Spoiler Free Book Reviews

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!

Rating: 7.5 out of 10

THE ROOK on Amazon.com

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.

Rating: 10 out of 10

The Shack on Amazon.com

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.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Amazon USA

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.

Rating: 8 out of 10

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.

Dragon Keeper by Robin Hobb is another venture into the Realm of Elderlings, an exciting world that I’ve been drawn into since I read Assassin’s Apprentice. I’m a bit of a Robin Hobb cheerleader, so I can’t say my opinion of this book is not influenced by my devotion to anything she writes, but the brutal honesty in this review should be enough to convince you that I’m not simply a fanboy.

In short, this book frustrated me. I suspect that as Hobb’s writing style has matured, she is more likely to take on weightier subject matters, but I don’t feel that her attempt to be controversial has added to the quality of this book. I can’t go any further into the type of controversy, but it is sexual in nature.

If you have read other books by Robin Hobb, you’ll be excited to learn that the readers are reintroduced to a few our of favorite characters from the Liveship trilogy. We also learn a great deal more about life in the Rain Wilds and how the introduction of Dragons into the Elderling Realm has effected its people.

This book is in no way a complete story. The last page ends with absolutely no resolutions and until the next book is released in 2010 we’ll have no idea how this story ends. So, overall I can’t say that this book lived up to the hype. While it was fun to reenter the wonderful world Hobb has created, I feel that his book played at the end of a cheap modern romance novel rather than another epic journey, like her previous novels have been.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Intensity by Dean Koontz is by far the most exciting Koontz book I’ve ever read. I’ve been known to complain that some of his other novels seem to censor some of the more graphic parts of the story, but Intensity is raw and doesn’t cut any corners. I enjoyed the story and the characters were real and believable, however, again I found myself more interested in the antagonist rather than the protagonist.

I always seem to be drawn to characters with deeply disturbed inner monologs and Intensity was packed full of disturbing personal thoughts from a psychotic mind. If you don’t mind reading about corrupted and demented minds (think Law & Order SVU) then I would recommend this book. There’s a nice twist at the end although it’s not a “slap your forehead” kind of twist, but it is a nice punch to end the book with.

Rating 3.5 out of 5

Hideaway by Dean Koontz was published in 1992, but I’m just now getting around to reading all the great books by Mr. Koontz I’ve been missing out on. The last Koontz book I read was The Taking and I was greatly surprised at the drastic difference between novels.

While Hideaway was full of underlying themes and an overriding purpose, it felt more like a muted suspense/horror film that was trying to get away with a PG-13 rating.

I’m a fan of blood and gore and I was disappointed that Mr. Koontz pulled the reader back rather than exploring the vivid horror scenes that were happening throughout the novel.

I’m a believer that the raw details of life are what make characters real. If I wanted a synopsis I’d go watch the movie. I’m reading the book because I want to know the real story. I have not read all of Mr. Koontz’s books, but I was kind of hoping for a little more grit and less skimming.

And finally, I have to mention that I didn’t really start liking the book until towards the end. It took about half the book for us to learn just how demented our antagonist really is and by the time that fact was established, the resolution was closing in fast. I would have enjoyed a little less buildup and a little more detailed exploration.

Overall, I enjoyed Hideaway and I’ll be trying out another Dean Koontz novel soon, but I hope he doesn’t spare the horror in place of the suspense. If I want suspense, I’ll read slower.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Much like Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn series, Elantris is based on a kingdom under the rule of a tyrant. Mr. Sanderson’s style is very unique and it is always refreshing to read his very detailed stories.

I did not enjoy this book as much as I did the Mistborn series. I would recommend reading the Mistborn series. While Elantris is a very creative twist on fantasy, the storyline lacked the dynamic characters needed for such a densely packed epic.

There is a diverse group of characters, but I didn’t find many of them to be noteworthy. I was plagued with remembering all the different names of each noble family and towards the end of the book I really lost interest in all about a handful of the characters.

Overall, I would recommend this book to someone that is tired of reading traditional fantasy novels. If you want something different that doesn’t take a trilogy to explain, try Elantris.

Rating: 6 out of 10