Rating: 
Summary: Hunting Badger
Review: Hillerman has once again joined two fine characters into an engrossing mystery that the publisher has managed to hinder its effectiveness by sloppy editing. Hillerman has Jim Chee explaining to Leaphorn the exact same thing twice within a few chapters, page 162 and again on 192, 193; the editor misses the word "never" being leftout in paragraph 5 of page 226 (confirmed as missing on page 227). There are "who"'s used rather than "why"'s. There are commas placed because one had not been used recently and one was sitting idly by; and periods added where none were needed...then negelected where they should have been; I guess to bring the all needed "balance" sought by the Navajo storyline. Other than that...I enjoyed stumbling through a good story. It allows me the pleasure of knowing that I to could possible write.
Rating: 
Summary: unfinished
Review: Tony Hillerman is my favorite author. I re-read his earlier books while waiting for the next in the series to arrive. I visited Navajo Country just to be near the land and people he brings so completely to life. Hunting Badger made me fear that there will soon be no additions to the stories of Jim Chee and Joe Leaphorn. Much of the plot seems calculated to tie up loose ends, to settle story lines. I read that Mr. Hillerman has been ill, and that he recently lost a beloved brother. I hope he isn't contemplating retirement. Please, Mr. Hillerman, send Jim and Joe to us again soon.
Rating: 
Summary: Hunting for a reason to like this book.
Review: Tony Hillerman is a great American author. His Jim Chee / Joe Leaphorn mysteries have introduced me to the Navajo culture and the American southwest, about which I knew little before I began to read his books. Therefore, I was very disappointed to discover that Hillerman's most recent book, "Hunting Badger", is far below his usual standards. I read the book before coming to this site, and I agree with the many criticisms posted by other reviewers. What I would like to add is my concern that two or more reviewers stated that "Hunting Badger" is the first Hillerman book they have read and it will be the last. They don't know what they're missing! "Hunting Badger" is in need of better editing, plot strengthening, more character development... and an ending!
Rating:
Summary: Hunting Badger is a disappointment
Review: It was a good read, but nothing really new or exciting. Definitely not Hillerman's best work. It took only 5 hours to finish. It seemed to go by very fast--too fast. So I decided to determine why. In the following comparison, 'normal' is the result of examining two average hardcover novels of 500+ pages. Hillerman's book font size of 10 points is larger than normal (most novels use point size 8); big, wide margins all around, giving a text block size of 4.2 x 6.3 inches (normal is 4.7 x 7.4); 1 ½ blank pages between each of 29 chapter (normal is ½ blank page); 28 lines of text per page (normal is 40, or more) ; average words per line 9 (normal is 12 ); average number of words per page is 241 (normal is 424). Bottom line: Hillerman's book of 275 pages, if it was printed with 'normal' sizes, is about 130 pages, a short story, which is a quick read for just about anyone.
Rating: 
Summary: Classic Hillerman: Refreshing Return to 4 Corners
Review: Classic Hillerman, with a little growth on the part of Jim Chee and Joe Leaphorn. Loved returning to the high mesas and open spaces, visiting with these "old friends" and drawing myself into the magical landscape and native personalities Hillerman paints so well. Blessed with humor and clever insight, and yes, a little social commentary, our heros methodically solve the mystery that isn't quite as it first appears. And, yes, unfortunately this book should have been proofread.
Rating:
Summary: Pretty Good Story, Atrocious Proofreading/Editing
Review: I have read all of Hillerman's novels set in the Four Corners area. Must concur with other reviewers that (a) this story wasn't particularly strong, but (b) it was quite enjoyable, esp. if the reader already knows the characters. In most of Tony's other books, the villain and the weather play more of a role, so I was disappointed by the lack of importance given to them this time.But the proofreading & editing of this book were Godawful. I would strongly suggest that serious readers avoid first editions of ANYTHING from HarperCollins. They left it all to the spell-checker, which can't be trusted to replace "censor" with the intended "sensor," or to correct punctuation typos. Next time I'm waiting for paperback; hopefully it will be less buggy.
Rating: 
Summary: The only way to experince the 4 corners without being here
Review: Tony has done it again. As a resident of Northwest New Mexico, Tony's descriptions of the land and his understanding of the Navajo and Ute cultures are unsurpassed! With many friends who participated in the 1999 manhunt having shared their frustrations with me, his fictional search is almost too close to realty. For those who have not had the good fortune of knowing true Reservstion Navajos, Jim and Joe are as good as it gets. Too bad that NDPS (Navojo Dept. of Public Safety)can't hire the real guys. Plan a weekend around this book and tell your friends you are busy!
Rating:
Summary: Almost Worth Waiting For......
Review: Having read all of the Leaphorn and Chee stories, I eagerly awaited this one. It is not as good a read as other Leaphorn and/or Chee books but I enjoyed it all the same. I strongly recommend that anyone planning to read this book as their first adventure into solving a mystery the Navaho way, start with one or more of the earlier books in this series. I do enjoy the way this author describes landscapes, people, Native American traditions, and Indian folklore to solve crimes. I have never been to Navaho country but somehow (thanks to the author) it seems very familiar.
Rating:
Summary: Not his best effort!
Review: I received this book, which I'd anxiously awaited, for Christmas, and was disappointed. Weakly plotted, not Mr. Hillerman's best effort.
Rating:
Summary: A rush that Can't be put down
Review: After a series of lesser tales, Tony Hillerman is back with a tale that captures the essence of the a detective who deals in the Native American world. While the amount of new information on the characters is minimal (after all, this is about the nth book in the series), Hillerman manages to find a cultural vein that is new and refreshing. Knowing the Badger is worth twice the priced of admission. Thanks, Tony!
|
