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angeerah's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
alidottie's review
3.0
3 and a half
i listened to this and actually followed the story. I usually get lost if there are too many names--or if it is abridged and the story moves too fast. This was not abridged. I don't know why so many people are such huge Baldacci fans. His books are fine, but, at least based on this one, nothing really special.
i listened to this and actually followed the story. I usually get lost if there are too many names--or if it is abridged and the story moves too fast. This was not abridged. I don't know why so many people are such huge Baldacci fans. His books are fine, but, at least based on this one, nothing really special.
jacobra5's review
4.0
I somehow missed the second book in the series, but this was a good page turner that didn't make you think too hard, but was good enough to want to keep reading. These books always feel like NCIS-like movie, which is why I enjoy them.
Only about 6-7 hours of reading time too!
Only about 6-7 hours of reading time too!
icarryhearts_'s review against another edition
3.0
This isn't something I'd typically read, but a customer at work recommended it and wouldn't stop hounding me until I did so. It... wasn't terrible. Third in the series, but I haven't read the other two. I hate that. I don't think it made a difference, though.
Overall, interesting enough to keep me wondering what would happen next, but I probably won't be picking up the rest of the series unless I get desperate. Good enough for something I wouldn't usually read.
Overall, interesting enough to keep me wondering what would happen next, but I probably won't be picking up the rest of the series unless I get desperate. Good enough for something I wouldn't usually read.
judithdcollins's review
4.0
David Baldacci returns with another fast-paced action suspense thriller with The Escape (John Puller Series #3) when Puller faces the most difficult assignment—it is personal.
Robert, John Puller’s older brother, is a former Air Force major in the USAF, a convicted traitor serving a life sentence in Leavenworth, Kansas on charges of treason. (A very high security military prison—like a prison within a prison). Robert escapes and leaves a corpse left in his cell. The entire team of the highest level of agencies and top brass, need John Puller’s help (he is an investigator with the CID-army’s investigative arm) in capturing his brother.
First, he needs to learn the identity of the dead man and what the heck his brother is up to, and he is unsure who he can trust, especially Veronica Knox, the Army Intelligence agent assigned to the case.
Robert, of course knows computers, hacking, security, and can change his identity and maneuvers his way around secretly trying to clear his name. Having read the other two in the series, we all know Puller’s exceptional skill and his loyalty. He knows his brother must have a good reason and a plan for escaping. Puller needs to find answers while uncovering a conspiracy which may lead to Robert’s innocence—both are in a race against time.
The Forgotten (#2) and The Escape (#3) are my favorites in the series, due to the family dynamics for a personal connection (#2 – Aunt in Florida) and (#3 – Brother), which draws you in for an engaging and compelling read.
I listened to the audiobook performed by Ron McLarty and Orlagh Cassidy. Not wild about Cassidy, and would like to see Baldacci replace the female performer; however, Ron does a good job as usual.
Robert, John Puller’s older brother, is a former Air Force major in the USAF, a convicted traitor serving a life sentence in Leavenworth, Kansas on charges of treason. (A very high security military prison—like a prison within a prison). Robert escapes and leaves a corpse left in his cell. The entire team of the highest level of agencies and top brass, need John Puller’s help (he is an investigator with the CID-army’s investigative arm) in capturing his brother.
First, he needs to learn the identity of the dead man and what the heck his brother is up to, and he is unsure who he can trust, especially Veronica Knox, the Army Intelligence agent assigned to the case.
Robert, of course knows computers, hacking, security, and can change his identity and maneuvers his way around secretly trying to clear his name. Having read the other two in the series, we all know Puller’s exceptional skill and his loyalty. He knows his brother must have a good reason and a plan for escaping. Puller needs to find answers while uncovering a conspiracy which may lead to Robert’s innocence—both are in a race against time.
The Forgotten (#2) and The Escape (#3) are my favorites in the series, due to the family dynamics for a personal connection (#2 – Aunt in Florida) and (#3 – Brother), which draws you in for an engaging and compelling read.
I listened to the audiobook performed by Ron McLarty and Orlagh Cassidy. Not wild about Cassidy, and would like to see Baldacci replace the female performer; however, Ron does a good job as usual.
cwebb's review against another edition
3.0
Typical Baldacci. Good and easy read, though it can get kind of repetitive. There's always one more twist, though it ties up nicely.
jacki_f's review against another edition
2.0
There are times in my reading life when I wish I had a time travel machine. If I did, I would go back four days in time and never start reading this idiotic book.
I am not a great fan of Baldacci's formulaic writing style, but I did enjoy Zero Day - the first book featuring Special Agent Jack Puller. It read like a shameless Lee Child rip off, but was no less enjoyable for that. Puller reappeared in The Forgotten, this time investigating the death of his aunt. Again, the writing was taut, the suspense built over the course of the book and it was a more than passable beach read.
The Escape is an entirely different style of book. It doesn't feel like it was written by the same person as the first two books in the series, though it feels very similar in style to the woeful "True Blue" churned out by the Baldacci factory in 2009. (If you share my theory that there are in fact several writers who assist Mr Baldacci, this would make perfect sense). All traces to Lee Child are gone, and instead we have wooden characters who speak in explanations, who are unable to pick up on obvious clues but can wrap their heads round complex and unlikely scenarios in seconds and who occasionally get tears in their eyes in lieu of feelings.
The book actually starts quite well, with John Puller's brother Robert breaking out of a maximum security prison. Puller is asked to investigate his brother's disappearance, presumably because the authorities hope that his brother will attempt to contact him. However as Puller starts to look into the case, he finds out things about his brother's conviction that he didn't previously know and he begins to wonder whether there is more to the break out than meets the eye.
So the first third of the book has a reasonable degree of suspense but then it just goes silly and proceeds to get sillier by the page as the coincidences fly thick and fast, the body count mounts and character motivations get flimsier than a square of cheap toilet paper. By the end of the book I simply did not care about any of these people and I all I know is that I don't want to read another Baldacci book as long as I live.
I am not a great fan of Baldacci's formulaic writing style, but I did enjoy Zero Day - the first book featuring Special Agent Jack Puller. It read like a shameless Lee Child rip off, but was no less enjoyable for that. Puller reappeared in The Forgotten, this time investigating the death of his aunt. Again, the writing was taut, the suspense built over the course of the book and it was a more than passable beach read.
The Escape is an entirely different style of book. It doesn't feel like it was written by the same person as the first two books in the series, though it feels very similar in style to the woeful "True Blue" churned out by the Baldacci factory in 2009. (If you share my theory that there are in fact several writers who assist Mr Baldacci, this would make perfect sense). All traces to Lee Child are gone, and instead we have wooden characters who speak in explanations, who are unable to pick up on obvious clues but can wrap their heads round complex and unlikely scenarios in seconds and who occasionally get tears in their eyes in lieu of feelings.
The book actually starts quite well, with John Puller's brother Robert breaking out of a maximum security prison. Puller is asked to investigate his brother's disappearance, presumably because the authorities hope that his brother will attempt to contact him. However as Puller starts to look into the case, he finds out things about his brother's conviction that he didn't previously know and he begins to wonder whether there is more to the break out than meets the eye.
So the first third of the book has a reasonable degree of suspense but then it just goes silly and proceeds to get sillier by the page as the coincidences fly thick and fast, the body count mounts and character motivations get flimsier than a square of cheap toilet paper. By the end of the book I simply did not care about any of these people and I all I know is that I don't want to read another Baldacci book as long as I live.
littlelady_28's review
3.0
This was an entertaining, fast-paced, quick read. I was a little disappointed in the ending, but overall I enjoyed reading this. I give it a solid B.