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3.27 AVERAGE
3.27 AVERAGE
This book overall was a disappointment. The plot was thin and confusing and the characters lacked depth and nuance. I like a good pulse pounding thriller but this one was a let down. It picked up by the end (hence 2 stars and not 1) and I was surprised by one double cross but overall...meh.
After reading the widely varying reviews about this book, I ventured into the series with concern. Unfortunately, that concern was justified.
Compared to their Pendergast/earlier works, this series is, at times, simple, unsurprising, and awkward to read. The writing is decent but the characters are flat and underwhelming. Wading through the cliches to get to the meat of the story is at times difficult and (so far) barely worth the effort.
At this point in time, I've read the first two books and the writing has not improved. Gideon is a one-trick pony (social manipulation) and is usually making shit up as he goes - to the detriment of innocent civilians around him and the interest of the story. Apparently, his main super-power involves falling into and out of ridiculous sex-based relationships with the first attractive woman he meets - whatever the situation or circumstances. It's painful to read, embarrassing, and completely throws me out of the disbelief state I worked to achieve when starting the book.
Don't get me wrong, I am a _huge_ fan of their earlier work (but not of their individual efforts, blecch) but this stuff reads like fan-lit you'd find online.
Why do I continue with the series??? I'm too anal to skip ahead to Beyond the Ice Limit (the sequel to Ice Limit - my favorite book of theirs). However, I am now dreading that moment because they will have to step up their writing game a lot to match the levels of Ice Limit.
Compared to their Pendergast/earlier works, this series is, at times, simple, unsurprising, and awkward to read. The writing is decent but the characters are flat and underwhelming. Wading through the cliches to get to the meat of the story is at times difficult and (so far) barely worth the effort.
At this point in time, I've read the first two books and the writing has not improved. Gideon is a one-trick pony (social manipulation) and is usually making shit up as he goes - to the detriment of innocent civilians around him and the interest of the story. Apparently, his main super-power involves falling into and out of ridiculous sex-based relationships with the first attractive woman he meets - whatever the situation or circumstances. It's painful to read, embarrassing, and completely throws me out of the disbelief state I worked to achieve when starting the book.
Don't get me wrong, I am a _huge_ fan of their earlier work (but not of their individual efforts, blecch) but this stuff reads like fan-lit you'd find online.
Why do I continue with the series??? I'm too anal to skip ahead to Beyond the Ice Limit (the sequel to Ice Limit - my favorite book of theirs). However, I am now dreading that moment because they will have to step up their writing game a lot to match the levels of Ice Limit.
Terrible. I rarely say that about anything - unless I feel it to be true. I can suspend belief and accept new norms with the best of them, but this book takes advantage, and not in a good way. Ex: I'm supposed
to go along with the idea that hospitals bury amputated limbs in a mass grave after tagging them???? Wait. What is the point of tagging things that are buried en masse? Ohhhh right - so our hero can be charged with the grisly task of ridiculousness. And in what universe would it be a good idea to dispose of body parts that way when they can be incinerated? Doesn't make the story better, that's for sure. Seriously, that's how little the authors cared about my intelligence, or their story - Even a two minute google search would have been a great idea before coming up with that thread of the story.... and a few others.
Just really terrible. An earlier reviewer used "ludicrous" - and a few other reviewers said "absurd". They weren't wrong.
to go along with the idea that hospitals bury amputated limbs in a mass grave after tagging them???? Wait. What is the point of tagging things that are buried en masse? Ohhhh right - so our hero can be charged with the grisly task of ridiculousness. And in what universe would it be a good idea to dispose of body parts that way when they can be incinerated? Doesn't make the story better, that's for sure. Seriously, that's how little the authors cared about my intelligence, or their story - Even a two minute google search would have been a great idea before coming up with that thread of the story.... and a few others.
Just really terrible. An earlier reviewer used "ludicrous" - and a few other reviewers said "absurd". They weren't wrong.
A popcorn thriller. Any book with a chase scene involving two bulldozers is okay in my book.
The whole time I was reading this I thought it was boring and predictable. Now I see that I’ve already read it. That explains the predictable.
I’m also adding that the main characters voice just isn’t believable. Sure he’s pretending to be different people a few times, but his inner voice doesn’t seem authentic. I’ll also add in that all the female characters were totally flat and decorative so I won’t mistakenly read more of these.
I’m also adding that the main characters voice just isn’t believable. Sure he’s pretending to be different people a few times, but his inner voice doesn’t seem authentic. I’ll also add in that all the female characters were totally flat and decorative so I won’t mistakenly read more of these.
First of all I'd like to say I am a huge fan of these two. Their Pendergast Series is one of my favorites as well as one of my favorite characters. That being said, I was so looking forward to the kick off of their new series starring Gideon Crew and love that they brought back into play, Eli Glinn, another favorite. Sadly, I was a bit disappointed.
The story starts our as Gideon being a child witnessing the murder of his father. Gideon learns as an adult that his father was innocent and his death was a set up. He sets out on a quest for vengence to the man that had his father killed. It takes him years to work out all the details and social engineering he needs to do to complete this task. His successes are what get him noticed by Eli Glinn and associates. And so the story begins with the recruitment of Gideon Crew to set out on new adventures. I love the premise, I think it's a fun story it had lots of colorful characters, never taking itself too, too seriously. However, I felt that the story was so rushed and in a hurry to "get on with it" wasting no time at all with building characters or suspense, emotion, details. Everone was just thrown in the big pot and told have an outrageous adventure. You can do both! These authors were able to created wonderfully engaging characters in their other books, so I know they can do it but feel they got a bit lazy here. The book read more like a Hollywood script.
Which led me to investigate further. Reading an interview with the authors, they have sold the story to be made into a film directed by one the absolute WORST directors in the world, Michael Bay (Transformers, The Island, Armaggedon) to name a few disasters. I was not pleased by this at all. However, because there are times when series can get better and can develop over time, i will read the next installment of Gideon Crew, there will be 12 books overall and am grateful to have learned that they are not retiring Pendergast. Am looking forward to the new one of his out this summer.
The story starts our as Gideon being a child witnessing the murder of his father. Gideon learns as an adult that his father was innocent and his death was a set up. He sets out on a quest for vengence to the man that had his father killed. It takes him years to work out all the details and social engineering he needs to do to complete this task. His successes are what get him noticed by Eli Glinn and associates. And so the story begins with the recruitment of Gideon Crew to set out on new adventures. I love the premise, I think it's a fun story it had lots of colorful characters, never taking itself too, too seriously. However, I felt that the story was so rushed and in a hurry to "get on with it" wasting no time at all with building characters or suspense, emotion, details. Everone was just thrown in the big pot and told have an outrageous adventure. You can do both! These authors were able to created wonderfully engaging characters in their other books, so I know they can do it but feel they got a bit lazy here. The book read more like a Hollywood script.
Which led me to investigate further. Reading an interview with the authors, they have sold the story to be made into a film directed by one the absolute WORST directors in the world, Michael Bay (Transformers, The Island, Armaggedon) to name a few disasters. I was not pleased by this at all. However, because there are times when series can get better and can develop over time, i will read the next installment of Gideon Crew, there will be 12 books overall and am grateful to have learned that they are not retiring Pendergast. Am looking forward to the new one of his out this summer.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated