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As an on-the-mark political rant on the theft of Indian oil monies, drug smuggling, failure of the drug laws to reduce drug use, success of drug laws to maintain prices of illegal drugs, poltical influence on and misuse of federal agencies,one won't find better. Both as a novel and as a mystery, this harlequin romance...
The "sinister pig" in this story is not just a machine used in pipelines. That would be pretty meaningless to us. Our sinister pig is the story's villain, sinister because he will kill anyone to further his goals, and a pig because, wealthy that he is, he never has enough. He is a very safe villain. Everybody can h...
Hillerman is at his best again. This will keep you turning pages until you reach the last page. Hillerman's style is evident and welcomed.
I have read every Leaphorn/Chee book by Hillerman more than once and am a great fan. I just finished this book and discussed it with a friend.. we both agreed it was so disappointing.. we cannot believe it was written by the same person. The writing was awkward and heavy-handed... by the second page I suspected somethi...
If Tony Hillerman wrote this novel (novella actually), I sure can't tell. I have been a Chee/Leaphorn fan for many years, but this novel is not in the same league with Hillerman's other work. It is reminiscent of a 'B' movie. Instead of building suspense, the plot is laid out all too plainly, the characters are unreal,...
Have read the whole Leaphorn/Chee series by Tony Hillerman. This is one of the better ones - the subject is topical and the characters take on more definition. The overall "feel" is that this time, the subject is of a more personal nature to Tony Hillerman? A good read.
PORK ANYONE! THE SINISTER PIG by Tony Hillerman combines all of that you have come to expect from a classic Hillerman mystery. It's all there: murder, intrigue, ominous messages from "The Man," political maneuvering and corruption. And, as usual, it's all set against the sweeping panoramas of the American Southwest, ...
I have enjoyed Hillerman's novels for many years. His strength is writing about the Navajo community and making Native American culture integral to plot resolution. It is great when I can enjoy a light mystery novel and feel I have learned something about a culture I am not very familiar with. I have counted on his ...
Leaphorn, Chee and Bernie romp all over New Mexico in this tale involving a heavy handed Washington bureaucrat with too much power under his belt. Bernie snaps some photos at a ranch near the Mexican border, and soon her life is in danger. Meanwhile, Chee and Bernie can't seem to admit they love each other, and Chee ...
This is one of Tony Hillerman's weakest mysteries, but it's worth reading for a plot twist that will make it interesting for long-term Hillerman fans. I suggest, as others have, that you first read several of the earlier books in the series to get to know Jim Chee and Joe Leaphorn, the Navajo detectives who surely des...
It's a little ironic that Hillerman made his reputation as a chronicler of Din (Navajo) characters and culture, but tends to put other tribes in his novels as local color elements. I was interested to see Tohono O'odham characters in Sinister Pig, but disappointed when it became obvious that Hillerman knows little or n...
I am a big fan of all mystery and crime novels, so naturally I went out to get this book. I was sadly disappointed, and almost regret my purchase. There wasn't the usual umph I feel from his novels. I do have one spark of good that came out of this. I took the chance on a new author, I bought her book and loved it....
I'm a big fan of his, and I have to say that this was a BIG letdown. It features: Stilted dialogue, no character development, no suspense, no description of Indian tradition and poor editing. Avoid at all costs.
i wouldn't bother with this one. it is a crashing bore. hillerman has been on a slide the past few years. he has reached bottom.
Tony Hillerman is such an accomplished writer, it's understandable that some reviewers are somewhat disappointed by this effort. Hillerman does an excellent job of presenting details of American Indian culture without resorting to the preachy tone some "politically correct" authors would use, and these details are mis...
An interesting plot but all of Hillerman's strengths, careful delineation of place and characters is absent. Any characters from any author could fill the roles. Is someone writing for Hillerman now? I won't pay money for any further novels by this author until his writing improves. A shame because his early novels ar...
I normally enjoy Mr. Hillerman's works, and have a collection I like to return to over and over. This one, sadly, went straight into the box to go to the used book store. The editing was so horrible as to be a joke. It makes one wonder if his writing has always been this bad, and some UberEditor has been working magic ...
I agree with the reviewer who said 'read the others first'. Apart from the great spaces of the American Southwest, there's very little that's typically Hillerman here. Please Mr. Hillerman, stick with the various Amerindian cultures of the region - they're fascinating - give us more interplay & inter-reaction!
I love Tony Hillerman's books, but this one is a major disappointment. I have always found his descriptions of the Navaho culture and the lives of the characters to be very interesting with unique situations that distinguish him from the usual run-of-the-mill mystery writer. Substitute the character's names with any An...
Reading Tony Hillerman's latest, I was at first thrilled by the congregation of old friends - Jim, Joe, Bernie, Cowboy et al - and a return to the delightfully atmospheric Four Corners. Then not too many pages further, my elation was undermined by a pathetically weak plot, a non-dimensional villan and female victim, a...
Once again Tony lays out another vivid picture of New Mexico's enchanting lanscape. but this time the setting is the mysterious and lonely desert area of NM's boot heel. The characters are there. For the most part it reads like a typical Hillerman Leaphorn/Chee book but with an exception. The story is hurried along af...
I, like many of the other reviewers here, am a long standing fan of Tony Hillerman's mysteries featuring Joe "The Legendary Lieutenant" Leaphorn and Jim Chee. I, also like many other reviewers, found __THE SINISTER PIG__ to be a compelling mystery. It carries through many themes from earlier Hillerman mysteries: We h...
I love Tony Hillerman. I have read every book he has written including all his Chee/Leaphorn books, his children's book, his coffee table book, his memoir, his non-fiction books, etc. I even liked "Finding Moon". Having said this, his last several Chee/Leaphorn books are delivering a diminishing return of enjoyment....
I've read all his books. I found this a quick enjoyable read. I'll admit the captivating imagery of the 4 corners area that Hillerman created in earlier books is missing, but I still liked the book. It drew me in and got me emotionally involved. The story was actually more interesting to me than some of the stories in ...
I've read all of Hillerman's books, and this one is a major disappointment. It reads like a very rough first draft, a plot sketch. If you pay attention to the bewildering number of characters, the plot plods resolutely forward, no surprises -- and none of the intricate twists that Hillerman has dazzled us with in previ...
I had the CD read by George Guidall who does an excellent job. Many of the other reviewers tell you the plot so I will just give you my impression. I thoroughly enjoyed the book keeping in mind I have read several other books with the characters of Chee and Leaphorn. I liked the suspense and timing of this book. I have...
I first read Mr. Hillerman in 1973 or so. I enjoyed his wonderful blend of Navajo atmosphere and crime. He has been straying. As he gets off the rez, his books lose their impetus. This book is a great example. Very little to do with Navajo interaction with the larger culture. A lot to do with a pretty silly plot. ...
I gave THE SINISTER PIG 4 stars because, hey, it's part of a good series with very likeable characters and it is a page turner. However, on other accounts it is lacking. The strength of the Jim Chee/Joe Leaphorn mysteries has been character and cultural setting. This time out, the story is plot-driven and largely ta...
"Carl Mankin" a sort of nom de guerre is supposed to go to the four corners and find out how the pipeline system is bypassed to avoid paying royalties to the Interior Department for the Indians. The man has just retired from the CIA. His employer is named Slate. The amount not accounted for may be as high as forty b...
For years, Tony Hillerman has been giving us wonderful plots, intricate characters and breathtaking verbal landscapes. With "The Sinister Pig," unfortunately, it seems Mr. Hillerman is growing tired of his Leaphorn/Chee series. The plot of "The Sinister Pig," his latest in the series, is promising, but Hillerman seem...
Over the many novels in Hillerman's illustrious career, the readers have come to love the adventures of Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee, however, the Sinister Pig seems to delve off onto a parallel tangent of the mysteries we've read for so long. While both characters are present, it seems as if Hillerman wanted to introduce...
This is actually more of an agglomeration of more or less related short stories than a real mystery book with a central plot and a few sub-plots. While Hillerman has done this before and usually does this very well, this is not his best effort. It would not be a good book to start reading Hillerman, you need to know t...
I really liked sinister pig, with the exception of the characterization of Bernie Manuelito, who I felt was short-changed somewhat. In this book, Bernie has decided to work for Border Patrol, out of frustration with her ex-boss Jim Chee, who has been a bit stand-offish. Instead of being satisfied with her new position...
In this latest book of several - the Joe Leaphorn/Jim Chee series - a well dressed corpse is found near the Jicarilla Apache Indian reservation without identification or visible means of transportation. Sgt. Jim Chee of the Navajo Tribal Police is dispatched to the scene and caught up in a spiral of intrigue and white ...
I have read all of Tony Hillerman's books, and have learned a great deal about the Navajo people and their culture. I think I enjoy the descriptions of setting and folkways more than the plots of his books. This one was short on description of sky and mountains and weather. Hillerman seems to have decided that since...
Bernie Manulito (sp?) and Cowboy Dashee have joined the ranks of federal law enforcement officers and both figure prominently in this story. In a less gifted author, it would all seem too convenient but Hillerman's writing is seamless. Bernie has taken another job to get away from Jim Chee and what she perceives to ...
Tony Hillerman falls off his stride when he attempt to plot a story around high-falutin' eastern types. But how can any story that features Joe Leaphorn and his magical maps--even if only tangentially--fail to enchant a listener? The final compilation is not Hillerman's best, but it is still a whole lot better than a...
I eagerly await each new Hillerman book spotlighting the compelling duo of Native American lawmen Leaphorn and Chee. The author has defined these two in a low-key, nicely detailed manner that makes them compelling and comfortable, story after story. Why, oh why does Hillerman keep his appealing heroes offstage for so l...
The Sinister Pig (2003) is the most recent installment of Tony Hillerman's series of mystery novels set in and around the Four Corners area of the Southwestern United States. It is another superb novel, and nearly on par with his other works. The Sinister Pig offers many characters familiar to Hillerman's readers. Jim...
The acknowledgements at the beginning of this book tell the reader why this book was written. Mr. Hillerman mentions "the Department of the Interior's efforts to explain what has happened to $176,000,000 (billions!!!) of Indian oil, gas, coal, timber, etc-royalties which it can't seem to account for." In reading this b...
As a longtime fan of Tony Hillerman's mystery series involving Navajo policemen Joe Leaphorn, Jim Chee, and now Bernie Manuelito, I picked this one up based purely on name recognition. As I read the book, however, I began to wonder if it had actually been written by Hillerman. The plot involves Washington, D.C. politic...
As I read this book, the thought that kept intruding that Tony Hillerman is no longer young (he'll be 78 this year). I strongly suspect that this book, which comes so strongly on the heels of "The Wailing Wind," may well be his last. Other reviewers have noted that this book adds nothing new to our understanding of...
Unless you are an absolutely die hard fan -- save your money. Otherwise, this book is bound to be a disappointment. The villain is utterly implausible, much of the plot centers in D.C. and Chee and Leaphorn are peripheral to the story. I have to say that I usually enjoy Hillerman for the descriptions of the landscape...
Tony Hillerman does a bit of traveling away from the Navajo Reservation in this outing. Officer Bernadette Manuelito has forsaken the tribal police for a job in the southern most regions of New Mexico, where she is training on the job to be a border patrol agent. Although she is still in love with Jim Chee, she sees ...
When a man is found killed on Jim Chee's reservation, the FBI swoops in and D.C. headquarters determines it a hunting accident. Chee doesn't think so, but he doesn't know where to take it until he gets a letter from Bernie Manuelito--now a border patrol officer. Bernie has seen strange things on the border but when her...
I share the sentiments of my fellow reviewers - this was contrived, shallow and a total let-down. It was as if Mr. Hillerman hired out the writing. I am a total fan, and eagerly awaited the book. Now I will eagerly await the next one. I am always an optimist.
I, like many Hillerman fans, waited anxiously for Sinister Pig. Unfortunately, when it arrived I was disappointed. The story has potential, but fails to reach it. It's like Hillerman was told write your story using only X number of words, then you're done regardless of whether the story is filled out and completed ...
This novel demonstrates the spare, elegant prose and tight plot that characterizes Hillerman at his best - as in Blessing Way or Dark Wind. Then too, the characters we have come to love, Jim Chee, Joe Leaphorn and even the interloping Cowboy Dashee as well as Jim Chee's latest heartbreaker, Bernie Manuelito, are center...
It's quite clear that Tony Hillerman has squeezed the last ounce of blood from this turnip. You know he's run out of ideas for his venerable Native American heroes when he's more interested in the villains of the book than the cops. This book, definitely the worst in the series, is as flat as a pancake from start to fi...
This book seems to be Tony Hillerman attempting to masquerade as James Patterson. Some familiar characters, a murder and related violence, short chapters, almost continual action and extremely limited character development. (Eliminate the many blank pages between chapters and it is barely two hundred small pages of lar...
For the dedicated Hillerman reader, this latest may be disappointing. We have become accustomed to excellent mysteries which are also anthropology lessons. In almost if not every story of Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee, Tony Hillerman has presented his readers with lessons about many facets of the southwestern Native Amer...
OK, I thought, "The Wailing Wind" was an aberration, a hiccup in the career of a very good author. But two points define a line, and "The Sinister Pig" plots Mr. Hillerman's career straight down. In the corporate world you sometimes see a luminary from an earlier era who is "RIP" -- retired in place -- just going thr...
The reading of this book became a real chore....I found myself reading just to be reading, but not really enjoying. The beginning of the book was confusing, boring and not very well written. The pace did seem to pick up when there was more of Chee/Leaphorn. The last 9-10 chapters, which were good, sort of balanced out...
This is not really a Chee/Leaphorn novel. It does not take place on the Navajo Reservation, neither Chee nor Leaphorn is really involved in the crime, and the crime really has nothing to do with Navajo culture in any way. In fact, the effort to involve them comes off as contrived. While Bernie is more of a central char...
I am a huge Tony Hillerman fan -- I've read each of his novels multiple times and have enjoyed all of them. My favorites are Dance Hall of the Dead and Skinwalkers. The Sinister Pig, simply put, is an awful book, and is not even close to the level Hillerman has set for himself. Much of the action takes place on airpl...
It almost seems as if Hillerman is trying rush the Leaphorn/Chee serial to a happy ending for his readers so he can quit writing them. In true Hillerman form, the plot had great potential rooted in current events, but came up shallow. For me it was reminiscent of some of Hillerman's work in the 80s when he seemed obs...
There is something immensely satisfying, comfortable, and compelling about a Tony Hillerman mystery. None of those is quite the right word, but they will have to do. Other readers have reviewed the plot, so I'll skip that. Perhaps the characters are what are so electric. One just has to like Jim Chee, the patient N...
Great book and lots of fun but absolutely no Indian or Southwest anthropology or cultural flavor. It could have taken place in Manhatten or Miami or anywhere and the characters could be anyone. The legendary Leaphorn plays Nero Wolf or Spencer and Che is his legman or HAWK. This is the happiest of all his stories but ...
I am a big Hillerman fan but found this book sadly lacking in the normal quality that I would expect from Mr. Hillerman. The story line as noted in other reviews was weak and thin to say the least. Character development was left at the sketch level, and the plot was not supported by the narrative. Several examples of t...
I love Tony Hillerman. In my mind, he cannot write a bad novel. Also he seems to be a very genuine individual. The characters he creates are unique in mystery fiction. I would love just reading about them going to the mall. This is most conventional Hillerman yet, and I don't mind. It starts with a mysterious man ...
It's not on the agenda for this year, or even next year, but while I still have all of my wits about me, I want to sit down and read all of Tony Hillerman's Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee novels in chronological order. Hillerman has masterfully evolved both of these characters over the past couple of decades, introducing Le...
In "The Sinister Pig," Tony Hillerman tackles more universal concerns. His Navajo Reservation gang is up to its elbows in trying to solve yet another homicide. This time, it's a mysterious agent whose death extends clues in numerous directions, not the least to the very center of America itself, Washington D.C. Hille...
I just wish Tony Hillerman could write faster. I seem to need a dose of a new book by him about twice a year. His books featuring Leaphorn and Chee, for me, are the best of the lot, so Sinister Pig goes right to the top of the list. Here's the thing: Hillerman and his editors KNOW anything he writes is going to sell li...
Not since FINDING MOON have I been so disappointed in Tony Hillerman. When I buy a Hillerman book, I don't want to read about an evil, faceless puppetmaster who pulls string in Washington and wrecks havoc in the Jim Chee and Joe Leaphorn's 'four corners' of the world. I want to read about problems on the reservation......
This latest Hillerman mysery features all the usual (by now) characters, Joe Leaphorn, Jim Chee, Louisa Bourbonette, Bernie Manuelito, Cowboy Dashee, and a new hero, whose name I won't mention, because to do so might spoil some of the surprise, but I hope we will be seeing more of that person. The action takes place i...
I've fallen in love with Joe Leaphorn and Jim Chee in all the other books involving one or both of these Navajo Tribal policemen. It's usually so satisfying to see the way the Legendary Lieutenant approaches a problem, especially in contrast to his younger colleague. So I've always must see what they're up to, and ...
It is always wonderful to open another Hillerman and follow the latest law enforcement adventure in the Four Corners. Meeting up with Jim Chee and Joe Leaphorn is just like meeting up with old friends. And reading this newest Hillerman brings one quite up-to-date with each of the men, their current love life, and the...
The Sinister Pig is one of Tony Hillerman's deftest plots and best designed stories. Be careful not to read reviews that tell too much of the plot, or much of the book's pleasure will be needlessly spoiled for you. Some will not like this story as much as previous ones because it moves into new ground, both geographi...
I hadn't been expecting to hear from Tony Hillerman again so soon. It hasn't been that long since THE WAILING WIND. This one is a very rapid read, with much of the action happening away from the Navajo reservation (Always a bad move, Tony). The plot centers around the murder of a retired CIA operative who's investigat...
Enjoyed it with my grandchildren.
My grandson loves it.
Enjoyed this story as a child (I'm now 71) so thought our almost-here Great Nephew would love them as well.
my favorite book as a child, now in a nice new edition, love this! so do my grandchildren!
Mom and Pop read it to my godson at bedtime. He loves it!
One of my favorite books from childhood and Im sharing it with my grandbabies. The artwork is colorful.
I am so glad Amazon had this version of The Little Engine That Could book. Also was happy to have it in hardcover. I wasn't sure at first if my almost 4 yr. old would like the old fashioned looking pictures but she was very excited pointing to all the animals, toys, trains and clown as I was reading the book to her. I ...
Grandson loves it
This story is good way to teach children the importance of helping others and believing in yourself. The other engines reminded of the Good Samaritan story from the Bible because the first two engines said they were important, but they didn't help the little train at all. The little blue engine was just like the Sama...
classic!
This is my favorite childhood book. It has a great message for kids about the power of believing in yourself.
Was it always a girl train? I feel I remember the story differently as a kid
A classic! Should last through several kids!
This was my favorite as a child. I just wish it was available as a board book
good
every kid needs this. WORKs for adults too.
Really lovely book!
We all love the classics.
As a kid, I *loved* this book. However, as an adult, it is quite painful to read. The wording is awkward and unnecessarily complex. My parents gave me my old copy of the classic, which I initially thought was an amazing gesture of love to have saved it all these years. Too late I realized it was sweet revenge for ma...
great
A very nice replica of the original classic.
Great book!
This is a great book, but make sure you get the original illustrations. The illustrations by Phil A. Smouse (isbn 1577480813) are insipid, a big contrast to the original illustrations (by George and Doris Hauman) which are charming. The version I have is isbn 0448405202 but it appears that other versions probably also ...
Great
I think I can! I think I can! I think I can recommend this book as a classic that should be in the library of every young child!
This is a very cute little story that young children will enjoy. I definitely recommend purchasing this book for the child in your life. I purchased this for my young nephew and he really enjoyed it.
Perfect story to help illustrate the 7 Habbits!
Oldtime favorite
Childhood favorite my grand enjoy
I love it
Just exactly the book that I wanted and illustrated beautifully! I recommend it for kids of all ages!