Heat Wave

[vr_trakowski]

As a tie-in novel, Heat Wave (the Castle spin-off) is surprisingly good, with strong characterizations and a nice complicated mystery. There’s plenty of wit and twists, and while it’s short enough to make the cover price a bit outrageous, it’s fun and a very decent read.

As what it’s pretending to be, however, it fails utterly. The characters that are supposed to be inspired by the police folks are basically copies with the names changed. And the author offers almost no physical description of them at all. Nikki Heat is supposed to be young and sexy, but there’s nothing to tell the reader that. It’s a glaring omission for what’s supposed to be a debut novel.

It’s still fun and full of inside jokes, though, and I recommend it--though you might want to check your library rather than paying the full price.

Comments

[smacky30.livejournal.com]

I bought it because I couldn't NOT buy it. Curiosity was killing me. ITA with your statements here. It is fun and quick reading - but it does lack a lot of things that would make it great. My one question is who REALLY wrote it.

[vr-trakowski.livejournal.com]

Hee! It's a well-kept secret, it seems. I was rather impressed with the overall quality of the writing, I have to admit, compared to say, the guy who does the CSI tie-ins. And it appears that Mr. Fillion is enjoying the pretend enormously.

I wonder if they'll do another one. Of course, they could turn them out much faster than the show could produce 'em...

[smacky30.livejournal.com]

A friend and I were talking and we found it odd that both Stephen Cannell and James Patterson have been on the show and that both of them are on the jacket with 'reviews'. Makes me wonder if maybe they actually wrote it as a collaboration. Just a thought. I don't know if another one would go over as well but you never know. :D

[vr-trakowski.livejournal.com]

I don't know--I don't read their stuff. I wonder if it will ever be revealed!