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3.27 AVERAGE
3.27 AVERAGE
3'5/5 estrellas
Me ha gustado bastante. Aunque si es verdad que me esperaba más, ya que Presto y Child son de mis autores favoritos y la serie de Pendergast una de mis favoritos.
Pero aún así me ha gustado mucho. Me ha parecido un libro entretenido que engancha porque pasa muchas cosas. Nada me parecía de relleno. Y las partes que podían ser algo más lentas eran necesarias .
Esta novela también tiene ese toque en el que los malos le ponen las cosas muy difíciles al protagonista, vamos poniéndole entre las cuerdas. Ese toque que también tienen otras novelas de estos autores y eso me ha gustado.
La historia me ha gustado, hubo partes que me sorprendieron. En cuanto al final me dejó con más ganas de saber sobre Glinn, me dejo algo confundía .
En cuanto a los personajes, el protagonista me gustó bastante. Tiene esa personalidad que me gusta, es gracioso, valiente e inteligente. Y poco más se puede decir de otros personajes porque no destaca ninguno más. A parte que tampoco te los da a conocer. El único que conocemos es a Crew.
En conclusión es un libro que entretiene y engancha y con algún otro giro que puede sorprender . Aunque no es nada del otro mundo. Así que no hay que esperar mucho. Aún así lo recomiendo.
Me ha gustado bastante. Aunque si es verdad que me esperaba más, ya que Presto y Child son de mis autores favoritos y la serie de Pendergast una de mis favoritos.
Pero aún así me ha gustado mucho. Me ha parecido un libro entretenido que engancha porque pasa muchas cosas. Nada me parecía de relleno. Y las partes que podían ser algo más lentas eran necesarias .
Esta novela también tiene ese toque en el que los malos le ponen las cosas muy difíciles al protagonista, vamos poniéndole entre las cuerdas. Ese toque que también tienen otras novelas de estos autores y eso me ha gustado.
La historia me ha gustado, hubo partes que me sorprendieron. En cuanto al final me dejó con más ganas de saber sobre Glinn, me dejo algo confundía .
En cuanto a los personajes, el protagonista me gustó bastante. Tiene esa personalidad que me gusta, es gracioso, valiente e inteligente. Y poco más se puede decir de otros personajes porque no destaca ninguno más. A parte que tampoco te los da a conocer. El único que conocemos es a Crew.
En conclusión es un libro que entretiene y engancha y con algún otro giro que puede sorprender . Aunque no es nada del otro mundo. Así que no hay que esperar mucho. Aún así lo recomiendo.
Holy shit, not even a Dan Brown book has this many cliches. Also, a Dan Brown book is actually written better. I don't what the shit happened here. This was like a rough draft of a thriller novel.
I'm a huge fan of Preston and Child's Pendergast series, as is the majority of people reviewing this book, I imagine. Even when those books are at their most action-based, there's still a beating heart of patience, virtue and intelligence with the central character of Pendergast. In fact, I'd list Aloysius X. L. Pendergast as one of my favorite characters of fiction. And his stories are perfectly paced while staying grounded in a reality of empathy and concern, even when the supernatural is goddamn nutsy. It's a fantastic character in a wonderful series, so I have no idea what the hell went wrong with their new series of Gideon Crew.
Unlike Pendergast, with his rich history and balanced affection, Crew is such a pompous shred of a thin character. He's reactionary to things that haven't even occurred, making him more of a plot point instead of a character. He spends his whole life seeking revenge, only for it to go over incredibly easy within the first few dozen pages. Then he gets hired to do a job that you don't even really care about with the moral ambiguity of a frat boy turned art thief. It was such lazy storytelling with incredibly predictable bullshit; everything from "you're out of control" to "this is personal."
It was such a letdown. Oh man, even the ending was abrupt after dragging shit out that didn't need to be. Almost every character was weak and the closest one to being cool was the villain. If they had tried just a little harder, they could've made this a mystery-thriller parody real easy. Laaaaaaaaaaaaame.
I'm a huge fan of Preston and Child's Pendergast series, as is the majority of people reviewing this book, I imagine. Even when those books are at their most action-based, there's still a beating heart of patience, virtue and intelligence with the central character of Pendergast. In fact, I'd list Aloysius X. L. Pendergast as one of my favorite characters of fiction. And his stories are perfectly paced while staying grounded in a reality of empathy and concern, even when the supernatural is goddamn nutsy. It's a fantastic character in a wonderful series, so I have no idea what the hell went wrong with their new series of Gideon Crew.
Unlike Pendergast, with his rich history and balanced affection, Crew is such a pompous shred of a thin character. He's reactionary to things that haven't even occurred, making him more of a plot point instead of a character. He spends his whole life seeking revenge, only for it to go over incredibly easy within the first few dozen pages. Then he gets hired to do a job that you don't even really care about with the moral ambiguity of a frat boy turned art thief. It was such lazy storytelling with incredibly predictable bullshit; everything from "you're out of control" to "this is personal."
It was such a letdown. Oh man, even the ending was abrupt after dragging shit out that didn't need to be. Almost every character was weak and the closest one to being cool was the villain. If they had tried just a little harder, they could've made this a mystery-thriller parody real easy. Laaaaaaaaaaaaame.
I've enjoyed the Pendergrast novels, so I was hoping to find a new series, and a new protagonist with the introduction of Gideon Crew.
Not so much.
Women fall into bed with him, he gets away with everything because he's such a "smooth character" and the entire reason he is the way he is is glossed over in one, single chapter.
I think the character, therefore the series, would have been better served by outlining Gideon's past, motivations, and how he brought down those responsible for his father's death (basically, everything in the section called "Melvin Crew") in its own book, then jumping into what Gideon is doing now in a separate book.
I'm not too sure I'll read the next installment, although the authors leave it WIDE open for subsequent books.
Not so much.
Women fall into bed with him, he gets away with everything because he's such a "smooth character" and the entire reason he is the way he is is glossed over in one, single chapter.
I think the character, therefore the series, would have been better served by outlining Gideon's past, motivations, and how he brought down those responsible for his father's death (basically, everything in the section called "Melvin Crew") in its own book, then jumping into what Gideon is doing now in a separate book.
I'm not too sure I'll read the next installment, although the authors leave it WIDE open for subsequent books.
Plot summary: When he was 12, Gideon Crew saw his father branded a traitor and killed by the police. At the age of 24, his dying mother tells him that his father was set up, and to get revenge on the man who did it. He plots his revenge for years. Then he gets offered a job by a shady sort-of-government agency, and all hell breaks loose.
Thoughts: Um. First of all, confusion as to why the book blurb makes such a huge deal of the whole revenging-his-father thing. Because that part of the story is over in the first 50 pages. The remaining 300-odd pages are a completely different book. So yeah. That was weird.
Second, Gideon isn't really a likeable character. He can do EVERYTHING (he has a PhD from MIT, works at Los Alamos building nuclear weapons, is an art thief who's never been caught, is a master of disguise, can con pretty much anyone, blah blah blah), and find anyone. Oh, and he treats women like they're disposable.
Third, this happens (paraphrased): "You should come and help Shady Sort-Of-Government Agency because here's an x-ray of your head - you're dying of a terminal illness and probably only have a year to live". If I'd just been told I had a year to live, I would a) seek a second opinion from someone who WASN'T a shady sort-of-government agency, and b) not take on a mission that would possibly get me killed. Also, I'm pretty sure the terminal illness thing is going to turn out to be a big fat shady sort-of-government agency lie, because why would you create a new series about a guy who's going to die soon??
Fourth, the whole thing seemed completely implausible, and while it was a fast-paced book I really didn't care what happened in the end. Mostly because it was reasonably predictable.
I've loved Lincoln and Child's other books, so this was a major disappointment. Stick to the Agent Pendergast books and don't bother with this.
Thoughts: Um. First of all, confusion as to why the book blurb makes such a huge deal of the whole revenging-his-father thing. Because that part of the story is over in the first 50 pages. The remaining 300-odd pages are a completely different book. So yeah. That was weird.
Second, Gideon isn't really a likeable character. He can do EVERYTHING (he has a PhD from MIT, works at Los Alamos building nuclear weapons, is an art thief who's never been caught, is a master of disguise, can con pretty much anyone, blah blah blah), and find anyone. Oh, and he treats women like they're disposable.
Third, this happens (paraphrased): "You should come and help Shady Sort-Of-Government Agency because here's an x-ray of your head - you're dying of a terminal illness and probably only have a year to live". If I'd just been told I had a year to live, I would a) seek a second opinion from someone who WASN'T a shady sort-of-government agency, and b) not take on a mission that would possibly get me killed. Also, I'm pretty sure the terminal illness thing is going to turn out to be a big fat shady sort-of-government agency lie, because why would you create a new series about a guy who's going to die soon??
Fourth, the whole thing seemed completely implausible, and while it was a fast-paced book I really didn't care what happened in the end. Mostly because it was reasonably predictable.
I've loved Lincoln and Child's other books, so this was a major disappointment. Stick to the Agent Pendergast books and don't bother with this.
Not as good as the Pendergast series, but not horrible either.
I really, really missed Agent Pendergast. Gideon Crew is not nearly as interesting of a character. But he's okay, and his terminal illness makes him react and act differently than most people would. And there was a pretty awesome backhoe-on-backhoe fight at the end. :P
Enjoyed the story. It's a little slow in places. One thing I didn't really like was that it ended with a slight cliffhanger.
Action/ thriller similar to some of the later Pendergast novels in terms of pacing. Gideon Crew was driven for years to avenge his father, who had been framed in a government cover-up. Now, he has been asked to jump in a helicopter and fly to New York City to perform a job for a Department of Homeland Security contractor: find a main flying in from China and acquire information from him. Things, of course, are not straightforward.
I found this a good distraction to read while dealing with neck/shoulder pain. Got into the action and mystery of it and I look forward to reading the next of the series.
I found this a good distraction to read while dealing with neck/shoulder pain. Got into the action and mystery of it and I look forward to reading the next of the series.
I love Preston and Child's Pendergast series, so I thought I'd try this one. And I struggled giving it 3 stars but...
Never in my book reading life have I been more annoyed with a character. Gideon had my fussing at him out loud throughout the book. Why are you trusting Mindy Jackson? Why are you talking about the case on a cell phone in a can when you know Nodding Crane is looking for you? And so many more instances where I just got frustrated with his lack of discretion.
And then poor stupid Orchid...I really wanted her to be smarter.
Outside of all my complaining I did like the story itself. I still have A lot of questions that were left unanswered but there are other books so maybe it's in there.
Never in my book reading life have I been more annoyed with a character. Gideon had my fussing at him out loud throughout the book. Why are you trusting Mindy Jackson? Why are you talking about the case on a cell phone in a can when you know Nodding Crane is looking for you? And so many more instances where I just got frustrated with his lack of discretion.
And then poor stupid Orchid...I really wanted her to be smarter.
Outside of all my complaining I did like the story itself. I still have A lot of questions that were left unanswered but there are other books so maybe it's in there.
There is only one reason I finished this...
I was trying to find an audiobook to listen to on my long commute and I just couldn't find a good narrator. There are certainly great books I will never enjoy because of bad narrators (or that annoy me despite others loving the narration...).
John Glover does a great job and made it worth a listen. I didn't listen for the story as it just wasn't very good.
This book is for action fans. Unbelievable action. This is over top BS even more than Bond stories and if that's your thing great. Its not mine. But it was ok until it got to prostitute.
***SPOILERS*** Basically he pays her to work for him in a non sexual way and then she whines and whinges because he doesn't explain what it is he is actually doing.
She seems to fall in love in the 6 hrs they spend together and then curses him and says he is treating her like crap because he wont tell her his secrets. WTF. Mental case! Get out of there!
But nope he "uses" her again and develops feelings for her after a few more hrs and loads more whinging so much so that when she is killed by the bad guy he decides not to use CIA backup but to go up against a professional assassin in a two go in, one comes out battle to the death for revenge that he KNOWS and admits will likely end in his own death!
Jesus, he must have known her for 10 hrs and most of that time she was annoying as hell and he decides to throw his life away...aggghhh. This alone lost it a star.
Don't forget the explanation of why they use this guy instead of trained CIA operatives. Because the computer said so. WTF there is a magical simulation that can calculate every possible action a person could take and calculate that random Gideon will come out on top while everything else they could do (teams of highly trained spec ops, drones, special agents ect) will end badly.
Massive load of crap!
I was trying to find an audiobook to listen to on my long commute and I just couldn't find a good narrator. There are certainly great books I will never enjoy because of bad narrators (or that annoy me despite others loving the narration...).
John Glover does a great job and made it worth a listen. I didn't listen for the story as it just wasn't very good.
This book is for action fans. Unbelievable action. This is over top BS even more than Bond stories and if that's your thing great. Its not mine. But it was ok until it got to prostitute.
***SPOILERS*** Basically he pays her to work for him in a non sexual way and then she whines and whinges because he doesn't explain what it is he is actually doing.
She seems to fall in love in the 6 hrs they spend together and then curses him and says he is treating her like crap because he wont tell her his secrets. WTF. Mental case! Get out of there!
But nope he "uses" her again and develops feelings for her after a few more hrs and loads more whinging so much so that when she is killed by the bad guy he decides not to use CIA backup but to go up against a professional assassin in a two go in, one comes out battle to the death for revenge that he KNOWS and admits will likely end in his own death!
Jesus, he must have known her for 10 hrs and most of that time she was annoying as hell and he decides to throw his life away...aggghhh. This alone lost it a star.
Don't forget the explanation of why they use this guy instead of trained CIA operatives. Because the computer said so. WTF there is a magical simulation that can calculate every possible action a person could take and calculate that random Gideon will come out on top while everything else they could do (teams of highly trained spec ops, drones, special agents ect) will end badly.
Massive load of crap!