Red Chaser by Jon Spoelstra is a 1950’s thriller that is available exclusively on the Kindle. So you won’t see this novel sitting on the shelf of your local bookstore, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t deserve to be there! I typically won’t pick up a book based in the 50’s because I draw no connection with the time period, but I found the novel’s environment warm and inviting.
For those looking for a book that gets straight to the point, Mr. Spoelstra delivers the first few chapters in a way that pulls the reader in quickly. The first line of the book, “I went to war poor,” hints at a deep history beyond the scope of the novel itself, however there is a rather slow build up before I found the main character to be deemed interesting.
I must note that I have very little interest in history, war, or baseball, three strong subject matters of the novel, so I found myself skimming over the more detailed accounts of the Vietnam war and the history of the Dodgers. The good news is that Red Chaser is not limited by one’s disinterest in this topics. By the middle of the novel the character’s level of complexity really drove the interest of the story for me. Jake, the main character, begins the story as a disappointingly simple guy, but as the story progresses he becomes an intriguing factor in the plot as this self diagnosed psychotic will shock you with the level of depravity he allows himself to operate at.
Overall, I felt that Red Chaser starts out slow, but as the level of character detail proliferates halfway through the novel, the book really starts to capture your imagination. The book is fun and entertaining, but the true creative writing really shines as the complex plot lines draw together in the end. It’s an easy read that will charm anyone, especially if you are a fan of baseball or the Vietnam war.
I was originally drawn to Outlander because of the amazing rating on Amazon. It is very rare to see over a thousand people rate a book and it still maintain over four stars. So I quickly decided to pick up the book. Especially since it was available on the Kindle.
First of all, the book is very long. It took me 2 weeks and 4 days to finish it. However, I found the book to be very engaging for the majority of the time. Ms. Gabaldon was able to draw me into the book very quickly and surprisingly, though hundreds of pages where very little actually happened, I was still excited to read the book day after day.
Furthermore, I must state that the book is a grand scale romantic adventure. The book centers around the main character Claire, who is always in need of rescuing. There is also a lot of sex. Very graphic and descriptive sex, but I prefer books that don’t shy away from the adult topics, though I felt that this book bordered on being a little too sexy.
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon is not a girl book. It is mainly about the love between two people, but what book doesn’t focus on romance to some degree? Although it is a major plotline in the book, I didn’t think it was too much to handle. Ms. Gabaldon balanced many different characters around one main story. Basically the entire book takes place following the main character Claire. That basic streamlined story’s focus makes it easy to follow even through the massive 850 pages.
In the end, I really like Outlander. I was excited to learn that it is the first in a series of books about the main Character, so I’m sure I’ll be picking up the next book in the series and I recommend you do the same. I was a lot of fun to read.
Black Hills by Dan Simmons may be the first historical fiction book I’ve ever read. Historical fiction, as I recently learned, portrays fictional accounts of historical figures. In this case, Dan Simmons shares the story of a Sioux indian and through the eyes of a seemingly simple character Mr. Simmons pulls a great amount of depth from the life of a man struggling to overcome the loss of his heritage.
Black Hills is exciting from the moment it opens to the first scene taking place in the middle of a battlefield. As we learn who our protagonist is, Mr. Simmons takes us through multiple points within a very specific timeline that very quickly builds into an exciting complicated plot line with several different aspects.
True to the graphic American frontier, Black Hills is realistically crude and violent. The main character, whose name is Paha Sapa, gives the reader a first person view of the changing times as America expandes westward. This is far from a history lesson. While the story line takes place around some major points in US history the book is driven by the complexity of the wonderful character that Dan Simmons built into Paha Sapa.
This is a character driven novel. As the book progresses, the multiple points of conflict begin to merge into one epic tale centering on the unusual life of one American indian. Several times in the book Paha Sapa assumes fake names as his identity is shaped by his environment. Yet the overall theme is bigger than fulfilling one’s destiny. Black Hills is not driven by war, love, or hate. The story is fueled by the crushing weight of the protagonist’s quest to fulfill his place in the way of the Natural Free Human Beings.
Black Hills by Dan Simmons will be available on February 24, 2010. I highly recommend the book.
Below is a video in which the author, Dan Simmons, gives a wonderful summary of the story. I think he does a great job conveying the tone of the novel. (Please forgive the corny intro…)
To describe The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield would require a string of adjectives more witty, but similar to spooky, complicated, mysterious, multilayered, and cozy. It’s reads like a car starting on a cold day, but once the engine warms up it’s a comfortable and enjoyable journey.
Anyone who says they understood all of the subplots and minor mysterious is a smarter person than me, because I got lost several times over during the tale, but if it wasn’t complicated I would be complaining that it was too elementary.
The character development is very thorough. In fact, the characters are so complex and self aware it’s easy to get lost in the pages of the character’s self reflection, since the novel jumps to different first person views very often.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and I would recommend it to a reader that is looking for an engrossing read. It is not a shallow nightstand reader, because it requires too much concentration and reflection for a reader that might be drifting off to sleep as you turn the pages to the very long chapters. I recommend the book, but stay alert or you might get lost in the details.
The Rook by Steven James is the follow up to The Pawn, a suspenseful mystery based around intense criminology investigations. The Rook continues on the storyline that Mr. James developed in the first novel. My favorite aspect of James’s writing style is that he able to take a typical mystery and mix in a complex theme of morality and self reflection. Read my review of The Pawn for more thoughts on the moral aspects.
Since The Rook is a sequel, I can’t help but compare this book to the original, but unfortunately this installment did not grab me as strongly as the first one did. While the storyline was complex and engaging, there are several times that the characters and dialogue downshifted and lulled the progression of the novel. However, that’s a minor aspect of the character development. Mr. James is much more qualified at creating interesting characters than many other popular authors.
I’m a fan of reoccurring characters and plots that build through a series of events. Life isn’t linear and Steven James is able to weave a beautifully complex protagonist / antagonist relationship. After finishing the second book in James’s “thrillogy” I’m ready to dive into the final installment. With the grit and raw pulse he’s put into these first two novels I’ve become a Steven James fan!
On the surface The Shack by William Young is an exciting drama with a lengthy discussion making up the bulk of the story. It’s likely that you’ve heard about The Shack, but the book’s description was shallow and unhelpful. So allow me to frustrate you even further. Keeping from all spoilers, it is impossible for anyone to explain this book. I think even the back cover goes too far in spoiling the plot. So I will keep to my standard book review formula and hope it is sufficient.
From the start Mr. Young does a wonderful job of keeping the reader’s attention. The introduction hints at a grandeur of events to come, but there are several modest peaks of excitement that lead up to the big climax. Young does are wonderful job of corralling the story from being a one-hit wonder. Before the plot turns to the main contention, the minor events leading up are engrossing.
With that said, this book does not read like a sixth grade persuasion essay. It’s a smart portrayal of a subject matter often riddled with tawdry proverbs. The depth of the story is best stated within the book itself.
“Mack, there is far more going on here
than you have the ability to perceive. Let
me assure you, all of this is very much real,
far more real than life as you’ve known it.”
In closing, this has been one of the most difficult reviews I’ve ever written. I get paid to write, but for me to try and summarize The Shack and give a review has been a stretch of my ability. My highest endorsement of this book is the best I can do, but that leaves us back at the shallow and unhelpful explanation I hinted to at the first of this review. I digress. Read the damn book.
True Blue by David Baldacci is a kick back to the old Last Man Standing days where the beat walking cop grinds down the details and solves the case using gut and grit. However, true to Baldacci’s character style, this story does not involve the typical hairy detective. Instead, it’s focused on a strong, independent woman that plays the role of the sticky gumshoe.
True Blue finally shows strength in its characters, where other Baldacci novels have been weak. While the independent women character is not new to the Baldacci universe (The Winner) this installment doesn’t feel as rigid as previous novels. Baldacci’s characters are loose, natural and sometimes unpredictable which really keeps the story moving and interesting.
This is not a police procedural novel. Very little of the story takes place within the halls of the police station. In fact, the action spans from the crime scene, to the morgue, to the courtroom, and in the slums of DC. True Blue makes use of some great characters and an exciting environment to build into a multilayered crime thriller.
True Blue is yet another exciting action novel to add to the growing Baldacci library. As the holidays approach and you’re facing hours of traveling to see loved ones, True Blue is a great suitcase thriller. Though you may have trouble putting it down between rest stops.
The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown is another controversial book about secrets and lost knowledge that is intimately related to religion. In fact, all of the Robert Langdon books (Angels and Demons, DaVinci Code) are so closely related to Jesus and God that if you are easily upset over differing views I would not recommend that you read this book. It is full of interesting facts, but they are difficult to grasp when they are littered with fiction.
On the surface The Lost Symbol is a great book. It’s a great ride through our nation’s capital with mediocre characters, but tons of cliff hangers and page turning scenes. However, as a book lover I often find Dan Brown’s books to packed full of meaty facts, but very light on character development or plot layout that doesn’t directly deal with the storyline.
The Lost Symbol is a great summer or weekend reader for people looking for an entertaining “summer blockbuster” type of novel. If you’re looking to identify with characters and get emotionally involved in a story Dan Brown’s novels do not provide tangible personas. While the storyline can take twists and turns the characters act very predictably.
Very few times has an author jumped to the top of my reading list in only one book, but Steven James did just that with his thriller called The Pawn. Literally the very first chapter of The Pawn broke new ground in my reading history because it takes the reader beyond the PG-13 filter by which many books frame their story lines. Steven James spares no detail as he introduces his serial killer antagonist.
Further on, as the story begins to take shape, it feels as though you are walking into a narrative that has already started, because the characters already have deep history and interconnecting relationships. I particularly like it when an author understands that the life of their character doesn’t begin with their novel, a good story line rides on the lives of it’s characters and I think Steven James understands exactly how to put that into his books.
Another aspect of the book that I found to be particuarly interesting was Mr. James’s thread of motive and reasoning. As the main character struggles to stop a crazed serial killer, Mr. James expertly introduces questions of morality. It’s not just a bloody world of murder that keeps this novel racing to the end, it’s also the threaded uncertainty of good in a world of evil.
The Pawn is a smart, thought provoking book that continues to push the envelope. I don’t think I will ever be happy with another crime novel that doesn’t theme itself with something greater than just another bloody slasher.
Rating: 9 out of 10
I’m looking forward to reading more from Steven James’s exciting series. Buy The Pawn by Steven James at Amazon.com
Dragons by Michael Connelly is the 21st book in the Harry Bosch series and I was thrilled to get my hands on an early release copy of the book. Detective Bosch is an intrepid LAPD cop that I originally discovered when I picked up a very worn copy of The Last Coyote and I’ve been hooked ever since.
If you’ve never read a Connelly book before, this book is a great reason to start. 9 Dragons is a hard hitting yet ardent book that stretches the action from downtown LA all the way to the slums of Hong Kong. Connelly goes way beyond the typical gears of crime in LA. The main character (Harry Bosch) must reflect on some bad decisions he’s forced to make during a high-stakes case that quickly turns personal.
The characters are thick with personality and it’s obvious that Connelly makes it a priority that his fictitious personas are relevant to the times. At one point Harry Bosch mentions the social network, Twitter and his new smart phone plays a key role in the storyline.
Overall, 9 Dragons is THE reason to begin your adventure in the Harry Bosch experience. Michael Connelly continues to write exciting stories that can not only engulf you in a compelling narrative, but with his most recent work the reader is left with a strong sense of choice and consequence.
Rating: 10 out of 10! (highly recommended)
Available on October 13th at Amazon or your favorite book seller.
Red Chaser by Jon Spoelstra is a 1950’s thriller that is available exclusively on the Kindle. So you won’t see this novel sitting on the shelf of your local bookstore, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t deserve to be there! I typically won’t pick up a book based in the 50’s because I draw no connection with the time period, but I found the novel’s environment warm and inviting.
Black Hills by Dan Simmons may be the first historical fiction book I’ve ever read. Historical fiction, as I recently learned, portrays fictional accounts of historical figures. In this case, Dan Simmons shares the story of a Sioux indian and through the eyes of a seemingly simple character Mr. Simmons pulls a great amount of depth from the life of a man struggling to overcome the loss of his heritage.
To describe The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield would require a string of adjectives more witty, but similar to spooky, complicated, mysterious, multilayered, and cozy. It’s reads like a car starting on a cold day, but once the engine warms up it’s a comfortable and enjoyable journey.
The Rook by Steven James is the follow up to 
On the surface The Shack by William Young is an exciting drama with a lengthy discussion making up the bulk of the story. It’s likely that you’ve heard about The Shack, but the book’s description was shallow and unhelpful. So allow me to frustrate you even further. Keeping from all spoilers, it is impossible for anyone to explain this book. I think even the back cover goes too far in spoiling the plot. So I will keep to my standard book review formula and hope it is sufficient.
True Blue by David Baldacci is a kick back to the old 
The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown is another controversial book about secrets and lost knowledge that is intimately related to religion. In fact, all of the Robert Langdon books (Angels and Demons, DaVinci Code) are so closely related to Jesus and God that if you are easily upset over differing views I would not recommend that you read this book. It is full of interesting facts, but they are difficult to grasp when they are littered with fiction.
Very few times has an author jumped to the top of my reading list in only one book, but Steven James did just that with his thriller called The Pawn. Literally the very first chapter of The Pawn broke new ground in my reading history because it takes the reader beyond the PG-13 filter by which many books frame their story lines. Steven James spares no detail as he introduces his serial killer antagonist.
Dragons by Michael Connelly is the 21st book in the Harry Bosch series and I was thrilled to get my hands on an early release copy of the book. Detective Bosch is an intrepid LAPD cop that I originally discovered when I picked up a very worn copy of 
or your favorite book seller.