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Rating: Summary: I dunno, Dave... Review: As a drooling Dave Barry fan, I am quick to pounce on every single book published under his name. I absolutely adored "Big Trouble," and my furry little heart leapt when I found myself holding a copy of his second comedic crime novel. I wasted no time in reading it, and now....I'm kinda torn."Tricky Business" follows the same formula as "Big Trouble": a bunch of wierdo Floridians are thrown together by unlikely circumstances and subjected to tragicomic ordeals. This time, the story centers around a massive casino boat run by corrupt gangsters. The boat ends up in the middle of a massive tropical storm. Its passengers include a stressed-out single mom, an incredibly bad band, two old age home escapees, a buxom waitress with a flatulence problem, a large number of thugs and hoodlums, and a guy dressed as a giant conch shell. Mayhem insues. There are some hilarious moments (we hear the "Sex Pootie" song again), but "Tricky Business" isn't as funny as its predecessor, and at times I found myself uncertain if I was really reading something by Dave Barry. Every now and then, the book veers off into danferous territory with depictions of oral sex, mass vomiting, and a great deal of gunfire and killing. One character in particular meets such a horrible demise that all pretense of humor is dropped and we feel like puking ourselves. What was Dave thinking? Deliberate castration isn't funny! Sorry, but it's just not! Anyway, I hope Dave's next book is more like "Big Trouble." I enjoyed "Tricky Business," but it's hard to recommend a book that has such graphic stuff. The faint of heart may want to avoid this one.
Rating: Summary: Could not put it down! Review: There are very few books that I can honestly say I have read cover to cover in one day without stopping. This second offering from Dave Barry's venture into the world of novels counts as one of them. Dave brings his wit and satire from his columns and numerous non-fictions and collected works to the table in his second shot in the novel genre. He paints a vivid picture with many colorful and amusing characters each with their own quirks and back stories. The humor is typical Barry and it is often and poignant. He pulls no punches and somehow still manages to tell a very compelling story in the action/gangster genre. At times, it is violent, others simply droll. No matter what, though, it is enticing, gripping, and well worth the read. A disclaimer, though. There is a good deal of foul language, adult situations, and some violence thrown into the mix, so parents might want to be careful before letting their children read. Teens have no doubt heard all the words and seen all the offensive parts in other movies and on cable. The book is surely rated R, but if that is not a bother, this one is totally worth the read and should be added to any collector of satirical fiction and Dave Barry fan's as well. Enjoy!
Rating: Summary: An Almost Laugh Out Loud South Florida Caper Review: Welcome Dave Barry's second and most enjoyable novel. This time around, he moves closer into Carl Hiaasen's domain of South Florida social commentary. The book opens with the approach of (soon to be) Hurricane Hector which is destined to cross paths with The Extravaganza Of The Seas (a three-mile limit gambling cruise ship) and the various characters fated to be on board her at the time. Included in this mismatched character conglomeration are Fay (a single mom and cocktail waitress), Wally (member of the ship's semi-untalented band Johnny and the Contusions), Arnie and Phil (a couple of gambling addicts from a senior citizens home) and tons of assorted hulks, brutes, cons and other sordid, devious or just plain kooky characters. With a group like this, anything can and does happen. Especially once the storm starts mixing things up. Though I believe I enjoy his first novel BIG TROUBLE a bit more, Barry is in pretty good form with TRICKY BUSINESS and he provides a plot and characters that will take you from mildly to wildly funny. I enjoyed it, and if you enjoy a good laugh with a good book you will, too. It earned my **** rating.
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