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mattiek's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
stuartjash's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
billymac1962's review
2.0
Another reviewer said exactly how I feel. That I can't muster up much enthusiasm for Dave Robicheaux, and that I need my mysteries to be
more cerebral.
I had heard James Lee Burke interviewed on BBC's book review podcast, and
the three panelists were positively gushing over him. So I gave him another shot, after being unimpressed with The Neon Rain many years ago.
I made it through more than half the novel before giving up.
I don't like Robicheaux. He's too much of a loose cannon, and there's
lots of gratuitous violence. I like mystery/suspense novels to have
more psychological aspects than slam-bang shoot 'em up, punch 'em up action. I also find Burke's style to be repetitive: At the end of most
dialogue sequences, there follows a description of the sky, smells, and
sights of what's going on around him. While his descriptions are quite
impressive (especially the many unique and poetic ways he could describe clouds), nonetheless it got to be formulaic.
Hard-boiled isn't for me. I thought that maybe I hadn't given Burke much of a chance (I probably still haven't), but I don't see much in what I look for in crime novels, so I think this is it.
more cerebral.
I had heard James Lee Burke interviewed on BBC's book review podcast, and
the three panelists were positively gushing over him. So I gave him another shot, after being unimpressed with The Neon Rain many years ago.
I made it through more than half the novel before giving up.
I don't like Robicheaux. He's too much of a loose cannon, and there's
lots of gratuitous violence. I like mystery/suspense novels to have
more psychological aspects than slam-bang shoot 'em up, punch 'em up action. I also find Burke's style to be repetitive: At the end of most
dialogue sequences, there follows a description of the sky, smells, and
sights of what's going on around him. While his descriptions are quite
impressive (especially the many unique and poetic ways he could describe clouds), nonetheless it got to be formulaic.
Hard-boiled isn't for me. I thought that maybe I hadn't given Burke much of a chance (I probably still haven't), but I don't see much in what I look for in crime novels, so I think this is it.
djr100's review
4.0
Second Robicheaux for me and looking forward to more. Descriptive writing with lots of action by Burke. Robicheaux with all of his flaws is a very likable character to me….fully drawn out.
burns_cheadle's review
4.0
Solid Cajun noir—not quite as enjoyable as Black Cherry Blues, but it is hard to bear Burke for his vivid descriptions of settings
katel1970's review
2.0
So many people love this series, but I'm having a difficult time getting into it. Just because you don't know much Spanish, can you really not ask a child her name instead of renaming her?! Maybe if I make it to a more recent book, I'll like it more.
dreynoldsbook's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
I give up on Dave Robicheaux. He’s an annoying, pigheaded bore. That’s okay, though, because all the ladies love him. They think he’s a ‘fine man’ (wink wink). Even if he’s probably going to get them killed.
stevem0214's review
5.0
Another great book in the Robicheaux series. Dave get's in the middle of a gang war again and this time he pays the price. But he "Squares it"...sort of. This was an audio book also read by Will Patton. I don't want to listen to anyone else as narrator for this series...he is the voice of Dave to me.
richardwells's review
3.0
(I don't know why goodreads insists that I've read this three times. I think I'd remember.)
Ok, I ate it up, and speaking of eating, if there's one thing I like about Dave Robicheaux and his posse, it's that they don't seem to ever miss a meal. I wish I knew exactly what they were eating, but it all sounds good.
Heaven's Prisoners is a much more developed novel than Neon Rain (#1 in the series,) and that's both a good and bad thing. The good is that James Lee Burke has given himself, and therefore Robicheaux, henceforth Dave because the other takes too much to type, time to reflect and philosophize. Those two qualities escape Dave on a pretty regular basis as he's a man driven by compulsions, whether for justice or Jax. But, when he does slow down, usually after having been beaten down, he's usually got something interesting on his mind. The good is also in character development, and depth of plotting. The bad is in overwritten descriptions of nature's fecundity, that includes Dave's quest for mind-blowing orgasms, that come at a frequent, and ultimately tedious rate. I'm glad he gets laid, I just don't need the tightening of the loins details.
The bad guys in this one are really, really bad, the low life's really really low, the banter very entertaining, and the violence - hideous. What more could a poor reader ask for?
I'm sure you can find a plot summary elsewhere.
On to #3.
Ok, I ate it up, and speaking of eating, if there's one thing I like about Dave Robicheaux and his posse, it's that they don't seem to ever miss a meal. I wish I knew exactly what they were eating, but it all sounds good.
Heaven's Prisoners is a much more developed novel than Neon Rain (#1 in the series,) and that's both a good and bad thing. The good is that James Lee Burke has given himself, and therefore Robicheaux, henceforth Dave because the other takes too much to type, time to reflect and philosophize. Those two qualities escape Dave on a pretty regular basis as he's a man driven by compulsions, whether for justice or Jax. But, when he does slow down, usually after having been beaten down, he's usually got something interesting on his mind. The good is also in character development, and depth of plotting. The bad is in overwritten descriptions of nature's fecundity, that includes Dave's quest for mind-blowing orgasms, that come at a frequent, and ultimately tedious rate. I'm glad he gets laid, I just don't need the tightening of the loins details.
The bad guys in this one are really, really bad, the low life's really really low, the banter very entertaining, and the violence - hideous. What more could a poor reader ask for?
I'm sure you can find a plot summary elsewhere.
On to #3.