Customer Reviews

Stuff Dreams Are Made Of

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

 

 

James Lessor and Skip Moore are back and they are well, not bigger than ever, and definitely not smarter than ever. They're just back in this hilarious satirical mystery Stuff Dreams Are Made Of. The second installment in Don Bruns' Moore or Less series, the dynamic duo try their luck at catering. They bring their large white truck to the revival of Rev. Preston Cashdollar (yes that's his name), and think they will make a few bucks. Instead, they get involved with the murder of a senator, a suspicious group of full timers,(see note below) and a long-ago mystery that Skip has a personal tie to.

Stuff Dreams Are Made Of is a funny and winning book filled with great lines, mostly provided Skip's sardonic narration. On the unfortunate name of their company, Moore or Less Catering, Skip remarks "It was James' idea not mine. His name is Lessor, mine is Moore so he thought it would be clever to...well it was his idea!"

The two make a unique detective team, more like Abbot and Costello than Holmes and Watson, as they stumble upon body after body-and angry people with guns. They usually don't find out anything unless it's in front of them, instead they spend most of the book trying to stay alive. Nevertheless, they make a great team with very interesting idiosyncrasies. Everything from James' constant quoting of movie lines, to their endless need for money is explored, making them a very fun identifiable duo.

The mystery plot is really solid and plays on the idea of revivals and religious types who use peoples' faith to get money. An interesting scene has the originally skeptical duo attend the meeting and are so swayed by Cashdollar's words that they end up donating money. Cashdollar and his cronies are a very suspicious bunch, more like mob hit men than Holy Rollers. The mystery itself is very tight with a slightly obvious ending, but nonetheless the whole book plays on religious satire and mocks the idea of revivals and people who look for something beyond themselves to believe in.

NOTE: Full-timers were people who worked for Cashdollar's revivals by serving food or souveniers full time and were on call whenever he needed them. They were sort of his Brute Squad because they intimidated many of the newcomers like James and Skip and their friend, Daron Styles who worked at Cashdollar's revival before.

Armchair Interviews says: Unique characters and situation makes for a very fun read.

I could accept a couple of idiots as comic detectives. What gives me problems is how much time these two spend talking about what they're going to do, or too often not do, like call the cops. Then another good guy or Skip's girlfriend arrives and they repeat what they said. If this were as witty as other reviewers have found, that might work, but it's not. Plus the mystery is far from profound or surprising in its revelation. This might have worked as an episode on some TV show like The Dukes of Hazzard but not here.

Really enjoy this series. Skip and James are so much fun and remind me somewhat of the "Psych" tv show as far as their relationship, although they are more "Slacker types" than the tv show.

The mysteries are fun and light hearted. Great beach read...

This is the second in the current "Stuff" trilogy by author Bruns featured the mis-adventures of Skip and James. In this one the pair of buddies bought a white panel truck and turned it into a food truck and set it outside the revival tent of Bible thumper Reverand Cashdollar. As is expected with this duo, they find themselves amongst a gang of money-hungry carneys, ne'er do-gooders, and thugs. People from a U.S. Senator to a young girlfriend are dropping like flies. If you like your books to come to a tidy conclusion with all knots tied, the Stuff books aren't for you. But, life isn't usually that way either. On the other hand, if you like faced-paced action and red herrings galore, they you could do worse they getting your "Stuff" together.

The adventures of Skip and James are very much light weight frolics. This one is centered around a religious revival where the boys are cooking burgers for the huge crowds attending and quickly gets them involved with a number of very devious characters. Bodies fall fairly fast and furious at the end, but it's basically all for fun and worth your time.

Skip and James, two beer-swilling ne'er-do-wells, made their initial appearance in the prequel to this novel, which is the second in the series. In the first, James bought a truck with a $12,000 inheritance from an aunt, intending to start a moving business. On the very first job, the two, along with Skip's girlfriend, Em, almost got themselves killed. They have that kind of talent (or lack thereof).

In the present volume, James gets another brainstorm: He converts the truck to serve fast food at a revival meeting. It may be a traveling religious event, but it is a dangerous place to be. Money flows like water, and murders seem to follow. And the boys and Em once again find themselves in mucho danger.

If you like protagonists who are dumb and dumber, then this story might appeal to you. For a couple of college graduates, the two characters seem to lack the admission standards for elementary school. While some of the writing is amusing, on the whole, we were not amused.