Honky Tonk Samurai Audiobook By Joe R. Lansdale cover art

Honky Tonk Samurai

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Honky Tonk Samurai

By: Joe R. Lansdale
Narrated by: Christopher Ryan Grant
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Now the basis of the new series on SundanceTV.

Only Hap and Leonard would catch a cold case with hot cars, hot women, and ugly skinheads.

The story starts simply enough when Hap, a former '60s activist and self-proclaimed white trash rebel, and Leonard, a tough black, gay Vietnam vet and Republican with an addiction to Dr. Pepper, are working a freelance surveillance job in East Texas. The uneventful stakeout is coming to an end when the pair witness a man abusing his dog. Leonard takes matters into his own fists, and now the bruised dog abuser wants to press charges.

One week later, a woman named Lilly Buckner drops by their new PI office with a proposition: Find her missing granddaughter, or she'll turn in a video of Leonard beating the dog abuser. The pair agrees to take on the cold case and soon discover that the used car dealership where her granddaughter worked is actually a front for a prostitution ring. The mystery of her disappearance only deepens from there.

Filled with Lansdale's trademark whip-smart dialogue, relentless pacing, and unorthodox characters, Honky Tonk Samurai is a rambunctious thrill ride by one hell of a writer.

©2016 Joe R. Lansdale (P)2016 Hachette Audio Mystery Private Investigators Suspense Thriller & Suspense

Critic reviews

"Employing an East Texas drawl, narrator Christopher Grant ably gives voice to the mismatched investigators and their longtime friends and allies, along with ne'er-do-wells.... Grant's laconic delivery helps provide a Dust Bowl feel to this suspenseful production, right through its twist of an ending." ( AudioFile)
Engaging Storyline • Entertaining Adventure • Decent Performance • Unique Characters • Riveting Mystery • Crazy Idioms
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Joe R. Lansdale is an outstanding author. the stories are riveting and engaging. BUT! They changed the narrator from Phil Gilgante to Christopher Ryan Grant. It didn't even remotely feel like the same characters or story.

Great story! Narrator was changed!

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This guy needs to narrate the other Hap & Lenord books that he has not yet read. especially for the sake of bringing Jim Bob Luke to life. other narrators do nothing for jim bob ! it's so obvious. I feel like I'm missing out not being able to hear Christopher Ryan Grant narrate bad chilli, two bear mambo, rumble tumble & the rest. please Mr Lansdale, take this into consideration.

great

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I missed Phil Gigante, but adjusted. I wanted to wait until the next book was out (I hate waiting).
Again, Hap and Leonard sets out to rescue a friend's family member, and they just may be in over their head this time.

tissue?

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maybe best hap and Leonard adventure yet I'm amazed that anyone can imagine stories so intense

salute to ole Lansdale

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I’ve listened to all the Hap and Leonard books up through 7 and I stopped then. This is primarily because I loved Phil Gigante so much and when they added a another voice actor, that just didn’t cut it. So I didn’t read that one. Years later I decided to look him up again and realized there had been some more books written with another voice actor. Christopher, the voice talent for this book, sounds a lot like Phil Gigante, not quite but very close. He does a great job bringing Lansdale’s world to life, and of course the story is amazing as usual. It’s really one of the most satisfying, entertaining, heartwarming, exciting and overall great rides of fiction.

Book amazing, voice awesome.

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Loved all the characters. Had to keep listening - all 10+ hours! Love Hap and Leonard. Marvin was such a character. I found myself laughing out loud!

Enjoyed the storyline

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Another great book in the HAP and Leonard series. I can't wait to see what happens next.

Hap and Leonard are back at it again

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“She made it sound like I was the smartest man to ever sh! in a pair of shoes.”
The earlier books had more “deep thoughts” on racism or being gay to go along with the crass and the country. Partly it’s that the foundations of Hap and Leonard are now well established, so these later books can focus on the rollicking, riotous mysteries that Hap and Leonard can’t seem to avoid. Oh, and the balls; Lansdale has this morbid fixation with ball violence. This far into the series, I’m all in with our duo and the supporting characters and look forward to the crazy idioms and even crazier capers.

“As far as he was concerned, life was his oyster and you were outside the shell.”
This is one of my favorites and Mr. Grant is my second favorite narrator for this series, doing a fine job after Mr. Gigante. I don’t recommend reading these books out of order. From Vanilla Ride especially, there are overlapping stories and characters. Plus, If you’ve decided that the series is your thing, there’s no reason to skip any of them.

Nothing but the pulp and the quotables

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Honky Tonk Samurai is another great Hap & Leonard adventure. I'm still enjoying this series & reading how both their lives are evolving. Both are getting older & its showing, but doesn't mean that either one is old even after Leonard punches & knocks out some college age kid for calling him old. Hap also discovers he has a daughter after she shows up on his doorstep. Hap & Leonard are now private eyes after Marvin Hanson gets hired to be the chief of police & sells the agency to Brett (Hap's girlfriend). What starts as a simple missing person turns out to be a bigger mess (in traditional Hap & Leonard style) & they have to call in some favors. In this story you get to see Jim Bob Luke & Vanilla Ride again, plus meet Booger as they help figure out the case. The ending had me going back out to Audible to by the next book "Rusty Puppy" as to the ending had me desperately wanting to know what was going to happen next. Not the biggest fan of the narrator Christopher Ryan Grant & desperately want Phil Gigante.

Best title so far in the series

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First things first might as well get it out of the way, Phil Gigante is not the narrator of this book after a long a successful history of narrating Joe R. Lansdale books a change had to be made (see last part of review for more info as to why) Christoper Ryan Grant does a decent job of filling in those giant boots though. He didn't have the range of Gigante but does a passable good ol boys accent which seems to fit the setting, maybe a bit more deep south vs South/South western. But it doesn't distract from the story which is the most important thing.

Story wise Lansdale remains at the top of his game. The language of these books have always been their strong parts and Honky Tonk Samurai carries that forward. There are absurdist moments, that literally had me laughing out loud in the check out line while listening on my ipod. In many ways you know what you are going to get when listen to a Hap and Leonard novel, the two long time friends who are the laid back get along to get by type of guys are pulled into some form of trouble/mystery and have to fight curse and con their way out of it. I won't spoil things but will say there are some significant changes to the formula in Honky Tonk that break the status quo and may point to end game for the dynamic duo. The story features many series favorites putting in appearances including the fun and cocky Jim Bob Luke, the grizzled veteran Martin and of course the tough as nails but still manages to be sexy Brett.

I would say, you would enjoy the story if this is your first Hap and Leonard novel, but you will get a much deeper appreciation if you have been following the series up to this point, as it does touch on themes and relationships that have developed over the history of the two main characters. Either way give it a go you will not be disappointed, and if you have even 1 funny bone in your body it will be tickled.


*Note:
Many are upset about the departure of Phil Gigante who readings of these books have helped to shape the identities of the characters within. But before you judge the book or audible too harshly take a second and enter his name into google and you will understand why he isn't doing the book and I actually applaud audible for getting rid of his services even knowing that it will probably lead to some negative reviews. So while its a loss talent wise, there is a gain in integrity and I look forward to hearing more Lansdale books by Christopher Ryan Grant in the future.

More Classic Hap and Leonard

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