|
|
FREE SHIPPING on Orders over $25!
AudibleInk - Billibub Baddings and the Case of the Singing Sword
|
|
List Price: $19.95
Our Price: $15.96
Your Save: $ 3.99 ( 20% )
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Manufacturer: Dragon Moon Press
|
FREE SHIPPING on Orders over $25!
Average Customer Rating:  
|
|
Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.6
EAN: 9781896944180
ISBN: 1896944183
Label: Dragon Moon Press
Manufacturer: Dragon Moon Press
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 370
Publication Date: 2004-10
Publisher: Dragon Moon Press
Release Date: 2007-08-17
Studio: Dragon Moon Press
|
|
|
|
|
|
Editorial Reviews:
|
|
"Chicago, 1929. There are a thousand stories in the naked city; and when you're a dwarf at four-foot-one, they all look that much taller." It is The Era of Prohibition, where crime runs rampant in the streets and a city divided into territories serves as the ultimate prize. Somewhere in this Underworld of Chicago, an enchanted weapon holds the key to ending The Gangland Wars. In the wake of The St. Valentine's Day Massacre, only one is man enough to stand up against Al Capone... ...a four-foot-one dwarf named Billibub Baddings.
|
|
|
Spotlight customer reviews:
|
Customer Rating:
Summary: Unexpectedly Excellent
Comment: I have both listened to this novel as a podiobook and read the book. I listened to it first, and originally thought the storyline an odd premise, but it sounded good, and since I got it for free I stuck around and gave it a go.
This novel is well worth the time to read. The adventures of Billi and the city of Chicago take many turns for the unexpected, but what do you want from a dwarf from another world who happens to become the focus of seedy 1920's Chicago?
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Dwarf story
Comment: An excellent story. Tee plays well on the specificity of his character as well as on the particular location and time he chose.
This is a good fantasy story, that bring the genre closer to home.
The story is easy to read, even for reader who are not native speakers of english.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Two small thumbs up for Billi!
Comment: This is a combined book review for two books by author and podcaster Tee Morris. The first book published in 2004 is called "Billibub Baddings & the Case of the Singing Sword". The second book is a sequel called "Case of the Pitcher's Pendant: A Billibub Baddings Mystery" which was first published in 2008. I purchased both books after being involved in the Double Trouble promotion and interviewing the author as a part of the promotion.
Both books follow the story of Billibub Baddings, who you will come to know as Billi. In the opening of Singing Sword, it is revealed that Billi is a dwarf from a mystical place who goes through a vortex and ends up in a public library in downtown Chicago in 1929. After learning about his environment through reading books in the library and remaining hidden while trying to live in the library undetected, Billi decides to put his skills from his previous life to good use and become a Private Investigator. He soon gets a case investigating a death and the first book follows Billi's adventures including encounters with the law and also the underground of Chicago.
The Case of the Pitcher's Pendant is set in the following year where Billi gets another case investigating the success of an unknown baseball team. You will not need a detailed knowledge of baseball to follow the action. The further Billi investigates, the deeper he gets involved in the case. And the deeper Billi digs, he finds himself investigating a very different type of crime.
While the books are classified as fantasy, you can read the majority of the book as you would if it was not a fantasy book. While the fantasy element is there, the environments that Billi finds himself in are totally real and totally believable. While it could be easy to base the entire book in a fantasy world, author Morris combines real life happenings with a fantasy element and he does it well. For the majority of both books, you would read on not even thinking that Billi is from another world. While the stories depend somewhat on the fantasy element, the blend would please both fantasy & mystery fans. Both books are very much a mystery just as much as they are fantasies.
While there is a 4 year gap between each book being published, there is a 12 month gap between the two stories. You do not need to read one book to understand the other but if you do read both books, be sure to read Singing Sword first. There are some Singing Sword references and characters in Pitcher's Pendant. Once you start reading this book, don't think that you will only be able to read 1 chapter at a time. Soon enough, you will feel like you are walking with Billi and you will want to read on to find out what happens next. The plot is ever changing so it does not become predictable and before you know it, you would have read 5 chapters or more. Once you have finished reading Singing Sword, you will want to read Pitcher's Pendant as soon as you can.
To me, it does not matter if you are a fantasy, true crime or mystery fan. If you enjoy any one of these genres, you will enjoy both of these books. They are well written, have touches of humour but also have a lot of realism which might seem strange for a fantasy book but it works well. Both books are well worth buying and for the full effect, read both of them! I give both books 9/10.
If you enjoy reading both books, you may also enjoy the Billi podcast as well. I have not done this yet because I wanted to read the books first.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A book everyone needs to read
Comment: I about fell over laughing when I read the blurb and promptly ordered the book.
I received it yesterday and have had a hard time putting it down (however it's very hard to type and hold a book at the same time). The idea of a standard fantasy dwarf materializing in Chicago in the Roaring 20's and turning into a private eye is a marvelous new direction for both mystery and fantasy. I'm happy to say, Tee pulls it off perfectly.
Anyone that enjoys a good detective story, anyone that loves fantasy and is fond of dwarves and anyone that just finds reading a delightful pastime will want to own a copy of this book.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A Perfect Blend of Detective Story and Fantasy!
Comment: Billibub Baddings and the Case of the Singing Sword is the latest podcast novel by Tee Morris. Billibub Baddings is available in print format through Dragon Moon Press, and as a free download in podcast format at teemorris.com.
If the name of the book has you intrigued, it should. The book is described as "Lord of the Rings, as if written by Mickey Spillane." I'm not sure if that description is fully accurate or not, but it sets the tone. The basic premise is that a dwarf from a fantasy world comes to our world, becomes a detective, and is hired onto a case that leads to an ancient talisman from his world of immeasurable power.
Billibub is a cross-genre book, combining gangland thuggery with high fantasy action. Crossovers of this sort seem to be a theme Tee Morris likes to delve into, as evidenced with Morevi. Despite what seems at first glance like a formula that probably wouldn't work, Tee Morris pulls off the cross-genre story perfectly. It is first and foremost a detective story, yet Billi's background is thoroughly believable on how he acclimated himself to our world.
One area where Tee shines is in his ability to keep the reader guessing. I will admit that I guessed who the true villain of the book was, but even so, it was handled so nicely that it didn't feel like a let-down.
Where Billibub shines, though, is with the audio production of the podcast. Tee sets the tone with jazz music by Rubber Band Banjo, and a personal favorite of mine, "Think For Yourself" by George Hrab. Tee further sets the tone with his version of the "story so far," which is done in the format of an old-time radio broadcast.
The players on this podcast did an excellent job of bringing the characters to life. Leann Mabry steals the show as Billi's client, Julia Lessinger. Phil Rossi does an excellent Mick, and Scott Sigler just nailed Benny Riletto. Orion nails Al Capone, making him not only a charismatic personality, but also someone who gives me the chills. Did I mention Tracy Hickman as Chief O'Malley?
Unfortunately, this strength proves to be a weakness in one way. Tee did not get a different person to play Miranda, the secretary. Having different voices for different characters transforms the book from a simple novel to an audio play. This is a minor quibble, but still worth mentioning.
All in all, a great book and a fun ride. The balance between detective story and fantasy tale is perfect. The audio production is a vast improvement over Morevi. Billibub is a story that evokes emotion, from passion to adventure to melancholy. And with an ending that belongs on the silver screen, it is a great buy and a fantastic listen.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
