Rating: 
Summary: An unlikely success dealing with an unusual subject
Review: The subject matter of this book is unusual. It is an ecological thriller based on the battle between the blind greed of politicians and property developers and the sympathetic conservationism of the main character Twilly Spree, and his pals. Spree represents the little man battling against the might of the state and big business, although he is conveniently a millionaire and a man with very little to lose, both qualities which make his eventual victory a bit predictable. The moral tone of the book is about right, although sometimes veers into the realms of Political Correctness. Anyone who has ever been incensed by litter bugs will sympathise with the goodies in this book.The characters are well drawn, interesting and very different from each other. There are perhaps too many minor characters with fleshed out backgrounds; almost as if the author is desperate for their motives to be understood. This isn't necessary - cyphers are fine as minor characters. All have silly names, such as Palmer Stoat which rather undermines the realism of the story. Hiaasen over-uses the technique of narration form the character's point of view and this can become tiresome. The book also suffers from a narrator that is reliable 99% of the time, but unreliable 1 % of the time. This is very frustrating and could have been tidied up in editing. Having made these criticisms, the author maintains the pace of the story through a rather long book, and I found myself wanting to read the next chapter to find out what was happening to these interesting people. The dry, satirical humour is an acquired taste, but after about fifty pages I found myself in tune with Hiaasen's style. The book is written almost in cinematic style, almost as if the writer started touting the screenplay round the studios at the same time as he was finishing the novel. This isn't all bad though, as it adds excitement to the narrative and avoids dull descriptive passages. I enjoyed this book for its refreshing cynicism, and the fact that the author strikes about the right balance between action and characterisation.
Rating:
Summary: Laugh your way through an amazig tale
Review: Carl Hiaasen is the perfect antidote to stress, particularly the stress of living in Florida with its myriad changes. When the frustrations of living through the tourist season, the changeable weather, the burgeoning building boom, and life in the topics gets too much, then it is time to read Carl Hiassen. He has a talent for spotlighing the absurd and makes all the problems then seem much less aggravating. The best part of reading any of his books though is that he knows his craft. This is a good read.
Rating: 
Summary: Hiaasen At His Funniest
Review: Why read my review when you could be reading this book? I've read all of Hiaasen's novels and this is right up there as another Florida rib-tickler crammed full of lovable loonies and cracked crims. Enough, read this book, you'll enjoy it!
Rating: 
Summary: Well below par for Carl Hiaasen.
Review: I have read CH from the beginning and this one falls far short of his wonderfully funny previous novels. It seems this vein has been mined too many times. It's the same type of characters in slightly different sourroundings. This time they appear tired, trite and ready for a change. I recall only two out loud laughs, whereas his prior books never failed to elicit many many hearty laughs. Carl Hiaasen is capable of so much more. It is time for a change of pace and a fresh approach from one of the finest writers Florida has produced. Being based in Miami he certainly has no shortage of material upon which to draw.
Rating:
Summary: Funny read but a little too long and the same
Review: Hiaasen's books are hilarious. Some of the descriptive writing is great. But this book lost some of it's interest in the last 100 pages as the plots begin to look exactly the same. Why did we need the ex-govenor back in this book? Couldn't his role have been handled by Twilley since they are both insane eco-freaks? Irrespective, I am glad I read this but didn't find it near as interesting as Striptease. There is no doubt that Hiaasen loves the Florida landscape. It may be time he take a different tack to getting that message across or try a new message. I will continue to read reviewers of his new books but may not be able to continue to invest the time to read them if they continue to be all the same.
Rating:
Summary: sick puppy
Review: Buy it, read it, enjoy it! It's one of a kind! It's not your usual novel, by any means!
Rating:
Summary: A Good Read but More of the Same
Review: I haven't missed reading one of Hiaasen's books - they're great two night reads that I can't put down. I enjoyed this one better than the last two but the formula is getting old. The description, characters and dialogue are great, but it seems like we've met them before and they've all done similar stuff.
Rating: 
Summary: Same Old Puppy
Review: Carl Hiaasen must be pumping this stuff out too fast. The jokes are wearing thin. Yeah so Miami is a real bizarre place. Anyone could tell you that. If you expect more insight, you won't get it here. "Stormy Weather" and "Tourist Season", his best efforts, offered some pretty good chuckles, but Hiassen has never taken it anywhere since. By this stage of the game, it looks like he isn't going to.
Rating:
Summary: Sweeeeeeeeet!
Review: My first Hiaasen book, "Sick Puppy" contains some wonderfully over-the-top characters! This book marked my re-interest in mystery/suspense books by showing me that they have come a long way in the past years.
Rating:
Summary: A delicious morality tale.
Review: This is a great read: justice is done so wonderfully and hysterically, whether it be via heavy machinery or removed eyeballs. And who else but Hiaasen can narrate from a dog's perspective so accurately? Can't wait for the next one.
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