Leverage is a major fandom for me and I want to like the books badly. But I can't even finish this one. I really can't. One of my beloved characters has been kidnapped and we haven't heard from them in ages, and I am walking away because I can't stand my cringe level any longer.I'm rather suspicious that the author has much of any familiarity with the tv show, as characterization here is sketchy at best (Parker's led "a sheltered life"? Nate's easily emotionally vulnerable? Eliot's practically dimwitted, and whiny?). Elements like the Elliot/Hardison banter that the author focuses on so intently are nearly generic and begin to grate. Action sequences are described so badly that I frequently have to reread passages multiple times to piece together what's going on. Dialogue is often stilted. The prose is clunky. The basics of proper sentence structure can't be relied on to show up consistently. There's a hell of a lot of the author explaining characters rather than showing them via plot or behavior. Even the geek joy of watching Hardison attend Comic-con is used poorly and wears thin.I am fervently hoping that this was simply a rush job with the series' cancellation on the horizon, and that the books get better. I loved the tv show and was devastated to find out it had been cancelled but when I was informed the show would continue on, not only in the hearts of its fans, but in the form of a book series I immediately picked up the first of the series. The story starts out like a typical Leverage episode: the downtrodden is worn down by someone with more wealth, power and control then they, and in comes Nate and his team. I have read the first two and have the third book waiting to be picked up and I find I liked this book the best. Maybe I'm a bit biased, after all, I DO have a deep love and fondness for comics and some familiarity with the names dropped in the book and the Convention mentioned in the book, but I also found I much liked how Forbeck handled the introspective of the people (victim, the team AND the baddies all) to give us a better understanding of the actions and motives undertaken. My only issue would be the almost awkward explaining he gives of the Leverage team characters, those we have come to know and love and are already familiar with, but I forgave it as I realized he wasn't JUST writing a book for the fans who have been with the show since episode one but the new readers who picked up the book not knowing who Nate, Parker, Hardison,Elliot and Sophie were. All in all, a very good and promising start to a (hopefully) long running continuation of one of my most favorite shows.
What do You think about The Con Job (2012)?
i absolutely loved this book. it was hilarious and had many nerdy moments. it was perfect!
—Miss_dija
Read just like an episode of the show. Fun!
—nikki
