Paperback 333 pages
Horror
2008
Synopsis:
Deep within the desolate Pine Barrens of New Jersey, a series of gruesome murders draws ever nearer to an isolated farmhouse where a woman struggles to raise her disturbed son. The boy seems to have a psychic connection to an evil presence deep in the dark forest. The old timers know the truth of the legendary creature that stalks the Pine Barrens, and how savage it can be.
My Take:
With very small print and long winded prose, the book reads a lot longer than its 333 pages. But don't let that stop you from picking up this book. Despite its short comings, the story is amazing from the start. Like only the best horror writers, Dunbar will cause you to keep your lights on for weeks after reading this novel. You will also be wary to step outside after dark. If, while traveling through New Jersey, I get a flat tire late at night, I will think twice about pulling off to the side of the road to change it. I would drive for miles looking for a well lit populated area to stop. And I still wouldn't get out of my car. I 'd call triple A and let them change it. Horror fans give this book a try. You won't be sorry.
I rate it a 6.2
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Executive Power by Vince Flynn
Paperback 512 pages
Thriller
2003
Synopsis:
As special advisor on counterterrorism to CIA director Dr. Irene Kennedy, Mitch Rapp is ready to fight the war on terrorism from CIA headquarters rather than the front line. That is, until a platoon of Navy SEALs, sent to the Philippines to save an American family kidnapped by radical Islamic terrorists, is caught in a deadly ambush. The mission had been top secret -- so who told the enemy? All evidence points to the State Department and the Philippine embassy. But a greater threat still lurks. An unknown assassin working closely with the highest powers in the Middle East is bent on igniting war. Now, with the world watching his every move, will Rapp be able to overcome this anonymous foe and once again keep the flames of war from raging?
My take:
This is basically two short novels put together to make a longer novel. First we have the family rescue in the Philippines followed by a rogue Palestinian putting together a plan that he hopes will force the world to establish a Palestinian State inside Israel. Mitch Rapp is involved heavily in both scenarios. Normally, Flynn takes you on a wild fast paced ride. This time, the wild is ride, but the pace is not fast. Sometimes the action flows at a snails pace. Several times I checked to see how many pages I had left. Even the ending was lacking. The end seemed rushed and anti climatic, very un-Flynn like. Overall it is a good read, though not one I would read again.
I rate it a 5.7.
Thriller
2003
Synopsis:
As special advisor on counterterrorism to CIA director Dr. Irene Kennedy, Mitch Rapp is ready to fight the war on terrorism from CIA headquarters rather than the front line. That is, until a platoon of Navy SEALs, sent to the Philippines to save an American family kidnapped by radical Islamic terrorists, is caught in a deadly ambush. The mission had been top secret -- so who told the enemy? All evidence points to the State Department and the Philippine embassy. But a greater threat still lurks. An unknown assassin working closely with the highest powers in the Middle East is bent on igniting war. Now, with the world watching his every move, will Rapp be able to overcome this anonymous foe and once again keep the flames of war from raging?
My take:
This is basically two short novels put together to make a longer novel. First we have the family rescue in the Philippines followed by a rogue Palestinian putting together a plan that he hopes will force the world to establish a Palestinian State inside Israel. Mitch Rapp is involved heavily in both scenarios. Normally, Flynn takes you on a wild fast paced ride. This time, the wild is ride, but the pace is not fast. Sometimes the action flows at a snails pace. Several times I checked to see how many pages I had left. Even the ending was lacking. The end seemed rushed and anti climatic, very un-Flynn like. Overall it is a good read, though not one I would read again.
I rate it a 5.7.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Seperation of Power by Vince Flynn
Paperback 544 pages
Thriller
2001
Synopsis:
A changing of the guard at the CIA attracts some corrupt politicians with eyes on the White House. Unfortunately for the bad guys, upright CIA agent Dr. Irene Kennedy is tapped to replace her dead boss, thwarting their illicit fund-raising plans. Sen. Hank Clark enlists Irene's second in command to discredit her and the president. Clark and his cronies are also eager to deal with CIA special ops assassin Mitch Rapp, who's stuck on desk duty after nearly losing his life on a previous assignment and seems ripe to be taken out. Mitch accompanies his girlfriend, White House reporter Anna Rielly, to Italy, where he meets up with his former lover, freelance assassin Donatella Rahn. When Rahn is shot, Mitch uncovers a plot linked to the men behind the threats to Irene and the CIA. Meanwhile, reports surface that Saddam Hussein has acquired nuclear weapon components from North Koreans, who are assembling them in a factory buried beneath a Baghdad hospital. This calls for a gutsy mission, one that entails stopping Saddam while avoiding the PR nightmare that bombing a hospital would cause. Irene pulls Mitch into the plan to deal with Baghdad while she grapples with Congress.
My Take:
Great book from page one. You can't help but wonder if the politicians in Washington behave the way Flynn portrays them. Unfortunately, after seeing what is going on with the current Health Care debate, I have to say yes. You get it all in this book. Political intrigue, military suspense, and personal drama. A top notch read that I highly recommend. But with Flynn, you need to start with his very first novel. So if you haven't read Flynn before, don't start with this one.
I rate this novel a 9.1
Thriller
2001
Synopsis:
A changing of the guard at the CIA attracts some corrupt politicians with eyes on the White House. Unfortunately for the bad guys, upright CIA agent Dr. Irene Kennedy is tapped to replace her dead boss, thwarting their illicit fund-raising plans. Sen. Hank Clark enlists Irene's second in command to discredit her and the president. Clark and his cronies are also eager to deal with CIA special ops assassin Mitch Rapp, who's stuck on desk duty after nearly losing his life on a previous assignment and seems ripe to be taken out. Mitch accompanies his girlfriend, White House reporter Anna Rielly, to Italy, where he meets up with his former lover, freelance assassin Donatella Rahn. When Rahn is shot, Mitch uncovers a plot linked to the men behind the threats to Irene and the CIA. Meanwhile, reports surface that Saddam Hussein has acquired nuclear weapon components from North Koreans, who are assembling them in a factory buried beneath a Baghdad hospital. This calls for a gutsy mission, one that entails stopping Saddam while avoiding the PR nightmare that bombing a hospital would cause. Irene pulls Mitch into the plan to deal with Baghdad while she grapples with Congress.
My Take:
Great book from page one. You can't help but wonder if the politicians in Washington behave the way Flynn portrays them. Unfortunately, after seeing what is going on with the current Health Care debate, I have to say yes. You get it all in this book. Political intrigue, military suspense, and personal drama. A top notch read that I highly recommend. But with Flynn, you need to start with his very first novel. So if you haven't read Flynn before, don't start with this one.
I rate this novel a 9.1
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Third Option by Vince Flynn
Paperback 432 pages
Thriller
2000
Synopsis:
The Third Option is the dark, dangerous world of covert operations where governments use agents to kill their enemies without sanctioning their activities. Mitch Rapp, a member of the Orion Team, has lived by the rules of the game for a decade. Now that he is in love, Mitch wants to resign after years as a patriotic universal soldier.
His last assignment calls for him to assassinate a German industrialist helping Saddam Hussein rebuild the Iraqi nuclear arsenal. After completing the mission, one of his peers tries to eliminate Mitch, but fails to kill the operative. Alone and hunted, Mitch manages to return to the States to attempt to uncover the identity of the individual paying the assassination bills. When his enemy grabs his beloved girlfriend, Mitch vows to kill everyone who might be involved, even if it means raiding the Halls of Congress and the White House.
My Take:
Fast exciting read from page one. A real page turner. This novel starts out on fire and gets hotter as it races to a top notch conclusion. And the conclusion is a cliff hanger which will cause you to run out and purchase the next novel in this amazing series. What do you get when you combine Tom Clancy with Clive Cussler? You get Vince Flynn.
I rate this novel a 9.6.
Thriller
2000
Synopsis:
The Third Option is the dark, dangerous world of covert operations where governments use agents to kill their enemies without sanctioning their activities. Mitch Rapp, a member of the Orion Team, has lived by the rules of the game for a decade. Now that he is in love, Mitch wants to resign after years as a patriotic universal soldier.
His last assignment calls for him to assassinate a German industrialist helping Saddam Hussein rebuild the Iraqi nuclear arsenal. After completing the mission, one of his peers tries to eliminate Mitch, but fails to kill the operative. Alone and hunted, Mitch manages to return to the States to attempt to uncover the identity of the individual paying the assassination bills. When his enemy grabs his beloved girlfriend, Mitch vows to kill everyone who might be involved, even if it means raiding the Halls of Congress and the White House.
My Take:
Fast exciting read from page one. A real page turner. This novel starts out on fire and gets hotter as it races to a top notch conclusion. And the conclusion is a cliff hanger which will cause you to run out and purchase the next novel in this amazing series. What do you get when you combine Tom Clancy with Clive Cussler? You get Vince Flynn.
I rate this novel a 9.6.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Transfer of Power by Vince Flynn
Paperback 592 pages
Thriller
1999
Synopsis:
The stately calm of the White House is shattered in a hail of gunfire. A massacre leaves dozens of innocent bystanders murdered. Hostages are taken. Terrorists have descended on the Executive Mansion. The president is evacuated to a bunker. CIA counter-terrorism operative Mitch Rapp scrambles to save as many lives as he can.
My take:
This is Mitch Rapp's debut. It is an incredible read, Flynn's best book so far even though this is only his second novel. Flynn's novels must be read in order, so please don't start with this one. His characters go from novel to novel. To understand fully what is going on, you must read them in order of publication.
The novel reminds my of one of the many television seasons of Fox's 24. However this novel came long before the 24 series and is much better. Be prepared to read this in one sitting. If you don't have the time to do so, then you will find yourself sneaking away as often as you can to get in a few minutes of reading. The action is that good. You won't be able to stop turning the pages to see if Rapp can save the hostages and the President, or if he has to sacrifice the President's life for the hostages or vice versa.
I rate this novel a 9.5. Go read it (after you have read his first novel that is).
Thriller
1999
Synopsis:
The stately calm of the White House is shattered in a hail of gunfire. A massacre leaves dozens of innocent bystanders murdered. Hostages are taken. Terrorists have descended on the Executive Mansion. The president is evacuated to a bunker. CIA counter-terrorism operative Mitch Rapp scrambles to save as many lives as he can.
My take:
This is Mitch Rapp's debut. It is an incredible read, Flynn's best book so far even though this is only his second novel. Flynn's novels must be read in order, so please don't start with this one. His characters go from novel to novel. To understand fully what is going on, you must read them in order of publication.
The novel reminds my of one of the many television seasons of Fox's 24. However this novel came long before the 24 series and is much better. Be prepared to read this in one sitting. If you don't have the time to do so, then you will find yourself sneaking away as often as you can to get in a few minutes of reading. The action is that good. You won't be able to stop turning the pages to see if Rapp can save the hostages and the President, or if he has to sacrifice the President's life for the hostages or vice versa.
I rate this novel a 9.5. Go read it (after you have read his first novel that is).
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Under The Dome by Stephen King
Hardcover 1072 pages
Science Fiction
2009
Synopsis:
On an entirely normal, beautiful fall day in Chester's Mill, Maine, the town is inexplicably and suddenly sealed off from the rest of the world by an invisible force field. Planes crash into it and fall from the sky in flaming wreckage, a gardener's hand is severed as "the dome" comes down on it, people running errands in the neighboring town are divided from their families, and cars explode on impact. No one can fathom what this barrier is, where it came from, and when — or if — it will go away.
Dale Barbara, Iraq vet and now a short-order cook, finds himself teamed with a few intrepid citizens — town newspaper owner Julia Shumway, a physician's assistant at the hospital, a select-woman, and three brave kids. Against them stands Big Jim Rennie, a politician who will stop at nothing — even murder — to hold the reins of power, and his son, who is keeping a horrible secret in a dark pantry. But their main adversary is the Dome itself. Because time isn't just short. It's running out.
My Take:
Despite the length, this book is a fast and easy read. It made me wish I owned a kindle or a nook, the book was heavy! This is not your typical Stephen King novel, there is no bogeyman hiding in the closet or beneath the bed that will cause you to keep your bedroom light on for weeks after finishing it. I classify this as a rehashing of his blockbuster 1978 novel The Stand. Instead of a superflu that kills almost the entire planet, you have one small Maine town cut off from the world by an invisible globe that perfectly follows the town's boundary. It is your classic good guy versus bad guy plot. In this case it is the concerned citizens (the good guys) versus the town's politicians (the bad guys). The corrupt politician's don't believe in letting a crisis go to waste (sounds familiar) decide to force their own agenda on the town by manufacturing and arranging further calamitous events. (Again, does this sound familiar?)
King grew up in a small Maine town, but he seems to have lost his feel for what it is like living in a small Maine town. I have lived in a small Maine town nearly my entire life. Unlike the fictional Chester's Mill, my town does not have a full time police force. We couldn't afford one even if we needed one. Our police protection comes from the state and county. Nor do we have our own hospital. We don't even have a small clinic. Only the big cities like Lewiston, Augusta, Bangor, and Portland have hospitals. Some of the smaller cities up north will have a hospital, but no town in Maine with a population under 2500 would have one. It is a stretch to give Chester's Mill a police department, and a hospital, but both are vital to the plot.
The end was a little weak as well. After investing time in a nearly 1100 page book, I expected a more imaginative ending. I wasn't dissatisfied with the ending, a little disappointed perhaps, but it seemed like he wasn't sure how to end it and took the easy way out.
Overall, a good read. I think all King fans will enjoy this one. I give it a 6.5
Science Fiction
2009
Synopsis:
On an entirely normal, beautiful fall day in Chester's Mill, Maine, the town is inexplicably and suddenly sealed off from the rest of the world by an invisible force field. Planes crash into it and fall from the sky in flaming wreckage, a gardener's hand is severed as "the dome" comes down on it, people running errands in the neighboring town are divided from their families, and cars explode on impact. No one can fathom what this barrier is, where it came from, and when — or if — it will go away.
Dale Barbara, Iraq vet and now a short-order cook, finds himself teamed with a few intrepid citizens — town newspaper owner Julia Shumway, a physician's assistant at the hospital, a select-woman, and three brave kids. Against them stands Big Jim Rennie, a politician who will stop at nothing — even murder — to hold the reins of power, and his son, who is keeping a horrible secret in a dark pantry. But their main adversary is the Dome itself. Because time isn't just short. It's running out.
My Take:
Despite the length, this book is a fast and easy read. It made me wish I owned a kindle or a nook, the book was heavy! This is not your typical Stephen King novel, there is no bogeyman hiding in the closet or beneath the bed that will cause you to keep your bedroom light on for weeks after finishing it. I classify this as a rehashing of his blockbuster 1978 novel The Stand. Instead of a superflu that kills almost the entire planet, you have one small Maine town cut off from the world by an invisible globe that perfectly follows the town's boundary. It is your classic good guy versus bad guy plot. In this case it is the concerned citizens (the good guys) versus the town's politicians (the bad guys). The corrupt politician's don't believe in letting a crisis go to waste (sounds familiar) decide to force their own agenda on the town by manufacturing and arranging further calamitous events. (Again, does this sound familiar?)
King grew up in a small Maine town, but he seems to have lost his feel for what it is like living in a small Maine town. I have lived in a small Maine town nearly my entire life. Unlike the fictional Chester's Mill, my town does not have a full time police force. We couldn't afford one even if we needed one. Our police protection comes from the state and county. Nor do we have our own hospital. We don't even have a small clinic. Only the big cities like Lewiston, Augusta, Bangor, and Portland have hospitals. Some of the smaller cities up north will have a hospital, but no town in Maine with a population under 2500 would have one. It is a stretch to give Chester's Mill a police department, and a hospital, but both are vital to the plot.
The end was a little weak as well. After investing time in a nearly 1100 page book, I expected a more imaginative ending. I wasn't dissatisfied with the ending, a little disappointed perhaps, but it seemed like he wasn't sure how to end it and took the easy way out.
Overall, a good read. I think all King fans will enjoy this one. I give it a 6.5
Monday, January 11, 2010
Lucifer's Hammer by Larry Niven
Paperback 640 pages
1977
Science Fiction
Synopsis:
A gigantic comet slams into Earth causing earthquakes a thousand times too powerful to measure on the Richter scale and tidal waves thousands of feet high. Cities are turned into oceans; oceans turned into steam. It is the beginning of a new Ice Age and the end of civilization. But for the terrified men and women chance has saved, it is also the dawn of a new struggle for survival--a struggle more dangerous and challenging than any they had ever known.
My Take:
This novel was co-authored by Jerry Pournelle. It is a slow read until the comet strikes the earth about a third of the way into the novel. But hold on for a fast heart pounding ride to the end after the strike. I have read this novel several times and would love to see this made into a movie. The events after the strike are what I imagine would actually happen in such an event, or a global crisis like a nuclear attack or other man made/terrorist related incident. You will see both the best humanity has to offer, and the worse. If you like this book, and I guarantee you will, you should read Stephen King's The Stand next which is in the same vein. If you already have read The Stand but haven't read Lucifer's Hammer, then by all means read this book. You won't be sorry. I rate this book a 7.5. I would give it a higher rating if it wasn't for the novel's slow start. But stick with it. You will be glad you did.
1977
Science Fiction
Synopsis:
A gigantic comet slams into Earth causing earthquakes a thousand times too powerful to measure on the Richter scale and tidal waves thousands of feet high. Cities are turned into oceans; oceans turned into steam. It is the beginning of a new Ice Age and the end of civilization. But for the terrified men and women chance has saved, it is also the dawn of a new struggle for survival--a struggle more dangerous and challenging than any they had ever known.
My Take:
This novel was co-authored by Jerry Pournelle. It is a slow read until the comet strikes the earth about a third of the way into the novel. But hold on for a fast heart pounding ride to the end after the strike. I have read this novel several times and would love to see this made into a movie. The events after the strike are what I imagine would actually happen in such an event, or a global crisis like a nuclear attack or other man made/terrorist related incident. You will see both the best humanity has to offer, and the worse. If you like this book, and I guarantee you will, you should read Stephen King's The Stand next which is in the same vein. If you already have read The Stand but haven't read Lucifer's Hammer, then by all means read this book. You won't be sorry. I rate this book a 7.5. I would give it a higher rating if it wasn't for the novel's slow start. But stick with it. You will be glad you did.
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