Book Review- Matt Braun- Deadwood

Matt Braun- Deadwood (St. Martin’s Press 2003) 3.5 Stars

Luke Starbuck has been hired by a smooth talking lawyer to hunt down a man who stole money from a rich mine owner. Now he must find a way to infiltrate the Hole-In-The-Wall. Things may not be just the way they were portrayed to him though, the first indicator being that people keep trying to kill him. Luke doesn’t like being setup and now he is out for blood. Who will be the last man standing?

The first couple of pages had me wondering about whether or not the book was worth reading. That being said, it did still catch my attention early on and make me want to keep reading. Luke is a likeable character who has a good head on his shoulders. He figures out things with Sherlock-like deductions. He is also skilled at disguises and with a gun. It really reminded me of a western Sherlock Holmes book. Overall it was a decent one time read and as far as westerns go it was pretty interesting.

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- John J Nance- Pandora’s Clock

John J Nance- Pandora’s Clock (St. Martin’s Press 1996) 3.25 Stars

When a shipment of vials is sent to the wrong place and one is broken, a deadly level 4 pathogen is released. One of the infected workers escapes and he gives the virus to a professor before the professor gets on a 747 flight back to the States. When he dies of a heart attack on flight, no one will let the plane land for fear of spreading the virus to other countries. To prevent them from landing, somebody is willing to blow them out of the sky. Captain Holland is in a race against the clock and a battle of wits with the whole world.

The introduction was okay, not really gripping, but interesting enough that I wanted to keep reading. The overall plot was very fast-paced. It kept me on the edge of my seat. The storyline was good, although not deep. It was a very intriguing read. I did find that it changed from person to person way too often, which made it really hard to stay focused. It also made it impossible to get connected to any one character, or really place your finger on a main character. I was hoping for more depth in character. The epilogue was extremely cheesy and I felt the book would have been stronger without it. Overall it was a decent one time read.

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.J. Gardner- Men In Black

J.J. Gardner- Men In Black (Scholastic 1997) 3.5 Stars

James Edwards, now know as Jay, has just been recruited into the MIB and he has no idea what he has gotten himself into. Fighting to keep the peace among the aliens secretly living among us here on Earth, they have discovered that Earth is on the destruction path of two battling nations. Can they find the resolution before it is too late?

This book stuck to the movie better than most books, which was really nice to see. It was a cheesy book, based on a cheesy movie. That being said, I liked the movie. The characters are not overly developed, but were amusing nonetheless. The storyline was pretty good and kept it interesting. The introduction sets you up for the rest of the book nicely and I loved the ending. It is a fitting end that wraps it all up in a nice little bow and sets you up for the sequel. Overall it was a good novelization of the movie.

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- Lee Child- Second Son

Lee Child- Second Son (Dell Books 2012) 3.75 Stars

Jack Reacher is thirteen and his family has just been moved to a military base near Okinawa, Japan. Now he and his brother Joe must adjust and fit in with the kids in the neighbourhood. Jack Reacher will handle them in the only way he knows, with his fists.

The introduction was kind of boring, but it does provide some insight into the background of Reacher’s family. The whole story is great for adding depth to this character and showing where he learned to be the way he is. It was interesting to see how little he has changed over the years. He was a ladies man then and still is. He was a tough bruiser with a great brain back then and he still is. I do find it a little hard to believe that he connected all the dots the way he did. Overall though it was a pretty good read.

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- Lee Child- The Affair

Lee Child- The Affair (Dell Books 2012) 4.25 Stars

It’s 1997 and Jack Reacher knows he doesn’t have long before the army forces him out. To test his loyalty he is sent to Carter Crossing, Mississippi, to go undercover and keep an eye on local authorities. They are investigating the murder of three local women and a possible connection to the army base down there. Reacher must keep tabs on any information that could be embarrassing to the army, but Reacher was never one to play ball.

I did not like the introduction for this book. I hate when books start off at a point close to the end and then go back to fill in the blanks. I did enjoy the rest of the book though. It had a great plot, with many great twists that keep you guessing. The twists that you do see coming, are still attention grabbing. It was fast moving and I love the way that Reacher’s mind works. I love the way that he keeps you on the edge of your seat right up until the ending. I loved the ending of this novel; it was a great way to tie up all the loose ends. The characters are well done in this novel; however I would like to see Lee Child shake things up a little. He needs to not have it so that in every book Reacher is working alongside of a woman and then have him sleep with said woman. I would also like to see him create a new character. Overall this novel was really good, a great addition to the Reacher series.

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- Mel Odom- Vertical Limit

Mel Odom- Vertical Limit (Pocket Books 2000) 4.25 Stars

Peter and Annie haven’t spoken since the day their father died in a climbing accident. Blame and hard feelings have prevented them from communicating. He has taken off to photograph animals in the wilderness and she has become a reporter. Now she has been sent to join a rich billionaire’s climb up K2, a mountain that has claimed many lives. When disaster strikes and Annie is stuck on the mountain, they must put aside their differences as Peter climbs again to save her.

I really enjoyed the introduction for this book, it grabbed me immediately. After the introduction we see how the accident has affected them both, and it helped develop the characters a little, but I did think they could have been a bit stronger. The plot was really good and took us on a harrowing tale of a dangerous mountain climb. I found this to be surprisingly intriguing considering that I do not generally read this kind of book. I did remember a little of the movie, but not a lot, so it had some great surprises. I actually found the climbing adventure to be a wonderful break from my usual reading choices. Overall I loved the book and would quickly recommend it to people.

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/