Paperback 560 pages
Thriller
2007
Synopsis:
From the depths of the Indian Ocean, a horrific plague has arisen to devastate humankind - unknown, unstoppable...and merely a harbinger of the doom that is to follow.
Operatives of the shadowy covert organization Sigma Force, Dr. Lisa Cummings and Monk Kokkalis search for answers to the bizarre affliction aboard a cruise liner transformed into a makeshift hospital. But a sudden and savage attack by terrorist hijackers turns the mercy ship into a floating bio-weapons lab.
Time is an enemy as a worldwide pandemic grows rapidly out of control. As the seconds tickcloser to doomsday, Sigma's commander, Gray Pierce, must join forces with the beautiful assassin who tried to kill him - following the trail of the most fabled explorer in history into the terrifying heart of an astonishing mystery buried deep in antiquity and in humanity's genetic code.
My Take:
It would be a crime if you deny yourself the pleasure of reading a James Rollins novel. This book is amazing. The cast of characters seem real, not fictional cardboard cutouts. The novel stands alone, but to truly appreciate the amazing creation of Rollins, you should start at the beginning of the Sigma series. Great read, great action. You will find yourself rushing out to buy or borrow the next book when you finish reading the last few words of this one.
I give it a 9.8
Friday, January 22, 2010
Thursday, January 21, 2010
The Collectors by David Baldacci
Hardcover 436 pages
Thriller
2006
Synopsis:
In Washington DC, where power is everything and the few have too much of it, four eccentric men with mysterious pasts call themselves the Camel Club. Their mission is to find out what is really going on behind the Capitol's closed doors.
The assassination of the US Speaker of the House has shaken the nation. And the Camel Club have found a chilling connection with the death of the Library of Congress's rare books room, whose body was found in a locked vault where seemingly no one could have harmed him.
Oliver Stone, the unofficial leader of the Camel Club, drawing on his experience while working undercover for the government under a different name and his acute deductive powers, discovers that someone is selling highly classified secrets to America's enemies.
My Take:
The prose is something you'd expect to find in a high school creative writing class. It is good enough not to immediately put down, but not so great you rush to the phone to tell everybody to buy the book.
The story saves the day. Actually, there are two stories. One is a very interesting, though somewhat unbelievable con perpetrated against a New Jersey casino owner, the other involves the Speaker's death and the selling of top secret information. The two story lines never connect directly. The con artist becomes involved with the Camel Club after meeting them at the funeral of the Library of Congress librarian. Only one of the story lines is resolved, the other is left as a cliffhanger for what I'm sure will be the next novel in The Camel Club series. Or so I hope it will be.
I rate it a 5.0.
Thriller
2006
Synopsis:
In Washington DC, where power is everything and the few have too much of it, four eccentric men with mysterious pasts call themselves the Camel Club. Their mission is to find out what is really going on behind the Capitol's closed doors.
The assassination of the US Speaker of the House has shaken the nation. And the Camel Club have found a chilling connection with the death of the Library of Congress's rare books room, whose body was found in a locked vault where seemingly no one could have harmed him.
Oliver Stone, the unofficial leader of the Camel Club, drawing on his experience while working undercover for the government under a different name and his acute deductive powers, discovers that someone is selling highly classified secrets to America's enemies.
My Take:
The prose is something you'd expect to find in a high school creative writing class. It is good enough not to immediately put down, but not so great you rush to the phone to tell everybody to buy the book.
The story saves the day. Actually, there are two stories. One is a very interesting, though somewhat unbelievable con perpetrated against a New Jersey casino owner, the other involves the Speaker's death and the selling of top secret information. The two story lines never connect directly. The con artist becomes involved with the Camel Club after meeting them at the funeral of the Library of Congress librarian. Only one of the story lines is resolved, the other is left as a cliffhanger for what I'm sure will be the next novel in The Camel Club series. Or so I hope it will be.
I rate it a 5.0.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Black Order by James Rollins
Paperback 541 pages
Thriller
2006
Synopsis:
In Copenhagen...a suspicious bookstore fire propels Commander Gray Pierce on a relentless hunt across four continents - and into a terrifying mystery surrounding horrific experiments once performed in a now-abandoned laboratory buried in a hollowed-out mountain in Poland.
In the mountains of Nepal...in a remote monastery, Buddhist monks inexplicably turn to cannibalism and torture - while Painter Crowe, director of Sigma Force, begins to show signs of the same baffling, mind-destroying malady...and Lisa Cummings, a dedicated American doctor, becomes the target of a brutal, clandestine assassin.
Now only Gray Pierce and Sigma Force can save a world suddenly in terrible jeopardy. Because a new order is on the rise - an annihilating nightmare growing at the heart of the greatest mystery of all: the origin of life.
My Take:
Another great book in the Sigma Force series. This is a first class roller coaster ride reaching from one end of the globe to the other. You will wish some of these characters were real so you could meet them at the local bar for a beer or a beverage of your chose. James Rollins doesn't disappoint in this amazing book. As long as he continues turning out gems like this one, I will always be a fan.
I rate this book a 9.6
Thriller
2006
Synopsis:
In Copenhagen...a suspicious bookstore fire propels Commander Gray Pierce on a relentless hunt across four continents - and into a terrifying mystery surrounding horrific experiments once performed in a now-abandoned laboratory buried in a hollowed-out mountain in Poland.
In the mountains of Nepal...in a remote monastery, Buddhist monks inexplicably turn to cannibalism and torture - while Painter Crowe, director of Sigma Force, begins to show signs of the same baffling, mind-destroying malady...and Lisa Cummings, a dedicated American doctor, becomes the target of a brutal, clandestine assassin.
Now only Gray Pierce and Sigma Force can save a world suddenly in terrible jeopardy. Because a new order is on the rise - an annihilating nightmare growing at the heart of the greatest mystery of all: the origin of life.
My Take:
Another great book in the Sigma Force series. This is a first class roller coaster ride reaching from one end of the globe to the other. You will wish some of these characters were real so you could meet them at the local bar for a beer or a beverage of your chose. James Rollins doesn't disappoint in this amazing book. As long as he continues turning out gems like this one, I will always be a fan.
I rate this book a 9.6
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Map of Bones by James Rollins
Paperback 560 pages
Thriller
2005
Synopsis:
The crime is inhumanly cruel with horrific consequences both unthinkable and inevitable. During a service at a cathedral in Cologne, Germany, a band of armed intruders dressed in monk's robes unleashes a nightmare of blood and terror, ruthlessly gunning down worshippers and clergy alike. The killers haven't come for the church's gold and valuable artwork, but for a priceless treasure secreted within: the preserved bones of the Three Magi who once came to pay homage to a newborn savior. As they flee the carnage they have wrought, they carry a prize that could reshape the world.
The Vatican is in turmoil, and Lieutenant Rachel Verona of Rome's carabinieri is assigned to lead the investigation. But no ordinary police organization alone can deal with the bizarre theft and massacre. Sigma Force - an elite covert arm of the U.S. Defense Department - is called in under the command of Grayson Pierce. New to Sigma, Pierce assembles a crack team of scientific and Special Forces operatives to unravel the mystery of the stolen bones, and together they set out on a twisting trail through a labyrinth of clues and dark revelations that carry them to the sites of the Seven Wonders of the World - and to the doorstep of the mystical and terrifying Dragon Court.
An ancient, secret fraternity of alchemists and assassins, the master-adepts of the Dragon Court have plans for the sacred remains that will alter the future of humankind in devastating ways that only the maddest of zealots could desire - and they will let nothing and no one stand in their way. Suddenly Pierce, Verona, and the Sigma team are the hunted as well as the hunters, forced to use every skill they possess to survive as they follow the bones to the ultimate confrontation between darkness and light - in a lost place of history where science and religion will unite to unleash a horror not seen since the beginning of time.
My Take:
Put down what ever you are reading at this moment, buy this book, and read it. It will grab you right from the horrific beginning (what is more horrific than an entire church congregation being gunned down in cold blood?). The book is a wild roller coaster ride from beginning to end. The writing is top notch. Word of warning, reading this book will cause you to lose track of time. You will forget you are reading as you turn page after page late into the night. If you like Tom Clancy, Dan Brown, and Clive Cussler, you will love James Rollins.
I rate this book a 9.8.
Thriller
2005
Synopsis:
The crime is inhumanly cruel with horrific consequences both unthinkable and inevitable. During a service at a cathedral in Cologne, Germany, a band of armed intruders dressed in monk's robes unleashes a nightmare of blood and terror, ruthlessly gunning down worshippers and clergy alike. The killers haven't come for the church's gold and valuable artwork, but for a priceless treasure secreted within: the preserved bones of the Three Magi who once came to pay homage to a newborn savior. As they flee the carnage they have wrought, they carry a prize that could reshape the world.
The Vatican is in turmoil, and Lieutenant Rachel Verona of Rome's carabinieri is assigned to lead the investigation. But no ordinary police organization alone can deal with the bizarre theft and massacre. Sigma Force - an elite covert arm of the U.S. Defense Department - is called in under the command of Grayson Pierce. New to Sigma, Pierce assembles a crack team of scientific and Special Forces operatives to unravel the mystery of the stolen bones, and together they set out on a twisting trail through a labyrinth of clues and dark revelations that carry them to the sites of the Seven Wonders of the World - and to the doorstep of the mystical and terrifying Dragon Court.
An ancient, secret fraternity of alchemists and assassins, the master-adepts of the Dragon Court have plans for the sacred remains that will alter the future of humankind in devastating ways that only the maddest of zealots could desire - and they will let nothing and no one stand in their way. Suddenly Pierce, Verona, and the Sigma team are the hunted as well as the hunters, forced to use every skill they possess to survive as they follow the bones to the ultimate confrontation between darkness and light - in a lost place of history where science and religion will unite to unleash a horror not seen since the beginning of time.
My Take:
Put down what ever you are reading at this moment, buy this book, and read it. It will grab you right from the horrific beginning (what is more horrific than an entire church congregation being gunned down in cold blood?). The book is a wild roller coaster ride from beginning to end. The writing is top notch. Word of warning, reading this book will cause you to lose track of time. You will forget you are reading as you turn page after page late into the night. If you like Tom Clancy, Dan Brown, and Clive Cussler, you will love James Rollins.
I rate this book a 9.8.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Jake's Wake by John Skipp
Paperback 317
Horror
2009
Synopsis:
Pastor Jake promised his followers everlasting life, he just didn't say what kind. So when the small town televangelist and con man climbs out of his coffin at his own wake, it becomes Judgment Day for everyone gathered to mourn or celebrate his death. Jake is back in rotting flesh filled with anger and vengeance. And accompanied by demons even more frightening then himself. What follows is a long night of endless terror, a blood drenched rampage by the man not even death could stop.
My Take:
A very simple, fast read. I would have loved this book as a young teen-aged boy, as an adult, it loses some of its lore, but it is still a good read. It is meant to be a horror novel, but I couldn't help but chuckle at parts. It isn't scary, it is more like a slasher flick so full of blood and guts it becomes mundane. You are not shocked by all the bloodshed, but expect it.
If you are looking for the classic horror novel you don't dare to read alone at night, this book isn't for you. If you just want a fun read, you will like it.
I rate it a 6.7
Horror
2009
Synopsis:
Pastor Jake promised his followers everlasting life, he just didn't say what kind. So when the small town televangelist and con man climbs out of his coffin at his own wake, it becomes Judgment Day for everyone gathered to mourn or celebrate his death. Jake is back in rotting flesh filled with anger and vengeance. And accompanied by demons even more frightening then himself. What follows is a long night of endless terror, a blood drenched rampage by the man not even death could stop.
My Take:
A very simple, fast read. I would have loved this book as a young teen-aged boy, as an adult, it loses some of its lore, but it is still a good read. It is meant to be a horror novel, but I couldn't help but chuckle at parts. It isn't scary, it is more like a slasher flick so full of blood and guts it becomes mundane. You are not shocked by all the bloodshed, but expect it.
If you are looking for the classic horror novel you don't dare to read alone at night, this book isn't for you. If you just want a fun read, you will like it.
I rate it a 6.7
Sunday, January 17, 2010
The Pines by Robert Dunbar
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
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
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.
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