Angry Lead Skies

Rating:
Summary: Welcome Back, Garrett!
Review: "Angry Lead Skies" is another wild, weird, wonderful ride up and down the fertile hills of Glen Cook's imagination. In this most recent of the Garrett Files, we meet again nearly everyone with whom we've become familiar. And it's a pleasure to see them again. The plot is astounding in its strangeness. What starts out as a simple favor to a friend quickly becomes an adventure unlike any other in the Metal Series. What a shame we had to wait so long for this one. (This was not the author's fault; blame the publisher.) Unlike the previous books, "Skies" does not feature an mystery to be solved, and only minor feats of detection to be performed. It is sheer adventure in wacky weirdness and fans of the series will break speed-reading records. Let's hope the next book (already written) will not be the last in the series, as Mr. Cook has hinted. Clearly, his interest in the characters has not waned and his imagination remains unmatched.

Note: Newcomers might be better served by reading one or two of the previous books before this one.

Rating:
Summary: Welcome Back, Garrett!
Review: "Angry Lead Skies" is another wild, weird, wonderful ride up and down the fertile hills of Glen Cook's imagination. In this most recent of the Garrett Files, we meet again nearly everyone with whom we've become familiar. And it's a pleasure to see them again. The plot is astounding in its strangeness. What starts out as a simple favor to a friend quickly becomes an adventure unlike any other in the Metal Series. What a shame we had to wait so long for this one. (This was not the author's fault; blame the publisher.) Unlike the previous books, "Skies" does not feature an mystery to be solved, and only minor feats of detection to be performed. It is sheer adventure in wacky weirdness and fans of the series will break speed-reading records. Let's hope the next book (already written) will not be the last in the series, as Mr. Cook has hinted. Clearly, his interest in the characters has not waned and his imagination remains unmatched.

Note: Newcomers might be better served by reading one or two of the previous books before this one.

Rating:
Summary: Funny and Good
Review: After reading what had been posted here, I was expecting to be disappointed by the latest Garrett novel. 'Petty Pewter Gods' was the weakest in the series to date, in my opinion, and the trend toward ever more far-fetched storylines made me nervous. However, in spite of an initial "Oh, no...." reaction to what is afoot in Tunfaire this time, (which will be obvious to the reader early on) I forged ahead in spite of my misgivings. Ultimately, this is far from being one of the darker entries in the series. Instead, it is both satiric and romantic in outlook, with a surprisingly upbeat denouement.

Part of me worried that this might be a final installment, since it seemed throughout to be heading for a conclusion in which loose ends are tied up and the hero goes riding off into the sunset. And having finished it, I can still see that. At the same time, there are enough potential new set-ups that a new addition to the series would fit in quite smoothly.

I seriously doubt that fans will be disappointed, as long as they can indulge the author in an admittedly over-the-top storyline. While the book is largely without the gritty, harsh realism of the Black Company novels (which is exactly what I love about Cook's work), it works quite well as a sort of opera buffa a la Chandler-- in its own way, it's the most loving tribute to hard-boiled fiction to emerge from the series. It's all in good fun, and most highly recommended to those already familiar with the series-- especially those who don't object to a playful take on the characters.

Rating:
Summary: Don't be frightened by the reviews....
Review: After reading what had been posted here, I was expecting to be disappointed by the latest Garrett novel. 'Petty Pewter Gods' was the weakest in the series to date, in my opinion, and the trend toward ever more far-fetched storylines made me nervous. However, in spite of an initial "Oh, no...." reaction to what is afoot in Tunfaire this time, (which will be obvious to the reader early on) I forged ahead in spite of my misgivings. Ultimately, this is far from being one of the darker entries in the series. Instead, it is both satiric and romantic in outlook, with a surprisingly upbeat denouement.

Part of me worried that this might be a final installment, since it seemed throughout to be heading for a conclusion in which loose ends are tied up and the hero goes riding off into the sunset. And having finished it, I can still see that. At the same time, there are enough potential new set-ups that a new addition to the series would fit in quite smoothly.

I seriously doubt that fans will be disappointed, as long as they can indulge the author in an admittedly over-the-top storyline. While the book is largely without the gritty, harsh realism of the Black Company novels (which is exactly what I love about Cook's work), it works quite well as a sort of opera buffa a la Chandler-- in its own way, it's the most loving tribute to hard-boiled fiction to emerge from the series. It's all in good fun, and most highly recommended to those already familiar with the series-- especially those who don't object to a playful take on the characters.

Rating:
Summary: Mediocre work from a great writer
Review: Angry Lead Skies, the latest title in the Garrett P.I. series, doesn't have the same cohesive structure of the preceding works. In fact, the book is extremely dark from the first page. I think this might be due to the ending of the Black Company series and the writing styles have merged a bit. I have just finished reading the Black Company series from beginning to end (now that it is finished and I have recollected all of the books) and am currently reading the Garrett novels and can deffinately feel a lot more of the Black Company formula in this novel. The most disappointing feature of the book is the lack of consistency with the earlier titles. This book has a wonderfully convoluted storyline that keeps you wondering where Cook is leading you, but Garrett seems to have merged a bit with Croaker and many of the secondary and tertiary characters don't follow the same attitudes as they did in earlier books (and it has only been a few weeks since happenings in earlier titles according to time references made in this book). Overall, I truly am enjoying this novel due to Cook's amazing ability to keep a rolling narrative that leads you in so many directions at one. As most people do in their heads as they think, you get to see inside of Garrett's cynical, over-sexed mind. Deffinately a great read for fans of the series, but newcomers to the series would be better off starting with a couple of the earlier titles that are still in print. As with earlier works, it is really Cook's amazing storytelling ability that makes you want to read through the night.

Rating:
Summary: Great series, but this is the worst book in it
Review: For whatever reason, Cook takes the series in a new direction, with the addition of aliens to the cast. Unfortunately, it doesn't blend well with his universe, though some of the aspects of the integration are quite funny. Also, the heavily convuluted subplots and large cast of characters made it rather confusing, especially towards the end. All of the other books in the series are great, though.

Rating:
Summary: Did not read like a Garrett Novel
Review: I don't know what the author has planned (since he's finishing off the series with the next book...personaly I expect a blow-out with the Kingpin) but this just didn't read like a Garrett novel. Doris and Marsha are suddenly speaking perfect Karentine (they couldn't in the other novels), the Tates' have Dwarfish ancesters instead of the Elvish ones as named in the first book, we have [over-sexed] aliens (actually, everyone is over-sexed) and someone named Kathy (where did she come from?). I kept expecting Garret to wake up at the end and find that this was all a bad dream.

I give this book 2 stars only because I truly enjoy the rest of the series (to the point of reading them every third month or so). Otherwise, I'd be giving it a -1 star.

Rating:
Summary: Cook's Strangest Garrett Book
Review: I wanted to write this review after I'd had some time pass since reading it. But now I have nothing to add that other fans of the series haven't already said.

Indeed, this is Cook's weakest, darkest and most inconsistant book in the Files of Garrett PI line. Did he lose the will to write it, and only did so because he had a contract with the publisher? Did Mr. Cook lose his notes and didn't know who or what his characters were anymore (I was waiting for Morley Dotes to chow down on a steak any moment)?

More's the pity becuase the events could have been the basis for Garrett's biggest adventure yet. Instead, it feels like the author needed to cram what seems like his own deepest dark outlook in our own world into this novel.

Rating:
Summary: Funny and Good
Review: Just read Angry Lead Skies and thought it was funny and interesting couldn't put it down , was very easy reading . I wish Cook would more of these books Garrett and Co. step in it every time and have to do back flips to get out .

Rating:
Summary: wild science fiction mystery
Review: On TunFaire, Playmate visits private detective Garrett in order for the sleuth to protect a kid Cypres "Kip" Prose from abduction attempts. Apparently thugs hired by bounty hunter Bic Gonlitt are to snatch the kid so that his clients can use Kip to find his weird pals Lastyr and Noodles. Kip offers very little in terms of what is happening and even Dead Man with his multiple minds has trouble understanding the lad who seems more footed in his own reality than that of society.

Garrett struggles to comprehend what Kip tells him about his two pals. A frustrated Garrett is ready to drop the case as a waste of his time even with Playmate pushing him to stay on. However, it turns personal when assailants snatch the lad. Garrett begins a search to find Kip and learn exactlt what is going on.

ANGRY LEAD SKIES is a wild science fiction mystery that never slows down for a moment. The who-done-it plays second banana to the weird ensemble representing some of the craziest "sentient" beings to ever grace a novel. Garrett is a wonderful lead protagonist keeping the tale grounded as if he is the nucleus and everyone else is the electrons revolving around him. Glen Cook cooks up a gritty novel that will provide much gratification to those sub-genre fans who appreciate a strange but cohesive ride.

Harriet Klausner