I'm a well read grad student who's bluntly honest about all things, although I try to be most honest about myself.
This is a tie-in to Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes. I absolutely adore the UK version of Life on Mars, and while Ashes to Ashes had some very large continuity issues, it was pretty amazing as a whole.
Either way, Gene Hunt is the standout character in both series. I believe one of the reasons that Ashes to Ashes didn't make as big a splash as its predecessor is that Gene worked best off Sam; I know others may disagree, but it's the way I felt about the three characters. I know I'm not the only one to feel this way, either.
Anyway, this book collects sayings by Gene Hunt, some from the two shows, some new, and it ask has notes by Chris Skelton and Ray Carling, two other characters who were in both Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes. The notes are some of the best parts, although the very best thing about this book are the quotes from the shows.
The rest? Show Gene in an incredibly bad light. Now, Gene talked tough, and wasn't a very pleasant man, that's to be sure, but when it came down to it? He was a copper to bring justice to the world. He actually did care, and hid it under his bravado.
This book skews toward him being crude, and sexist, and even slightly racist, which, yes, were the funniest parts of the show. But it skews too far, and doesn't show any other side to him.
Did I enjoy the book enough to read it twice? Yeah, but I think I remembered it as being more in character, and having more depth. I didn't enjoy it as much the second time around.