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Netflix has saved this excellent program
A thoughtful sheriff haunted by the murder of his wife,
what he did to avenge it,
and his growing attraction to his fiery deputy make this a fine program.
what he did to avenge it,
and his growing attraction to his fiery deputy make this a fine program.
Longmire faces foes from without and within.
Yet his personal code of honor, though bruised, carry him through.
Yet his personal code of honor, though bruised, carry him through.
So I went to the first Longmire book:
THE COLD DISH
And I found a more in-depth study of an intelligent, literate man
struggling against the inertia of his losses
while trying not to let those close to him down.
struggling against the inertia of his losses
while trying not to let those close to him down.
The end of the book will stun you.
It propels the series into one of a kind tales, each focusing on a different story-telling motif.
But unlike the show, all the novels contain a splash of supernatural influence dogging the honorable sheriff.
But unlike the show, all the novels contain a splash of supernatural influence dogging the honorable sheriff.
HELL IS EMPTY is Craig Johnson's detective twist on Dante's Inferno. Quite a feat. The audiobooks are amazing.
AND THEN THERE IS
THE LAST SHIP
I went to the book and was ... underwhelmed. I couldn't finish it.
An unusual reversal of the customary fact of the book being better than the show.
I couldn't leave "L" without recommending LIFE:
I like the idea of a "splash" of the supernatural, so I might check out the book. I did read "The Dante Club" which was a good twist on the idea of hell. I haven't heard of The Last Ship, but I'll take your word about it not being so good.
ReplyDeleteI only know about the Longmire story because of you mentioning it and reading some of The Cold Dish. I did watch a couple of episodes and liked it.
ReplyDeleteDidn't know anything about any of this... I have been stumped. THANK YOU!
ReplyDeleteHi, Roland,
ReplyDeleteI never heard about this series.... sounds good. I think I'd like the books better because of the supernatural influence.
Helena:
ReplyDeleteThe TV series, THE LAST SHIP, is excellent -- it is the book which gave it birth that was lacking. Ouch!
Longmire is a haunted man in more ways than one in the books. In THE COLD DISH, he receives in the course of a murder investigation, the Cheyenne Rifle of the Dead. Most Cheyenne do want to be in its presence, much less touch it. The dog who later becomes Longmire's stares at it intently all the time as if seeing something or someones.
Later on, Longmire has a brush with the supernatural and the curse of the Cheyenne Rifle of the Dead. Brrr. Cue the spooky music. :-)
D.G.:
After reading the excellent books, the series now seem pale in comparison. But I still watch. :-)
Jeremy:
All three series I mentioned are interesting and riveting, each in their own way.
Michael:
Great to see you here. :-) The audio books are excellent for driving long miles in your car -- you do that occasionally I know!
I have not heard of the Longmire story. I did watch an episode of Endgame the other evening. Very good.
ReplyDeleteIs that your puppy reading? :)
Teresa
Teresa:
ReplyDeleteI wish it were my puppy. I miss Hercules, my half German Shepherd/Norwegian Elkhound mix. But I am gone too long every day -- it would be cruel to have a dog cooped up in my apartment for so long. :-(
I dream of getting another Sheltie, a minature collie. Sigh. One day. :-)
I'm glad you enjoyed ENDGAME. It deserved longer on the air. The storm is making the lights flicker! I have to pull out the cord from the socket before my poor computer gets fried!!
Finally someone else who loved the show LIFE. That show was the bomb and I was *unhappy* when they cancelled it.
ReplyDeleteHi Roland - I don't know any of those .. however it was interesting to see that in one the book was the best, whereas the other it was the programme that was better .. and I don't know Life, nor can I find it .. cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteThe show The Last Ship doesn't strike my fancy.
ReplyDeleteA hint of supernatural, huh? Now I want to pick up a Longmire book.
My kids are addicted to Longmire and I really didn't know what it was about. Your plot summary has me adding it to my Netflix Que. Avenging a murder with a little romance mixed in, that's my kind of show.
ReplyDeleteHow interesting to do this to read the books and see how the TV shows compare to the books; I guess I never thought TV shows could be based on books like movies are.
ReplyDeletebetty
Just Got Back From the CyPhaCon pre-party. Great time, though tired. Can you believe it? It is my first party in 14 years! My books keep me at the laptop!
ReplyDeleteRobin:
Finally! Another LIFE fan. Glad to know you are one.
Hilary:
LIFE and THE LAST SHIP are on Amazon Instant Video here in the states. Thanks for the tip about that nasty book-stealing site. FOUR more of mine have been bought and returned WITHIN THE HOUR. Are they copying my files and claiming the books as their own?
Alex:
Longmire is a great series. The supernatural sorta creeps in a third of the way in the first book. He keeps inheriting cursed weapons throughout the series. In HELL IS EMPTY, he has a running argument with an old Cheyenne friend about which one of them is dead and which one is being haunted by the other!
Melissa:
The actress who plays the deputy in Longmire played Starbuck in Battlestar Galactica. Your kids may have started Longmire because of her and stayed for the great stories.
What makes his wife's murder so cruel was that she was already dying of cancer. You get glimpses of what he did in response in flashbacks that slowly give you the Big Picture and what a great friend Henry Standing Bear is. :-)
Betty:
If I read or hear a favorite show is based on a book, I always try out the first book. I tried the first book of ZEN that way, but couldn't get past the third chapter. Sometimes the actors do make the show!! :-)