Genre: Humor/Thriller
Description:
“You think you got problems? Try being a rock star, mate.
It’s 1984, and lead singer Jack St James is on cloud nine. He’s met
the woman of his dreams and his rock band, Pirate, is on track to finish its
sold-out American tour in four days.
If only he hadn’t done some foolhardy things—things that threaten to
derail the end of the tour and wreck his plans to retire to the English
countryside. Namely, leaping from one hotel balcony to another eight stories
above the ground, attracting the attention of the mainstream news media, and
having his true identity revealed to the world.
Now his all-powerful father knows exactly where he is and will move
heaven and earth to punish him for calling himself ‘Jack.’ How dare he use the
name of his brother, his father’s heir and favored son who died a senseless and
terrible death? And how dare he shame his father by becoming a rock star,
instead of assuming his rightful place in English society?
As Jack and band manager Dunk batten down the hatches, little do they
know that they face not one but three rich and powerful men colluding to derail
the final concerts in the tour: Jack’s evil father, their coked-up A&R
executive, and a smarmy swami intent on kidnapping Jack’s new woman.
Jack is finally facing the enemy of a lifetime, one he cannot predict
or control, and the dream life he’s worked so hard to attain hangs in the
balance.”
Author:
“E.Z. (‘Easy’) Prine writes about the
escapades of Pirate, a fictional eighties hard rock band out of Manchester,
England. The Beatles’ appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964 sparked what
has become E.Z.’s lifelong devotion to ‘classic rock’ and fascination with
those luminaries we call rock stars.
The Pirate series is E.Z.’s love letter to
rock ’n’ roll and personal thank you to all the artists and supporting others
who brought this amazing contribution to our world. May we always rock on.”
For more visit the website for Pirate and
follow their Facebook page.
Appraisal:
Presumably you’ve read the first book in this series. If not, do that
and come back.
In my review of the first book in this series I mentioned that some
story threads were left open while others got tied up. This book, while the
second of what I believe is a trilogy (it is thus far for sure), brings the
major threads to a point where you don’t feel like you’re hanging from the
cliff. At least for a moment, things appear to have reached a resolution, but
with a third book out there, presumably this isn’t reality. Getting to that
point, the story chronicled in this book, is pretty intense. It is full of
humor, I’d say almost satirical and a bit over-the-top in the way it presents
the rock-and-roll lifestyle of a popular 80s rock band like the fictitious Pirate.
However, this volume also has some things that almost fit the thriller mode,
with lots of potential for things to go sideways for the protagonist and those
characters we care most about. Figuring out how to safely proceed and who is going
to help them rather than help their enemies is sometimes unclear, to both the
book’s characters and the reader.
Like the first book in the series, this was fun and entertaining. However,
you can also add intense to that description as Jack attempts to get through
this one last tour unscathed.
Buy now
from: Amazon US Amazon UK
FYI:
On my review of the first book in this series I suggested that adult
language and content was to be expected in a book focused on an 80s rock band.
If anything has changed in this second book in the series it is that this
happens more often. It falls well shy of erotica, but if the mention of grownup
things bothers you, this book isn’t for you.
While it might be possible to read this book and figure out what is
going on I’d advise against it. Instead, get the first book in the series and
read it first. Too many things going on that you’ll only half understand
otherwise.
Format/Typo
Issues:
No significant issues.
Rating: *****
Five Stars
Reviewed
by: BigAl
Approximate word count: 105-110,000 words
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