Helpful Score: 1
Lots of fun in this one! You want monsters? A. Lee Martinez has gotz yer monsters right here (really, I have to stay away from icanhazcheezeburger.com)! A fast and funny plot, very amusing dialogue, a compendium of unusual beasties -- a very clever little novel altogether. If you've just finished reading something somber and dreary and need a break (as I did) then order this -- it'll perk you right up!
Helpful Score: 1
Initially, I was attracted to this book because the cover was yellow, the plot seemed ok, but I loved the yellow cover. I know how silly that sounds, but sometimes I make the mistake of judging books by their cover (ok... I do it all the time). Luckily, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that this was a pretty good book!
If you read a lot of fantasy/sci fi it can sometimes get a little tiring, because some themes, plot lines, and writing styles tend to repeat themselves after a time. Reading Monster was refreshing. It felt like Martinez broke away from a lot of the typical sci fi devices, and created a truly unique story. The characters all have a lot of personality, and the good guys are easily likeable, probably because they're easy to relate to. The heroes are regular working stiffs trying to get through the day and pay the rent.
Part of what makes the story unique is that he ads in mythology that isn't often explored. Most of the otherworldly creatures who showed up I had never heard of! Sure there was a minotaur here and there, but there was a lot of mythos thrown in that is usually looked over by other authors.
The pacing fit the story, and the humor was decent. Martinez didn't waste time on things that were unnecessary to the story. The whole thing felt like a solid, cohesive piece. Martinez is clearly just a good storyteller, and his books are definitely worth reading.
If you read a lot of fantasy/sci fi it can sometimes get a little tiring, because some themes, plot lines, and writing styles tend to repeat themselves after a time. Reading Monster was refreshing. It felt like Martinez broke away from a lot of the typical sci fi devices, and created a truly unique story. The characters all have a lot of personality, and the good guys are easily likeable, probably because they're easy to relate to. The heroes are regular working stiffs trying to get through the day and pay the rent.
Part of what makes the story unique is that he ads in mythology that isn't often explored. Most of the otherworldly creatures who showed up I had never heard of! Sure there was a minotaur here and there, but there was a lot of mythos thrown in that is usually looked over by other authors.
The pacing fit the story, and the humor was decent. Martinez didn't waste time on things that were unnecessary to the story. The whole thing felt like a solid, cohesive piece. Martinez is clearly just a good storyteller, and his books are definitely worth reading.
I got about 40% of the way through this book before stopping reading it. I was listening to it on audiobook and was getting so bored that I was falling asleep while driving...so I kind of had to stop reading it for safety reasons. It is a quirky novel based on the overdone premise of a secret group that traps monsters.
I did listen to this on audiobook and it was decently done. The voice acting was fine and it was easy to distinguish between characters.
Judy works the overnight shift at the Food Mart but one night she finds a Yeti eating the ice cream. When she calls animal control, Monster shows up. Monster is in a arcane branch of animal control and his job it to fight/capture/relocate monsters. Judy gets drawn into the fun and soon Judy and Monster are battling everything monstrous.
Previously I read Gils Al Fright Diner by Martinez and enjoyed it. I was excited to read another book by him. The book begins as quirky, over-the-top funny, and somewhat interesting. As the story continued though I just had a lot of trouble staying engaged with it (I fell asleep).
Monster isnt all that likable; its interesting that his skin changes color depending on the day. Hes stuck with a girlfriend, who is literally from hell, that he doesnt really love and he lives a life he doesnt care much about. He is all around pretty ho-hum.
Judy is a bit better. She works at a Food Mart and is determined to not forget the strange things shes seen (normal humans have a tendency to forget monster encounters). So she starts accompanying Monster on his trips to take care of monsters. Shes plucky, but not much more than that.
The best character in the story was a rather loose angel named Gracie, she was hilarious but only in the story for a very short amount of time (at least in the first half of the book).
The plot had yet to be revealed when I stopped reading. Basically Judy and Monster were going from place to place doing their thing. There was a hint that monster activity had increased in recent days. Other than that it was just kind of day to day life. The premise is one that anyone who reads urban fantasy has seen a billion times before...this secret agency controls monsters without normal human suspecting anything.
So it wasnt that the book was horrible...it just didnt hold my interest at all. I felt like not much was happening and the characters werent people I was interested in reading about. As I said I started nodding off and decided to stop listening to the book. I tried listening to it again later on my drive to work and again started falling asleep...so I decided that enough was enough.
Overall this book wasnt for me. The humor was a bit too over the top, the characters hard to engage with, the premise is something done many times before, and the plot wandered from one day to another. If you enjoy over the top humor in your urban fantasy and quirky average joe type characters you might be interested in this book. Personally I think Martinez has written much better books.
I did listen to this on audiobook and it was decently done. The voice acting was fine and it was easy to distinguish between characters.
Judy works the overnight shift at the Food Mart but one night she finds a Yeti eating the ice cream. When she calls animal control, Monster shows up. Monster is in a arcane branch of animal control and his job it to fight/capture/relocate monsters. Judy gets drawn into the fun and soon Judy and Monster are battling everything monstrous.
Previously I read Gils Al Fright Diner by Martinez and enjoyed it. I was excited to read another book by him. The book begins as quirky, over-the-top funny, and somewhat interesting. As the story continued though I just had a lot of trouble staying engaged with it (I fell asleep).
Monster isnt all that likable; its interesting that his skin changes color depending on the day. Hes stuck with a girlfriend, who is literally from hell, that he doesnt really love and he lives a life he doesnt care much about. He is all around pretty ho-hum.
Judy is a bit better. She works at a Food Mart and is determined to not forget the strange things shes seen (normal humans have a tendency to forget monster encounters). So she starts accompanying Monster on his trips to take care of monsters. Shes plucky, but not much more than that.
The best character in the story was a rather loose angel named Gracie, she was hilarious but only in the story for a very short amount of time (at least in the first half of the book).
The plot had yet to be revealed when I stopped reading. Basically Judy and Monster were going from place to place doing their thing. There was a hint that monster activity had increased in recent days. Other than that it was just kind of day to day life. The premise is one that anyone who reads urban fantasy has seen a billion times before...this secret agency controls monsters without normal human suspecting anything.
So it wasnt that the book was horrible...it just didnt hold my interest at all. I felt like not much was happening and the characters werent people I was interested in reading about. As I said I started nodding off and decided to stop listening to the book. I tried listening to it again later on my drive to work and again started falling asleep...so I decided that enough was enough.
Overall this book wasnt for me. The humor was a bit too over the top, the characters hard to engage with, the premise is something done many times before, and the plot wandered from one day to another. If you enjoy over the top humor in your urban fantasy and quirky average joe type characters you might be interested in this book. Personally I think Martinez has written much better books.
This was a great fun book. I really enjoyed the characters and even some of the "bad guys" were a hoot. Not for children but definitely for the dragon slaying child in us adults.
Great deal of fun. With Terry Pratchett facing severe medical problems Martinez looks to be one of the best new go to guy for some humor with your fantasy. Give him a try, I certainly enjoyed his writing.
As a mix of fantasy and comedy, this is quite the enjoyable book. I would call this author a supernatural Carl Hiassen.
Ghostbusters gone mad, but with monsters instead.
