Customer Reviews

We'll Always Have Pa (Lib)(CD)

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

It's an ordinary convention, celebrating the stars of a 'B' grade television show, Porfira, Queen of the Jungle. Meg Langslow accompanies her actor-boyfriend Michael and hopes to sell some of her swords (Meg is a blacksmith). But ordinary SF conventions are anything but ordinary. Parrots and monkeys escape and run wild in the hotel, space-suit clad fans mingle with angry writers and actors, and everyone is angry with leading lady Wynncliffe-Jones. But when the actress ends up killed, her dying words echoed by an African Gray parrot, Meg knows she needs to get to the bottom of the mystery. Because if she doesn't, her boyfriend is likely to be a chief suspect.

With occasional assistance from her nerotic doctor-father, Meg explores the world of comic books (graphic novels) on which Porfira was based, the 1960s culture that spawned some pretty good art and bad story-telling, and the web of contracts and bad will that Wynncliffe-Jones used to maintain control over the Porfira franchise.

This was a very funny book. Author Donna Andrews has an eye for the zany world of fantasy fans, prima-donna actors, and ambivalent family relations. Protagonist Meg Langslow makes a good and sympathetic character with real personality and skills.

I picked up my first Meg Langslow mystery, Crouching Buzzard, Leaping Loon, because of the title and WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE PARROTS is another great title. What's great, though, is finding a book that can live up to a title like this. And Andrews delivers exactly that book. Anyone who enjoys a slightly zany approach to mystery, kick-ass female protagonists, and a tongue-in-cheek look at American culture will want to get their hands on this one. Highly recommended.

I think the Meg Langslow mysteries are charming, funny, and witty and I very much looked forward this installment. I did not find We'll Always Have Parrots up to that standard. Like the other characters in the book, I did not lament that the victim was murdered and about halfway through the book I decided that I no longer cared who murdered her. I went ahead and finished it until the end but it took longer than previous Donna Andrews' books. For some reason I found the almost exclusive use of calling the main character the QB annoying and after a while I just wanted all the parrots and monkeys to fade into the background. I missed Michael and Meg's father playing more prominent roles. With Michael playing such a minor role and he being the reason behind Meg's desire to solve the mystery, I just felt it could have been better. Every series has their less than best book. We'll Always Have Parrots was that one for me but I look forward to the next one in hopes that it will be as enjoyable as the first three were.

Meg isn't thrilled to be spending the weekend at the convention for Porfiria, the TV show that boyfriend Michael stars in. This year's festivities have been enhanced by the addition of monkeys and parrots, which have escaped from their cages and are wandering the hotel at random. Meg is hoping to make some money off her swords in the dealer room to keep the weekend from being a complete loss.

All that's before the star of the show is murdered. Nicknamed the QB (which doesn't stand for Queen Bee), there isn't a person who works on the show who didn't have some beef with her. Despite protests that she's not going to get involved, Meg begins collecting clues. But can she follow them back to the real killer before the convention ends?

If you are at all familiar with the books in the Meg Langslow series, you know to expect plenty of antics along with your mystery. This book is no exception. Donna Andrews pokes gentle fun at fandom with some of the over the top antics. I grinned and laughed my way through the entire book. At the same time, there's a great mystery. While it takes a while to get going, it is a cleverly plotted story with several nice twists before the ending.

Donna Andrews continues to set the bar high for herself. How she manages to juggle everything she puts in these stories is beyond me. But they are a fun ride none-the-less. If you love humorous mysteries, be sure to check this series out.

When I read the previous book to this one, "Crouching Buzzard, Leaping Loon", I loved everything about the book and worried that it was just because heroine Meg was in a world I adored (computer game development) and her boyfriend was far away. This latest installment sets my fears to rest. Michael is fully back in the picture here, and the story couldn't be better. In fact he's front and center, as his acting career in the cult TV series "Porfiria, Queen of the Jungle" has brought the dynamic duo to an east coast convention for the weekend. Now, I happen to love sci-fi conventions just as much as I love computer games, so it could be the setting again being a fantastic one, but if author Donna Andrews keeps turning out books like this, I'll be happy for years to come.

Just as with pretty much any TV cast set, the actors and actresses have their quirks. There are romantic entanglements in their past, bitter feuds, issues with money, love, family, you name it. None of this comes across as bizarre - it's all quite natural, given the egos involved in many Hollywood situations. The main character, Porfiria, ends up dead only a short while through the con, and of course pretty much everybody is a suspect. I found Meg's reasons for interfering to be a little less compelling than in previous books, though. She wants to clear Michael as a suspect? Heck, he's no more suspected than anybody else. I would believe it more if the book mentioned the many previous mysteries she'd solved and at least gave her some interest in the process. Instead, she vaguely hints at her father's mystery books. It's almost as if they want us to believe, with each subsequent book in the series that it's the very first murder Meg has ever seen. Where, in reality, she seems to attract death like honey attracts bears.

That aside, though, the book is great. Meg's sword-making skills fall right in line with sci-fi convention wares, and the characters are interesting and fun. The book easily pegs the behavior of many avid sci-fi fans. In fact, Donna was a little low key and lenient in some areas :) At a real con, putting out a fresh spread of food and beverage would cause a trampling :)

I do want to comment that in the previous book Meg was eyeing with interest one of the hunky co-workers at her office - and in this book she's eyeing with interest other guys. It's fine and good to say that Meg is allowed to have open eyes and appreciate human beauty, but it is starting to seem that any time a well built guy shows up, she is pondering in her mind "If only I didn't have Michael, I could have enjoyed him ..."

On the other hand, Meg and Michael have both matured SO much since the first books that I'm hard put to really complain about this minor quirk. Yes, it irks me a bit - but in general Meg has a great combination of tolerance, headstrong interest, intelligence and an ability to take care of herself that I really enjoy her.

I really do recommend reading the previous books to understand the whole background on Spike, Michael and the other characters - it makes the tiny moments really rich in layers of meaning.

Highly recommended!

Blacksmith Meg Langslow accompanies her fiancé, drama professor and actor, Michael to the Friends of Amblyiopia convention though neither wants to attend. Michael has a minor part in the cult hit TV series Porfiria, Queen of the Jungle that requires him to grace several of these events as insisted upon by the executive producer Tamerlaine Wynncliffe-Jones, who also stars in the title role. Michael hopes he can persuade the unpredictable star to give him a break, but expects nothing but grief from QB as everyone calls Tamerlaine behind her back.

Following the release of screeching parrots, someone kills the unpopular star. The police quickly learn that many people associated with the show and some just attending the convention detested the victim. Unable to perch on the sidelines and not trusting the police to follow the real clues amidst a pageant of costumed characters, Meg investigates the murder, unaware that if she learns the truth a buzzard will kill her.

The fifth murder so fowl Langslow amateur sleuth tale is an amusing mystery that pokes fun at hero worship that places stars on pedestals. The only seriousness in this very humorous story line is Meg's inquiries into the homicide. Fans will delight in the zaniness of the support cast whether they are a monkey, parrots protesting their candy cotton candy roles in the TV show, actors who cannot use any pronoun but I, and Meg's wacky family. Still Meg as in the previous terrific bird brained who-done-its is the glue that keeps the plot together. Donna Andrews furbishes a fabulously loony entry in her delightful offbeat series.

Harriet Klausner

Hoping to sell some of her swords and daggers to an sf/f crowd, Meg has accompanied her actor/drama teacher boyfriend, Michael, to a fan convention for the cheesy sf TV series he stars on, "Porphyria: Queen of the Jungle". Michael, who plays Mephisto, the mercenary wizard on the series, has a slightly more difficult agenda then playing the genial star for adoring fans--he is hoping to get the tyrannical star of the series, Tammerlaine Wyncliffe-Jones, to modify his contract so he won't lose his teaching job. However, when the "Queen Bee" is found murdered, Michael (and Meg) have a different problem: keeping Michael out of jail.

Another triumph for Donna Andrews featuring her best-drawn villain to date. Although this isn't the first murder mystery set at an sf/f convention, this is the first one I've read where the author genuinely likes the phenomena and views both the fans and the conventions with humor and sympathy. SF/F fans like me will certainly see themselves and recognize the situations Meg encounters and the people she meets. Although Meg's eccentric family are not much in evidence, the colorful character quota is more than filled by the fans and Michael's co-stars on the TV show.

Readers who have been following the series will enjoy this new addition. Readers who are new to the series should buy this book and immediately acquire the rest of Andrews' Meg Langslow series at once.

In a series of very funny books, this one stands out as the best so far. Donna Andrews has a real talent for writing laugh out loud scenarios. Whenever an animal (or her dad) enters a scene, you know it is going to be uniquely written, extremely funny and never disappointing. This one, with parrots, monkeys and a tiger, is my favorite, so far. Another plus with Andrews is that you do not get the same plot over and over. The settings and situations change. The main characters do not and you would not want them to, since the zanies are becoming favorite relatives, her brother and her dad especially. This is a set of books you can add to your library and know that you will want to come back to again and again. Highly recommended.

Although this is a part of a series, each book in this series can stand alone. Meg is a superb character. She is funny and sensible and has a hilarious family. Michael her boyfriend is just as funny with a very dry wit.

In this book Meg has decided to try to sell some of her swords while Michael caters to his fans of a show he's on. When the Queen Bee is found dead and Michael is suspect; Meg has to solve the mystery.

This is a funny book that made me laugh. It is a quick moving read. Well worth the money.

Enjoy.

I've been reading this series from the beginning and up until now have enjoyed all the books. This one was a misfire. The setting, at a hotel convention, was disturbing to the point of ugly. For no good reason, there were monkeys and parrots hovering in the rafters. The murder victim was a barely introduced but apparently miserable character. I didn't care "who done it." I plodded along anyway, but it took a long time to finish this book. Twice as long as any earlier book in the series. I hope the next one is better.

A wonderful entry in this series! These books are so spritely, so lighthearted, and so just plain fun that they are a joy to read. And this is one of the best of the group. Anyone who has attended a fan convention of any sort (sci-fi, comic book, writer's, tv, etc.) will be helpless with laughter as they recognize the types they've seen (and possibly themselves) at such events. Pure fun.