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The Perplexing Problem of the Porcelain Bandits
Alex Baker is underemployed and undermotivated, until a cop shows up at his door with strange news about his former housemate, Brent. This is a story of baseball cards, the Chinese Mafia, and many conversations over drinks. If John D. Macdonald and Chuck Klosterman had ever met in San Francisco and shared a few too many glasses of Plymouth, this is the novel they would have written together.
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First published August 30, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 25, 2012
Original Post: http://thefoundingfields.com/2012/01/...
The Perplexing Problem of the Porcelain Bandits is the first novel by Dan Johnson that I’ve read, and is a self-published one. Although I’m not a huge fan of self-published novels, the two that I’ve read (The Legend of Adam Caine and The Perplexing Problem…) have proven to be quite enjoyable so far. Hopefully this trend continues.
The novel itself is told entirely in the first person point of view of Adam Baker, your average Joe who is underemployed and under motivated. However, this changes when a Cop shows up at his door, with strange news about Brent, his mysterious former housemate, and we are soon thrust on a story that includes everything from Baseball Cards, the Chinese Mafia, and several conversations over drinks.
Alex Baker is of course, the main character of this novel, and is likeable, and won’t put you off from reading Johnson’s novel, for you will be rooting for him in this book. He’s easy to get behind, a believable character – and isn’t perfect. And, alongside Alex, there’s also his roommates, each of whom act and sound like real characters. In fact, most of the people in The Perplexing Problem of the Porcelain Bandits are well-thought out, and are all pretty realistic.
Alex himself is a pretty unique main character. He’s normal, for a change. He’s not a Super-Cop, he’s not a wizard, and he’s certainly no ‘Chosen One’. But then this isn’t fantasy that we’re talking about. The Perplexing Problem of the Porcelain Bandits is as close to reality as you’re likely to get in a novel, and that is partly why I enjoyed it, after all – it was a refreshing break from all the fantasy/science fiction that I had been reading recently.
Although you will find that the pacing is a bit slow, the novel itself is not designed to be a page-turner. It’s a slow-burning novel that leads you on a adventure through San Francisco, which has been fleshed out pretty damned well, I must say – as I learnt a lot about this American city despite actually being neither American, nor a resident of San Francisco. In fact, I’ve never visited the States in my life. But you don’t have to be a resident of San Francisco to enjoy this novel, although for those of you who are, I believe it is as close to an accurate description as you are probably going to get, so another plus for Johnson there. However, whilst Johnson revels in taking a reader on a guided tour of San Francisco, the pace may seem to slow down and become almost too slow for my liking, making it a real chore to get through the book no matter how much you enjoy the tour of the city.
If there’s another issue that I had with The Perplexing Problem of the Porcelain Bandits, and only a minor one, is that there are a few threads left hanging at the end of the book, a few unanswered questions that could perhaps lead to a sequel.
From what you’ve just read, you may be put off from reading this novel altogether. However, don’t be. There are several things that I liked about Johnson’s book despite the issues that it has above. Those, and the long title, which I felt could have been shortened a bit, although that’s just my opinion.
The Perplexing Problem of the Porcelain Bandits doesn’t contain any spelling mistakes or grammar errors that I spotted in my review copy, provided to me by Johnson – which is good as the novel itself is self-published.
Verdict: 3/5
The Perplexing Problem of the Porcelain Bandits is the first novel by Dan Johnson that I’ve read, and is a self-published one. Although I’m not a huge fan of self-published novels, the two that I’ve read (The Legend of Adam Caine and The Perplexing Problem…) have proven to be quite enjoyable so far. Hopefully this trend continues.
The novel itself is told entirely in the first person point of view of Adam Baker, your average Joe who is underemployed and under motivated. However, this changes when a Cop shows up at his door, with strange news about Brent, his mysterious former housemate, and we are soon thrust on a story that includes everything from Baseball Cards, the Chinese Mafia, and several conversations over drinks.
Alex Baker is of course, the main character of this novel, and is likeable, and won’t put you off from reading Johnson’s novel, for you will be rooting for him in this book. He’s easy to get behind, a believable character – and isn’t perfect. And, alongside Alex, there’s also his roommates, each of whom act and sound like real characters. In fact, most of the people in The Perplexing Problem of the Porcelain Bandits are well-thought out, and are all pretty realistic.
Alex himself is a pretty unique main character. He’s normal, for a change. He’s not a Super-Cop, he’s not a wizard, and he’s certainly no ‘Chosen One’. But then this isn’t fantasy that we’re talking about. The Perplexing Problem of the Porcelain Bandits is as close to reality as you’re likely to get in a novel, and that is partly why I enjoyed it, after all – it was a refreshing break from all the fantasy/science fiction that I had been reading recently.
Although you will find that the pacing is a bit slow, the novel itself is not designed to be a page-turner. It’s a slow-burning novel that leads you on a adventure through San Francisco, which has been fleshed out pretty damned well, I must say – as I learnt a lot about this American city despite actually being neither American, nor a resident of San Francisco. In fact, I’ve never visited the States in my life. But you don’t have to be a resident of San Francisco to enjoy this novel, although for those of you who are, I believe it is as close to an accurate description as you are probably going to get, so another plus for Johnson there. However, whilst Johnson revels in taking a reader on a guided tour of San Francisco, the pace may seem to slow down and become almost too slow for my liking, making it a real chore to get through the book no matter how much you enjoy the tour of the city.
If there’s another issue that I had with The Perplexing Problem of the Porcelain Bandits, and only a minor one, is that there are a few threads left hanging at the end of the book, a few unanswered questions that could perhaps lead to a sequel.
From what you’ve just read, you may be put off from reading this novel altogether. However, don’t be. There are several things that I liked about Johnson’s book despite the issues that it has above. Those, and the long title, which I felt could have been shortened a bit, although that’s just my opinion.
The Perplexing Problem of the Porcelain Bandits doesn’t contain any spelling mistakes or grammar errors that I spotted in my review copy, provided to me by Johnson – which is good as the novel itself is self-published.
Verdict: 3/5
February 9, 2012
The author sent me a copy of this novel to review and I liked the story but there were a few things that just didn't work for me.
First off, it's definitely not a page turner, but a slow burn. Most novels take me only a couple of days to finish, where this one took what seemed like forever. That's not a bad thing, but it is unusual for me.
One thing that stood out for me was the misuse of some words,especially 'livid' and 'irate'. When I picture someone who is livid, or irate, I picture steam coming out of their ears, red face, quivering with rage, furious. The author really liked these words in the novel, used them many times, quite often out of context. Like one conversation.
"I like it when I choose to dress nicely. I don’t like it when other people make me. You would understand if you actually owned any decent clothes. Your wardrobe makes me irate, you know. I have to take you shopping.”
“Shopping is not something I do,” I said.
“You make me irate,” he said, yawning. “Totally irate.”
“Seeya,” I said, and headed out the door.
I really can't picture someone who is "totally irate" (a synonym for livid) yawning, then 'ok cya later bud'(ad lib). It just didn't compute.
One other thing that I noticed was English-isms. I have never been to San Francisco but I'm pretty sure that Americans who live in San Francisco don't call a room mate a 'housemate'. I could be totally wrong but, it was another little thing that didn't compute.
I do have to give the author kudos for editing. This is a self published novel and I did not find one single spelling or grammar error, not one. That in itself is an accomplishment. Well Done!!
Having said that, this is not a bad story. Not in the least. If you are looking for something with twists, turns, mystery and a slowly developing plot that will fill some hours that would otherwise be boring, this is perfect. It also gives you a great view of San Francisco, which is really great for someone who has never been there.
First off, it's definitely not a page turner, but a slow burn. Most novels take me only a couple of days to finish, where this one took what seemed like forever. That's not a bad thing, but it is unusual for me.
One thing that stood out for me was the misuse of some words,especially 'livid' and 'irate'. When I picture someone who is livid, or irate, I picture steam coming out of their ears, red face, quivering with rage, furious. The author really liked these words in the novel, used them many times, quite often out of context. Like one conversation.
"I like it when I choose to dress nicely. I don’t like it when other people make me. You would understand if you actually owned any decent clothes. Your wardrobe makes me irate, you know. I have to take you shopping.”
“Shopping is not something I do,” I said.
“You make me irate,” he said, yawning. “Totally irate.”
“Seeya,” I said, and headed out the door.
I really can't picture someone who is "totally irate" (a synonym for livid) yawning, then 'ok cya later bud'(ad lib). It just didn't compute.
One other thing that I noticed was English-isms. I have never been to San Francisco but I'm pretty sure that Americans who live in San Francisco don't call a room mate a 'housemate'. I could be totally wrong but, it was another little thing that didn't compute.
I do have to give the author kudos for editing. This is a self published novel and I did not find one single spelling or grammar error, not one. That in itself is an accomplishment. Well Done!!
Having said that, this is not a bad story. Not in the least. If you are looking for something with twists, turns, mystery and a slowly developing plot that will fill some hours that would otherwise be boring, this is perfect. It also gives you a great view of San Francisco, which is really great for someone who has never been there.
September 2, 2011
Combine the questionable death of a mysterious young entrepreneur, his unemployed housemate with an open agenda, and an illicit toilet-making business and you’ve got a mystery book (self-published, at that!) bursting with San Francisco flavor and irresistible personality. Alex Baker, the newfound amateur detective, carries the story in his own haphazard way and I gladly wandered with him. With sharp dialogue, relevant humor, and a quirky cast of characters I found it difficult to put the book down. What struck me most often was the rich sense of place woven into each chapter. Almost every page offers a glimpse of the San Francisco scenery: the people, streets, neighborhoods, pubs, cafés, and conversation. I felt like pouring my own pitcher of Anchor Steam to complement the reading experience. In the end, the book’s conclusion leaves you wanting more of Alex Baker’s wit and good humor. I just hope the author has more mysteries in store for the young sleuth to solve.
May 2, 2011
If you love San Francisco and/or you love mysteries, you'll enjoy this book. The same is true if you like witty, clever writing and engaging characters. Alex, the main character, is a protagonist you don't see often--kind of cynical, extremely bright, with high expectations about how life could be, if only people didn't have the tendency to focus on the superficial. When his roommate dies suddenly, Alex is thrown into a bizarre series of circumstances that lead him on an investigative journey throughout San Francisco and results in the deepening of key relationships. Alex is interesting enough that it almost doesn't matter what story he's telling, but it happens that the story is thoroughly entertaining from beginning to end.
September 15, 2011
This is a first published book by the son of my oldest friend, so I may be prejudiced, but I don't think so. I laughed out loud often in this book about a young man living in San Francisco in a house with five house-mates. When one of his house-mates is murdered it begins the quest to find out who he really was, where are his parents, and why was he murdered. I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish. I read the book on my Kindle, but it's a paperback too.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews