Customer Reviews

Shadow of a Broken Man

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Shadow of a Broken Man, by George Chesbro is the first Mongo novel that I read (and I loved it!). A private investigator who happens to be a dwarf and former circus performer has a PhD in criminallogy. The battles and obstacles that our hero faces is an amazing tale that is filled with pathos and rich with irony. You will not be disappointed. Shadow was excellent and a classic in every sense! Since then, I've been reading the others when I get a chance (thanks to Amazon!). Just reading the other well written reviews was enough to make me want to run out by this author. George Chesbro was writing X-files long before the show was ever conceived. This is a must BUY!

The Mongo books defy any attempt at classification, and that's what makes them so entertaining, as well as the engaging writing by Chesbro. They're thriller/comedy/occult/philosophical exercises that work very well (though the last two entries in the Mongo series are a bit less sterling-- sometimes even dogmatic). Read this and the next four or five in the series (as well as the Chant and Veil books)-- it ain't Shakespeare, but it's entertainment of a high order.

This first book of the 'Mongo' mysteries reads like a cross between Raymond Chandler and Ray Bradbury. Well-realized characters, a unique plot, and the creepiest villain I've encountered in years make it stand out from the average mystery. I read it first back in college, and I've worn out two copies since by loaning it to friends. 'X-Files' fans adore these books, I've found. Terrific series!

"Shadow", quite simply, is the starting point of the finest mystery series ever written.It is very important that you read these books in order. Mongo is hired to find a person who is dead... and that is not, by a long shot, the most unique concept in this book. It is a mystery, wait..no it's fantasy, umm...no it's action adventure, well...not quite,it's a study in the family dynamics between a dwarf and his larger (much) brother. This book has anything you'd want. The characters are well drawn. The plot is cleverly conceived. Villains aren't villains, or are they? When I first read this book about 10 years ago it spurred me on to buy the next 3 available in the series at that time.I've not missed one since. Everyone I've lent this book to (and there have been many) has wanted the rest of them immediately. Do yourself a favour and buy this book. Read it,love it , and then buy the rest of them.You'll end up buying the spin-off series like Chant and Veil as well.

Ah, the early days! When Mongo was a new creation, he had so much Mongo-ness to him. It was so much fun reading about the determined dwarf and seeing him overcome obstacles, as Chesbro mixes in little touches of the supernatural from time to time. As the series wore on, many of the later books were great (Archangel, Sacred Stone), but the mongo-ness lessened. It was possible to forget that he was a unique character, tho the books were good. We needed more books like "Rings" exploring his past. As the series continued, we started getting political tirades passing for profound understanding of the universe. Books like Language of Cannibals, and Dreams, were particularly scarred by Chesbro's paranoia. When the political tirades got trotted out--and in later books, right-wingers and the CIA are to blame for everything--the story had a way of getting lost. No surprise a lot of the paperbacks look like they're self-published in later years. So, revel in early Mongo--one of the most amusing creations ever.

In the simplest terms possible this book sets the tone for the entire Mongo cycle of stories. If you like your stories layered and with a healthy dose of black humor, these are for you.

There is nothing exactly like one of these in any genre I read, so if you are tired of a square jawed hero, try a dwarf chriminologist with a PHD, and a black belt in Karate. Of course, the cases he gets are not exactly the normal run of the mill detective work.....

As an old drinking buddy of George's, an advisor for his firearm references and his jacket photographer for some of his later books, please rest assured that "..A Broken Man" will put you on the path of his magic, a path of surprise, adventure, and heart-felt emotions. When finished with this book, please stay with the series and make certain that "Beasts of Valhalla" graces your eyes. It is not only the pinnacle of his efforts, but especially given the computer-generated graphics in today's field, would make the most excellent of film features. Hope that someday a producer in California can see the potential.Sadly, George is no longer with us, but with this book and the others, his voice sings on.

There is a vast amount of mystery series in the market, and some of them have something special that makes them stand out above the rest. Chesbro's character Mongo, a dwarf private investigator, who is also a university professor and a black belt in karate, provides this series with enough charm to place it in the group of reads worth your time.

Besides the colorful Mongo, this series incorporates elements from the fantasy genre, placing these works in a very special niche. In the case of this novel, Mongo is investigating the case of a man that is supposed to be dead but may still be alive. As the case progresses, the private eye unveils astounding secrets that lead to complicated and dangerous situations. The pace of the story builds nicely until we reach an ending with a myriad of surprises.

Since I like reading fantasy and mysteries, this series is a good fit for me. The main character also makes a big difference, and I particularly enjoyed the first person narration, since it allows us to understand this wonderful character better. In a time when most heroes are tough as nails and bounce back from defeat almost immediately, it is uplifting to find a character that is affected by important events as a typical human would. I think I am hooked, and hope I enjoy the next books in this series as much as I did this one.

This book was recommended to me as the necessary first novel in a highly recommended sci-fi mystery series. I admire Chesbro's prose, it is clear and well written. The plot was a little dated--it was clearly conceived during the cold war period and some of the "Ruskie" bashing was a little old hat for 2006. In addition I had a little problem with the idea of a main character whose name is Mongo.

However, the quality of the writing, as well as the sci-fi concepts were good enough that I will perservere with the next book in the series to see if the series starts to grab me. In addition, I liked utilizing the perspective of the dwarf--a population I know little about.