iam_griff's review against another edition
4.0
Ending the 5th book in Hap & Leonard. This book took on a much darker turn towards the last quarter of this book than in the previous books. There's isn't much of the usual humor, but you see some changes in Hap's life & the consequences of his & Leonard's abandonment in Mexico. Lansdale's writing is still amazing showing more depth in the characters of this series.
Onto the next book.
Onto the next book.
onetrackmind77's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
csdaley's review
5.0
I continue to enjoy Hap and Leonard a lot. This is one of my favorites of the series with many laugh out loud moments. I actually feel like the series is getting better with each book.
pbanditp's review
4.0
So you think the series is getting old and repetitive? Well here comes Captains Outrageous to let you know that Hap, Leonard and Jim Bob got more excitement and hilarity for you. You also get to see what happens when they really get pissed off.
martyfried's review against another edition
3.0
I'm not sure whether I'm just getting tired of this series or my expectations were raised after reading his excellent stand-along novel "The Bottoms", or maybe this one just was a bit of a dud, but I'm going to have to stick with only 3 stars for this one. It had a lot of good lines and unusual phrases that are typical of the stories, but the violence was pretty horrific, with plenty of descriptions. This killer liked to really get into his work, often subjecting his victims to terrible tortures to get information. Cutting off a finger was just a minor little thing for him, and if he doesn't need information, he might only kill you quickly. So, he deserved to die, but our dynamic duo seemed to contribute somewhat to some of the deaths, although not knowingly.
I'll likely read more of the series in the future, but not right away. However, I'll look for some of his stand-alone books.
I'll likely read more of the series in the future, but not right away. However, I'll look for some of his stand-alone books.
verkisto's review against another edition
3.0
I finished Rumble Tumble, Lansdale's fifth entry into the Hap & Leonard series, earlier this year as part of my Unfinished Series project. Given that the books weren't really part of a series as the rest of the books (they really just feature recurring characters, and aren't books that comprise a single story), I didn't see the need to track down the rest of the books in that series to finish them out. I figured I would get to them as I had the time, but then I was at the library picking up another book, and noticed that my branch -- one of the backwoods branches in a somewhat large district -- had four of the books right there. It's hard to pass up an opportunity like that.
Captains Outrageous is a fairly atypical Hap & Leonard novel, which is to say that it's full of characters that aren't somehow oddball and quirky. Considering that Rumble Tumble was populated with a smart-mouthed Little Person and an ex-reverend assassin, I was surprised to find a fairly normal cast of characters. We have Hap and Leonard, of course, but Leonard's boyfriend is a well-dressed guy who works at an aluminum chair factory, and the folks that Hap and Leonard encounter on their adventure are an older man who runs a fishing boat and his daughter, and then later they run into a rich asshole who's easy to despise, but he's otherwise normal. No one's missing limbs or appendages, no one has any weird physical deformity, and there are even fewer wise-ass attitudes present here. It's almost like I'm not even reading a Lansdale book!
The events that lead to Hap and Leonard's adventure this time are a bit random and convoluted, sort of like how most of the recent episodes of The Simpsons begin. Hap saves a woman from being beaten to death, who happens to be the daughter of the owner of the chicken processing plant where he and Leonard are working. Said father is so grateful that he gives Hap $100,000 and a month off for both Hap and Leonard, and the two of them are talked into taking a cruise by John, Leonard's boyfriend, even though neither one of them has ever really wanted to go on a cruise. But it's the cruise that takes them to Mexico, and it's in Mexico where this particular adventure really begins.
Anyone who's read the Hap & Leonard series, or anyone who has read any of Lansdale's fiction, will recognize this as another in a long line of Lansdale romps, but I can't say that this is his best effort. Along with the lack of the usual Lansdale weirdness, the plot just isn't as engaging. It's too loose, and the ending is anticlimactic. It's definitely not as bad as Lost Echoes, but it's not as good as Sunset and Sawdust, either (though that one is so good I should just stop comparing his other novels to it). I'd say it's probably on par with Leather Maiden -- fun and engaging to read, but largely forgettable and not indicative of what Lansdale can do when he's turned the gas on high.
Captains Outrageous is a fairly atypical Hap & Leonard novel, which is to say that it's full of characters that aren't somehow oddball and quirky. Considering that Rumble Tumble was populated with a smart-mouthed Little Person and an ex-reverend assassin, I was surprised to find a fairly normal cast of characters. We have Hap and Leonard, of course, but Leonard's boyfriend is a well-dressed guy who works at an aluminum chair factory, and the folks that Hap and Leonard encounter on their adventure are an older man who runs a fishing boat and his daughter, and then later they run into a rich asshole who's easy to despise, but he's otherwise normal. No one's missing limbs or appendages, no one has any weird physical deformity, and there are even fewer wise-ass attitudes present here. It's almost like I'm not even reading a Lansdale book!
The events that lead to Hap and Leonard's adventure this time are a bit random and convoluted, sort of like how most of the recent episodes of The Simpsons begin. Hap saves a woman from being beaten to death, who happens to be the daughter of the owner of the chicken processing plant where he and Leonard are working. Said father is so grateful that he gives Hap $100,000 and a month off for both Hap and Leonard, and the two of them are talked into taking a cruise by John, Leonard's boyfriend, even though neither one of them has ever really wanted to go on a cruise. But it's the cruise that takes them to Mexico, and it's in Mexico where this particular adventure really begins.
Anyone who's read the Hap & Leonard series, or anyone who has read any of Lansdale's fiction, will recognize this as another in a long line of Lansdale romps, but I can't say that this is his best effort. Along with the lack of the usual Lansdale weirdness, the plot just isn't as engaging. It's too loose, and the ending is anticlimactic. It's definitely not as bad as Lost Echoes, but it's not as good as Sunset and Sawdust, either (though that one is so good I should just stop comparing his other novels to it). I'd say it's probably on par with Leather Maiden -- fun and engaging to read, but largely forgettable and not indicative of what Lansdale can do when he's turned the gas on high.
doomfiction's review
3.0
I now see why people say this is the weaker of the bunch so far. I think it is written well and definitely has that Lansdale wit, but this didn't feel like a Hap and Leonard novel, it was more of a Hap and Jim Bob novel - which is still good, but just not as fun. I still thought it was a good read though.
lauriereadslohf's review against another edition
4.0
I’ve been listening to these Hap and Leonard books on audio and it’s been quite the experience. If you’ve never listened to the audio versions I recommend buying or borrowing copies. Narrator Phil Gigante does a terrific job of bringing these guys to life in all of their over the top glory and has a friendly, humorous, comforting southern drenched voice that I could listen to all the live long day. Captains Outrageous is book #6 in the series. I recommend reading them in order because this book does reference previous mishaps and mayhem from the previous books.
Leonard and Hap are two unlikely best friends who when together manage to get themselves in all sorts of dangerous, over-the-top situations. Leonard is big, black and gay while Hap is straight, white, very average in looks, brain-power and penis size. And they love each other like brothers. Their camaraderie and dialogue is something to behold. It’s usually vulgar and could be insulting if it weren’t so damn funny. Hap doesn’t understand Leonard’s sexual activities and Leonard feels the same about Hap’s attraction to a woman’s parts.
“I like a big dick. A big tit don’t really do you any good. You get to suck on it or whatever you heterosexuals do, roll it around in your palms or rub your head with it. Whatever. Frankly the thought of it kinda disgusts me. You’re not accomplishing anything there. Just buy a beach ball. Now a dick, there’s something got a purpose.”
Hap starts off the book a little morose. He’s lost his love and is working at a chicken slaughterhouse. The only thing he’s got going for him is his sense of humor and the fact that Leonard is working at the same crappy job and they get to spend some time chit chatting after their shifts. When leaving work one night Hap hears a female scream, witnesses a young lady being attacked and recklessly chases down the culprit. Apparently Hap hadn’t read [b:The Summer I Died|891472|The Summer I Died|Ryan C. Thomas|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1179233761s/891472.jpg|876713] because he might’ve thought twice about following up on the scream. Regardless, he saves the girls life because he’s a good guy and his rescue sets off a series of events that will find Hap and Leonard in Mexico where they, of course, find trouble, violence and lots of dead bodies.
This story moves along at a good clip with plenty of raunchy humor and a dark streak of mean but somewhere after they return from the mess in Mexico I felt like it should have been over. Things were getting wrapped up, it seemed, but then more very bad things happen and they return to clean up their mess and the book starts to drag a bit. Maybe I had just had enough of the mayhem and death at that point? I’m not sure but I do know my attention started to drift and for that reason this one squeaks by at four stars and that's because the humor and narration were done so well.
Leonard and Hap are two unlikely best friends who when together manage to get themselves in all sorts of dangerous, over-the-top situations. Leonard is big, black and gay while Hap is straight, white, very average in looks, brain-power and penis size. And they love each other like brothers. Their camaraderie and dialogue is something to behold. It’s usually vulgar and could be insulting if it weren’t so damn funny. Hap doesn’t understand Leonard’s sexual activities and Leonard feels the same about Hap’s attraction to a woman’s parts.
“I like a big dick. A big tit don’t really do you any good. You get to suck on it or whatever you heterosexuals do, roll it around in your palms or rub your head with it. Whatever. Frankly the thought of it kinda disgusts me. You’re not accomplishing anything there. Just buy a beach ball. Now a dick, there’s something got a purpose.”
Hap starts off the book a little morose. He’s lost his love and is working at a chicken slaughterhouse. The only thing he’s got going for him is his sense of humor and the fact that Leonard is working at the same crappy job and they get to spend some time chit chatting after their shifts. When leaving work one night Hap hears a female scream, witnesses a young lady being attacked and recklessly chases down the culprit. Apparently Hap hadn’t read [b:The Summer I Died|891472|The Summer I Died|Ryan C. Thomas|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1179233761s/891472.jpg|876713] because he might’ve thought twice about following up on the scream. Regardless, he saves the girls life because he’s a good guy and his rescue sets off a series of events that will find Hap and Leonard in Mexico where they, of course, find trouble, violence and lots of dead bodies.
This story moves along at a good clip with plenty of raunchy humor and a dark streak of mean but somewhere after they return from the mess in Mexico I felt like it should have been over. Things were getting wrapped up, it seemed, but then more very bad things happen and they return to clean up their mess and the book starts to drag a bit. Maybe I had just had enough of the mayhem and death at that point? I’m not sure but I do know my attention started to drift and for that reason this one squeaks by at four stars and that's because the humor and narration were done so well.
guiltyfeat's review
4.0
Unrelentingly vulgar, violent and fun. It seems like Hap and Leonard might be settling down. You have to figure that might not turn out so great for their respective partners.
kleonard's review
3.0
Hap and Leonard go to Mexico, make unexpected friends, and then have to kill people who killed those friends. Ok for an afternoon's read.