Scan barcode
misterjay's review against another edition
4.0
Like a lot of thrillers, Mucho Mojo starts with a body. Leonard Pine's uncle Chester has died and he enlists the support of his friend Hap Collins to help him go through Chester's things. Things are going well until the pair of friends make a gruesome discovery in a box beneath Chester's house. The resulting investigation into the box's contents, how they got there, and why make for an intriguing mystery.
Mucho Mojo starts off slow, letting the setting (east Texas) and season (summer) build in the readers mind as Hap and Leonard interact with the community in which Uncle Chester lived. They meet the drug dealing thugs in the house next door and the kindly old lady across the street. They get involved with a lawyer and the police and church officials. As the story progresses, each of these characters is shifted onto one side or the other until a clear division of who is siding with Hap and Leonard and who is siding against them can be seen. That's when the story kicks into high gear, with plenty of fights and revelations along the way.
The slow boil of a plot does the novel a great service in allowing the setting and characters to be fully realized. At the same time, there is a lot of time given over to Hap's internal dialogue and how he is feeling that particular day. These monologues about the women he's been with and how life has lead both him and Leonard to this point can get a little tedious, making the reader wish for another fight or at least more of the banter between Hap and Leonard instead.
Because it is the banter between these two life long friends, one white and straight, the other black and gay, that makes the novel shine. Hap's wit and creative use of the language is contrasted with Leonard's dry, sarcastic humor to show the deep affection between them even through their words are little but insults and put downs littered with rural metaphors and aphorisms.
A last note about the edition I "read": The Audible edition of the book is read by Phil Gigante. Mr. Gigante gives Hap a slow drawl and Leonard a deep growl that provide a welcome dimension to the already well written characters. It appears that Mr. Gigante has read all seven of the Hap and Leonard books currently available from Audible; I look forward to listening to them all.
Mucho Mojo starts off slow, letting the setting (east Texas) and season (summer) build in the readers mind as Hap and Leonard interact with the community in which Uncle Chester lived. They meet the drug dealing thugs in the house next door and the kindly old lady across the street. They get involved with a lawyer and the police and church officials. As the story progresses, each of these characters is shifted onto one side or the other until a clear division of who is siding with Hap and Leonard and who is siding against them can be seen. That's when the story kicks into high gear, with plenty of fights and revelations along the way.
The slow boil of a plot does the novel a great service in allowing the setting and characters to be fully realized. At the same time, there is a lot of time given over to Hap's internal dialogue and how he is feeling that particular day. These monologues about the women he's been with and how life has lead both him and Leonard to this point can get a little tedious, making the reader wish for another fight or at least more of the banter between Hap and Leonard instead.
Because it is the banter between these two life long friends, one white and straight, the other black and gay, that makes the novel shine. Hap's wit and creative use of the language is contrasted with Leonard's dry, sarcastic humor to show the deep affection between them even through their words are little but insults and put downs littered with rural metaphors and aphorisms.
A last note about the edition I "read": The Audible edition of the book is read by Phil Gigante. Mr. Gigante gives Hap a slow drawl and Leonard a deep growl that provide a welcome dimension to the already well written characters. It appears that Mr. Gigante has read all seven of the Hap and Leonard books currently available from Audible; I look forward to listening to them all.
scheu's review against another edition
5.0
I don't have anything pithy to say about Lansdale's books. At this point I would gladly read all of them. They make me very happy. I am fascinated at two average guys doing good in the middle of nowhere. It's all so genuine. Get off your butts and read these books.
sandin954's review against another edition
2.0
I liked the two main characters and rural East Texas setting but the plot was not my favorite type and I thought there was a bit too much soapboxing. Narration was done by Phil Gigante who did a great low bass voice for Leonard and a nice easy going drawl for Hap which fit the characters perfectly.
dantastic's review against another edition
5.0
When Leonard's Uncle Chester dies and leaves him a house, Hap and Leonard move in in order to fix it up and find a child's skeleton wrapped in a porno mag. Was Uncle Chester a child predator or was someone else the killer? And does it have anything to do with the crackhouse next door?
2014 Reread
Here we are, the second book in Joe Lansdale's redneck noir adventures of Hap Collins and Leonard Pine. While I had vague recollections of reading this sometime around the turn of the century, it was mostly a new book.
Leonard's Uncle Chester dies so the boys pack up and head to LaBorde to settle his affairs. While repairing his house, they stumble upon a child's skeleton and uncover a wasp's nest of religious-themed serial killing that has been going on for decades.
While the first book wasn't quite firing on all cylinders, this one roared down the track like one of those crazy tractors with four or five engines on it. Hap and Leonard's investigations come from the Spenser school of walking around, pissing people off, and eventually having the case come together in the midst of some bloodshed.
Some longtime supporting cast members were introduced in this volume, like Marvin Hanson and Florida. Marvin is also the star of Act of Love, a Lansdale that I still have yet to read but own at least two copies of. Like most of the early Hap and Leonard's, Hap and Leonard do a lot of philosophizing when they're not cracking wise or cracking skulls. This may account for the brevity of later volumes when Hap isn't such a bleeding heart. Also, this is the first time Leonard burns down a crackhouse, something that happens at least two more times in the series if I remember correctly.
The mystery is fairly intricate. I guessed part of it, both the first time and this time but forgot some of the wrinkles. I guess I'm lucky I remembered the details that I did considering it's probably been over a decade since I first read it. In fact, if the girlfriend I'd let borrow this book sometime years ago hadn't left a couple post-its in the book with notes on them, I probably would have been a little further afield than I was when all the shit went down.
Funny thing, I completely forgot about one character's death and was surprised when another one lived. Like I've said before, old books magically become new books once enough time passes.
Lansdale's really shows his chops in this one, writing like a backwoods Elmore Leonard. When the killers are revealed, their motives make a certain amount of sense, to me and Hap, at least. Leonard's not as kind was we are. The contrasting personalities of Hap and Leonard set them a cut above other buddy teams for my money.
Mucho Mojo is one of the best books of one of my favorite series. Five out of five stars.
2014 Reread
Here we are, the second book in Joe Lansdale's redneck noir adventures of Hap Collins and Leonard Pine. While I had vague recollections of reading this sometime around the turn of the century, it was mostly a new book.
Leonard's Uncle Chester dies so the boys pack up and head to LaBorde to settle his affairs. While repairing his house, they stumble upon a child's skeleton and uncover a wasp's nest of religious-themed serial killing that has been going on for decades.
While the first book wasn't quite firing on all cylinders, this one roared down the track like one of those crazy tractors with four or five engines on it. Hap and Leonard's investigations come from the Spenser school of walking around, pissing people off, and eventually having the case come together in the midst of some bloodshed.
Some longtime supporting cast members were introduced in this volume, like Marvin Hanson and Florida. Marvin is also the star of Act of Love, a Lansdale that I still have yet to read but own at least two copies of. Like most of the early Hap and Leonard's, Hap and Leonard do a lot of philosophizing when they're not cracking wise or cracking skulls. This may account for the brevity of later volumes when Hap isn't such a bleeding heart. Also, this is the first time Leonard burns down a crackhouse, something that happens at least two more times in the series if I remember correctly.
The mystery is fairly intricate. I guessed part of it, both the first time and this time but forgot some of the wrinkles. I guess I'm lucky I remembered the details that I did considering it's probably been over a decade since I first read it. In fact, if the girlfriend I'd let borrow this book sometime years ago hadn't left a couple post-its in the book with notes on them, I probably would have been a little further afield than I was when all the shit went down.
Funny thing, I completely forgot about one character's death and was surprised when another one lived. Like I've said before, old books magically become new books once enough time passes.
Lansdale's really shows his chops in this one, writing like a backwoods Elmore Leonard. When the killers are revealed, their motives make a certain amount of sense, to me and Hap, at least. Leonard's not as kind was we are. The contrasting personalities of Hap and Leonard set them a cut above other buddy teams for my money.
Mucho Mojo is one of the best books of one of my favorite series. Five out of five stars.
rocketiza's review against another edition
2.0
The massive drop in quality from the first book in the series was disappointing to say the least. Way too overly preachy, with social issues feeling very forced, including the romantic sub arc that didn't make any sense. On a positive note, can't wait to use the line "since I was head high to a cockerspaniel's balls."
annvsted87's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
safa_k's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
merrysociopath's review against another edition
4.0
Esattamente quello che mi aspettavo da un thriller di Joe Lansdale. Una storia davvero avvincente che va a toccare il tema del male - il male peggiore, quello contro gli innocenti, in questo caso i bambini - ma parla di striscio anche di grandi argomenti sociali quali la questione della razza negli Stati Uniti. Il tutto unito a due protagonisti che se non sono mitici poco ci manca, ossia i meritatamente famosi Hap e Leonard.
L'unica nota negativa riguarda la traduzione italiana, che definire pessima è farle un complimento. A Curtoni vorrei soltanto dire che l'intercalare "man" non si traduce letteralmente con "uomo" (raccapricciante) ma con "amico". Dover letteralmente interrompere la lettura perché si incappa in errori di questo genere non è bello.
L'unica nota negativa riguarda la traduzione italiana, che definire pessima è farle un complimento. A Curtoni vorrei soltanto dire che l'intercalare "man" non si traduce letteralmente con "uomo" (raccapricciante) ma con "amico". Dover letteralmente interrompere la lettura perché si incappa in errori di questo genere non è bello.
iam_griff's review against another edition
4.0
After finishing the second book in Joe R. Lansdale’s “Hap & Leonard” series I realise that the humour is amazing & the writing is is better. There’s a style that Lansdale has that makes these two east Texas characters just work in this series. I watched the TV series, or the first season at least & it wasn’t as fun as these books are.
I will encourage anyone that enjoys a good mystery with a touch of redneck humour this series is worth your time.
I will encourage anyone that enjoys a good mystery with a touch of redneck humour this series is worth your time.
bunnieslikediamonds's review against another edition
5.0
I love Hap & Leonard so much I don't care much about the plot. The plot was great, but I'd read these novels even if was just the two of them sitting on the porch, nurturing their bromance.