Shadow of a Broken Man

Rating:
Summary: The start of something great
Review: "Shadow", quite simply, is the starting point of the finest mystery series ever written.It is very important that you read these books in order. Mongo is hired to find a person who is dead... and that is not, by a long shot, the most unique concept in this book. It is a mystery, wait..no it's fantasy, umm...no it's action adventure, well...not quite,it's a study in the family dynamics between a dwarf and his larger (much) brother. This book has anything you'd want. The characters are well drawn. The plot is cleverly conceived. Villains aren't villains, or are they? When I first read this book about 10 years ago it spurred me on to buy the next 3 available in the series at that time.I've not missed one since. Everyone I've lent this book to (and there have been many) has wanted the rest of them immediately. Do yourself a favour and buy this book. Read it,love it , and then buy the rest of them.You'll end up buying the spin-off series like Chant and Veil as well.

Rating:
Summary: Scintillating, well written, a lot of fun
Review: Ah, the early days! When Mongo was a new creation, he had so much Mongo-ness to him. It was so much fun reading about the determined dwarf and seeing him overcome obstacles, as Chesbro mixes in little touches of the supernatural from time to time. As the series wore on, many of the later books were great (Archangel, Sacred Stone), but the mongo-ness lessened. It was possible to forget that he was a unique character, tho the books were good. We needed more books like "Rings" exploring his past. As the series continued, we started getting political tirades passing for profound understanding of the universe. Books like Language of Cannibals, and Dreams, were particularly scarred by Chesbro's paranoia. When the political tirades got trotted out--and in later books, right-wingers and the CIA are to blame for everything--the story had a way of getting lost. No surprise a lot of the paperbacks look like they're self-published in later years. So, revel in early Mongo--one of the most amusing creations ever.

Rating:
Summary: Meet Mongo and Garth
Review: In the simplest terms possible this book sets the tone for the entire Mongo cycle of stories. If you like your stories layered and with a healthy dose of black humor, these are for you.

There is nothing exactly like one of these in any genre I read, so if you are tired of a square jawed hero, try a dwarf chriminologist with a PHD, and a black belt in Karate. Of course, the cases he gets are not exactly the normal run of the mill detective work.....

Rating:
Summary: Meet Mongo and Garth
Review: In the simplest terms possible this book sets the tone for the entire Mongo cycle of stories. If you like your stories layered and with a healthy dose of black humor, these are for you.

There is nothing exactly like one of these in any genre I read, so if you are tired of a square jawed hero, try a dwarf chriminologist with a PHD, and a black belt in Karate. Of course, the cases he gets are not exactly the normal run of the mill detective work.....

Rating:
Summary: Order of publication in series
Review: Mongo first appeared in a series of novellas published in Alfred Hitchcock's and Mike Shayne's Mystery Magazines. Although SHADOW OF A BROKEN MAN was the first book-length Mongo to be published, CITY OF WHISPERING STONE was actually written first, but rejected by a number of publishers. After the success of "SHADOW-", "CITY-" was accepted by the same publisher that had initially rejected it.

Rating:
Summary: Mongo is the Man!
Review: Shadow of a Broken Man, by George Chesbro is the first Mongo novel that I read (and I loved it!). A private investigator who happens to be a dwarf and former circus performer has a PhD in criminallogy. The battles and obstacles that our hero faces is an amazing tale that is filled with pathos and rich with irony. You will not be disappointed. Shadow was excellent and a classic in every sense! Since then, I've been reading the others when I get a chance (thanks to Amazon!). Just reading the other well written reviews was enough to make me want to run out by this author. George Chesbro was writing X-files long before the show was ever conceived. This is a must BUY!

Rating:
Summary: Great fun-- the start of an unclassifiable series....
Review: The Mongo books defy any attempt at classification, and that's what makes them so entertaining, as well as the engaging writing by Chesbro. They're thriller/comedy/occult/philosophical exercises that work very well (though the last two entries in the Mongo series are a bit less sterling-- sometimes even dogmatic). Read this and the next four or five in the series (as well as the Chant and Veil books)-- it ain't Shakespeare, but it's entertainment of a high order.

Rating:
Summary: Great fun-- the start of an unclassifiable series....
Review: The Mongo books defy any attempt at classification, and that's what makes them so entertaining, as well as the engaging writing by Chesbro. They're thriller/comedy/occult/philosophical exercises that work very well (though the last two entries in the Mongo series are a bit less sterling-- sometimes even dogmatic). Read this and the next four or five in the series (as well as the Chant and Veil books)-- it ain't Shakespeare, but it's entertainment of a high order.

Rating:
Summary: Weirdest mystery I've ever read...
Review: This first book of the 'Mongo' mysteries reads like a cross between Raymond Chandler and Ray Bradbury. Well-realized characters, a unique plot, and the creepiest villain I've encountered in years make it stand out from the average mystery. I read it first back in college, and I've worn out two copies since by loaning it to friends. 'X-Files' fans adore these books, I've found. Terrific series!