Rating:  Summary: The Ghost Who Played Braun Review: During the first chapter of "The Cat Who Saw Stars" I wondered where were all the lovingly drawn character sketches, the fascinating idiosyncrasies, the breezy history of Moose County? Where was Ms. Braun's telling use of words, her ear for dialect, her deft use of rhetorical forms? To someone insensitive to words, "his moustache was a virtual landmark" probably wouldn't flicker an eyelid, but such a trite mixed metaphor made my upper lip itch. What was going on? Perhaps an editor unworthy of Ms Braun had done the damage. Perhaps marketing focus groups had begun to lead even Lilian Jackson Braun. Perhaps . . . I thought of the tragic impairments that often attend one's latter years. Whatever the reason, I felt sad.But I read on despite the growing itch under my nose. When I came to chapter three and read "watching the fireflies blink their little flashlights," I realized the truth. Lilian Jackson Braun could not have possibly written this tripe. I went to my bookshelf and pulled down several earlier "Cat Who . . ." books. I urge you to do the same. Compare, as I did, the style and quality of writing in this novel with that of her previous books. I'm confident that you will arrive at the same conclusion. "The Cat Who Saw Stars" is written by a ghostwriter - a ghost that's but a pale refection of Ms. Braun. I could go on pointing out instance after instance my investigation uncovered supporting this conclusion. But why should I spoil your fun? Be a literary detective and see for yourself. Need I say more? Oh, yes, there is one more thing. I'll tell you how to prepare chicken livers and bacon en brochette fit for the most discerning palate if you can tell me the name of this Ghost Who Plays Braun.
Rating:  Summary: Find something else? Review: This was the first book (and probaly the last) that I have read from the Lillian Jackson Braun Series. Since I like cats and mysteries, I thought that I would enjoy this book. I got extremely bored with it before I was half way through it. I felt like the story had too much detail about insignificant characters and the "going ons" about the town than it did about the mystery which was week. This was a book that was easy to put down between chapters.
Rating:  Summary: I enjoyed this book very much. Review: This book is one of Braun's cat who.. series, I liked this book because there seemed to be an air of X-files to the mystery. You also learned alot about the fictional setting of Moose County. The cats are charming and the human charactars are real, this book has an anti-smoking message woven inside the storyline, which I really enjoyed. This book makes the most of UFO sightings that are reported often in rural areas throughout the nation.
Rating:  Summary: A huge disappointment Review: I used to await Braun's new "Cat Who" books eagerly so I could snap them up at the bookstore, but the last few have been somewhat disappointing, so I was content to wait for a friend to lend me her copy of THE CAT WHO SAW STARS. I am pleased that I did not pay for this book, and I'm sorely tempted to discontinue reading the series altogether. Actually, I am concerned about Braun's health. This book felt to me like she didn't have the energy to do anything more than slap together a few disjointed Qwill observations on rural life. There isn't even a coherent mystery to follow in this book, and it contains the biggest plot hole I've ever seen: the sleuth decides to just chalk the whole thing up to UFOs. This book can be enjoyed by only Ms. Braun's most die-hard fans, and I am sorry to say I no longer count myself among them.
Rating:  Summary: Another Great One! Review: She has done it again. In his latest (released) case, Qwill hooks on to a mystery that has a supernatural edge. One of his major features changes, and it kind of makes you look twice at the night sky. Add this to your list.
Rating:  Summary: Koko,Aliens,UFOs? Review: I love this book it is the best.I like the fact that Koko has Alien powers.You have to wonder if there aren't little green men but little green cats!I recommend this book for anyone.
Rating:  Summary: Drivel Review: Lilian Jackson Braun's series has become so "cozy" that the recent books are almost devoid of elements of mystery altogether--they've become chatty little books about a group of people and their pets. Some of those people I could do without: Polly is the most insipid invention an author could conjure up, and considering the number of times the skinny Braun reminds us that Polly is size 16, I suspect that even the author is contemptuous of her creation. The only public socializing Qwill does with Polly is eating dinner, which doesn't actually surprise me. And the amount of boozing that goes on is hilarious. Can't people in Pickax City visit one another without having a drink to get through it?
Rating:  Summary: Not a very clever story or I'm too jaded... Review: I think it's time to move the action back to the big city "down below". A sleepy little rural county with one dimensional characters can entertain only so long. Other reviewers have mentioned the weak story and the marginal participation of the principals in "solving" any crimes. The unsolved loose ends made me think that someone other than Ms. Braun wrote this one. Maybe LBJ is defining a new serial style of writing, so I'll wait patiently for the next "Cat Who..." and hope it gets more exciting. Meanwhile, back to Tony Hillerman.
Rating:  Summary: Read it and make your own opinion. Review: This is the third book I've read in the Cat Who... series, and I loved it! Don't decide this book isn't worth reading just because some of the other reviews say it isn't. A few parts were confusing, but the overall story was great. So far this is my favorite in the series, and I can't wait to read them all!
Rating:  Summary: What a disappointment! Review: I picked up "The Cat Who Sang For The Birds" a few months ago and was enchanted by Koko, Yum Yum and their human Jim Qwilleran. It's been fun searching my local library for other installments in the LJB series and visiting the quirky gang from Moose County. I've found these books to be a refreshing twist on the mystery novel. I was, therefore, incredibly disappointed with Ms. Braun's latest effort "The Cat Who Saw Stars." I kept waiting for the meat of the mystery and for some sort of a resolution to the backpacker murder and other loose ends. What did we get? The Visitors must of done it. . .and Koko's an alien. Aw, come on! I stared and stared at the final page of the book and couldn't believe it! And there were, of course, little editorial annoyances such as Yum Yum being introduced to Gertrude the Kalico Kat several pages after LBJ has her sitting with it on the porch. I know it must be very difficult to produce a book a year and to give a demanding audience a fresh take on the same bunch of characters, but I'd rather wait longer and get a good book than read a cookie-cutter version of the old ones. I'm going back to the earlier installments and hope that the next "Cat Who" title offers more than just catnip.
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