Nova Books

This is the first Greg Iles book I really disliked.
I kept waiting for a believable resolution to the whole
Mallory thing and it never came. It SHOULD be listed as a
supernatural or ghost story, NOT a suspense novel.
It was also not very well written.
I loved Mortal Fear and The Quiet Game, but this was awful.

I've read a lot of Greg Iles' books and this is by far the WORST!! I love keeping books so I can pass them along to others or simply add to my collection. This one...I actually threw it in the trash when I finally finished reading it.

Being a big Greg Isles fan, I must admit that I never expected the story to take the turn it did. I don't want to give anything away but the author really did move in a different direction and I'm sincerely not sure if I am disappointed or not. Either way, the resolution surprised me (whch, for me, is always a good thing). I enjoyed this novel and raced through it - extremely easy read - filled with a number of "the plot thickens" moments. Unusual, a little weird and even disconcerting at times. A tad repetitive in the last third but still most certainly worth reading.

Listened to the audio version of this book. Having read many of Iles' books, I was waiting for a plausible explanation or scenario at the end. That didn't happen. I like Iles' character development in all of the books that I have listened to so far, including this one. About the only thing that I got out of it is the message that when one cheats on his/her spouse, the third party will stay with them until the end. Thankfully, Iles hasn't gone back to science fiction since this work!

I'm a real fan of Greg Iles, but this book was a big disappointment. If you like nonstop sex crossed with The Body Snatchers, you just might enjoy this book. But I found it very trite. OK, I admit I finished it, just to find out what happens to Malory, but it was painful.

As far as thrillers go this was very good. The characters were deep and enthralling, keeping your interest all the way through. There was enough suspense to keep you turning the pages, and plenty of action. If you enjoy Lee Child`s Jack Reacher books then this will please you. I`m a series fan and enjoy Child and Michael Connelly books immensely, if you like that kind of thriller read the `Soft Target` books by Conrad Jones. They are unputdownable!! Back to the review, ten out of ten.

This is my fourth Reacher novel and the lone wolf business is wearing a little thin. I am halfway through the book and struggling. Our anti-hero has yet to change his clothes and must be getting a bit ripe. Normally, this wouldn't be an issue, writers are not required to notify readers every time a character changes clothes--it's assumed. But, since the author makes a major deal out of Reacher traveling only with a toothbrush (fold-up, no less), it becomes an issue. I find myself waiting for Reacher to launder his clothes, or as is his custom, throw them away and buy new ones. Other irritants: Everybody (Reacher obviously excluded) wears "pressed" jeans. Who the hell irons their jeans these days? And what's with the braless FBI agent? Finally, our man of honor is becoming increasingly obnoxious. You simply can't say ANYTHING to him without getting a fairly lame, if snotty reply. His hatred of the FBI's use of "profiling" to catch serial killers borders on the pathological. Reacher has some real issues here. Sadly, I have a few more Reacher books in the Amazon pipeline and will have to slog through them, periodically stopping, sighing and glaring at the picture of the author conveniently placed on the back cover.

I was very disappointed to find when I started reading the book that I had already read it under another title.

I love Jack Reacher novels--he's a great anti-hero. I was given a bunch of Lee Child books and have been reading them in no particular order. I assumed this was the first in the series because of so many character discrepancies ... what a disappointment to discover it wasn't. For example, Reacher checks his watch (even though in other books he never wears one because he has an odd always-knows-the-time ability), he lives in a house and has a girlfriend (even though he's all about nothing to tie him down), and he's under surveillance for a week and doesn't know it (that's not the Reacher I know and love!). I was ready to forgive these and other "errors" when I thought it was just the beginning of a developing character for the author, but not as a third or fourth book. I can suspend my disbelief when reading Child novels, but appreciate character consistency.

I bought this with the two `Soft Target` novels by Conrad Jones (electric thrillers!) only to find that the storyline seemed way to familiar to be a Reacher book that I hadnt already read...low and behold it is the same as Visitor but renamed and rebound.....not very fair really on Lee Child fans...there is no mention on the cover of either book that they are the same...which is naughty to say the least.Good job my two other purchases were brilliant!!

As far as thrillers go this was very good. The characters were deep and enthralling, keeping your interest all the way through. There was enough suspense to keep you turning the pages, and plenty of action. If you enjoy Lee Child`s Jack Reacher books then this will please you. I`m a series fan and enjoy Child and Michael Connelly books immensely, if you like that kind of thriller read the `Soft Target` books by Conrad Jones. They are unputdownable!! Back to the review, ten out of ten.

This author writes wonderful stories. I read all of them. You know the man is going to win in the end. But how he gets there is fascinating!

This is the second Jack Reacher Novel, by Lee Child. My Aunt sent me "One Shot" which I loved, so I decided to read the Jack Reacher Novels in sequence. I didn't like this as well as "Killing Floor" but still found it above average. Liked the Kidnapped Female Agent who is the center of the Novel. But I didn't think the book needed two traitors within the bureau. This book is a fun, thrilling read.

Lee Child has taken reacher into another situation not of his own making. H estumbles into a kidnap by accident. Jack Reacher is in both the wrong and the right place at the same time when FBI Special Agent and daughter of the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Holly Johnson is abducted from a Chicago street. It is the wrong place because Reacher, a former army major drifting around the country, is kidnapped as well. It is the right place because only he has the instincts to foil the complex, deadly plan of the kidnappers, a Montana militia group headed by a charismatic, brilliant, but psychotic leader. Child's tale, very well read by Dick Hill, engrossingly portrays Reacher's efforts to manipulate the captors; the behind-the-scenes maneuvering of the FBI, the army, and the White House; and the many unexpected roadblocks thrown in his path. As usual he right all the wrongs and leaves town without a trace, marching into the next Reacher novel. Excellent.

An OK book, but not at the level of John Sanford. I got very tired of the author using the word "right" at the end of everyone's dialogue. It gets old after a while, right?

Love Christopher Rice books and wish he would write another. All of his books are worth reading.

This authors first book was phenominal! Absolutely heartbreaking and then redeeming. It seemed to be almost autobiographical. This second book, far below the quality of the first. Really had to imagine it was written by the same author. The characters werent developed well and by the end so many red herrings and unnecessary plot twists were used it was ridiculous. Leaving me with thinking the book was as believable as an old Gilligan's Island rerun. This book keeps me from really being interested in any of his current work. I will re-read the first!

I just finished The Snow Garden and like Density of Souls, I found it interesting but both novels were confusing in many places and a lot of reasons "why" events were happening were never brought to light. We needed to know more about Jesse, whom I feel stole the show. Although some of the plots get twisted up within themselves, I believe that Christopher is on his way to becoming a good writer. He's young and just getting started - he will grow into his stories.

I will admit I'm a little torn here. I liked this book a lot more before I read the horrendous `A Density of Souls' and that experience alone tarnished my view of Christopher Rice in general. That said, `The Snow Garden' is a much better book than his debut, but it still falls into some of the same pitfalls, it just has a few extra redeeming qualities this time around. Again, Rice was able to paint a very eerily detailed picture for the reader, something he also did in `A Density of Souls'. A characters surroundings and atmosphere is the first key to grabbing the attention of the reader and so in that regard this novel excels.

The characters in this novel are also more intriguing and all around more entertaining than those in `A Density of Souls' but once again Christopher falls into stereotypes, the same stereotypes that made his previous work annoying. He also tends to get off subject too much, lacing every characters background with so much tragedy and so many dark secrets that they come off, bluntly put, unreal. I mean, one tragic story is enough...there's no way everyone in that school has suffered their share of trauma. That aside, these sub-plots and or flashbacks still aren't enough to make me despise this book. They are no where near as off-putting as those found in `A Density of Souls'.

The plot here is better crafted as well. Yes, as some have mentioned, it gets a little chaotic, and there were times when I chuckled at the amateurish tendencies Christopher gives some of his characters (I couldn't help but think `Hardy Boys' when Tim and Randall where in the storage locker...or laugh a little to myself at Randall's sudden surge of manliness as he stands up to Eric...I mean where did that come from). That aside, the main storyline involving murder, betrayal, sex and adultery fit a little nicer this time around. Despite all the intertwining sub-plots and character development points Christopher was able to meld them all together in at least a decent and satisfying way.

So, in a nutshell, this is the basic synopsis of the novel. Randall is our main character. He's a gay student who has been carrying on an affair with his married Art Professor Eric behind everyone's back, including his best friend Kathryn. When Eric's wife dies in a horrific car accident that may or may not have been murder Eric quickly finds himself the main suspect, even in the eyes of his beloved Randall. As Randall tries to get to the bottom of things himself, determining whether or not Eric is a cold hearted killer, we are introduced to a cast of characters that in ways add and in others take away from the grit of the novel.

One of the biggest issues I have with this novel was its lack of depth given to the most interesting character, Jesse, Randall's roommate. Jesse stole the entire show with his psychotic ways of using sex and need to destroy everything and everyone he touched, and his sheer magnetism that obviously affected everyone around him also drew me further into the novel only to have any real explanations of his intentions and purpose completely disregarded and glossed over. He was far more interesting than Randall, Kathryn, Tim and maybe even Eric (although I liked his character quite a bit) and deserved to be fully explored.

As many have also mentioned, the editing of this novel is so bad it's embarrassing. There were plenty of times it got so bad I was confused and had to reread sentences before realizing it was the authors mistake and not my eyes. But still, it's not enough for me to really truly hate this novel, for as I mentioned, I actually like it.

And so here we come to the most redeeming quality to book possesses and most likely the main reason why I will recommend and stand by it...and that is the impressive and completely blindsiding ending that just ransacked me in such a good way. When we finally uncover the dark secrets that matter...granted some of them really don't, but at least the dark revelation behind Eric's closeted homosexuality and his wife's untimely death (that whole orgy thing was just a fantastic inclusion)...we are brought to this otherworldly place that makes up for the grammar, the stammering and the overexposure of one too many characters (and the underexposure of the most important).

At times I get the feeling that maybe Christopher somewhat made things up as he went along, starting from chapter one and then every-once-in-a-while just going "I think this character should do this" or "maybe he should have undergone this" and just went with it. That would at least explain why some plot points are never expounded upon and some are over analyzed. He's lucky that it fits together better than his mess of a debut (have you noticed I truly despise `A Density of Souls' yet?) and he's extra lucky that the last third of this book is so engrossing. I recommend giving it a read through for it really is decent in most respects, just don't expect a masterpiece. Oh yeah, and is it just me or is the cover art just brilliant...makes you want to, no need to read this book! Good move.

Over the years I've read three of Christopher Rice's novels - all of which have a similar theme - the trials & tribulations of young folks (largely gay) with deep dark secrets. The same problems that plagued the first and second novel also are present in this one:

(1) Too many charaters - Yes, after a few 100 pages they begin to come into focus but the avalanche of names and relationships can cause problems
(2) Too many subplots - ALthough he somewhat manages to tie them together the result is unsatisfactory. Every single character does not need a deeply involved past with numerous branches leading to yet more subterranean veins of action.
(3) Too autobiographical - Sure, all novels are in a sense about the author but this is the third coming of age story of a young gay guy with sordid secrets.

The author has wonderful insights, an almost poetic way with the English language and terrific character development. In THE SNOW GARDEN there is just too much conflicting action between all the characters - a is mad at b who is friends with c who likes d who dated a but wants to date b... One other criticism - there are just too many gay folks for a realistic setting. It seems every other student at this college was/is/wants to be gay. Plus, as in the other novels, the straight dude finally falls for the hero - a not so well-disguised Rice. In this case, Jesse almost stole the show with his sociopathic and intensely creepy agenda of using sex to psychologically destroy a person.

VERY predictable and boring through most of it. I wished at times that she'd get to the point already! The constant pages of the main character and her sexual escapades with another character isn't necessary; I considered it to be nothing more than filler to boost up the page count. One description of them would've been more than sufficient, but the author continues it throughout the entire book ad nauseum. The drama of the sex content is stuff of daytime soap operas...too "perfect" to be believed in the real world (damsel in distress, only lover can help her/save her, etc.). It seemed that every other chapter had the description of their sexual escapades on it. We get the point already...we don't need to read about it every ten pages or so and by doing this, it makes the book become a total turnoff and also the author equates sex and/or lust with love, which are two totally different things.

She also has the two main characters fighting, then having sex: predictable fluff. Sort of trying to tame a wild horse and again, only the one lover can do this...no one else. Get real! Life is NOT like this.

As far as the storyline is concerned, it is okay, but Ms. Hoag should've concentrated on that more than the sex adventures...it would've held my attention a lot more and been a lot more believable.

A real disappointment by this fine author who has written much better books than this one.

Don't waste your money on this book. Buy a new year from this author. This book is from 1995.

This is a book that should not be set aside lightly. It should be thrown ... with great force. I bought this book while on vacation, just looking for a little mindless escape. I had just finished reading the latest from Jeffrey Deaver, so I was in the mood for another good mystery. This one isn't. The characters are cardboard, the romance is corny and contrived, and the plot - such as it is - just plods on. I kept thinking that it would get better if I just kept going a little bit further, but found myself skipping whole paragraphs until I finally gave up after 116 pages. That's when I turned to the Amazon reviews and my suspicions were confirmed. And to think that there's a sequel that's even slower than this!

I've come across this book after watching the movie based on it. The movie was really good and I wanted to check the book out. I wasn't disappointed: lots of suspense; very entertaining. It's been a few years since I read it, so I apologize if I can't give more details. The story was good enough that made me buy 4 other Hoag's books. Night Sins is probably one of her best.

This book was entirely too predicatble. You could read the first 50 pages and the last 50 pages and not have missed anything but confusing sex and a dragged on plot line. Subtle hints the kidnappers left were supposed to leave you on the edge of your seat, but all they did was make you sick of them because they were repeated over and over to the point where you just skip over it. This book was a big let down froma good author.

As far as romantic suspense novels go, I liked this story. I liked the characters, plot & tidbits of info. about MN.

However, I didn't care for the "romance." The whole thing about Megan sleeping w/ her boss, after just meeting him, when she has so much to lose, all while there is this big case going on, just seemed unbelievable. I mean she's this detective that has worked so hard to establish herself & be taken seriously & has this rule never to date cops, but then she sleeps w/ her co-worker a couple days after meeting him - Please! If she is gonna sleep w/ him fine, but describing her as a no-nonsense/professional woman who can count the # of relationships she has had on 1 hand, didn't work for me.

My BIG gripe - the ending.... D NOT read this bk. if you want loose ends tied up & your ?'s answered/explained. Do NOT read/buy this bk. unless you don't mind buying/reading Guilty as Sin. Yes, you will need to read Guilty as Sin to find out what happens & why. Well, at least I hope Guilty as Sin answers all my ?'s from this bk.!

Even though I had some complaints about this bk., I still enjoyed it.

This is a quiet, well-written novel about a happy marriage in a small town and what happens when something unexpected happens to change the entire landscape. The story shifts perspective, which I sometimes find distracting, but worked pretty smoothly here. I will be interested in reading more of Hoffman's work, which has somehow eluded me thus far. If you're interested in more of what I'm reading and recommending, check out my book blog at allthepage.today.com.

Alice Hoffman writes stories that reverberate with her audience in unexpected ways. Her prose is lyrical, her characters provocative, and her themes of love, loss, betrayal, and forgiveness poetically descriptive. I was into the book almost ½ way before it really caught fire for me but then I couldn't rest until I found out how it ended. And, thus is the talent of Alice Hoffman. I haven't read all her books (shame on me) but those I have read have always held a hidden charm and warm reward. Blue Diary is no exception. Hoffman has the ability to capture the nuances of young people as well as adults in a seamless manner that makes you certain these characters are real.

It is true that few writers can manipulate a plot with such grace and compassion on a subject that many writers might not even attempt, but Hoffman manages to do just that, illuminating real life as we puzzle over the characters choices as if they were ours to make.

Hoffman makes extraordinary use of imagery from the natural landscape and I felt that I was often seeing the silver moonlight and watching the lilies die. This book will deliver the sucker punch of the summer and if you're like me, you'll put yourself in the place of Jorie Ford and ask yourself how you would keep your life together and what decisions would you make if this tragedy was to be visited upon you. And, I hope you'll cheer for Jorie as she seems to make the only decision that can save her family. The novel is rich with complex characters and a compelling plot that will haunt you long after you finish the book.

This is a graphic novel that should provoke discussions among its readers. It may have you arguing over the meaning of loyalty and forgiveness and it certainly begs the question of whether our past deeds should be used to judge our present lives. Certainly they should inform our future and adjust our decisions but at what point should they continue to be used against us? I think most readers will agree that this past act is one that can not be washed away by the good deeds of future acts but must stand and be judged on the humanity of the deed, or lack thereof.

Again, Hoffman has given us a book full of characters that will take hold of your heart, show you what it means to be human, and leave you panting for more. It's always a great disappointment when Alice's books are over. I highly recommend this book, buy it, savor it and take time to reflect on the topic.

I picked up this novel, a New York Times Notable Book, with real anticipation, and was quickly drawn into the plot. However, I became increasingly distracted by the overwrought and cliche-ridden prose, silly metaphors, and unbelievable extremes with which some of the characters are drawn. I couldn't finish it.

Husband and wife are in love; really, REALLY in love. Town is picture-book idyllic, with fauna and flora and lots and lots of apple trees which all the residents seem to notice all the time, and the sky is blue, as one chapter mentions no fewer than 20 times, "painfully azure" or sometimes "damson" or "inkberry" but no doubt about it, the sky is blue. Husband is a good man; a really REALLY good man, a heroic pillar of town and so very good. But soon we learn how "downright evil" he was in a former life, as another poster here has described well: "a pathological criminal from a young age, a vain destructive boy-thief, already living off women as a teenager, serves time in prison, rapes & kills a girl and then changes into a saint in one night after falling in love with a woman in a bar." The 12-year-olds are wise beyond their years, pondering the soul and the loss of youth, yet the wife doesn't think it odd that her husband has no family or past.

Come on.

Hoffman's "Local Girls" was terrific; it's hard to believe this was written by the same author.

As an aside, are the chapter titles related to Tarot cards? "Hanged Man" "Knight of Swords" "The Conjurer"? They make no sense to me. What an unfortunate patchwork of focus this book is.

This is my first Alice Hoffman book and may be my last. Her writing style rambles and switches points of view so rapidly I felt whiplash coming on. Her main character, the murderer, is so despicable when we initially see him commit his crime that it is quite unfathomable for us to think he has "changed" so much. The premise was enticing, yet the story and characters never really developed. Hoffman's writing style is to switch viewpoints every chapter, yet I felt jipped that we weren't in Ethan's point of view longer, if not to help us understand this great metamorphasis we were supposed to buy into. I don't think I'll read another.

This was my first Alice Hoffman book and it won't be the last. Blue Diary deals with the age old question, "How well do you really know someone?" even if you're married to them... It was refreshing that Hoffman didn't have Jorie's take the more traditional "stand by your man" approach when faced with the discovery of her husband's past. And Kat, having such definite views on things. What a 12 yr old! My heart broke for Collie, having to figure out which side he was on - the community or his mother's.

This is the 3td book in a series of four from Wilbur Smith and it's awesome I just finished it and am looking forword to the next, the Quest.

SD

(Warning: vomitorium not included!)

Say you have a beloved mate, and a best friend, too, and your dearest sister is that best friend's mate, so together you make a happy foursome of great, supportive friends, who will probably have a double wedding eventually, you're that close. Then, say one member of the perfect foursome dies an unspeakable (and I do mean unspeakable) death, leaving his/her mate wounded and alone, crippled and bereft, a virtual amputee. But, you still have YOUR mate, and the two of you are not going to postpone your wedding just because the other couple has been severed in half by cruel, sadistic fate.

Okay. Understandable. Life goes on.

But when you see the lone, bereft one on the road, heading away into the monastic future that is all he's got left, do you wave and holler, "Hey! Where ya goin? Aren't you coming to our wedding?!"

Uh...okay...let me cut this short. "Warlock" is an inexcusably sadistic piece of "men's adventure," strictly for the "man" who still likes to dismember an occasional cricket for enjoyment, but doesn't want anyone to see. Judging by the bestsellerdom of Wilbur Smith's "plot supported" works of porn, there are a LOT of you. And when I say porn, I don't mean the straight stuff, or even the kinky stuff. I'm talking sick. I'm talking wouldn't even be legal, without the "plot" material to prop it up and get it out there to the fans.

On to the nitty, now that I've dealt with the gritty: Wilbur Smith is so successful that he now scorns an editor, apparently. And boy, does it show! I've never read a historical novel so overflowing with anachronisms, many of them hilarious. He even uses French phrases! In an imaginary ancient Egypt setting, mind you. French phrases. Yep.

This novel is far from "well-researched" or "authentic" as Wilbur's fans keep insisting it is. For instance, he uses "cat gut" to stitch wounds. Oh, forget it, the list of mistakes like that is just TOO long.

In WARLOCK, Wilbur Smith created a wizard so mighty that, supposedly, there is none greater on earth. Yet this wizard's next nearest competitor bests him thousands of times over, again and again, performing feats so amazing that, if the Warlock could do anything half as great, our heroes would be saved in just a couple of chapters.

Over and over, the bad guys prove better at everything than the good guys, ten times as able to survive, to withstand sand storms standing right out in the open that nearly kill the good guys who have taken cover. Characters who prove themselves incredibly skilled with weapons later can't hold their own even in the mildest skirmish, and as super-clever as they are, they make the stupidest choices imaginable, while the dumb, hulking villain outsmarts everyone, including the mightiest warlock ever to walk the earth. The villains stride through the story wreaking misery and havok without the slightest fear of reprisal or being stopped. The heroes can't even claim back their own crowns without worrying they might get arrested or shot. This, readers, is the opposite of "seamless" writing.

The tests the good guys are put through become absolutely predictable after the first 2 or 3. We soon know the author is going to spend 30 or 40 pages getting the hero through it once again by the skin of his teeth, brutalizing more animals and killing innumerable secondary folk we have come to like as he goes merrily along. Each test becomes yet another ordeal for the reader, not just the hero. There are too many of these, and they go on far, far too long.

I skipped the Red Road entirely. Wilbur outmatches the antagonists to the heroes not to the point of making a worthy match, but to the point of utter unbelievability, even laughability. Get real, will you, Wilbur? And I don't want to leave without cutting you, like so many other reviewers have, for the misery you put so many animals through, dismemberment, live burial, slitted bellies, gashed throats, burnings and sacrificings, yuck, how can anyone call this a STORY? But, we are a desensitized society. When Wilbur Smith decides to make an unclish figure and saver-of-the-day out of a character who would today be the president/chairman of NAMBLA, we don't bat an eye, we even cheer! People...we are ROME.

There is some beautiful word-weaving here, gorgeous imagery and descriptive writing that is perfectly dreamy. There is awesome potential, but Wilbur Smith would need (in addition to a strict, learned, ruthless editor) a very special co-writer to bring things to fruition, because he's got something missing from his heart...and I'm a little concerned it might be his soul...

Because Wilbur, there was absolutely no reason for Mirikara to accompany that other princess on that last mission. (Nefer should never forgive his beloved for taking Mirikara along, yet these overridingly human factors never come into play, hinting strongly to me at a heart that is missing its soul.) So this is what we call "gratutitous," buddy. And it's the worst example I've ever seen. It was so sick, so sadistic, so pointless, so "arrested-development" nasty, so carried away cruel, so over the top in its horrific ugliness, and so ill-placed at the triumphant ENDING of the tale, that I am resting utterly assured I will never see the repulsive like again, not as long as I live.

I couldn't even finish reading the ending of the book. There I was at the conclusion, the culmination I'd been striving toward, and I could only scan downward to the finish, sick to my stomach, sick in my heart, disbelieving, turning the last 3 or 4 pages of prolonged under-reactions on the part of our remaining protagonists, culminating in ridiculous perkiness as those who survived claimed their riches and danced in triumph.

I tore the paperback to pieces and stuffed it into an empty compartment of my suitcase (I was traveling)--I was that repulsed, the horror being so unexpected, so needless, so clearly provided to satisfy the ugliest of lusts in certain readers, and yes, the author himself, who could not resist doing what he did. Does his publisher not even read his manuscripts anymore, but just print and distribute them??

Oh, well, I rarely come to Amazon to say how much I loved something, whether book or movie. It's usually to complain. But I may never complain again, folks, I think I have found my Transcendental Moment of the Despicable (as diametrically opposed to the Divine) in this thick, over-written, mostly tedious, overlong, barely fact-checked "historical" novel called WARLOCK, by bestselling men's adventure writer Wilbur Smith.

To the "male person" who recommended this book to me so insistently: I TOLD you I can take a bucket or two of blood, a hard dose of heart-rending anguish, and a shovelful of gore, but that if it goes TOO far, I am going to be mad.

Well, I am really, Really, REALLY mad. The story structure in no way supports the gratuitous hammer blows of rupturing agony and deliberate hellish gore the author thrusts upon the reader. Wilber Smith just ain't that good. He isn't even close to being good enough to get away with this. And his publisher should be ashamed.

ADDENDUM: When you read (as I have) the extensive criticism of Wilbur Smith as a "racist" and "misogynist," understand that this is oatmeal for the masses, a smoke screen this man relishes, because political catch-phrases distract us from what he's REALLY about, and that is snuff porn and pedophelia.

That's how it looks to me.

In searching the literary landscape for good historical fiction, it is always great to find good ole Wilbur. I would like to meet him and thank him for a wonderful yarn. It is not fair to compare this to his others novels, each are deserving of a read from historical readers, and other than Rutherford and Jennings there are no other historical authors who begin to stack up.

Intricate plotline, characters who demand emotion, and a backdrop steeped in fact and fantasy make this series thoroughly enjoyable. Mr. Smith will transport down the Nile and away from your everyday life. I love to escape in one of his books. If you like historical fiction do yourself a favor, read River God first and then make the rounds. This is just good stuff.

This was a good read and and interesting follow-up to the River God. However, it didn't add much about Egyption history and many parts of the book were overly predictable. I would recommend it for Wilbur Smith fans, especially those who have read River God.

I've read Wilbur Smith's novels, "River God" and "The Seventh Scroll", and although I thought both went on too long and tried to do too much, I loved them for their originality and the excellent drawing of the principal character, the eunuch Taita.

In Warlock, as in the two "Taita" novels mentioned above, Smith again tries to bite off just a smidge too much scope but where the earlier stories were so strong I found myself able to overlook this flaw, now the novelty of the setting has worn off and this time the characterization is less satisfying - much like Hollywood sequels that fail to measure up to the original films because they slavishly try to mimic the elements that made the original a success.

Additionally (regrettably), Warlock grants POV's (points of view) to a veritable slew of characters, and the resulting stew ends up as a multitude of mid-paragraph POV swaps, pat dialogue, and thin characters. There's Taita, of course, but I much preferred him as the egotistical, lustful-but-incapable, boasting genius in River God and Seventh Scroll. There, his flaws glared but you couldn't help but love him. Here, he is boringly perfect no matter who or what the opposition.

Of the others, Young pharaoh Nefer is perhaps the most rounded. He experiences setbacks and tries harder the next time. Although we never really know him well enough to make the transfer into his skin, his character arc rings true as he grows toward manhood. Less convincing are the shallowly drawn love interests and the two bad guys. Between the antagonists they don't do a single redeeming thing in the entire story. Sorry, but I've come to like characters with a little depth, and here there isn't much to enjoy.

To his credit, what Smith does give is a strongly imagined story painted in broad, colorful strokes. Smith is expert at setting the scene and Warlock holds the reader while trying hard to exploit the presumed familiarity of the reader with Taita. Sorry, it just doesn't convince. The plot is convoluted enough, but each "homestretch" is easily predictable, and I guess the broad strokes are to be expected when the writer is cranking out a 650 page novel every year.

In my experience with his works, Wilbur Smith is best when he uses his rich imagination to tackle an entirely new theme with fresh characters and an exciting original hook. The Courtney's come to mind. The initial novels were by far the best of the lot. Of course, as an author myself, I know starting fresh is also the most difficult way to write, and not the kind of thing that lends itself to the one-a-year pace this author has been keeping of late.

In the end, I'm still a fan. I'll be reading the next one, and the one after that.

If Wilbur Smith lived on the great lakes, he'd have written "The Secret Ever Keeps". He lives in Africa, so I had to do it for him. If you like Wilbur Smith, you'll love "The Secret Ever Keeps". Here's the Amazon page. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1601640048/ref=cm_arms_pdp_dp/104-6302050-9055104

I was surprised by some of the bad reviews this book recieved. I thought this book was wonderful. The two main characters are interesting and their romance obvious, but thrilling. Although my personal favorite by Woodiwiss is A Rose in Winter, I found this one much to my liking as well. It was a little less stormy then The Flame and The Flower. The sub-characters were also well developed and amusing. All in all a good read.

The Elusive Flame the much awaited sequel to The Flame & The Flower was not at all what I expected my own fault I must admit I went into this book highly expecting the man/woman undeniable desire which this book surely lacked it had more of a teasing teenage first love scenario which by all aspects was written fairly well
Beau Birmingham was a gallant (mentioned quite a lot though out the book) a through and through gentleman Cerynis was an awed stuck naive girl she did play the virginal role well at first !! Won't go into to much detail about the lust fevered first time ~ya'll that read the book know what I am talking about ~ I wasn't buying it
it was written well enough but it bother me on how it happened
I loved reading about Heather and Brandon (from Flame & the Flower) and how they faired in a long desirable marriage it was like visiting with old friends
The villains were laughable at best the bubbling buffoons
All in all the book was good but lacking in some aspects but faired really well in the other parts
Beau was a wonderful husband to Cerynis and like wise she was a wonderful wife you could see that love was blossoming but like I stated earlier it lacked the desire but that is only my opinion
If you think that this book will hold a torch to the Flame and the Flower you will be disappointed but the Elusive Flame has a flare of it own , read the book and make your own conclusion but it is sure a good book to waste time away from your ordinary lives

I havn't read it yet but I've waited 30 years for a seaqual to The Flame and The Flower, which was the very first romance novel I ever read and I was hooked from then on. I hope this seaqual will up to her talent and my expetations! If it dose it will be a very good read, one you won't want to put down or end either.

In "Elusive" there isn't much character development with the protagonists (we're supposed to be satisfied with the information that they've known each other since youth) but you'll get plenty of saccharine descriptions of Beau and Cerynise's mutual affection (Ms. Woodiwiss went so far as to describe theirs as a love that rivaled anything written by Shakespeare). Hmm. The high action saved until the very end was overly contrived as well (gotta love those villains who explain to each other, in great detail, what had just transpired and what will happen - all within earshot of someone).

This is my second and probably last Woodiwiss. I just haven't read anything by her worth the praise I've seen in the other reviews for her work.

Watery romance, thin plot, poorly developed characters. This author produced much better work earlier in her career.

I'm clearly in the minority on this one, but I actually thought Tricky Business was a little better than Big Trouble. Dave's fiction style has improved--he's not just trying to write a novel in the style of one of his humor columns this time. Consequently, the over-the-top silliness is toned down somewhat here, leaving a good crime thriller bordering on spoof.

The audio version is well-read by Dick Hill, although he doesn't seem to be as into it as he was reading some previous Barry books.

Dave Barry's "Big Trouble" is one of the funniest novels I've ever read. Unfortunately, this is a review for Tricky Business. It's still kind of funny, but it's not as fresh and surprising as Big Trouble is. It's also a lot more "adult" -- a lot more sex and adult language/violence than Big Trouble. It feels like a little too much for a supposedly light, humourous romp.
The book also recycles more of Barry's humour column material -- like funny band names, etc.
It's an easy, light read, but if you can only read one Dave Barry novel, pick Big Trouble.

Dave Barry writes great novels! It is easy to visualize his characters and his witty writing stays with you. This book is a little darker than Big Trouble, but definitely worth reading. The beahvior of the newscasters will have you laughing out loud!

I found Barry an entertaining read, but didn't have the "bite" of a Hiassen or Dorsey.

As a parody it's not very funny, but it's too silly to be taken seriously as a crime novel. Parts of it may make you smile. It's a good book to pass the time in a waiting room, as long as you have a strong stomach!

A solid 4 1/2 stars. This book is so good. Tami Hoag creates a heroine and hero with such complexity and depth that the story immediately draws you in. I really loved it. Hoag is such a wonderful writer. As in some of her other novels, the bayou setting works so well within this book. It really adds an element to the suspense that otherwise might not have been there. It truly is a great read.

This is my 1st Tami Hoag book. I thought this story was great. Granted it is a love story, with some suspense. But the developement of the characters is wonderful. They are all disfunctional with lots of baggage and then to see how both Laurel and Jack (especially Laurel)get stronger
as the book progresses. All the time I kept trying to guess who the killer was, and pretty muched guessed who it would be before it was revealed. I love any story that takes place in the south, especially bayou country. I didn't want this one to end. Cant'w wait to read another of her books.

I thought she should have spent more time in South Louisiana reserching for this book. First of all resturants around here do not sell Rhubarb pie. At the very least she could have used real "Cajun" last names along with the names of towns and Parishs. There is nothing "Cajun" about this book. As far as the story goes I am still wondering why "Jimmy Lee" was even included in the story, or the fight between Savanah and Annie. The way that Hoag would describe items, places or individuals went way beyond then what was necessary. Jack felt sorry for himself, not deserving of anything the entire book, what a bore that was. Laurel, what a pity she was wanting to cry at every turn. This the second Hoag book I have read and it will be the last.

I have read a number of books by Tami Hoag and have pretty much enjoyed them all. Some I have enjoyed more than others, but generally, it is pretty safe to pick up one of her books and expect a good work with interesting characters and heroes and heroines you might actually care about. Laurel and Jack are difficult to care about. Since when are charm and obnoxious the same thing? Jack (es-corporate lawyer - what a hoot) and Laurel (Wallowing in self pity and self martyrdom-Get over it! Watch Law & Order. Even Jack McCoy loses a case now and then) Savannah? Let us not go there. She was so completely unlikable...I think the only mystery is why someone hadn't killed her earlier. I kept going in this book only because of Hoag's other works. This one was the earliest work by her that I have read. You know what this means, right? This is one of her Prior Bad Acts. Sorry. Anyway, this is not her best work. Had this been the first Tami Hoag book I had read, I would have not tried another. Fortunately it was not the first for me.

This was my first book by this author and I was very disappointed. While she does get a A++ for her research of the locale and Cajun dialect, I found the heroine , Laurel Chandler to be very annoying. If she was going to rehash her past experience as a DA and the case that lead to her downfall one more time I was ready to put the book in the trash. I wanted to scream, Get Over It and Move on! The rest of the characters , including Jack (who I failed to find appealing or sexy) were fair to midland. I found myself intrigued with what the handsome DA Steven was wearing. His wardrobe sounded straight from GQ. So much for the story!