Showing posts with label conspiracy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label conspiracy. Show all posts

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Book Review- Eric Wilson- The Inuk Mountie Adventure



Eric Wilson- The Inuk Mountie Adventure (HarperCollins 1996) 4 Stars



With Canada considering joining with the United States, companies are looking to change the course of rivers so that they will run Canadian water into the States. The Prime Minister of Canada seems to be backing this one hundred percent and he has the public eating out of his hand. However a micro-cassette may change all of this if it comes to light. Tom Austen is on a school trip up north to Gjoa Haven and Tom hears that the cassette may be near by. While participating in cultural events and learning many useful things form his Mountie host, Tom Austen hunts for the cassette chasing his suspects on foot and snowmobile. Meanwhile he finds out that he may have more to learn about life than he had thought, and the Inuit people may be just the ones to teach him.



The Inuk Moutnie Adventure is my favourite book that I have read by Eric Wilson so far. I enjoyed the amount of growth of character we saw in Tom Austen and his friend Dietmar. They seemed to be learning so much from the Inuit people and this may just teach our children about cultural acceptance, which is an important lesson. Meanwhile the case was a very intriguing one with some ideas that were quite different from your usual mystery novel. It had action components and yet we saw Tom Austen scrounging for information and coming up with leads that he thought went one direction only to find out that he was completely wrong. Eric Wilson had some good twists, not all of them were unpredictable, but for the intended age group they were very well done. I would have liked the ending to come as more of a surprise, but again for the intended age group it would have come as more of a surprise. I enjoyed hearing about the far north as it does get a lot of attention in very many books or movies. This made the information more interesting and I found that I learned a fair bit from this book.



I recommend The Inuk Moutnie Adventure to middle readers who like 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


www.eloquentbooks.com/kidsonacase.html

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Book Review- James Patterson- The Murder of King Tut



James Patterson & Martin Dugard- The Murder of King Tut (Little, Brown and Company 2009) 2.75 Stars



Very little is known about King Tut. He became the ruler of Egypt when he was but nine years old, and this led to upheaval amongst his advisers. Although he seemed fairly successful on the outside, he somehow died at a young age and his name was mysteriously removed from Egyptian history. No one knows just how he died, but many suspect foul play.


Years in the future Howard Carter is trying to discover the location of King Tut’s tomb. It is the kind of mission that could make or break his career. He will become the laughing stock of many before finally discovering the location, only to find that it was not quite as he had expected it.


In the present James Patterson and Michael Dugard are scrounging for clues to come up with their own theory on this Boy King’s death. In their opinion it is a story of one of the greatest betrayals known to man.



I won this book in an online contest. It was one that I wanted to read, but wasn’t sure if I wanted to buy it, I am kind of glad I did not pay for it. The story kept jumping between three different time periods, the time of King Tut, the time of Howard Carter, and the present (featuring James Patterson himself). It was kind of like he wrote three different short stories and then combined them into one and separated them into breaks to make them seem more intriguing. I found it a little annoying and felt like he was trying to make it seem more intriguing then it really was. To be honest most of the book was kind of dry and boring. I only enjoyed the last third of the book. In the end it all boils down to a theory on the death, which for all we know has true parts to it, no one can possibly know for sure. There did not seem to really be a point in putting the present into the book as it just slowed down the plot, it may have been less annoying if it was just jumping between two time periods, not likely, but it may have helped me focus. Without the ending coming through to make it seem more interesting my rating would have been a two. As you can see I was not overly impressed by this nonfiction thriller, but I encourage you to pick up a copy from your local library and formulate your own opinion on the matter.



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


eloquentbook.com/kidsonacase.html





Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Book Review- Robert Crais- L.A. Requiem


Robert Crais- L.A. Requiem (Ballantine Books 2000) 3.75 Stars

Private Investigator Joe Pike’s ex-girlfriend, Karen Garcia, has just turned up dead. Karen’s father, an important man on the city council, is calling on Pike and his partner Cole to work with the LAPD to find the killer. The pair suddenly finds themselves in a maze of conspiracy. This case could cost them more than just their jobs, or even their friendship, their lives are at stake.

This is a great thrill ride. L.A. Requiem has twists and turns that keep you guessing, and as a result it holds your attention. The storyline is very intriguing and I loved how it makes you wonder if you have the guilty party all figured out, only to discover that you only think you do. Joe Pike and Elvis Cole are both lovable characters. Pike is the dangerous, quiet sort, while Cole is the funny, quick-witted type. One thing I did find rather annoying is the flashbacks; I wish that Crais would find a different way of bringing these details into play, someway less distracting.

I would recommend L.A. Requiem to thriller/Robert Crais fans.

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

Tony Peters
Kids on a Case: The Case of the Ten Grand Kidnapping
www.eloquentbooks.com/kidsonacase.html

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Book Review- Andrew Pepper- The Last Days of Newgate


Andrew Pepper- The Last Days of Newgate (Weidenfeld & Nicolson 2006) 3.75 Stars

This is the first book in the Pyke mystery series and it is a great starter. Pyke is a Bow Street Runner, or basically a plainclothes policeman. He is not exactly the most honest individual, but when he stumbles upon the bodies of three brutally murdered people he is determined to find the guilty party. Quickly he discovers that it may not be just as it seems, there may be a political agenda involved that could end his life.

The Last Days of Newgate is not a book for the weak stomached reader, it has some gore that some may not wish to read about. I enjoyed all the different concepts involved in this book, intrigue, politics, murder, theft, conspiracy, and the fact that it was in the pre-Victorian London/England in general. It had some explosive action scenes, and it was believable in the fact that not everything Pyke tried succeeded, in fact some of it ended in disaster. The plot was very well-done and involved a lot of surprises. The end was kind of predictable though. Although I do not like Pyke’s character, he is not designed to be likable, and Pepper did a good job of creating Pyke.

I would recommend this book to strong-stomached mystery fans, thriller enthusiasts, or people who enjoy politics.

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

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