- Title:
- Branded in Bismarck
- Author:
- Troy Lambert
- Stuart Gustafson
- Release:
- December 29, 2020
- Format:
- Audiobook
- Narrator:
- Joseph L. Stevenson
- Series:
- Capital City Murders #7
Since this is the second book in a row where Interesting Protagonist is starting to get a little interesting, I think he has earned a name. I think Shaggy because he’s skinny and tall, but mostly because these books remind me of Scooby-Doo mysteries.
I noticed a lot of attention to detail in book 7, maybe it was there previously, but I’ve never taken note of it. Though I still remember Shaggy’s 50 MB SSD or whatever it was from book 1. In one instance, Shaggy internally corrects somebody who refers to photographs as pictures. So I later found it stupid that he referred to a news clip as “film”. Who the hell is using film in the modern-day age? Another instance of this anachronistic and antiquated dialogue was a few books back when he mentioned “rewinding” a digital video. Other instances of outdated language in these books, make the writing sound sloppy.
I think the writers are doing a better job of mixing Shaggy’s personal life with the mystery. The mystery doesn’t occupy the entire story, nor does it just show up and resolve itself like it did in one of the previous books.
Overall, the narrator did a good enough job. He’s not going to win any awards for this narration and if he does, he should give them back. But overall, it was a passable job.
NOTE: This copy was provided to me free of charge as a digital review copy. The opinions stated in this review are mine and mine alone, I was not paid or requested to give this book a certain rating, suggestion, or approval.