Gecko by Jack Priest Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Gecko
Book Review: Along came a spider
Summary: 3 Stars
Jim Monday is well on his way to as bad a day as he has encountered since he got out of a Vietnamese prison camp but he just doesn't know it yet. The ex-congressman, who made millions in real estate, has accepted the inevitability of divorce from Julia, the twin sister of his original love Roma but now, fortuitously, he hears a second presence in his mind. Whatever, or whomever, it might be, the timely occurrence saves his life as the hit and run driver of a beat-up Buick Regal mows down his best friend and attorney, David, just as they were about to arrive at Julia's lawyer's office to finalize the divorce settlement.
Intuitively, Jim is certain Dr. Bernd Kohler, his soon-to-be ex-wife's love interest is behind it, and seeing him there on the street at that critical time is more than he can absorb, another reason to pound Kohler into the ground. Fortunately, for Kohler, the police intercede and Jim is hauled off to begin the process of accounting for his seemingly unwarranted attack. And so begins a duality of odysseys for Jim, a physical one that will tax every sinew of his 55 year old body as well as a metaphysical one, one that brings back memories of his solitary mental monopoly games of the Vietnamese jungles as well as his present attempts to understand why a second presence, a presence in peril, is sharing his mind.
Jack Priest has written a highly creative, fast- paced action thriller that may remind some readers of a James Patterson novel. In fact, one of the major characters, Hugh Washington is hauntingly reminiscent of Patterson's Alex Cross. But Priest has not authored a facsimile or homage. This story, while not totally enthralling, is quite original and the idea of the Gecko as the slithering threat to all that encounter it, is inspired. The story has its' moments, but in sum is not particularly scary or horrifying. I felt some scenarios required a suspension of disbelief that was difficult to achieve and in other instances characters central to the story displayed altruistic actions beyond the pale, crossing over into the realm of devices of convenient coincidence.
However, if you are searching for escapist fare with things that go bump into the night on nearly every other page, Gecko might very well be the insurance policy you needed.
Book Review: Beware the cute little gecko...
Summary: 5 Stars
Via another request direct from the author, I was mailed a copy of Gecko by Jack Priest. As it was described as a horror story in the tradition of Dean Koontz, I was predisposed to like it already (yes, I'm a warped fan of Koontz's earlier novels). Gecko holds up well to that description, and I don't think I'll stop at this being the only Priest novel I'll read...
Jim Monday is walking along the street with his lawyer and friend David Askew. But as they start to cross the street, Askew is nailed by a hit-and-run driver. Monday is convinced he was the target when a doctor, Bernd Kohler, immediately shows up on the scene. Why? Because Kohler has stolen Monday's wife, will get half of his money in the divorce settlement, and likely wants the other half of a large life insurance policy on Monday as well. He physically assaults the doctor, and is restrained by a couple of cops. But something in Monday's story gets the cops thinking that Monday might just be right about the attempt on his life, and they start digging around privately on the side. Turns out there's far more sinister elements at play in the doctor's life, and everyone close to Monday and the investigation ends up confronting a nasty gecko-like monster that hunts humans for food. Monday has to dodge all the other cops who think he's a serial killer based on the mayhem left behind by the gecko creature, while trying to rescue his wife and save the daughter of the cop who's trying to help him. Oh, and there's that matter of the voice in his head belonging to a woman in New Zealand who is also being held captive and needs Monday's help to escape...
Priest's style most definitely reminds me of the early Dean Koontz books. Plenty of graphic gore playing out on a supernatural stage. I'll admit that on the first read of the novel, I missed the pages that explained the voice in the head. Perhaps that was when the Ambien was taking effect that night. My gripe was that we really needed to know more about the reason for the voice earlier in the story. But as I write this review, I went back into the book to get a name and found the four pages I missed at first. Having read that, things fall into place much more readily now. As such, I have to say it was a very well done horror novel (if that's a genre you like), and I will be checking out a few other Priest titles when time permits...
Book Review: Cops on his Trail and Something Very Bad Dead Ahead
Summary: 5 Stars
"Gecko" is about an older man named Jim Monday, well I guess old is realitive, Mr. Monday is in his middle to late fifties. So I suppose if you've just cracked twenty, he's old, but you might not think that if you've just opened an envelope looking for that Social Secruity check. Anyway, one day, when Monday is on his way to discuss his divorce with his about to be ex-wife and their respective lawyers, his mind in taken over by a woman who is halfway around the world in New Zealand. She is being held captive and is apparently so frightened that her mind has taken flight. Then Monday's best friend is killed and he's framed for the murder. So now he's got this women in his head, the cops on his trail and something very bad in his path. I really liked this book and I think you will too.Book Review: Creepy
Summary: 5 Stars
Gecko is a great story. Without a doubt the first half is a 5 star read. The second half is less suspenseful, and I would give 4 stars for an average of 4 and a half. Jim Monday is a Vietnam vet who is used to killing. However, after the death of his best friend in what are mysterious circumstances, Jim begins to notice little green geckos everywhere. Jim knows there is some connection between these geckos and the strange German man who has stolen his wife from him. To compound the problem, Jim either has the conscious of a young Australian woman trapped in his brain, which he has a week to save before the murder of her physical body, or he is merely going insane. It is hard to tell which would be preferable.
The tension builds until Jim discovers that some of the geckos are not so little - and then the book gets really gory.
Another great read from Bootleg Press. Buy this book for a thrill.
Relic113
Book Review: Frightening Book!
Summary: 5 Stars
Jim Monday's wife Julia has left him for a German doctor named
Bernd Kohler.As Jim is crossing the street with his lawyer friend to finalize his divorce a voice comes in his head a warns him to step back.He does and a car strikes his lawyer friend killing him.Jim attacks Dr. Kohler and is jailed.The two officers who make the arrest are named Washington and Walker. Washington later plays a larger role in the story.While he
is in jail he discovers that the voice in his head is Donna.She
warns him of coming danger.Two lawyers come and Donna warns him of danger.He kills the two false lawyers and escapes.He goes in
pursuit of his wife and her lover with three new traveling companions.During their travels his companions are killed by
what turns out to be a giant Gecko.All of this time Donna is communicating with him in his head.Monday and Washington's daughter Glenna locate Dr. Kohler and his wife.Monday discovers that Donna is being held hostage on a boat.Monday also discovers that Donna is scheduled to be the victim of an ancient curse.He has to call upon his resolve to save Donna from the ancient curse.This is another great book by Jack Priest.Be sure to read it.