terracottageek's review against another edition
5.0
I hope to read more of the man they call Braineater.
goobersmom57's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I’ve only ever read 1-2 zombie novels before and zero hard boiled detective novels, so this was quite unique and fresh for me. This was one of the most fun books I’ve read in quite some time. I wasn’t sure I was even going to enjoy it, but it was awesome! I really hope it becomes a series. This may be the worse comparison ever (I swear it’s a compliment though) but it somewhat reminded me of the Stephanie Plum novels with all the shenanigans going on and all the crazy characters and situations.
It was exactly the lighthearted and fun kind of read that I needed.
It was exactly the lighthearted and fun kind of read that I needed.
thomaswjoyce's review against another edition
4.0
A really fun mix of zombie and PI fiction. Following a zombie as he attempts to solve the mystery of his own death is even more entertaining than it sounds, thanks to Kozeniewski's funny descriptions and the voice of Jones' inner monologue. He created a fantastic world, full of prohibition-era criminals, dastardly dames, nefarious nazis, and ROBOTS (sort of, toward the end). It's a lot of fun.
ladilira's review against another edition
4.0
As a fan of Kozeniewski’s other work (Billy and The Cloneasaurus) I was excited to read his original debut novel Braineater Jones, a zombie, old school detective novel imbued with dark humor. I’ll admit I loved the originality. I am not much of a zombie fan girl, but Kozeniewski takes the zombism to a new level that felt fresh and thoroughly imaginative.
My favorite part of this book was the relationship between Braineater Jones and his bodiless partner in solving crimes, Alcibé. As a disturbing sidekick you will find a surprising amount of love for little Alcibé. The humorous banter that occurs between the two added an emotional depth to the story. A little bromance to warm the story up. I enjoy Kozeniewski’s humor, actually I kind of love it. I find his stories while dark and borderline repulsive, are at the same time comical and absurd in the best way.
If you like detective novels that remind you of a re-imagined Dick Tracy or undead Vertigo character Scottie, falling body parts, and waggish dialogue then I recommend this book. If you have a sense of humor that doesn’t mind the dark side then Kozeniewski will not disappoint.
Even his acknowledgments were fun to read and that is hardly ever true.
https://cellardoorbooks.wordpress.com/
My favorite part of this book was the relationship between Braineater Jones and his bodiless partner in solving crimes, Alcibé. As a disturbing sidekick you will find a surprising amount of love for little Alcibé. The humorous banter that occurs between the two added an emotional depth to the story. A little bromance to warm the story up. I enjoy Kozeniewski’s humor, actually I kind of love it. I find his stories while dark and borderline repulsive, are at the same time comical and absurd in the best way.
If you like detective novels that remind you of a re-imagined Dick Tracy or undead Vertigo character Scottie, falling body parts, and waggish dialogue then I recommend this book. If you have a sense of humor that doesn’t mind the dark side then Kozeniewski will not disappoint.
Even his acknowledgments were fun to read and that is hardly ever true.
https://cellardoorbooks.wordpress.com/
renee_conoulty's review against another edition
5.0
Braineater Joe woke up from the big sleep, discovered he was undead, but had no idea who he was. Set in the 1930's, in an alternate reality, where sentient zombies coexist with humans Braineater Joe put on his Private Eye hat and picked up a few detective jobs, so that he could pay for alcohol to keep his brain pickled enough to keep it functioning. He continued working on the side to uncover his own story too.
Written in a hardboiled noir detective style, you can imagine Humphrey Bogart with a gaping hole in his chest, and almost hear his drawl. Actually, I pretty much did! I listened to the audiobook and Steve Rimpici was amazing! He gave each of the characters a unique voice and portrayed Stephen Kozeniewski's dry humour flawlessly. I was smiling the whole way through and actually laughed out loud a few times. Not just an LOL that you type when you think something was funny, the one where your kids come over and ask you what you were laughing at (but you can't tell them because...well....severed heads and Shakespeare may not be quite as funny to 6 year olds)
Written in a hardboiled noir detective style, you can imagine Humphrey Bogart with a gaping hole in his chest, and almost hear his drawl. Actually, I pretty much did! I listened to the audiobook and Steve Rimpici was amazing! He gave each of the characters a unique voice and portrayed Stephen Kozeniewski's dry humour flawlessly. I was smiling the whole way through and actually laughed out loud a few times. Not just an LOL that you type when you think something was funny, the one where your kids come over and ask you what you were laughing at (but you can't tell them because...well....severed heads and Shakespeare may not be quite as funny to 6 year olds)
ctorretta's review
4.0
First, JUST LOOK at that cover! So many covers do not tell the story of what is inside the pages, even though a picture is supposed to be worth 1,000 words. Yeah, right. They always fail. This one? Epic job at bringing to mind what the book is going to be about.
Think The Walking Dead meets Jim Butcher. Gritty, intense, hilarious at times but gruesome always! Being a mystery I was curious if I would truly be able to enjoy it but with this kind of lead character and his snarkiness, I could not NOT enjoy it. (yes double negative equals a positive!)
This is the second book that I’ve read of Stephen’s and I have to say, I love his work. It’s intense and there is no pulling punches with the gore that is in his stuff. He’s laying it all out there but the gore isn’t just for the sake of having gore. It matches the story very well.
Full audio review coming to Audiobook Reviewer.com
Think The Walking Dead meets Jim Butcher. Gritty, intense, hilarious at times but gruesome always! Being a mystery I was curious if I would truly be able to enjoy it but with this kind of lead character and his snarkiness, I could not NOT enjoy it. (yes double negative equals a positive!)
This is the second book that I’ve read of Stephen’s and I have to say, I love his work. It’s intense and there is no pulling punches with the gore that is in his stuff. He’s laying it all out there but the gore isn’t just for the sake of having gore. It matches the story very well.
Full audio review coming to Audiobook Reviewer.com
bjswann's review against another edition
5.0
A hilarious mixture of noir and horror.
The titular character of Braineater Jones rises up as one of the living dead with no memory of his previous life and a hankering for booze, which he needs to consume to stop himself degenerating into a brain-eating monster. He’s forced to negotiate the perils of his condition whilst trying to find the answers to some burning questions, such as – just who was he, and why was he murdered?
This is a really fun book that should please fans of horror and noir. As a narrator, Braineater Jones is hilarious, and every page is crammed with wise cracks, cheeky similes, and period slang that really makes the character and his world come alive. Of course it’s not all just funny; there’s plenty of the horrific, the grotesque, and the downright bizarre in here as well, from intelligent undead foetuses to zombie hookers who rent out their severed body parts by the hour.
If the idea of zombie noir appeals to you, you can’t really go wrong with Braineater Jones. Go get your clammy dickbeaters on this thing!
The titular character of Braineater Jones rises up as one of the living dead with no memory of his previous life and a hankering for booze, which he needs to consume to stop himself degenerating into a brain-eating monster. He’s forced to negotiate the perils of his condition whilst trying to find the answers to some burning questions, such as – just who was he, and why was he murdered?
This is a really fun book that should please fans of horror and noir. As a narrator, Braineater Jones is hilarious, and every page is crammed with wise cracks, cheeky similes, and period slang that really makes the character and his world come alive. Of course it’s not all just funny; there’s plenty of the horrific, the grotesque, and the downright bizarre in here as well, from intelligent undead foetuses to zombie hookers who rent out their severed body parts by the hour.
If the idea of zombie noir appeals to you, you can’t really go wrong with Braineater Jones. Go get your clammy dickbeaters on this thing!
neilsb's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0