The Collectors by David Baldacci Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Collectors
Book Review: Go Along For the Ride....
Summary: 5 Stars
I didn't realize this was a sequel when I picked it up, but it didn't matter. "The Collectors" was supurbly written, the characters fully developed and the plot twists and turns kept me on the edge of my seat until the very last sentence...what a great book! Baldacci takes the reader on a wild ride, from a fascinating intricately-concocted long con in Atlantic City to a murder/espionage plot in DC, with never a dull moment. (I almost missed my subway stop on more than one occasion, because I was so curious what would happen next and literally could not put the book down).
Thankfully, the next installment -"Stone Cold" - will be available in November, '07!
I HIGHLY recommend this book not only for Baldacci fans, and fans of this genre, but for all readers interested in a great, quick/easy read that is chock full of excitement, intrigue and adventure!
Book Review: Good escapism
Summary: 4 Stars
I thought this was better than the Camel Club - & the plot was top notch. It took a while to get into it & though he tidied the 2 separate plot lines, it was still a bit disjointed. Sure - it was a bit 'fantastical' in places but then again it didn't make a difference to the overall story. Good effort - i look forward to the next installment.Book Review: Good for what it is; horribly unsatisfying ending
Summary: 3 Stars
This book is pretty good for what it is: Pure entertainment; literary fluff. The characters are not even remotely realistic -- the most believable one is referred to as "a walking caricature of a casino chieftain in a bad mob film." Indeed, all of the characters are cinematic (think "made for TV" or "straight to video"), which is fine if you're interested in reading the male equivalent of a Harlequin romance novel. And if you're never in the mood for such a thing, you're not much fun!
One thing is for sure: The book kept me interested, and I eagerly read every page until it was finished. Many times I would marvel at the ingeniousness of the author in conniving intricate-but-plausible plot devices and schemes. But nearly as often, I was incredibly dissatisfied by unexplainable, unrealistic segues and events. For example: A character is abducted and tortured, and upon waking up back at his home, he and his friend are almost entirely unconcerned about it and, instead, are more worried about showing up to an event on time. "Oh, you were tortured? That's too bad. Hey, we better get going if we want to get popcorn before the movies!" (I'm exaggerating here, but only slightly). Elsewhere, a bomb is set off during the National Book Fair / March on Poverty, but it does nothing but cause a very mild diversion -- in post-9/11 D.C.!? They then have a gun fight on the train -- as if there would even BE a train running after a bomb was set off in the capital! -- and the passengers on the train seem to barely notice!
But the ending truly took the cake. With nowhere to go, the author invokes a deus ex machina -- an "honorary member of the Camel Club" (which is like the Baby Sitters Club for sixty-year-old men) who works for the Secret Service. What ensues is entirely unbelievable, even given the precedent set elsewhere throughout the book. And finally, the plot is foiled when the Scobbie Squad pull a fake beard off one of the bad guys, and he spills the entire story over the course of several pages. It should also be noted that the villains went to the Dr. Evil school of killing their enemies -- if they're main characters, make sure you tie them up and wait for them to die in some elaborate manner (so they can escape), rather than, say, shooting them in the face.
The worst part of the book was that a parallel storyline involving the aforementioned casino chieftain (again, the most plausible character presented in the book) does not resolve itself at all, but instead, merely sets up a future book for Mr. Baldacci. I felt positively cheated by this!
This is the first Baldacci novel I've read, and I did so upon the recommendation of a fellow Ron Paul supporter. It was nice to read a spy-type novel in which the protagonists are skeptical of state power and are against the military-industrial complex (but I should be honest and admit what really hooked me is that I share my last name with the arch-bad guy). I DID enjoy this book, despite my criticisms, and I do think that Mr. Baldacci is a talented writer. However, like many of those whose trade paperbacks find their way to supermarket book racks, Baldacci's primary concern is churning out titles in assembly-line fashion. If he ever went a few years between releases, I'm sure he could put together a truly remarkable novel. Until then, I'll pass on his future efforts.
Book Review: Good series
Summary: 4 Stars
I didn't really care for the story about the lottery winner, but I enjoy the camel club series.Book Review: Great Action Book
Summary: 5 Stars
I loved the action in ths story. I used to love Tom Clancy novels and then Patrick Robinson books. These Camel Club books are my new favorites and I am going back to the first one and read them all.