Book Review- Lee Child- The Visitor

Lee Child- The Visitor (Bantam Books 2000) 4.75 Stars

Women are dying all around the States; murdered for some unknown reason, and yet they all seem to be connected. All the women were in the army and have resigned. All are being found in their home, naked, in a bathtub full of army camouflage paint, and no one can figure out just how they died. The authorities suspect that the murderer must be an army man who is a loner who has developed a strong hate for these women, a man who can be ruthless and efficient when the situation calls for it. The model that they intend to use…Jack Reacher.

The Visitor is another great novel put out by a fantastic author, Lee Child. It was a little bit odd to be reading a European version of a novel (U.S. version is called Running Blind), the spelling on certain words was different, the same for a couple of grammatical changes. This book grabbed my attention right from the get go and did not let up at any point. I kept wondering what Jack was going to do next and was surprised at some of his reactions as I expected him to react differently. I love Jack’s character as he is your hard-nosed, no-nonsense, tough guy, who has a big heart; although he doesn’t always show it the way people think that he should. We find him being manipulated by the FBI and yet at the same time he is tricking them into doing certain things the way he wants them to. He gets the opportunity to use some of his old army connections, showing a little bit of how his old job worked. I enjoyed how this one was more mystery than some of his previous ones.

I recommend The Visitor (Running Blind) to anyone who loves Lee Child, mysteries, or thrillers.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

www.eloquentbooks.com/kidsonacase.html

Book Review- Mike Blakely- The Snowy Range Gang

Mike Blakely- The Snowy Range Gang (Forge 1996) 3.25 Stars

Although retired Claude Duval is being dragged back into hunting rustlers and murderers. When people start dying and cattle start disappearing, it has the appearance of something he remembers too well. A man named Lone Wolf Wolverton who killed Duval’s partner by mistake years before, is now out of prison and it looks just like his killings used to. When Lone Wolf approaches Duval, he swears that he has found the Lord and will not kill anymore unless it is to defend himself, or his friends. He wishes to prove to Duval that he is being set up and although Duval hates to be partnered with his partner’s murderer he finds himself partnering with a man he only wishes to kill.

I found the introduction to be rather slow and it did not catch my attention. However the book did start picking up shortly through, although I never did find myself loving this novel. The characters were interesting and that was the best part of the book. The idea behind this novel was great; I just did not feel that it was executed well. I also felt that at times it was very difficult to picture the scene being described, there was just not very much for detail. I also thought that the ending was kind of predictable and not all that good. I loved one of Blakely other books growing up, so it really was disappointing to find myself bored with this western. I am sorry to say that I do not recommend this novel.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

www.eloquentbooks.com/kidsonacase.html

Book Review- Stuart Woods- Capital Crimes

Stuart Woods- Capital Crimes (Signet 2004) 3.75 Stars

A killer with a political agenda is on the loose. He has already killed a conservative politician and is moving on to other targets. Now Kate must hunt down this killer and locate his targets before he completes the mission he has set out for himself. The killer thinks his objective is worth dying for and he intends to use all of his skills, which seem to be endless, to at least kill his main target. Can Kate figure out this man’s plan before he succeeds? She must use every resource at her disposal or she may loose the life she so enjoys.

Usually I do not enjoy political books, but this one had enough mystery and murder for me to enjoy this novel. The first section was questionable until the man ended up being killed by a sniper, with that I was hooked. The plot was quick moving and kept you guessing what was going to happen next. The ending was not entirely unpredictable, but was decent enough. Kate and her team of feds were good characters, although not extremely deep. I did not feel that the reader really gets to know anyone particularly well, which to me is a negative as I like to connect with the characters. Overall though Capital Crimes was good thriller that I feel good about recommending to thriller readers.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- J.R.R. Tolkien- The Hobbit

J.R.R. Tolkien- The Hobbit (HarperCollins 1999) 4.75 Stars

Bilbo Baggins is a peaceful little hobbit, who wants nothing more than to live out his life without any adventure. Gandalf, a wizard, has other plans for this little hobbit. After a surprise visit from Gandalf and a large group of dwarves, Bilbo finds himself dragged along on a treasure hunt. Now he must face trolls, goblins, wargs, giant spiders, woodland elves, and a dragon. He must do the dirty work to keep this bunch of dwarves from falling victim to the dangers of Middle Earth. They will find allies along the way, but they are few and far between. Bilbo happens to find a ring along the way that makes him invisible when worn, but the ring may have more to it than meets the eye.

I read this book several years ago after my parents bought for me for my birthday (she had loved it when she read it), and yes this was before the movies came out. With the Hobbit movie coming out within the next couple of years I decided to read this series again. This book was as good as I had remembered it. I find this group of treasure hunters very comical and love how they get out of things just in the nick of time. There are tense moments although I think I find these more amusing than they were intended to be. I love the many characters that they come across during their adventure, both villain and hero. Tolkien had an amazing imagination to have created a planet in such detail, and he has my respect for this.

I recommend this novel to readers of fantasy, or any fans of the Lord of the Rings movies.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

www.eloquentbooks.com/kidsonacase.html

Book Review- Louis L’Amour- Riding for the Brand

Louis L’Amour- Riding for the Brand (Bantam Books 1993) 3.25 Stars

Riding for the Brand is a collection of short story western tales. They paint a beautiful picture of the old Wild West. From fighting to keep what’s yours or fighting to find a place to call your own, to fighting just because it is the right thing to do, Louis L’Amour does what he does best, story telling.

I gave this a low rating mainly because I do not enjoy short stories. I find that just when you are getting into the story, it ends. There is no real detail about anything, you don’t get to know your characters, and there is just a shallow plot. Any of the stories in this book could have been expanded to make a book and I would have enjoyed each one much more; that being said, if you enjoy short stories then this is a great book for you. The actual quality of writing is excellent, as is to be expected from a writer of this calibre. I did notice a fair amount of punctuation errors and unintentional spelling mistakes, which I thought was odd as I do not normally notice this in Louis L’Amour novels.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- Phillip Margolin- Fugitive

Phillip Margolin- Fugitive (Harper 2010) 3.75 Stars

When Charlie Marsh saved the life of a prison during a prison riot, his past as a con man was forgiven and he was awarded early parole. Life outside prison walls is not easy though, especially when a U.S. congressman is murdered and he finds himself being suspect number one. He took off to Batanga, Africa to avoid returning to prison. Now after twelve years of hiding he is returning home and he has hired attorney Amanda Jaffe to keep him from death row. Death row seems like a cakewalk compared to what will happen if African leader Jean-Claude Baptiste gets a hold of him. Running from the African leader’s hired gun, he discovers that he is also in someone else’s sights as well.

Fugitive had an interesting start that I wasn’t sure if I liked, but it did the job and kept me curious enough to keep reading. I won’t say that it had my full attention the whole time I read, as it did not grip me like that, but it was a fairly interesting read. I really liked the plot and the idea behind it. It was creative and went well in a book format. The main character was not the most likeable man as he really was a scoundrel, but I still found myself hoping that the truth would win out (as I knew it must). The other characters were created just enough so that you had enough details to show you who they were, but not enough to gain a big connection (connection was not the author’s desire). It did jump a little from time period to time period to fill you in on much needed details, and normally I find this annoying, but in this case it worked in well with the rest of the storyline.

I recommend Fugitive to thriller fans.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

www.eloquentbooks.com/kidsonacase.html

Book Review- Brad Strickland- Star Trek Deep Space Nine: Stowaways

Brad Strickland- Star Trek Deep Space Nine: Stowaways (Minstrel Books 1994) 3.25 Stars

Jake Sisko and Nog stowaway on a shuttle that is transporting Dr. Bashir down to Bajor, Bajor is full of rebel factions so Jake has been forbidden to go. They plan to return before Jake’s father gets back, in the hopes of avoiding consequences, however things go wrong when they get to Bajor, as Dr. Bashir is taken captive by a rebel group. Now Jake and Nog must team up with a young Bajoran girl, Sesana, in order to set Dr. Bashir free and destroy the rebels plan for taking over Bajor.

I used to love these books growing up, back when I actually liked Star Trek. I discovered that these books were a lot more enjoyable back then, as I did not like reading it near as much as I used to. My problem mostly arose from the fact that I just don’t like reading Sci-fi like I used to, but also with these books you have to watch the TV series in order to understand exactly what is going on. The characters are not explained, the author just assumes that you will know who everyone is, which I did, but it makes it difficult for people to just pick up the book. The plot was decent, although with children’s book sit is often difficult to fit in a lot of detail considering the length of these novels.

I only recommend this novel/series to people who have watched Star Trek Deep Space Nine.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- Michael Connelly- Blood Work

After his heart began crashing Terrell McCaleb had to retire from his position at the FBI. He has been waiting and hoping for a match to his rare blood type so that he can receive his new heart, and just when he has given up hope one comes in for him. Now suddenly Graciela Rivers approaches him with a plea for help in solving his sister’s murder. Set on refusing and enjoying some time on his boat, he is shocked to find out that the murder victim was the woman whose heart he now has. A desire to repay the woman for her sacrifice sets him out on a dangerous hunt for the serial killer who is on the lose.

This is the first we see of McCaleb and he seems to be a solid character. I wish that we had seen more of these other villains he was mentioning, maybe having them in previous novels would have helped, but alas this is not the case, so we must learn about these villains through McCaleb. The opening pages did not grab me, although they were necessary for the plot development. It did not take long however for me to get into Blood Work, it was a fast-paced novel that left my mind working on figuring out the details, even after closing the book. I did kind of guess how it would end, although it did not play out quite as I had anticipated. The last few pages were cliché, but still fit in nicely. McCaleb is a complex character with many flaws, which makes him all the more realistic. I loved the twists that Connelly through in, and how McCaleb had to work hard to figure things out, details did not just come to him. Overall I really enjoyed this book, and will definitely read more of this series, another great read coming from an author I love.

For more of my book reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

www.eloquentbooks.com/kidsonacase.html

Book Review- Eric Wilson- The Emily Carr Mystery

Eric Wilson- The Emily Carr Mystery (HarperCollins 2003) 3 Stars

Liz Austen is Visiting Victoria, British Columbia for a friend’s wedding when a man sinks the boat they are on and a valuable painting goes missing. Now Liz finds herself thrown into the middle of a mystery. She must try to locate the thieves before it is too late, all while trying to prepare for the wedding. The Thirteen Oaks mansion may not be as safe as it seems and the family may not be as happy as they put on.

Normally I really love this series, but I have found that the deeper I get into this series the more educational Eric Wilson’s books become. I do not have any problem educational as I think that it is a great thing to have in a middle reader novel. That being said it gets in the way of the mystery and slows things down to a crawling pace at times, which made it so that I almost did not finish this one, as was the case with the book right before this one in the series. The overall plot as usual was good, although I would have been happy with more depth. I did enjoy the characters as they were well-created and fun. It had some intense moments, but these were drowned out by fluff.

I am sad to say that I do not recommend The Emily Carr Mystery.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

http://authortonypeters.blogspot.com/

Book Review- Jeffery Deaver- The Twelfth Card

Jeffery Deaver- The Twelfth Card (Pocket Star Books 2006) 4.75 Stars

When a young girl researches her families past for a school project, her life suddenly explodes into a twisted web of danger. Now Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs must stop this cold-hearted killer before he succeeds in his mission. Found at the scene, is the twelfth card from a tarot pack, the hanged man. They must figure out what everything means. Is the girl being hunted down because of the possible changes to civil rights this girl’s project might dig up, or is there some other reason they have yet to discover? Can they end this man’s killing spree before it ends this young girl’s life?

The Twelfth Card grabbed my attention from the first page and refused to let go. I enjoyed how intense the plot was and how smoothly the storyline flowed. It was set up so that the reader would only figure things out when the investigators figured it out. Some of the decoys the killer set up were really well done and left the reader on the edge of their seat, guessing what might come next. I also enjoyed characters; all of them are very intriguing and fit in very well with the storyline. At times I do get a little annoyed with the constant mentioning of the fact that Lincoln Rhyme is paraplegic, but this is so minor it is hardly worth mentioning. I also thought that the book could have ended sooner, cutting out the last thirty or so pages. It was a cute ending, but unnecessary. Overall though I really enjoyed this novel and highly recommend it.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

www.eloquentbooks.com/kidsonacase.html

Book Review- James Lee Burke- Cimarron Rose

James Lee Burke- Cimarron Rose (Hyperion 1997) 3.25 Stars

Billy Bob Holland has just found out that his illegitimate son, Lucas Smothers, has been arrested for a brutal rape and murder. Now he must reconnect with a son he has had nothing to do with for many years and try to prove that he is innocent, even if it means destroying his own reputation forever. Lucas had been found in a drunken stupor near the scene of the crime, and feels terrible about the fact that he does not know whether or not he committed the crime, but Billy Bob has information that proves his son did not commit the crime. He must make powerful enemies in order to find the actual killer, and messing with the rich can be a dangerous game.

I have read a book that is later in this series, and I enjoyed it much more than this one. Cimarron Rose had many annoying scenes where Billy Bob goes back to his days in the Rangers when his friend L.Q. Navarro died and Billy Bob pictures his old friend constantly, having whole conversations with him, making me question his sanity. These scenes were not only irritating, but they were also very distracting. Billy Bob is a very deep character, although in this book I saw a side of him a really did not like, the side of him that enabled him to nearly beat someone to death and break laws he is supposed to uphold. I did enjoy the overall plot as it was complex and kept my mind going to figure out what he was going to do next, although at times I found it a little tedious.

I recommend Cimarron Rose to Burke fans only.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

www.eloquentbooks.com/kidsonacase.html

Book Review- Lawrence Block- Burglars Can’t Be Choosers

Lawrence Block- Burglars Can’t Be Choosers (HarperTorch 2004) 3 Stars

Bernie Rhodenbarr is one of the best burglars in New York, stealing from the rich for his own profit. His one mistake was a big one. He accepted a job from a complete stranger, to steal something from a rich man. Little did he know that the rich man lay slain in the apartment he was robbing, he also did not realize that the police were already on their way and bursting through the door behind him. Escaping the grasp of police, he must find the man’s killer and piece together the mystery surrounding his assignment.

The character that is Bernie Rhodenbarr was very enjoyable to read about. He is full of wit and gave me more than one chuckle while reading Burglars Can’t Be Choosers. The plot was well-written, but at times I found that it crawled along, resulting in pages of boredom. Lawrence Block could have done something to make it a little more gripping. I found that the twists were predictable and came as only a slight shock at the best of times. The introductory sentence was not gripping although I did enjoy the introductory section as a whole; it set the stage for the rest of the book perfectly. The ending however made me roll my eyes as it was completely predictable and totally overdone in every movie, and many books; I was hoping for something less blasé and more exciting/shocking.

I do not recommend Burglars Can’t Be Choosers.

For more of my reviews check out my website, www.tonypeters.webs.com

Tony Peters

Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping

www.eloquentbooks.com/kidsonacase.html