Red Storm Rising Review

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(More customer reviews)A few years ago, for reasons I couldn't remember if my life depended on it, I bought a book that didn't have to do with sports. It was Tom Clancy's Red Storm Rising. At the time I didn't have any knowledge whatsoever of military happenings in the world. I remembered the Gulf War as a nuissance that the news had aired for a month instead of sports (gasp!). Until RSR, I hadn't read a book that was longer than 300 pages. Sound familiar? I'm writing this review for those of you who are like I was.
The first time I read Red Storm Rising, it took me about a week. I don't remember why (I have a terrible memory, don't I?), but I loved it, even though I didn't understand most of the jargon and tactics. I then embarked on a week of net-surfing to learn everything I could about the weapon systems Clancy described. I even borrowed a book from the library about the Cold War, and this is at age fifteen (my friends thought I was nuts). Then I read my new favorite book again, and I actually understood a lot of the air, land, and sea combat sequences.
Anyway, one book doesn't make an addiction, so the next trip to the bookstore I bought "The Hunt for Red October". Take a look at its reviews and guess how I reacted to it. I was officially hooked on techno-thrillers.
Today, I have every book in the Tom Clancy collection (except for the Net Forces and Powerplays), and I loved every one to one degree or another. I also have all or nearly all of Larry Bond's (who was a co-writer with Clancy on Red Storm Rising) and Stephen Coonts' books. These writers, along with Clancy, do their homework when writing their books. I haven't detected a single error in their military jargonizing (I may be wrong), and they spend a lot of time (couple hundred pages) developing the story, instead of just saying, "stuff happened, now let's get to the action!". There are also a bunch of new authors who have this skill (ie. - Patrick Robinson, James Cobb) who you should check out if you like Clancy, Coonts and Bond.
P.S. - If you really liked Red Storm Rising and you want more Cold War era NATO-USSR war books, be forewarned; there aren't many good ones. If you see one called "WWIII" by Ian Slater, don't touch it with a ten foot pole. It's a series of books, and he evidently has no knowledge at all about military hardware and international politics. Check out his reviews (I've never seen so many 1 stars).

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The Whole Truth Review

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(More customer reviews)I was reluctant to purchase David Baldacci's The Whole Truth as some of his most recent books have been lacking in quality. Fortunately, this latest book reminds me of his earlier and better works.
Nicholas Creel owns a defense contracting business called Ares. In an effort to bolster sales, he hires Dick Pender whose specialty is perception management. Perception managers fabricate facts and then pass them off to the public as truth. "Why waste time trying to discover the truth, when you can so easily create it?" Pender hatches a scheme to create an international incident that will result in a number of superpowers on the verge of war. These countries will then increase their defense spending and order weapons and equipment from Ares.
Part of the scheme is called "The Red Menace." Pender and staff are planting false stories about the Russians in the news and over the internet. Several people suspect that these stories are false, including journalist Kate James, consultant Anna Fischer and operative A. Shaw. In usual thriller fashion, the closer they get to the truth, the more dangerous their lives become. How The Whole Truth unfolds will have you turning pages at breakneck speed.
Baldacci is good in that he incorporates many present day current events to make The Whole Truth very realistic. While almost all thrillers have an element of disbelief, you can actually imagine many of these situations taking place.
I am happy that Baldacci took a break from his Camel Club series and has given us something totally new. The Whole Truth is the kind of book that I have come to expect from Baldacci. Overall, I'd rate it four and a half stars.


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Stone Cold Review

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(More customer reviews)Even though I do a lot of reading, fiction isn't really my thing. In fact, I usually only read a few works of fiction each year. So, when my daughter brought home an advance reading copy of STONE COLD by David Baldacci from the bookstore where she works, I didn't get too excited about it. She told me she had read one of his books before and thought it would be something I might like. The book sat idle on the desk in my library for a couple of weeks. Then one morning, before going to the office, I had a few extra minutes and decided to take a look at it.
If I lacked excitement about the book before, that lack of excitement was multiplied after reading the excruciating first sentence. It was a painful fifty-two words long and contained six commas. I looked at my watch then glanced again at the cover. "Okay Mr. Baldacci, you've got exactly twelve minutes to grab my attention."
Well, guess what. Mr. Baldacci did indeed grab my attention. The first sentence turned out a poor example of Baldacci's writing style. Over the next day and half, every spare minute was spent flipping the pages of this book. Even though this is apparently the third or forth book in a series, the character development was spectacular. The story is non-stop and will have you dying to know what happens next.
I hate it when reviewers give away too much storyline, so I'll limit what I tell you about the plot. Most books of this nature, I find, too much of a stretch to be believable. I only found minor instances of that here. Here's an example; as I said, Baldacci brilliantly constructs his characters. Here we have a ruthless casino owner, feared by all, known to be a dangerous man you never want to cross. Yet he employs a barmaid at the casino who is quite loose-lipped about her employer's dealings. Not likely. The reader is also asked to buy into assassinations of high ranking cold-war officials. But don't let these little trivialities stop you from enjoying a book that is non-stop action. These mistakes are few and far between and are easily overlooked. This is a book you will not want to put down.
Baldacci is a champion at creating the scene on that big screen TV in your mind. In fact, this book has all the makings of a blockbuster movie. You'll see what I mean as the story unfolds. Unfortunately, as is usually the case, some pedantic, self-absorbed producer will get their hands on it and ruin a perfectly good story.
I'm still not a big fiction reader. I just don't have time. But as someone who reads only a handful of fiction books each year, I'm glad this book was one of them.


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7th Heaven (Women's Murder Club) Review

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(More customer reviews)Fires are being set to homes of the wealthy, leaving the residents dead. Detective Lindsay Boxer and her partner, Rich Conklin, are trying to find the murdering arsonists when they get a tip on another prominent case. The case involving the disappearance of Michael Campion, the son of a former governor, has been at a standstill but an anonymous tipster provides a new lead. Soon, Boxer and Conklin have a confession, but will it stand up in court? Women's Murder Club member and Assistant District Attorney, Yuki Castellano, will have the case of her life as the trial starts. Meanwhile, will Boxer and Conklin find the deadly arsonists?
The members of the Women's Murder Club are at it yet again in 7TH HEAVEN. Each book is written to stand alone although the friendship of these women has grown throughout the series. There are hints about past incidents that fans of the series will appreciate. It should be noted that newcomers to the series will miss the character development that has built slowly throughout the series, as some of the members of the Women's Murder Club only make brief appearances in 7TH HEAVEN.
Patterson and Paetro delve a bit further into Lindsay Boxer's psyche, this time examining her relationship to Joe versus her commitment to work. Yuki's insecurities are also examined as she is up against a female attorney not known for losing. Will these two members grow stronger as they face adversity?
James Patterson and Maxine Paetro deliver another fantastic thriller with 7th HEAVEN. The fast pace will have readers rapidly turning pages to see just how things will unfold. 7TH HEAVEN is yet another hit from these two talented authors and is easily recommended.
COURTESY OF CK2S KWIPS AND KRITIQUES

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