Cheryl R. (Spuddie) -
Helpful Score: 1
My review refers to the audio download version of the book. Second in the Joanne Walker 'Urban Shaman' paranormal series. At first I found the reader's voice to be very annoying and contemplated stopping listening, but after awhile I got used to it, and the storyline became the focus rather than the voice. The story begins with Joanne discovering a young woman dead in the showers at the University where she is taking fencing lessons and continues with forays into the mystical world as Joanne acquires a teacher to help her get control of her Shamanic powers. The supporting cast were more fleshed out in this book and I felt like we were getting to know Joanne better, too (and I really like her!) although the frequent descriptions of the 'spirit world' and her whacky vision got somewhat repetitive at times. I also find her relationships with the men in the book, particularly her boss and Gary, her elderly cab driver friend, a bit confusing. I enjoyed the book and will definitely continue to read on in this series, though, whether in printed form or another audio.
Irene L H. (NonExistence) -
Helpful Score: 1
Joanne Walker, aka Siobhan Walkingstick, is back in the second installment of The Walker Papers. Unfortunately, the force of
her personality and the awesome cast of secondary characters introduced in Urban Shaman and back in this installment isn't
quite enough to put Thunderbird Falls on my "must not be missed" list.
There's good stuff here, most significantly the growing emotional tension between Joanne and Captain Michael Morrison. I
swear, I just love every second they're in each other's company.
I adore Gary - and there's a comforting sense of continuity in the faux-familial bond between them. It's nice to see two
characters who genuinely adore one another like they do and not have it be in any way romantic.
Billy Holliday is back, too, and while not quite as out there as he was in the first book, he's definitely one of the
most joyously unique characters I've read in a book in a long time.
And I love Joanne's internal monologue. She's sarcastic and self-deprecating and her observations often make me chuckle.
I'm going to give Coyote Dreams a try because the parts I did like in this book I liked very, very much. I still think
CE Murphy has a unique gift for writing secondary and ancillary characters, and I truly like Joanne when she's not going
the "poor me" route. Plus, I've just GOT to see what develops between her and Morrison. I just hope for a cleaner, less
meandering, tauter plot.
her personality and the awesome cast of secondary characters introduced in Urban Shaman and back in this installment isn't
quite enough to put Thunderbird Falls on my "must not be missed" list.
There's good stuff here, most significantly the growing emotional tension between Joanne and Captain Michael Morrison. I
swear, I just love every second they're in each other's company.
I adore Gary - and there's a comforting sense of continuity in the faux-familial bond between them. It's nice to see two
characters who genuinely adore one another like they do and not have it be in any way romantic.
Billy Holliday is back, too, and while not quite as out there as he was in the first book, he's definitely one of the
most joyously unique characters I've read in a book in a long time.
And I love Joanne's internal monologue. She's sarcastic and self-deprecating and her observations often make me chuckle.
I'm going to give Coyote Dreams a try because the parts I did like in this book I liked very, very much. I still think
CE Murphy has a unique gift for writing secondary and ancillary characters, and I truly like Joanne when she's not going
the "poor me" route. Plus, I've just GOT to see what develops between her and Morrison. I just hope for a cleaner, less
meandering, tauter plot.
