Psych: A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Read

A woman falsely accused of murdering her rich husband, another woman claiming to be following psychic mind orders, an old schoolmate turned billionaire making vague summons, and the murder of a convict are just some of the things on Shawn and Gus's plate in this novel, based on the characters from the TV show Psych.

This book is primarily for viewers of the TV series, to the point that little background information is explained (i.e., the fact that Shawn is not actually a psychic). However, fans of the show will find this novel spot on. The characterizations, dialogue, and plot are exactly fitting with the show. There's even a brief prologue set in 1988, just like how the show usually starts with a past exchange between young Shawn and show more his father (and sometimes young Gus also) that ties into that episode's story or theme. The only things I felt were missing were Shawn's frequent "Gus-don't-be-a" [fill in the blank with some preposterous word or phrase] as well as the bizarre names he often gives Gus when introducing him to someone new.

With 200+ pages instead of roughly 40 minutes of airtime, there is more space to flesh out the storyline and provide additional red herrings and twists and turns. That being said, the book does not drag in the least; rather, I think these extras provide a greater challenge in figuring out whodunit, making it a more interesting read. Unlike the show, the book also provides a little insight here and there on characters' internal motivations, particularly Gus's thought process as much of the third-person narrative is told from his point of view.

All in all, this is a fast-paced, light read and I will continue on with the series in the future. show less

Tie-in books are usually inferior to the thing they are based on, and A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Read, the first book to be based on the television show Psych, is no exception. This is not to say that it is a bad book - it is not. It is a very easy read and, as I'm sure anyone picking it up will already be familiar with the characters and the set-up, the reader can just dive straight in. The plot is interesting enough to retain the reader's interest, but is nothing exceptional. Some of the comedic timing is a bit off, though the book does have plenty of moments of humour. But, in my opinion, the book's main flaw is that the essence of Psych is difficult to translate into book form. The bromance between Shawn and Gus depends as much show more on the interplay between the two actors James Roday and Dulé Hill as it does on the script, and the characters Jules and Lassie (both criminally underutilised here, especially Jules) are reduced to roles as extras, whereas in the show they are important characters who provide a nice foil to the antics of Shawn and Gus. I think that the only relationship that really rang one-hundred percent true in this book was the one between Shawn and his curmudgeonly father, Henry. In addition, the characters introduced solely for this book - Veronica Mason, Dallas Steele, Tara Larison, Bert Coules, etc. - are rather one-dimensional. But no-one's expecting a great piece of literature here, and the book is an enjoyable quick read. Dedicated fans of Psych, having exhausted their series' box sets (and with rumours that the show's next season will be its last), will be grateful for any competent addition to the franchise. Importantly, whilst A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Read doesn't really add anything unique or special to the franchise, it doesn't embarrass it either, so Psych fans should give it a go. show less

3.5 stars - A fun, easy read that captured the show's characters but sometimes gags went on a tad too long trying to fill the pages of a book, rather than the tight script of a show. Also, I kept wanting to actually see the characters say the lines rather than just envision them in my head. The strength of the show was not only the sappy dialogue but the delivery by the actors so it left me wanting. Still, it was a fun read and I will probably read the other books in the series eventually when I need a light, pick-up-me read. "You know that's right!"

Okay, for a book written as a way to get money out of those of us who love the tv series which originated it, this is surprisingly spot-on! I throughly enjoyed it. The author speaks with the same laughable tone in which the series is written. He has truly captured the essence that is 'Shawn and Gus'.

I totally miss that show, and William Rabkin completely recreated the quick repartee and snappy comebacks that Shawn and Gus are known. As well as really nice characterizations for Henry et al. He really did his homework and knew what each of the characters would say (and how they would say it.)
Not to mention that a large part of this story is from Gus' point of view- love that!!!

One of my favorite lines from Shawn Spencer:

(from page 158)
"Not Monty Python funny, but maybe Brady Brunch funny. You know, no big laughs, but a wry smile, a warm chuckle and a nod of recognition that we're all riders in the same cockeyed caravan of life."

Some of the characterizations seemed off -- Jules and Chief Vick especially suffered from the transition to ink, becoming flat and shrill. I did find the descriptions of the Bimbo of the Week entertaining, though. If one is in desperate need of a Psych fix (and away from the internet *cough*), this will do.

Rabkin perfectly captures the voices of Shawn and Gus in his Psych tie-in novel. You won't have any difficulty picturing your favorite characters as you read the book. That said, the book is a little slow on the uptake and felt a little heavier (darker?) than the show itself. It never quite hooked me the way I hoped despite having plenty of classic Shawn and Gus moments to help me along the way.