sjj169's review against another edition
4.0
This might be the most epic male buddy book I've read. Well, if all the buddies are somewhat lacking in the smarts dept.
You have Harry Schmittburger, a down on his luck loser who just gets by day to day in his job as a prison guard. Ricky, a hard luck guy with a wife and young daughter-he ends up causing heartbreak wherever he goes and Frank, an elderly Indian dying from cancer. When Frank tells the crew about his grandfather's stories about gold in the Big Maria mine, they all know their luck has to change. They decide to go ahead and go for it. Even if it is in the middle of a military training range.
There are several things that I've learned from reading a Johnny Shaw book:
1. If you are two stoners that have decided to build a moat around your property, filled with barbed wire and dog shit smeared spears, chances are if you can get over it. Other people also can.
2. I'm going to be more careful with my drinking choices. Why?
You know when you get high and Nacho Doritos sound better than a lady hole? Or at least as good? Shooting at things, firing a gun at cans and bottles, and signs and furry animals, that's the Doritos of alcohol. GI Joe down there, he's wasted. I'm thinking tequila. Definitely not red wine. Red wine makes you more stabby.
3. If you get lost in the desert with your crazy mom. Eating moto aka weed as a salad may not be a better choice.
4.When one of your friends tells you that bringing the dead guys head on a trip could be bad mojo..He might be right.
5. Reading one of Shaw's books will cause you to laugh very hard. My throat is actually sore this time because my stupid ass got choked laughing and I coughed my head off.
Totally worth it though.
You have Harry Schmittburger, a down on his luck loser who just gets by day to day in his job as a prison guard. Ricky, a hard luck guy with a wife and young daughter-he ends up causing heartbreak wherever he goes and Frank, an elderly Indian dying from cancer. When Frank tells the crew about his grandfather's stories about gold in the Big Maria mine, they all know their luck has to change. They decide to go ahead and go for it. Even if it is in the middle of a military training range.
There are several things that I've learned from reading a Johnny Shaw book:
1. If you are two stoners that have decided to build a moat around your property, filled with barbed wire and dog shit smeared spears, chances are if you can get over it. Other people also can.
2. I'm going to be more careful with my drinking choices. Why?
You know when you get high and Nacho Doritos sound better than a lady hole? Or at least as good? Shooting at things, firing a gun at cans and bottles, and signs and furry animals, that's the Doritos of alcohol. GI Joe down there, he's wasted. I'm thinking tequila. Definitely not red wine. Red wine makes you more stabby.
3. If you get lost in the desert with your crazy mom. Eating moto aka weed as a salad may not be a better choice.
4.When one of your friends tells you that bringing the dead guys head on a trip could be bad mojo..He might be right.
5. Reading one of Shaw's books will cause you to laugh very hard. My throat is actually sore this time because my stupid ass got choked laughing and I coughed my head off.
Totally worth it though.
happy_hiker's review
2.0
I picked this up because I was in the mood for something different than what I had been reading/listening to, and thought this could be fun. And though there were many bits that were funny, I never really became engaged in the book -- I listened to the whole thing and at the end was a little sad because I had invested nine hours of time in this when I have so many other books on my list. I can't really pinpoint what didn't work for me, so this review will be helpful to no one, but maybe I just wasn't in the mood for a caper.
w88mul's review against another edition
5.0
This is a proper story. I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone who appreciates good writing. I was given this book as a good reads giveaway and was completely drawn in to the lives of the characters. The story shocked me at times, made me laugh out loud in places, and cringe in pain at times. Even while I wad still reading it I was thinking about who I would lend it too next. There are few books I have read that I have enjoyed more. I must get a copy of Dove Season!
whatmeworry's review against another edition
4.0
Big Maria is a thoroughly entertaining tail of 3 no hopers on an unlikely treasure hunt. It's laugh out loud funny, exciting and moving by turns and proves that characters don't have to be likeable to be engaging. I really liked it.
nkmeyers's review against another edition
5.0
A good read for sure - this book's got it all - alcohol, drugs, crime, action, adventure, humor, pathos, donkeys and many name brand snacks.
craigwallwork's review
4.0
Shaw as a wicked sense of humour and flexes it well in this story of three hapless dreamers on a quest to find an old mine and the gold hidden within. In the hands of a less competent writer, this farce could have become too ludicrous to stomach, however, it had enough pathos and well formed characters that like Harry, Ricky and Frank, you find yourself suspending disbelief and going on the journey freely and with hope in your heart.
jmoses's review
5.0
This was an excellent book. Fast paced and (at times) touching and hilarious. Just go read it.
silverthistle5b786's review
5.0
I just loved this! Such a brilliant story, really well written and hilarious too. Everything about this just all adds up to a fabulous read.
Three lovable rogues. Harry, Ricky and Frank. Harry, Prison Guard on disability - trying to con disability payments from his employer. Ricky, unemployed - Drives the drug bus (driving the elderly from the seniors home across the border into Mexico to get cheap prescriptions) to make ends meet. Frank, elderly Native American - rides the drug bus. They team up to try and find Big Maria, an abandoned Gold mine in the center of an artillery proving ground and it's just one catastrophe after another while they try to get there. The dialogue, the plot, the characters and secondary characters...it's just all brilliant!!
This is just crying out to be made into a movie and I'd pay good money to watch it. I hope someone has the good sense to make that happen. It's very worthy.
If you like your humour on the dark site, don't mind frequent mentions of bodily fluids and copious amounts of swearing then this is definitely the book for you. It's a cracking read and so well done. I can't fault it.
I'll read anything Johnny Shaw writes from now on.
*Note - I was sent a copy of this by the publisher*
Three lovable rogues. Harry, Ricky and Frank. Harry, Prison Guard on disability - trying to con disability payments from his employer. Ricky, unemployed - Drives the drug bus (driving the elderly from the seniors home across the border into Mexico to get cheap prescriptions) to make ends meet. Frank, elderly Native American - rides the drug bus. They team up to try and find Big Maria, an abandoned Gold mine in the center of an artillery proving ground and it's just one catastrophe after another while they try to get there. The dialogue, the plot, the characters and secondary characters...it's just all brilliant!!
This is just crying out to be made into a movie and I'd pay good money to watch it. I hope someone has the good sense to make that happen. It's very worthy.
If you like your humour on the dark site, don't mind frequent mentions of bodily fluids and copious amounts of swearing then this is definitely the book for you. It's a cracking read and so well done. I can't fault it.
I'll read anything Johnny Shaw writes from now on.
*Note - I was sent a copy of this by the publisher*
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