A clarification before I start - some people hear "formulaic" and assume that means bad. I disagree. Some writers have a very distinctive pattern to their stories, but they're still highly enjoyable. You pretty much know what's going to happen before you open a Louis L'Amour book, but I've read and have fun with them all.

Hiaasen is much the same. You'll have a main character that's crazy excessively violent to people who commit environmental crimes (like littering), someone doing something to spoil nature, corrupt politicians, and a woman who had a fairly normal life until the events of the story, who naturally falls for the hero who is, as we describe at my work sometimes, "on his own program." Put all those together, you get a rough outline of much of Hiaasen's work, and it's a fun ride.

This one also adds in, among other notable characters, a hitman with a collection of 911 tapes he sets to music for his listening pleasure; a hooker who will only service Republicans; a construction engineer who is terrified of nature; and an ex-mobster turned real estate developer with a fixation on Barbie dolls.

Can a few outlaws and outsiders stop a multimillion dollar development from destroying a near-pristine island? Well, in Hiaasen's Florida, almost anything is possible. Watch how the pieces come together in settings ranging from the Governor's Mansion to the wilds to an illegal hunting operation and a quaint little bed and breakfast.

It's a fun read, and another enjoyable tale that has some outrageous action, memorable characters, and laments the "old Florida" disappearing under the onslaught of asphalt, golf courses, and condos. I agree with the sentiment. The story is filled with unique and colorful characters that bring the pages to life. The plot is engaging and keeps you on the edge of your seat as you follow the adventures of the outlaws and outsiders. Hiaasen's writing style is witty and humorous, making it a pleasure to read. Overall, it's a great book that I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys a good mystery or adventure story.

This is yet another extremely enjoyable Skink book. There may not be an abundance more to express, but for the sake of documentation:

This time, a passionate eco-warrior who possesses a substantial trust fund and struggles with anger management problems decides to take matters into his own hands against a blatant litterbug he witnesses on the highway. As a result, he becomes embroiled in political trickery, the肆意 destruction of Florida's flora, fauna, and natural beauty, and the general sleaziness of those who profit from such actions... and so on. It's a Carl Hiaasen novel - what could you anticipate? And, as is typical, it's humorous, highly readable, and conveys its profound underlying messages with ease through satire, farce, and some truly satisfying retributions. The Captain is in outstanding shape, and it's simply an all-encompassing delight.

If you're familiar with Carl Hiaasen, you won't require any persuasion from me to read this. If not, do give him a chance - he's excellent. Warmly recommended.

This was my very first encounter with a Carl Hiaasen novel. Carl Hiaasen has an extraordinary ability to create the most distinct and memorable characters. Once you start reading about them, you can't help but exclaim, "Hey, I know someone just like that!" Take Twilly, for example. He's a bit eccentric and has some serious anger management problems. Now, imagine a young man with seemingly unlimited financial resources, a rather bad attitude, and an overwhelming desire to be a conservationist. What you end up with is complete chaos.

Twilly also manages to get involved with Skink, the former Governor of Florida. Skink now chooses to live as a refugee in the swamps of Florida, subsisting on road kill. The serious message of the book is delivered with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. Hiaasen drives the point home with great force, emphasizing that mother nature always prevails, even when you think you've managed to drug and corner her. It's a unique and engaging read that combines humor and a powerful environmental message.

In many ways, "SICK PUPPY" is a quintessential Carl Hiaasen satire.

It features a cast of diverse and memorable characters. There's the glad-handing governor, Dick Artemus, and his efficient assistant, Lisa June Peterson (a Southern girl with three names). Then there's the idealistic eco-warrior, Twilly Spree, who means well but in the early parts of the book can't dream and is out of touch with his emotions. Estrella, a call girl who only caters to Republican clients, also makes an appearance. Clinton Tyree (aka "Skink") and his loyal Florida trooper, Jim Tile, are back from earlier books.

Although Desirata (Desi) Stoat is one of the nicer characters in the novel, the same can't be said for her husband, Palmer Stoat. He's a sleazy influence-peddler and fixer who loves drugs and slaughtering endangered species. The plot really takes off when Twilly Spree catches him dumping fast-food rubbish onto the Interstate at high speed.

Happily, amidst all this cynicism, there's a "good guy" in the form of a good-humored if goofy Black Lab named Boodle (later renamed "McGuinn"). Boodle is a major plot agent in the book, and a surprising amount of the story is seen through the dog's eyes - or rather, nose.

"SICK PUPPY" may not be the absolute best Hiaasen novel, but it comes very close. The addition of "Boodle" brings a welcome and endearing presence to the story.

As quoted from the book: "Boodle was a hefty load - 128 pounds. He had been trained at no small expense to sit, fetch, shake, lie down, heel, and not lope off with strangers. To forcibly abduct the dog, Stoat surmised, would have required more than one able-bodied man. Then Desi reminded him that Boodle wasn't functioning at full strength." (p. 62).

This was an extremely enjoyable read. I was completely entertained from start to finish.

It offers a satirical perspective on politicians and life in Florida. One of my absolute favorite characters is a passionate advocate for the environment. Twilly, who appears to be a sociopath, becomes extremely irate when anyone takes Florida's magnificent wetlands and coasts for granted.

He has a penchant for teaching lessons to litterbugs and will go to any lengths to convey his message. All of the characters in this story are deeply flawed, and the situations they encounter are utterly absurd.

As I mentioned earlier, it is highly entertaining. I am actually afraid to read anything else by Hiaasen because I cannot fathom it being any better than this.

This book has truly left a lasting impression on me, and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a lighthearted yet thought-provoking read.

I thought the book was truly hilarious, with everything neatly resolved at the end.

The bad guys finally receive the punishment that they so richly deserve, while the heroes manage to maintain their endearing eccentricities, which prove to be their saving grace in fending off the attacks from the selfish and mendacious villains.

The novel may not have any moments that elicit a full-on belly laugh (except perhaps for the last hunting scene), but throughout its pages, the situations that all the characters find themselves in are constantly droll and worthy of a chuckle.

Hiaasen's writing style is to lead the reader to a state of suspense and then suddenly switch to another character's actions, which then intersect back to resolve the suspense, and he repeats this pattern.

His style truly keeps the novel flowing in an effective and engaging manner.

Overall, the book is an easy and enjoyable read that will leave readers with a smile on their faces.

In true Carl Hiaasen fashion, this book is truly one-of-a-kind. It is irreverent, quirky, crazy, and completely unpredictable. Skink makes a welcome return, and this time around, the story involves a whole cast of colorful characters. There's a slimy, fat Florida lobbyist, his disenchanted younger wife, a drug dealer who has now become a real estate tycoon, twin Franken-Barbies, the current Florida Governor, a do-gooder environmentalist millionaire, and of course, a sick puppy.

It all starts when a happy, slappy, black Lab eats a glass eyeball. And let's not forget the sleazy "big game" hunting preserve where the grand finale takes place.

I won't spoil it for you, but trust me, this seemingly unrelated group of characters created by Hiaasen mix together in the most奇妙的 way and create a highly entertaining story that will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end.

Carl Hiaasen is truly a literary comic genius. He can be regarded as the Samuel Clemens of our era, which is clearly demonstrated in his uproariously funny book "Sick Puppy". However, simply stating that his books are merely entertaining would be to misunderstand their essence.

Primarily, he writes about Florida, a state that one might think no one should have to actually reside in. This is because of the numerous outrageously crazy people who inhabit it. Most of these individuals are politicians, elderly retirees, immigrants, or criminals. Hiaasen doesn't spare anyone. Whether they are Republican or Democrat, young or old, rich or poor, he takes aim at all. He is an equal-opportunity satirist, and he is truly brilliant in this regard.

If you have never had the pleasure of reading a Hiaasen novel, it's high time you pick one up. Prepare yourself to laugh uncontrollably and be thoroughly entertained by his unique brand of humor and social commentary.

I had been reading this interesting story, and I managed to make it all the way to chapter 28 before the animal personification (dog) came into play.

The story had been unfolding in a rather ordinary way until then, with the characters and their actions keeping my attention. But as soon as the dog was personified, it added a whole new dimension to the narrative.

Suddenly, the dog was no longer just an animal. It had thoughts, feelings, and a personality of its own. I found myself becoming more invested in the dog's story and wondering how it would interact with the other characters.

The use of animal personification in this chapter really made the story come alive for me, and I couldn't wait to see what would happen next.

Carl Hiaasen is truly a master when it comes to crafting sentences,塑造 characters, and infusing humor into the absurd.

Take, for example, this excerpt from Sick Puppy.

The killer in the story had a rather vain side when it came to his physique. He was so concerned about the appearance of his midsection that he resorted to artificial measures to streamline it. In recent years, his midsection had started to show signs of incipient tubbiness, a development that Mr. Gash bitterly blamed on the dull and sedentary life of a hit man. His occupation neither required nor allowed for much physical exercise. It involved plane trips, car rides, and endless stakeouts in motel rooms and bars. For Mr. Gash, who was already self-conscious about his short stature, the sight of a marbled and thickening belly was simply intolerable. A discreetly tailored corset seemed like a good temporary solution, at least until he could find the time to join a spa.

Mr. Hiaasen is like the P.G. Wodehouse of the modern Floridian landscape, creating a world filled with unique characters and humorous situations that keep readers entertained from start to finish.

'Sick Puppy', the fourth installment in the Skink series, is filled to the brim with the typical strange, clueless, and vulgar characters that inhabit Carl Hiaasen's Florida. Land developers are wreaking havoc on the landscape with their absurd destruction.

Clinton Tyree, also known as Skink, the former governor of Florida and a bit crazy, is once again lured out of his Everglades home. He becomes involved in a conflict between a group of greedy real estate developers and perverted politicians who are eager to pave over an undeveloped Florida island, and a crazed wealthy environmentalist named Twilly Spree, who is trying to stop their plans with threats and sabotage.

Twilly Spree is engaged in a losing battle against the developers, but he just can't stop himself. When he follows a lobbyist, Palmer Stoat, home to teach him a lesson about not littering from his car, he sees an opportunity for retribution by kidnapping Boodle, a friendly and dim-witted black Labrador running around the Stoat house. However, Stoat doesn't understand the message. He is in the middle of working out a deal for the state legislature and the Florida Governor, Dick Artemus, to provide funding for a bridge to an island that is currently home to millions of frogs. The client behind this deal is a criminal named Robert Clapley, who wants to turn the island into skyscrapers and parking lots.

Instead, Stoat's wife, Desie, follows Twilly. She listens to him and decides that Twilly is okay. She even helps him blackmail her husband.

When Governor Dick discovers the mess Stoat is in - the supposed kidnapping of his wife and dog - he reluctantly vetoes the bridge funding. But he's not about to let his campaign contributors down. He sends for Skink, planning to blackmail him into tracking down Twilly. Meanwhile, Clapley sends his murderous henchman, Mr. Gash, after the kidnapper as well. Skink assesses the situation and decides that Twilly is a kindred spirit! But being Skink, he doesn't exactly resolve things in a straightforward manner that satisfies everyone.

Unfortunately, everyone forgets that big, rambunctious Boodle has his own agendas, even if they are just doggie ones. Don't drop that leash! Oh no.

Can this group of conniving con artists somehow counter each other's cultural clashes? Stay tuned...

My recent, initial 'foray' into Hiaasen World (by way of 'Skinny Dip') was a thing of wonder and rather a wacko joy. This 'Round 2', however, was not quite the same.

The good news is that 'Sick Puppy' is just as quick a read and follows a similar structure. But halfway through, I found something bothering me and wondered what it was. I also questioned whether I should finish the book. However, being halfway and thinking it would all be over soon enough, I persevered. I remained bothered, and there was next to nothing in the second half that boosted my enthusiasm (though the climax was a pleasant surprise).

What bothered me was that this is a novel where the theme overshadows both the plot and the characters.

Hiaasen reveals a legitimate gripe, and his story's main (and urgent) concern is Florida as the equivalent of an endangered species, with politics and greed systematically driving it out of existence. It's a dismal reality to face, but it also sits uncomfortably (at least for me) with the purpose of fiction.

It's not that the book lacks plot and characters (although there may be a few too many here; I lost track of the relevant purpose of a couple of them as the story progressed). But the territory of the story is so repellent that it makes for a plot that just makes you sick over environmental issues, and it's largely populated with such repulsive people that Hiaasen has few opportunities to make the majority of them remotely interesting. The stupid lust for land-power (and other machismo lust) here results in reading about the tiresome behavior of neanderthals.

One thing is clear: Hiaasen hates various kinds of nefarious movers-and-shakers, especially lobbyists, and justifiably so.

'Skinny Dip' is hilarious. 'Sick Puppy', however, is largely humorless. (Weirdly, some of what is meant to be humorous falls as flat as forced shtick.) The book also feels longer than it needs to be.

All that being said, it's not a terrible read. Hiaasen certainly knows his stuff, and there's a lot of valuable information to be learned here. But after reading 'Skinny Dip', the last thing I expected to feel throughout reading another Hiaasen book was... depressed.

Still, near the end of the novel, a character says something that puts everything in an appropriate perspective:

"Son, I can't tell you what to do with your life--hell, you've seen what I've done with mine. But I will tell you there's probably no peace for people like you and me in this world. Somebody's got to be angry or nothing gets fixed. That's what we were put here for, to stay pissed off."