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Post by ripper on Oct 17, 2021 9:29:01 GMT
I like some of them. So many words for dancing around the hard facts. The later ones were tired, but a few of the early ones - regardless of the writer - were funny. I don't know if it is a British thing to use so many ways of avoiding describing the act itself, but, as you say, the Confessions books are crammed full of them. Well, over half way through Travel Courier now. Jonathan has taken a group of aged American tourists to St. Paul's and the Tower of London with fellow courier Miss Laid--many jokes made around her name. Jonathan and Miss Laid end up doing it in the cell where Sir Walter Raleigh was kept in the Tower and getting caught--exit Miss Laid from Colt Tours. Next, our hero escorts a group of Russians to Birmingham and gets it on with his Russian equivalent. The pace picks up when Jonathan is given the job of leading a tour of European capital cities, starting off with Rome. The character of Elizabeth James has made an appearance again--Elizabeth was the name of author Laurence James' wife, and they have been getting romantic in a dodgy Rome hotel room. The tour is being run with Sphere Tours and there are a list of tourists that I am sure were employees of Sphere at the time. There's also a dig at Futura where Christopher Wood moved to with his Timothy Lea series. Elizabeth James has left the tour in Rome and it has just arrived in Zurich, which May describes as looking like a large wedding reception. There are many bad jokes and puns, though LJ seems to have gotten into his stride since the tour started, and the story is flowing better.
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Post by dem bones on Oct 17, 2021 11:48:02 GMT
For reading, mentioning, and posting a cover image, I declare you both To Be Monsters! Lucky for us there's not been a new Sleazy Reader of late ...
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Post by andydecker on Oct 17, 2021 11:48:12 GMT
There's also a dig at Futura where Christopher Wood moved to with his Timothy Lea series. Yes, the supposed (?) joke I read in an LJ interview, I think, if Christopher would Jonathan may. Or was it the other way around? They liked their digs at publishing. Here is one I already posted on the Rosie Dixon thread. I still find it amusing, the beginning of Double Bed by Jonothan White. Still don't know who this was, but I guess the Jon othan is already a joke, as near a copyright enfringement as you safely can. Great party, isn't it?' Barrie nodded, mumbled agreement. From where he was sitting, there could be no denying it. In fact, if she moved her bottom even slightly to either side ā¦ 'Barrie! Barrie Patch!' A firm hand clapped down on his shoulder and he jerked backwards, almost unseating the nubile young thing who was using him for a cushion. Albeit a bumpy one. 'Glad you could make it! I see you youv'e met Stephanie.' Stephanie was his secretary. He was Nigel Taylor-Jones. Managing editor of Rocket Books. One of the most promising men of his generation, was Nigel. Whichever generation that was. One thing, though, it had been the generation that all went to Cambridge. Now they were all in publishing. Taking one another out to lunch to boost their expense accounts. Outbidding each other for the rights to the latest film about the Devil manifesting himself in the bosom of the upper middle class American family ā or the biggest and best plantation romance between a muscular slave aware of his roots and the soft and virginal daughter of the local gentry. Firsts in Eng.Lit., every one of them.
Apart from Stephanie. She hadn't been to Cambridge. She had other assets. If Barrie played his cards right he might get them stripped.
140 pages of this? I guess it was easier to describe how Herne put a big caliber bullet through some scum.
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Post by ripper on Oct 18, 2021 11:02:10 GMT
All done now. In Zurich, not a lot happens apart from Johnny setting light to a local's alpenhorn and suspecting the tour is a front to smuggle something into the UK.
In Amsterdam, Johnny finds himself unwittingly taking part in a live sex show.
Moving on to Paris, Johnny visits a sleazy night club and picks up a hot blonde. He takes her back to his hotel room and is shocked it is his sister, whom he had not recognised due to her thick make-up. Unfortunately, the owner of the club knocks on the door, gives our hero a thumping and reclaims Johnny's sister--his main go-go dancer at the club.
Back in London, Johnny discovers that Rupert Colt has done a bunk and is instructed to take the coach to a garage where he will be paid. I won't disclose the climax just in case (I can't believe I am writing this) anyone wants to read the book.
Well, it wasn't quite as bad as I feared, though I am glad it is over. I really find it difficult to understand how the series lasted so long. The Timmy Leas are not exactly regarded as high literature, but are head and shoulders above the Mays imo--a low bar, I know. I have now read 3 in the May series. I might read another from much later in the series at some time, but it isn't anywhere near being a priority. Give one a go if you feel like it, but don't expect much.
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