve the murder and the conspiracy surrounding it.
Sharp, witty, mysterious and surprising this book hit all the right points. Not quite a 5-star book but a very strong 4. I've really enjoyed this series and will have to try Alex Bledsoe's other books while waiting for the next Eddie LaCrosse adventure.
It brought the mystery and intrigue back the previous book was missing. Here Eddie working his way around the land in his youth is in an unfortunate place at an unfortunate time and his only way out is to solve the murder and the conspiracy surrounding it.
Sharp, witty, mysterious and surprising this book hit all the right points. Not quite a 5-star book but a very strong 4. I've really enjoyed this series and will have to try Alex Bledsoe's other books while waiting for the next Eddie LaCrosse adventure.
waden34's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book. It was a good blend of an Arthurian style legend and a mystery novel. I haven't read any of the other books in the series, but I certainly will now.
The main character is very well done and I liked how cynical he is. I also like how the book is in the first person, which is a rarity in a fantasy novel.
The only negative thing I can say about the book is that it felt like two different books. The beginning and the end read like a good mystery, but the middle is just a basic adventure story. It was still enjoyable, just somewhat disjointed for me.
The main character is very well done and I liked how cynical he is. I also like how the book is in the first person, which is a rarity in a fantasy novel.
The only negative thing I can say about the book is that it felt like two different books. The beginning and the end read like a good mystery, but the middle is just a basic adventure story. It was still enjoyable, just somewhat disjointed for me.
verkisto's review against another edition
3.0
I'm 3/5ths into the Eddie LaCrosse series of books, and so far, I find the books to be entertaining and readable, but I also have my own issues with them. I've already touched on a few of them (the issue with how all the women in the story are just there to serve the men being the most egregious to me), but reading the books back-to-back like this make them stand out that much more. I won't rehash what I've already covered, but there were a couple of other things I noticed with Dark Jenny.
There's a lot of promise with the story that ultimately goes unfulfilled. The title is one, in that "Dark Jenny" is the nickname of one of the characters, but if you're looking for some portentous reason for her name, you'll be left wanting. You get these hints of where the story could have been epic and profound, but instead it winds up being a whodunnit, complete with gathering all the suspects into one room and having the detective give everyone all the answers. The entire story is told as a flashback with short chapters bringing us back to the present , and there's a surrounding subplot that goes on in the present day to anchor the telling of the story. The problem is that subplot really doesn't have much to do with the telling of the story, except to add a coda on to what happened. Again, it was a moment that could have been bigger, but for whatever reason, Bledsoe chose to take it in a different direction.
The novel has some idiosyncrasies that pulled me out of the story, too, like having a doctor enter a room wearing a white coat and carrying a leather satchel. Keep in mind, this story is set in a Medieval fantasy world, and while I'm not up on what's historically accurate with that era, giving a doctor her modern contrivances only makes her stand out of place. Plus, it sort of turns her character into a cliche, but I noticed that trend in Burn Me Deadly, too, so it wasn't a terrible surprise. Additionally, Bledsoe has a habit of taking a modern cliched turn-of-phrase (deer in the headlights) and rewording it to make it fitting for the story's time (deer in the torchlight). Unfortunately, rewording a cliche doesn't change the fact that it's a cliche.
Despite all that, though, the story is still gripping and well-told. Bledsoe has the chops for telling a good story and keeping you engrossed in what's happening (I mentioned that Burn Me Deadly had a palpable buildup, and Dark Jenny doesn't disappoint in that respect), even as you're finding smaller issues with the story. This isn't a series that I would recommend without reservation, but for people who are looking for a good mystery, or a decent, light fantasy story, they wouldn't go wrong with checking out the books. Just keep in mind that they're not perfect reads and you shouldn't be too disappointed.
There's a lot of promise with the story that ultimately goes unfulfilled. The title is one, in that "Dark Jenny" is the nickname of one of the characters, but if you're looking for some portentous reason for her name, you'll be left wanting. You get these hints of where the story could have been epic and profound, but instead it winds up being a whodunnit, complete with gathering all the suspects into one room and having the detective give everyone all the answers. The entire story is told as a flashback with short chapters bringing us back to the present , and there's a surrounding subplot that goes on in the present day to anchor the telling of the story. The problem is that subplot really doesn't have much to do with the telling of the story, except to add a coda on to what happened. Again, it was a moment that could have been bigger, but for whatever reason, Bledsoe chose to take it in a different direction.
The novel has some idiosyncrasies that pulled me out of the story, too, like having a doctor enter a room wearing a white coat and carrying a leather satchel. Keep in mind, this story is set in a Medieval fantasy world, and while I'm not up on what's historically accurate with that era, giving a doctor her modern contrivances only makes her stand out of place. Plus, it sort of turns her character into a cliche, but I noticed that trend in Burn Me Deadly, too, so it wasn't a terrible surprise. Additionally, Bledsoe has a habit of taking a modern cliched turn-of-phrase (deer in the headlights) and rewording it to make it fitting for the story's time (deer in the torchlight). Unfortunately, rewording a cliche doesn't change the fact that it's a cliche.
Despite all that, though, the story is still gripping and well-told. Bledsoe has the chops for telling a good story and keeping you engrossed in what's happening (I mentioned that Burn Me Deadly had a palpable buildup, and Dark Jenny doesn't disappoint in that respect), even as you're finding smaller issues with the story. This isn't a series that I would recommend without reservation, but for people who are looking for a good mystery, or a decent, light fantasy story, they wouldn't go wrong with checking out the books. Just keep in mind that they're not perfect reads and you shouldn't be too disappointed.
synobal's review against another edition
4.0
This is Alex Bledsoe's spinning his own 'authorian' myth for Eddie Lacrosse's setting. The framing device used is pretty interesting and has a purpose. The characters are interesting and all properly flawed sometimes too deeply so that Eddie feels like the only honest character. I am still concerned about Mr. Bledsoe's lack of any real females who are more than Damsels or Victims. But I guess in this one a couple get cast in the villain role though they don't really get much scene time or fleshing out far enough for my liking. Hopefully the next Eddie Lacrosse will have Eddie run afoul of a female sword Jockey or something. Still a good book and worth the read.
kaje_harper's review against another edition
3.0
This third book in the Eddie LaCross series just didn't work for me the way the other two did. It's Bledsoe's take on the King Arthur legend, and I found it distracting as new characters were introduced to be thinking "that's Sir Kay", "that's Merlin", "that's Mordred". There's nothing subtle about it; the names are the same or similar, so the identification is quick, but it puts expectations in place that detract from the actual story that is unfolding. Part of the charm of Bledsoe's books has been the originality of his blend of hard-boiled detective story, sword-play realism, and fantasy. The well-worn characters and tropes of the Arthurian legend seemed like an intrusion in Eddie's world, even with Bledsoe's somewhat original take on them. I'm eagerly awaiting Eddie's next outing, when hopefully he will have his own quirky universe back.
vailynst's review against another edition
4.0
Notes:
Currently on Audible Plus (Whole Series)
#3 may be my fav out of the three I've listened to. Excellent adventure story with interesting characters.
Currently on Audible Plus (Whole Series)
#3 may be my fav out of the three I've listened to. Excellent adventure story with interesting characters.