Customer Reviews

Pistols For Two

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When I first got hold of this book I was surprised to find that it was a book of short stories, and I wasn’t sure if I would like it. How wrong I was!

The book was first published in 1960 so it’s one of Heyer’s later books, and that shows in the range of characters and ages that she portrays in these short stories. Each story works brilliantly on its own as a story – although short, they never feel rushed or incomplete. The range of characters is as broad as ever, including some young heroines and one who is in her thirties. Her heroes tend to be the usual ones – dashing, handsome, rich gentlemen who are excellent horsemen. And yet there are a couple of stories in there which seem a little more unusual – my particular favourite is Hazard where Lord Carlington wins his friend’s half-sister during a night of gaming and finds himself with her in an Inn the following morning, having just inserted the notice of his engagement to another woman in the papers. Of course things work out well (they always do in Heyer’s books, which is what I like so much about them) but it’s how these resolutions are brought about that make these stories such fun.

I first read this book about 35 years ago and found when I re-read it recently that I could still remember some of the stories. I loved the characters, the witty dialogue and the way the problem is resolved in just a few pages. My particular favourites are `Pink Domino' and a `A Husband for Fanny', though all the stories are lovely to read. They have the same flavour as most of Heyer's full length novels, especially those set in the Regency period.

If you are not sure about reading Georgette Heyer then start with this collection since each story can be read in about 20 minutes. If you like them, try her novels. These stories have the real feel good factor - like curling up with a mug of hot chocolate or a glass of wine on a cold winter's day. Bliss!

This book from Georgette Heyer has 11 short stories covering her usual styles from funny to romantic. They leave you laughing one minute and anxious the next. Pistols for Two is ideal when you have only a short time to spare, such as waiting for an appointment or on the train going home, the stories can be read fairly quickly. The only problem I found with some of the stories is that the characters lack depth and plots were a bit thin, but considering the length of each story that is the price that has to be paid.

I was initially disappointed that 'Pistols for Two' was not another full length novel but a collection of short stories. This was not made clear when puchasing.
At first I found each story unsatisfactory as the plots seemed flimsy and the characters undeveloped .However it is possible to see where these themes have been later developed into full novels. In fact it was fun to spot where characters in the short stories reappear under different guises in the novels. So an interesting addition to my G. Heyer collection.

When I first got hold of this book I was surprised to find that it was a book of short stories, and I wasn't sure if I would like it. How wrong I was!

The book was first published in 1960 so it's one of Heyer's later books, and that shows in the range of characters and ages that she portrays in these short stories. Each story works brilliantly on its own as a story - although short, they never feel rushed or incomplete. The range of characters is as broad as ever, including some young heroines and one who is in her thirties. Her heroes tend to be the usual ones - dashing, handsome, rich gentlemen who are excellent horsemen. And yet there are a couple of stories in there which seem a little more unusual - my particular favourite is Hazard where Lord Carlington wins his friend's half-sister during a night of gaming and finds himself with her in an Inn the following morning, having just inserted the notice of his engagement to another woman in the papers. Of course things work out well (they always do in Heyer's books, which is what I like so much about them) but it's how these resolutions are brought about that make these stories such fun.

Did not realise was a collection of small stories, that didn't seem to finish, some could have gone on longer.

I have read these books time and time again. It seems that not only do I have my books but also my Kindle.

as with all GH books, just fabulous! well rounded characters, good storyline. I have loved everthing so far GH has written.

My existing Heyer books have been re-read so many times they are falling apart so I was particularly pleased to find this edition with it's good sized print and attractive cover.

I have been a Georgette Heyer fan for around 40 years, but I would be the first to admit that condensing an already hard-to-believe tale into a shortened version makes it less likely to succeed as a work of fiction, because you don't get time to bond with the characters or the plot. But Georgette Heyer is still head and shoulders above other writers in this genre due to her lightness of touch and sense of humour.