Revenge of the Jinx - Benjamin Laskin

   2018; 344 pages.  Book 2 (out of 4) in the “Murphy’s Luck” series.  New Author? : No.  Genres : Magical Realism; Cozy Fiction.  Overall Rating : 8½*/10.

 

    The security camera captured the entire sequence.  Murphy Drummer singlehandedly foiled the plans of a pair of gun-toting bank robbers, while simultaneously protecting all the bank patrons and employees from any harm.

 

    He did it in spectacular fashion too, utilizing, among other things, the Heimlich maneuver, a baby bottle, and a seat cushion.  Everyone in the bank appreciated his odds-defying heroics, except, of course, the bank robbers.

 

  His actions also caught the attention of another group.  The FBI.  They’re sending two of their agents to talk to Murphy about a possible job opportunity for him at the agency.

 

    Hmm.  What kind of job would cause the FBI to prefer a civilian operative instead of one of their own experienced field agents?

 

What’s To Like...

    Revenge of the Jinx is the second book in Benjamin Laskin’s four-volume Murphy’s Luck series.  I read Book One last year; it is reviewed here.  Several years have passed between the events of the two books.  Murphy and Joy have married, a daughter is born, and little Phaedra is now five years old.

 

    Murphy is still afflicted by his jinx, but he’s mitigated its effects by living way out in the sticks and rarely if ever being around any outsiders.  Joy and Phaedra, both of whom seem to be immune to Murphy’s jinx, share his solitude.  Phaedra is a happy little girl, and her dad has built his daughter her very own playground called Cloverville.

 

    I liked the character development here.  Two inept FBI agents, Lester McDougall and Milo Lowenstein, provide the comic relief for the story.  The main bad guy, Lucius Valentine, has an excuse for his vileness: a giant wart on his chin.  And his two enforcers, Lamar and Miguel, are a lot less “thuggy” than stereotypical goons usually are.

 

    The storyline moves along at a pleasant pace.  Murphy’s boundless optimism and naivete keeps the jinx at bay, and by now he’s honed his “murphometer” skills to where he can shrewdly discern what disasters are about to befall innocent bystanders.

 

    The ending is appropriately over-the-top, and includes a couple of neat plot twists and dei ex machina.  which is consistent with the storyline.  Good triumphs over evil, of course; but good also smiles upon the baddies to a certain extent.  The last two chapters are of the “Whatever happened to…” ilk.  Chapter 38 covers the fates of various secondary characters; Chapter 39 does the same for Murphy and family.

 

Ratings…
    Amazon: 4.6*/5, based on 150 ratings and 33 reviews.

    Goodreads: 4.41*/5, based on 94 ratings and 17 reviews.

 

Excerpts...

    “What amazed Lowenstein was why two incompetent schlubs like he and Lester McDougall would be assigned to such an important case.

    As if reading Lowenstein’s thoughts, Dunlap replied, “Exactly, Agent Lowenstein.  I can’t think of two worse agents for such a top-secret operation, but this is something we want flying under everyone’s radar—way under.  Subterranean—get it?”

    “Um….”

    “I do!” McDougall blurted.  “You want us to pose as oafs so that no one will suspect we’re up to something!”

    “No posing required,” Dunlap said.  (loc. 625)

 

    “Joy, honey,” Mrs. Daley said, “what about your—?”  She saw Phaedra listening and caught herself.  “Your rhymes with sphinx?”

    “I thought you guys didn’t believe in rhymes with finks.”

    “We don’t,” Mr. Daley said, “but if you believe in rhymes with stinks, then aren’t you acting irresponsibly?”

    “Yes,” Mrs. Daley said.  “Look at all the ‘chinks’ you went through to get here.  If you’re right, then going twice the distance could result in twice the, er, ‘tiddlywinks.’”

    “Leave our kinks to me,” Joy answered with finality.  (loc. 3714)

 

Kindle Details…

    Murphy’s Luck sells for $4.99 currently at Amazon, as do the other three books in the series.  Benjamin Laskin has several other series in e-book format; their books cost either $2.99 or $4.99.

 

Lunch was seafood served up with an assortment of near catastrophes.  (loc. 2646)

    As with the first book, cussing is sparse in Revenge of the Jinx.  I counted just seven instances in the first 25% of the book, all of the mild variety.  A technical term for male genitalia pops up later on, but not in an “adult situation”.  And though we find remnants of past victims of the main bad guy, there’s not really any gore.

 

    There are a lot of conveniently-timed saving graces, but here that’s a plus, not a criticism.  Murphy’s “gift” may be a jinx for everyone else, but for him it’s a source of incredible luck.  Revenge of the Jinx is meant to make you smile and feel good, not keep you on the edge of your seat, wondering whether Murphy and his friends are going to die.

 

    Overall, I thought this was a fine sequel to the opening book in the series.  The tone was heartwarming, there was sufficient action and intrigue to keep the plot moving, and enough witty dialogue to keep the reader smiling.  I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series, Curse vs. Jinx.

 

    8½ Stars.  One last tidbit.  I loved the inclusion of the lyrics of one of my favorite songs ever, Radar Love by Golden Earring.  I’ve never met him, but I am certain that Benjamin Laskin has fantastic musical tastes!

Murphy's Luck - Benjamin Laskin

   2015; 250 pages.  Book 1 (out of 4) in the “Murphy’s Luck” series.  New Author? : Yes.  Genres : Clean Romance; Magical Realism; Cozy Fiction.  Overall Rating : 8*/10.

 

    Murphy Drummer is the unluckiest man alive.  He’s a walking disaster magnet!  If there’s a banana peel near him, you can count on someone slipping on it.  If Murphy passes by a guy on a ladder painting a wall, someone’s about to have paint spilled all over him.

 

    Murphy Drummer is also the luckiest man alive.  Disasters may be happening on all sides of him, but they never happen to him personally.  The bad things always happen to those close by him; he always remains untouched.

 

    Murphy Drummer is therefore a very unpopular person.  And a very lonely one.  In school, kids made up jingles mocking his dubious “talent”.  Neighbors are openly hostile to him because their houses always suffer storm damage while Murphy’s remains miraculously untouched.  Maybe it’s time for Murphy to move.

 

    To a monastery, perhaps?

 

What’s To Like...

    The surrealistic cover image notwithstanding, Murphy’s Luck is actually best described as a “clean and wholesome romance”.  So says the Amazon blurb, and I agree. Our hero sets out from his home in Eureka, Kansas; in search of a sanctuary built sturdy enough to survive the slings and arrows of his ill fortune.  Somehow he ends up instead on the beaches of Los Angeles, where an innocent love interest pops up to do battle with those persistent jinxes hovering around Murphy.

 

    The storyline moves along at a brisk clip, with lots of down-home humor and “aww” moments to keep you reading “just one more” of the 34 chapters in the book.  A second romance also pops up with its own set of foibles and awkward moments to entertain the reader.

 

    I liked meeting Madame Freya, a tarot card reader whose prognostications are uncannily accurate.  This bothers the daylights out of several skeptical clients.  It’s worldly logic versus otherworldly magic, and may the more powerful force in the cosmos win.  I really hope that Freya will become a recurring character in this series.

 

    There were some clever chapter titles, such as “Catcher in the Wry” and “Zyzzyva”, plus a Japanese phrase that I’d never heard before. The “murphometer” was a handy resource that our hero uses quite often, and I loved that a didgeridoo was worked into the storyline.  I chuckled at a 7-Eleven store also showing up; are they even still around anymore?

 

    The ending is a heartwarming affair, closing with a peek at Murphy’s life one year later.  I wouldn’t call it twisty, and it’s not a spoiler to reveal that Murphy never makes it to a monastery.  Neither does he find many explanations about his “curse” but he does find peace and happiness, exactly what one expects from a “cozy” novel.

 

Ratings…
    Amazon: 4.4*/5, based on 1,421 ratings and 343 reviews.

    Goodreads: 4.15*/5, based on 752 ratings and 133 reviews.

 

Excerpts...

    “What do you think I’m trying to do?”

    “Make fun of me, maybe?”

    “I’m Murphy Drummer all right, and, you see, you’re not as jaded as you think you are.”

    “I never said that,” Joy said.

    “You said coincidences dried up, didn’t you?”

    “Well, yeah.  So?”

    “They didn’t.  You just stopped believing that they were important.”

    Joy turned pensive.  “So, what are they—coincidences?”

    “I don’t know.  A little stardust caught.  A fallen feather from an angel’s wing.  A few notes from the cosmic, Aeolian harp . . . maybe.”  (loc. 916)

 

    “All I’m asking is that you drive over to Vine Street.  It’s not far from here—31 Vine Street.  There’s an art gallery there called Shooting Star Gallery—fake marble storefront with a sculpture of some tangled monstrosity outside.  You can’t miss it.”

    “I’ve seen the thing,” Sarich confirmed.  “What’s it supposed to be, anyway?”

    Parker shrugged.  “Whatever you want it to be, I guess.  You know—art.”

    “But it’s ugly.”

    Parker chuckled.  “Maybe that’s the point.”  (loc. 2519)

 

Kewlest New Word ...

Cynosure (n.) : a person or thing that’s the center of attraction.

 

Kindle Details…

    Murphy’s Luck sells for $4.99 right now at Amazon, as do the other three books in the series.  Benjamin Laskin has several other series in Kindle format; the e-books in those are usually in the $2.99 to $4.99. price range.

 

“He’s a tad eccentric, but he isn’t crazy.  He hears vibrations.”  (loc. 2372)

    There’s not much to gripe about in Murphy’s Luck.  There’s a small amount of cussing—just 7 instances in the first 25%—and I don't recall any “adult situations”.

 

    I noted only a couple of typos: eying/eyeing, which would be correct if you’re writing in English, not American; and a missing comma in direct dialogue.  That’s actually quite clean.  Kudos to the editor for an excellent job.  And if there was an answer to a riddle at 56%, “What is the Greatest Hobby of All?”, I didn’t catch it.

 

    All in all, I found Murphy’s Luck to be an enjoyable read, even though I’m not a big fan of cozy novels, especially not cozy romances.  It’s not epic by any means, but as a number of other reviewers have opined, it was cute and pleasant and makes an ideal beach or airport novel.

 

    8 Stars.  Murphy’s Luck is a standalone novel, as well as part of a 4-book series.  Although he’s achieved inner peace, there are still a lot of unanswered questions about Murphy’s curse.  I’m curious to know whether these “how come” issues are addressed in the sequels.  Inquiring minds want answers.

Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore - Robin Sloan

   2012; 287 pages.  New Author? : Yes.  Genre : Magical Realism  (one of Amazon’s designations, and I kinda like the term).  Overall Rating : 7½*/10.

    For Clay Jannon, any job is better than no job at all.  And while no one working in a bookstore ever gets rich quick, it is kind of a neat place to pass the time.

    The hours suck though.  Mr. Penumbra’s bookstore is open 24 hours a day, and Clay is unfortunate enough to draw the midnight to 8:00 AM shift.  OTOH, how many customers are going to wander in at three in the morning?

    However, the few nocturnal patrons that do show up are a curious bunch.  First, they treat the bookstore like a library: they “borrow” some very obscure books, and it’s always with utmost urgency.  Second, they all seem to borrow the same few books.  It’s almost like they know each other.  And third, if you peek inside those books, they’re all in gobbledygook.  No words, just random letters.

    Hey, maybe Clay Jannon has stumbled onto a den of spies ending each other coded messages via those books!  After all, Mr. Penumbra told him not to look inside the tomes.  Or maybe they’re a bunch of nut cases, who are under the delusion they’re reading words from random letters.  In any case, it’s worth investigating further.

    But prudently, Clay.  After all, we can’t afford to lose this job now, can we?

What’s To Like...

    Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore is a phenomenally popular bestseller.  It's garnered more than 2,000 reviews at Amazon, and is one of their Top 10,000 sellers, despite being almost 3½ years old. The Goodreads stats are even more insane – over 19,000 reviews and more than 118,000 ratings.  That’s a lot of readers & buyers of this book.

    The settings are a bibliophile’s delight.  Most of the story takes place in two bookstores/libraries.  The plotline is heavy on the intrigue and light on the action.  This usually makes for a dull read, but Robin Sloan’s writing style is engaging, and the characters he creates are richly 3-D.  This may be an easy read, but it’s also a fun read.

     It helps if, like me, you’re a techno-geek.  There are numerous plugs for geeky things, such as XKCD, Wall.E, Google, Kindles (and other forms of e-readers), Jackson Pollock, the blue screen of death, and Visicalc.  Jeez, I haven’t thought of that last one in decades, and once upon a time it was the cat’s meow of spreadsheets.

    You’ll also learn a lot about a fascinating man named Aldus Manutius, who is real (wiki him; I can’t believe I’ve never heard of this guy), and the Gerritszoon font, which is not.  My Gnostics get a brief mention, that’s always a plus.  Other neat things : Matropolis, GrumbleGear, the Waybacklist, Singularity Singles (speed dating for nerds), and OK/TK.

    The book was shorter than I expected, and is told from a first-person POV (Clay’s).  This is a standalone novel, with ANAICT no sequel, although there is a 60-page prequel, giving Mr. Penumbra’s backstory, for $2.99, which seems steep to me, but I suppose is to be expected for a novella by a top-tier author.  This is why I don’t read Amazon singles.

Kewlest New Word. . .

Colophon (n.) :  a publisher’s emblem or imprint, especially one on the title page or spine of a book,

Others : Proscenium (n.)

Excerpts...

    “I did not know people your age still read books,” Penumbra says.  He raises an eyebrow.  “I was under the impression they read everything on their mobile phones.”

    “Not everyone.  There are plenty of people who, you know– people who still like the smell of books.”

    “The smell!” Penumbra repeats.  “You know you are finished when people start talking about the smell!”  He smiles at that – then something occurs to him, and he narrows his eyes.  “I do not suppose you have a … Kindle?”  (loc. 873)

   Kat gushes about Google’s projects, all revealed to her now.  They are making a 3-D web browser.  They are making a car that drives itself.  They are making a sushi search engine – here she pokes a chopstick down at our dinner – to help people find fish that is sustainable and mercury-free.  They are building a time machine.  They are developing a form of renewable energy that runs on hubris.  (loc. 2898)

 Fingers of thought are raking the space behind the cushions, looking for loose ideas, finding nothing.  (pg. 43)

    The writing is superb, the character-development is top-notch, and I’m not the type that needs someone to die in a book that I’m reading.  So why not a higher rating?  Well, if you brush aside all the good stuff, you discover that the storyline itself is hit-and-miss. 

    Clay “breaks” the initial code by discovering that the patrons make a strange pattern if you plot their comings and goings in the bookstore in 3-D.  However, you subsequently find that it’s pretty …erm… meaningless.  Mr. Penumbra and his cohorts are waiting for something, and whether it’s God, Godot, or something else is a fascinating enigma.  But the ending falls flat.  

    There’s a rather nice epilogue to the story, about the various characters and what happens to them, but honestly, I thought it would’ve been more powerful if those details were fleshed out and incorporated as part of the ending itself.

    But the plusses outweigh the minuses, and I’m always partial to a story that makes you wonder through most of the book whether the cause of the oddities are natural or supernatural phenomena.

   7½ Stars.  Subtract 1 star if you find any book without at least a couple thrills and spills to be somewhat of a tedious read.