Plugged: A Novel

I must start this review by admitting that until I started to read this book I’d never read anything by Eoin Colfer. I’ve been meaning to give the Artemis Fowl books a try for some time but I’ve just never got round to it. I was lucky enough to hear Eoin talk on a panel at the London Book Fair and hoped that his writing was as funny and charming as the man himself.

I certainly wasn’t disappointed, within a few pages I was hooked and I thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent reading the book. It’s narrated by Dan, a former soldier now turned bouncer. I’m not always keen on books written in this way but for this particular book it really worked and I found Dan to be a really entertaining narrator. The plot is full of action and whilst it had the potential to become silly Colfer always managed to keep it from going too far.

The cast of Plugged are all well created and interesting characters. They were vividly described in such a way that I could picture them all. As well as loving Dan I developed a real soft spot for ghost Zeb, his little comments and asides were very entertaining. A notable mentions must go to Mrs Delano, Dan’s slightly odd neighbour.

I found Plugged to be a really entertaining read, and it’s reinforced my plan to read more by Colfer. I don’t know if he plans to write more about Dan but if he does I shall certainly look forward to reading it. ( )

I must start this review by admitting that until I started to read this book I’d never read anything by Eoin Colfer. I’ve been meaning to give the Artemis Fowl books a try for some time but I’ve just never got round to it. I was lucky enough to hear Eoin talk on a panel at the London Book Fair and hoped that his writing was as funny and charming as the man himself.

I certainly wasn’t disappointed, within a few pages I was hooked and I thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent reading the book. It’s narrated by Dan, a former soldier now turned bouncer. I’m not always keen on books written in this way but for this particular book it really worked and I found Dan to be a really entertaining narrator. The plot is full of action and whilst it had the potential to become silly Colfer always managed to keep it from going too far.

The cast of Plugged are all well created and interesting characters. They were vividly described in such a way that I could picture them all. As well as loving Dan I developed a real soft spot for ghost Zeb, his little comments and asides were very entertaining. A notable mentions must go to Mrs Delano, Dan’s slightly odd neighbour.

I found Plugged to be a really entertaining read, and it’s reinforced my plan to read more by Colfer. I don’t know if he plans to write more about Dan but if he does I shall certainly look forward to reading it. ( )

"Fresh Meat" by Amy Dalton for Criminal Element

Eoin Colfer is best known in the States for the Artemis Fowl books—his series for children about a boy genius—and fairies. He was also chosen to continue Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker trilogy. Plugged, therefore, is a complete departure from his usual speculative fiction. It’s a non-magical, hard-boiled but humorous crime story set in New Jersey, the direct opposite of fairy land for sure. It’s full of just plain odd characters and situations. It reads like Janet Evanovich with a bit of the old ultraviolence stirred in. And it’s weird. Really weird. But in a good way. That’s what I liked about it. I think the strange characters and offbeat situations were just what I needed to read while hiding inside during the Midwestern heat wave.

Read the rest at http://www.criminalelement.com/blogs/2011/08/fresh-meat-eoin-colfers-plugged

It proved impossible to take this book seriously, so I didn't even try. I'm too used to Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl books, and in a way, this hasn't grown up much from that -- just in the subject matter and the rating (for language and violence).

It doesn't touch Raymond Chandler in terms of the detective character, who isn't nearly as quick-thinking, slick-talking, smart-assing as Philip Marlowe. On the other hand, he's fun in himself, with his inner monologues and his stupid ideas.

To be honest, I didn't even try to follow the mystery, just sat back for the ride. And it was a fun one. I think I'd probably have more complaints if I'd gone into reading this with super-high expectations, but I was just ready for Eoin Colfer to make me smile and maybe giggle a little, and he did that. (I have the girliest giggle in the world, it's terrible.) ( )

It seemed like Eoin Colfer wanted to write a book that was very different from his Artemis Fowl series--specifically for adults. If the goal was to have a profanity laced, sexual innuendo filled, mediocre detective book, he succeeded. I really wanted to like this book but it was average at best. The characters seemed flat and cliched with plenty of one-liners that just didn't work. This book makes me hope that the next Artemis Fowl book is on its way soon. Do yourself a favor--read those instead.