Sail by James Patterson, Howard Roughan Summary and Reviews
|
List Price: Our Price: $0.01 You Save: $27.98 (100%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of Sail
Book Review: A great summer read.
Summary: 4 Stars
At this point in his career, James Patterson has written so many thrillers that it must be hard to create a new angle. This may be why he so often writes with others, and this is one book where I think his co-author had a lot to say and I think it was well worth saying.
As a summer thriller, this book more than satisfies. It is a very good tale of survival (although the mom in the story engages in a little too much introspection and self-flagellation for my taste) of a family in crisis, each member having his or her own issues apparently arising from the fairly recent death of the father/husband in an accident connected with the family sailboat. We know from fairly early on that the family's own accident, on that same sailboat while trying to heal some of their familial wounds, is no accident, and there is no doubt about the identity of the perpetrator. That removes some of the usual whodonit type of tension and transfers it to the very compelling story of the family's survival: will they survive at all, and if they do, will they survive their family crisis or will it be even worse? Will this process be rendered better or worse by the capture and/or conviction of the perpetrator of this viciously violent crime?
The family is far from a perfect unit, but each of it's members brings some unusual abilities to the many crises they face. They are wonderfully fallible and likable. I enjoyed reading their story. As to the demons among them, they are truly ogres, and their stories were also interesting if a little too pat. I must say I am just a little tired of the lawyer always being the one with absolutely no scruples or humanity, even if he is not the only one!
All in all I don't think Mr. Patterson's readers will be disappointed in this one. It was quite a tale, well told and with enough twists of an unusual variety to hold one's interest.
Book Review: A swing and a miss
Summary: 3 Stars
James Patterson has written some memorable thrillers but Sail seems to be written by a ghost writer who is new (or tired) of the genre and pushed to this book on the masses using the Patterson label. Don't get me wrong, this is a quick and easy read, but the characters never seem to grasp the readers interest. The scene is set when the dad is killed in a sailing accident and the family tumbles into chaos. The mother is a character that should have been written out of the story. The dialog seems to date back to the Twenties and the characters are all flat. Does this sound like the Patterson we know? I've given it three stars but could easily understand someone giving it one star - what I can't understand is someone giving it five stars. Unless you just have to read everything Patterson...I'd say skip it and wait for Patterson's new book.Book Review: A watered-down James Patterson Book
Summary: 2 Stars
I have read all of James Patterson's books and loved them. SAIL is a predictable, watered-down, boring story lacking any mystery or suspense. I was highly disappointed and happy I did not pay full price for this book.Book Review: AWFUL DISSAPOINTMENT!
Summary: 1 Stars
As a James patterson fan, I was deeply dissaointed with this book. Its obvious he is just letting his name be attached to books just to make money. This was more predictable, fake, and unrealistic than a silly movie.
I was flipping the pages literally stunned that each event was ACTUALLY happening because it was so stupid and surreal.
Dont waste your time. This book stinks.
Book Review: Adventure on the High Seas and in the Courtroom!
Summary: 4 Stars
One of JP's better efforts of late. I enjoyed the book and of course, as usual, it was a real page turner with the short chapters that have become so synonymous with this author's work. The storyline is about a family who sets off on a summer cruise on the family sailboat, the boat the patriarch of the family died on, with Dad's brother, Uncle Jake, replacing him on the expedition. Mom has since remarried but the new Dad, Peter, is unable to make the trip. Lo and behold the trip starts off with mechanical failures on the vessel, the son Mark getting high on board, sister Carrie being her own obnoxious little self, and little brother Ernie being the perfect little kid. Mother, Dr. Katherine Dunn, wants nothing more than to be a family again and that is where the story begins. Alot goes on during the storyline, but it is an easy read (a great one for the beach or an evening at home). I am still waiting for the ultimate James Patterson novel, one that is reminiscent of his earlier work. As I have said in the past Jimmy, dump the co-authors and get back to doing what you do best.