Customer Reviews

Fearless Fourteen: A Stephanie Plum Novel

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Thirteen was not up to the rest of the series, and fourteen is even worse. The great fun of the series is the humor. THis is achieved by having the stories character driven as opposed to plot driven. We never really cared what Stephanie was up to. What we cared about was how she dealt, or did not deal, with the situations she was in. And we cared about how she interacted with her family, espercially grandma, and we loved the tension between Morelli and Ranger.

We get almost none of that in this book. This book is plot driven and stephanie has to deal with the plot, so most of the characters, even Grandma and Morelli and Ranger become almost cardboard.

If you start the series here you may find the book better than I did, but if you have been reading the series from book one, you will probably agree that this book does not measure up.

If you like a little fun with your novels, Fearless Fourteen is a worthy addition to the legend of Stephanie Plum, bond enforcement agent. But the strength of the novel can be found in the fundamental love and sympathy that Stephanie feels for everyone.

The book has several major plot lines: The primary one involves people breaking into Morelli's house and digging in his yard . . . not to mention leaving behind a dead body; a secondary one involves Lula deciding she wants to get married to Tank; another secondary one has a sixty-ish singer named Brenda needing to be kept away from booze, pills, and younger men; another secondary one includes Stephanie picking up babysitting duties when a woman she takes in cannot get re-bonded. Along the way, there are significant appearances by Ranger and Grandma Mazur to keep things interesting.

The goofiness shows up right on schedule on every page. You are hit with gags so fast that sometimes you are still laughing over the last one when you hit the next one: That can be painful to the solar plexus!

The book has some weaknesses that keep it from being outstanding. Except for some occasional suggestive talk, Stephanie doesn't come close to being overwhelmed by her attraction to Ranger. Whenever Stephanie isn't on sexual tenterhooks between the two men, the stories just don't seem to work as well. I also found Morelli's fairly laid-back reactions to his life being overrun to be out of character . . . and stealing away some of the potential comic energy. There's also a lot of speculation about what Morelli did or didn't do in high school that seems neither here nor there. The story also has a plot complication involving some clues that need to be kept cold that is never adequately resolved.

If you are a fan of this series you are in for a shock. I honestly can't believe the same person who wrote the previous 13 books wrote this one. I am so sorry to see my favorite characters so changed. I think the series ended with number 12. Its been a great ride but this reader is getting off the train before anymore damage can be done. Good luck stephanie (now going toward being a boring burb wife)

Well this book was a real disappointment, it just wasn't funny. There was probably one part in the entire book where I laughed. No cars got blown up and Stephanie didn't take out any of Ranger's men. It's almost like someone else wrote this book. I've read the entire series including all the in-between the numbers books and this one is by far the worst.

If you'be read and like the rest of the series, don't buy this one you'll just be disapointed. It's just awful.

This is the fourteenth book in this series..and it is just as fun and funny as all of her previous books...Such an easy and fun read...
I'll keep reading them as them come along..Great..

Awesome as always, Hilarious from front to back, I never tire of Stephanie and her side kicks

If you like a little fun with your novels, Fearless Fourteen is a worthy addition to the legend of Stephanie Plum, bond enforcement agent. But the strength of the novel can be found in the fundamental love and sympathy that Stephanie feels for everyone.

The book has several major plot lines: The primary one involves people breaking into Morelli's house and digging in his yard . . . not to mention leaving behind a dead body; a secondary one involves Lula deciding she wants to get married to Tank; another secondary one has a sixty-ish singer named Brenda needing to be kept away from booze, pills, and younger men; another secondary one includes Stephanie picking up babysitting duties when a woman she takes in cannot get re-bonded. Along the way, there are significant appearances by Ranger and Grandma Mazur to keep things interesting.

The goofiness shows up right on schedule on every page. You are hit with gags so fast that sometimes you are still laughing over the last one when you hit the next one: That can be painful to the solar plexus!

The book has some weaknesses that keep it from being outstanding. Except for some occasional suggestive talk, Stephanie doesn't come close to being overwhelmed by her attraction to Ranger. Whenever Stephanie isn't on sexual tenterhooks between the two men, the stories just don't seem to work as well. I also found Morelli's fairly laid-back reactions to his life being overrun to be out of character . . . and stealing away some of the potential comic energy. There's also a lot of speculation about what Morelli did or didn't do in high school that seems neither here nor there. The story also has a plot complication involving some clues that need to be kept cold that is never adequately resolved.

First let me say I've read all 14 books and the 2 in between the numbers books, as well as 3 others of Evanovich's novels and while some of this one was amusing. i.e. Joe waking up in the middle of the night to find half the "burg" digging up his backyard looking for the stolen money; but the moments are few and far between.
Ok I did think it was hysterical that Stephanie was in bathroom of a house being bombed as she couldn't hold it while on a stake out ~~ who but Ms. Plum would go into the suspect's house to relieve herself and almost get blown up.
But there were serious lackings in this book and not alot of consistancy with the other books. Too little Ranger, and too much Joe makes the triangle fade and they become like every dysfunctional family in the "burg". Enough of the dog poo jokes and let's get back to Ranger and how hot he makes Stephanie.
I did enjoy her friend Lula the former 'ho with Tank, but I feel pushing the marriage thing was too much. They were more fun when everyone was wondering why they were together.

As another reviewer has stated, I find the shine went off the series after number 12, which was definitely the best! Then pumping out these books about every 6 months to a year would be a daunting task for anyone! Take your time and write the characters and their reactions more than some convoluted plot that have even the most ardent fan thinking ...Eh???
Take a look at number 10 and 12 and see that I mean they are the 2 books that are the stars of this series!

I have been a fan of this series for a long time because it makes me laugh until tears roll down my face. This does not mean it is great literature but I think the author does what she sets out to do, very, very well. And you can't really ask for more.

Stephanie Plum is back in her fourteenth adventure in this series from Janet Evanovich.

For those of you who haven't hear of Stephanie Plum - well, you're missing out on a laugh out loud read.

Stephanie works works for her cousin Vinnie as a bond enforcement agent in Trenton, New Jersey. Her sidekick Lula is a former ' ho with a penchant for for spandex two sizes too small. Her boyfriend Morelli is a local cop. Stephanie also moonlights for Ranger, who owns a security firm. But best of all ( in my opinion) is Stephanie's family - especially Grandma Mazur. Her antics are hilarious.

Fearless Fourteen finds Joe's cousin Dom released from jail. Dom wants to lay his hands on the loot he stashed from a bank robbery - the reason he was in jail. The problem is - Dom's partners want their share too. Everyone thinks the key to finding the loot is in Morelli's house. And the ex partners think that kidnapping Dom's sister Loretta might trigger some action. This leaves her teenage son Zook with no parental figure. Joe and Stephanie take him in. Throw in Moondog (from previous tales), Gary the Stalker, Brenda the aging songstress, Bob the dog and it's really just non stop crazy situations.

The snappy one liners, the sexual tension between Stephanie, Joe and Ranger, Grandma's antics, and the lives of the folks in the 'Burg' all add up to a rollicking good read.

Although they can be read on their own, reading them in order (start with One for the Money) will give you the most enjoyment.

Pure entertainment reading that won't take you too much time but will deliver lots of laughs.