HomeGroupsTalkMoreZeitgeist
Search Site
This site uses cookies to deliver our services, improve performance, for analytics, and (if not signed in) for advertising. By using LibraryThing you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Your use of the site and services is subject to these policies and terms.

Results from Google Books

Click on a thumbnail to go to Google Books.

All Fun and Games Until Somebody Loses an…
Loading...

All Fun and Games Until Somebody Loses an Eye (original 2005; edition 2005)

by Christopher Brookmyre (Author)

MembersReviewsPopularityAverage ratingMentions
6071338,406 (3.79)32
As a teenager Jane Bell had dreamt of playing in the casinos of Monte Carlo in the company of James Bond, but in her punk phase she'd got herself pregnant and by the time she reaches forty-six she's a grandmother, her dreams as dry as the dust her Dyson sucks up from her hall carpet every day. Then her son Ross, a researcher working for an arms manufacturer in Switzerland, is forced to disappear before some characters cut from the same cloth as Blofeld persuade him to part with the secrets of his research. But they are not the only ones desperate to locate him. A team of security experts is hired by Ross's firm: headed by the enigmatic Bett, his staff have little in common apart from total professionalism and a thorough disregard for the law. Bett believes the key to Ross's whereabouts is his mother, and in one respect he is right, but even he is taken aback by the verve underlying her determination to secure her son's safety as she learns the black arts of quiet subterfuge and violent attack. The teenage dreams of fast cars, high-tech firepower and extreme action had always promised to be fun and games, but in real life it's likely someone is going to lose an eye ... Visit the author's website at www.brookmyre.co.uk… (more)
Member:jevanloon
Title:All Fun and Games Until Somebody Loses an Eye
Authors:Christopher Brookmyre (Author)
Info:Little, Brown & Company (2005), Edition: First Edition, 416 pages
Collections:Read but unowned
Rating:***
Tags:None

Work Information

All Fun and Games Until Somebody Loses an Eye by Christopher Brookmyre (2005)

None
Loading...

Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book.

No current Talk conversations about this book.

» See also 32 mentions

Showing 1-5 of 13 (next | show all)
Us readers ken the score

I loved this more, seemingly, than most reviewers I've read. Part Brookmye-tartan-noir-with-jokes, part techno-thriller and, improbably, part rom-com.

It flagged a bit in the prelude to act 2 at Kaos Kottage, but that aside it rolled along with a cast of hugely entertaining characters, and had a surprisingly warm feel-good heart. Recommended. ( )
  greppers | Aug 31, 2014 |
Read this in a couple of days over some long train journeys.
So was kind of stuck with it. Good thing really, as writing this review 2 weeks later the plot and characters have really stayed with me alot more than I thought they would.

There are sections, probably the first 150 pages that in places are overly descriptive and/or unnecessary. I also got the impression that the author struggle to weave certain parts of the plot together - not suprising given the obvious juxtaposition of character-types.

Not sure it will be one that I retain in my collection, but would be happy to recommend to a friend. ( )
  johnny_merc | Jun 3, 2014 |
quite good but not a keeper ( )
  SChant | Apr 25, 2013 |
I wish I could find more books like this one! A strong female heroine with non-stop action. And there is humor in it! Super fun reading with so much action its hard to put it down. A most excellent book. ( )
  Kelli_Otting | Apr 6, 2013 |
At first I was dissapointed with this book. It took too long to get started. First you get the introduction of Bett's team, then you flip to boring old Jane, only to go back again to Bett's team and Lex's actions. I was almost ready to give up on the book because it seemed like such a meaningless enumeration of actions by characters you're not familiar enough with.
But when I got past this part I really started enjoying the book. Especially after Jane's actions trying to get to Rachel, when she turns into some kind of supergranny!
It was not the best book I've ever read (because of the beginning), but if Brookmyres other books are like the second part of this one, I would definately like to read some more. ( )
  Moriquen | Apr 9, 2012 |
Showing 1-5 of 13 (next | show all)
no reviews | add a review
You must log in to edit Common Knowledge data.
For more help see the Common Knowledge help page.
Canonical title
Original title
Alternative titles
Original publication date
People/Characters
Important places
Important events
Related movies
Epigraph
I've allowed myself to lead this little life, when inside me there was so much more.
Shirley Valentine, by Willy Russell
The secret of a joyful life is to live dangerously.

Nietzsche
Dedication
For Hilary Hale and Caroline Dawnay, without whom . . .
Thanks: Marisa, Greg Dulli, Roger Cantwell and Duncan Spilling for fitting all those words on the cover.
Special thanks also to Calvin fo their song Supercar, which resonated so hauntingly around the time I conceived this little fairy tale.
First words
'It would encourage me, you know, to think . . . or rather it would comfort me, no, wrong word, wull, maybe the right word, but it would, you know, inspire me but at the same time sort of soothe me in an all-is-well-in-heaven-and-earth kind of way to think, ah, what am I trying to say here?'
Quotations
Last words
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)
Disambiguation notice
Publisher's editors
Blurbers
Original language
Canonical DDC/MDS
Canonical LCC

References to this work on external resources.

Wikipedia in English

None

As a teenager Jane Bell had dreamt of playing in the casinos of Monte Carlo in the company of James Bond, but in her punk phase she'd got herself pregnant and by the time she reaches forty-six she's a grandmother, her dreams as dry as the dust her Dyson sucks up from her hall carpet every day. Then her son Ross, a researcher working for an arms manufacturer in Switzerland, is forced to disappear before some characters cut from the same cloth as Blofeld persuade him to part with the secrets of his research. But they are not the only ones desperate to locate him. A team of security experts is hired by Ross's firm: headed by the enigmatic Bett, his staff have little in common apart from total professionalism and a thorough disregard for the law. Bett believes the key to Ross's whereabouts is his mother, and in one respect he is right, but even he is taken aback by the verve underlying her determination to secure her son's safety as she learns the black arts of quiet subterfuge and violent attack. The teenage dreams of fast cars, high-tech firepower and extreme action had always promised to be fun and games, but in real life it's likely someone is going to lose an eye ... Visit the author's website at www.brookmyre.co.uk

No library descriptions found.

Book description
Haiku summary

Current Discussions

None

Popular covers

Quick Links

Rating

Average: (3.79)
0.5 1
1 1
1.5
2 5
2.5 1
3 49
3.5 12
4 63
4.5 6
5 34

Is this you?

Become a LibraryThing Author.

 

About | Contact | Privacy/Terms | Help/FAQs | Blog | Store | APIs | TinyCat | Legacy Libraries | Early Reviewers | Common Knowledge | 202,658,118 books! | Top bar: Always visible