Rating: 
Summary: Funny, original, clever.
Review: As a first time reader of carl hiaasen, I have to say that this man can really write believable characters, of which there are many in this story. I thought he exploited the religious extremist factions of the south particularily well, in a way that was biting and funny, without being cruel. Mr.Hiaasen was able to engage me, make me laugh (which can prove diffucult in writing) and tell a multi-layered story. I enjoyed this book.
Rating:
Summary: Predictable Hiaasen Continues to Entertain
Review: Like clockwork, Carl Hiaasen delivers a book every two years chock-full of the oddest characters in the Sunshine State. "Lucky You" does not depart from that formula, providing a story full of rednecks, reporters, Hooters waitresses, and other assorted odd Floridians. While it doesn't pack the pure laugh power of "Skin Tight" or "Native Tongue," it proves to be an enjoyable ride. The biggest criticism I can think of is that Hiaasen takes no chances with this story. His common themes (the environment, dumb criminal rednecks, smart-assed reporters) are all in evidence, just as they were in most of his previous works. Yet, the basic formula continues to entertain, for Hiaasen is a master of delivering a story at a breakneck pace. My only question is how much longer can he continue to write what is basically the same story?
"Lucky You" is the story of two winning lottery tickets and the people who are lucky enough to own them. One of them, JoLayne Lucks, is a small-town vet's assistant who wants to use the money for altruistic purposes. The other, Bode Gazzer, is a career criminal and would-be militia participant, who wants to arm himself and his sidekick for the impending NATO invasion. JoLayne and Bode come together in one horrifying moment, and for the rest of the book, we learn what happened and why JoLayne wants to catch up with Bode and his sidekick.
To reveal more of the plot would be to ruin many of the twists that make Carl Hiaasen as enjoyable as he is. If you're a Carl Hiaasen fan, you might not love this book, but you'll find yourself laughing out loud. If you've never read any of Hiaasen's previous works, "Lucky You" might not be the one you want to start with, but it shouldn't be missed.
Rating: 
Summary: Great!
Review: Any book that can use bear mace as a plot device has to be interesting. We are Carl Hiaasen devotes and enjoyed this book as we have enjoyed his others. There is no other novelist who can describe characters and their foibles with such wit and hilarity. There are also few books that lead to the reader to repeated outbursts of laughter- Hiaasen's always do and that is greatly appreciated!
Rating:
Summary: A fast-read with what one has come to expect of Hiaasen.
Review: Although I still like to read anything written by Carl Hiaasen, "Lucky You" seemed a little predictable---the token red-necks, politically correct environmental causes, with the setting in parts of South Florida that makes the reader feel like they are actually there. There are plenty of decriptions that remind one of real places in Florida and real-life Floridians as well as the typical tourists. A fast but good read, though, as you will sometimes laugh out loud.
Rating:
Summary: Predictable as chocolate-chip cookies
Review: First off, Lucky You is basically a fun read, the old what-would-you-do-with-ten-million-dollars dream. Hiaasen still pulls off the fun and crackle of offbeat characters scrouging around in southern Florida; his enviormental message as strong as ever. The story is gripping enough to keep going without being unduly demanding. This, unfortunately, is also the novels major flaw. One realizes that you know where you are going: that the male and female protagonists will end up together; that the ranch will be saved; that Black Bart and Sidekick will recieve thier just comeupance. Hiaasens strength lies in the journey getting you there. That was the main problem, I found the subplot of religious symbols, the secondary characters such as the reporters neurotic wife or the editor finding peace in a pond of baby turtles more intriguing than the search for the missing ticket. Hiaasen has slid into a common trap, his villians are vicious bastards but starting to be more interesting than the heroes. The presence of one-time Governor Skink is sadly missed.
I compare this latest book to yet another a batch of perfectly baked tollhouse chocolate chip cookies--Delicious, but how many ways can you make them and still keep everyones interest? Next time lets add some anchovies!
Rating: 
Summary: Not As Lucky As Usual
Review: Sorry to buck the trend, but while I enjoyed the book (how can one not enjoy a Carl Hiaasen book?), I felt it had a derivative quality that brought the score down substantially. The business of having something stuck to the bad guy's hand (this time a crab; in Double Whammy, a pit bull) was done before. Krome was too reminiscent of the good guy in Double Whammy. And finally the plot, even for Carl Hiaasen, seemed too far-fetched.
Rating:
Summary: As Good As He Gets
Review: Entertainment Weekly didn't think this book was that great. ER is crazy; this is Hiaasen at his best. Carl provides me with real "comfort" books, ones that I can curl up with, forget the world and just laugh and laugh. The only problem with this and his other books is that it ends.
The only criticism that I would make is that Hiaasen sometimes try to carry his "hilarity" into descriptions of violent or unpleasant death. There are some things that just aren't funny.
Rating:
Summary: Another hit for Hiaasen
Review: Okay. I'll admit it. I am a Hiaasen junkie. There I've gotten it off my chest!! Having lived in Florida for ten years, and having read all of Carl Hiaasen's works, the thing that most draws me to him is his wonderful ability to bring the reader to the Florida you never see in the tourist promos. The humor is fabulous, tongue-in-cheek. The ironies are endless. Imagine hooking up a "Skinhead Wannabe" and a Hooters girl as they all go traipsing around So Florida with two hate driven "trailer trash" who can't be happy with just one winning ticket!! And the glue sniffing scenes!! Hysterical!! A must read for anyone who loves a laugh, and wants an adventure without leaving the living room. Highly recommended by this devotee.
Rating:
Summary: He's ba-a-a-a-ck!
Review: Hiaasen hit his peak with Skin Tight and Native Tongue, then seemed to be straining for subject matter and humor in his most recent books. Not to worry. He's back in good form with Lucky You! From the woman who wears an old bridal gown to worship at "the roadstain Jesus" to the newspaper editor who enjoys sitting in a muddy "moat" surrounded by cooters and speaking in tongues, Hiaasen's outrageous characters are the perfect antidote to somber side of literature and even to life itself.
Rating:
Summary: Greed takes over when Luck is not enough
Review: Carl Hiaasen's latest, Lucky You, is a perfect blend of cynicism and thought provoking morality tales. The character's, some of which are absurdly stupid, have been created in a Cuisinart mix of all of our experiences with everyone we have ever run into in life. I dare any reader to close this book without finding part of someone they either knew or had the misfortune to be related to. A large part of Hiassen's gift as a novelist is his ability to mix evil and sub-concious morality in a single character. Case in point, Bodean Gazzer, a ranting raving racist, paranoid, and political extremist of the first order. His tirades include everything from his respect for David Koresh, his hatred for Jews, conspiracies hatched by black people, yet, in even his most bile-filled delusional diatribes he will not use the word "nigger". In that one small bit of behavior, the character takes a twist, and the reader is led away from the hatred the character in so many way deserves. His aversion to the use of that one word, even though his thoughts are racially evil, produces a character that has become singularly "Hiassenian". It is in his characters that Hiassen exhibits pure genius as a novelist and storyteller. His ability to walk the tightrope of the absurd is the balancing act that allows him the great leeway he uses in telling his tales. He makes absurdity real and reminds us that even it, is an ongoing part of the human experience. His complex portrait of luck turned to greed is the real story being told here. Fate puts $14 million dollars in the hands of two complete losers and they proceed to thumb their noses at "lady luck" and instead break into a harangue, setting the stage for the story itself, and convince themselves that they should have the entire $28 million. In pursuit of that greed Hiassen melds his two dispicable characters into one-Bodean, who talks the talk, yet somewhere cannot find in his heart the necessary inspiration to totally disregard morality, and Chub, who serves as the "doer" of all the ideas that Bodean so easily serves up in his rantings. "Chub" becomes the ultimate evil alter-ego, the driver of the car when many of us think "run this idiot off the road", who would not even blink at the consequence of his actions and carry out the action that most of us would only fantasize in frustration. In one scene, Chub is attempting to rape Amber, a "Hooters" waitress, while Bodean, after voicing objections and failing to control Chub's action, stands by and fights his own battle between sexual arousal and his own skewed sense of morality. Failing to go far enough to control Chubs behavior, he only springs into action when Amber cleverly tells the pair that her last name is Bernstein, fueling in Bode his belief in ethnic purity, and prompting him to do his best to take charge and stop his partner. Ultimately, his weakness prevails and only the intervention of another character, "Shiner", saves the young woman from Chubs filthy actions. Carl Hiassen succeeds in leaving the reader with a story that even after you've finished, continues in your own personal imagination. In each single character, Hiassen creates thousands more that in fact are part of everyone's everyday life.The story ends but the reader remains haunted by the frightening reality of man's too often twisted sub-concious. While anyone can bring the "hero" out in all of us, only the skill, wit, and twisted morality of Carl Hiassen can exhume the true villan.
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