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lakeshorelibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
The headlines are all over the map, as usual: The President is Missing; The President's chronic health condition has become acute; The President is hiding from the rumored impeachment hearings; The President has run away...
There is some truth to all of the rumors, and a lot of ungrounded speculation, typical for the cable news/24 hour news cycle.
The truth is: The President IS hiding, and trying to stave off the most deadly terrorist attack every devised -- he knows he has only a few hours, and he doesn't know whom he can trust.
President Clinton has done a great job in taking us behind the scenes and giving plausible characters a realistic plot line. Lots of suspense, and lots of interesting ideas as well. This is a winner for both thriller fans and fans of politics. The political geeks will have fun dissecting the nuances, but this is not a roman a clef, perhaps because of Patterson's work on the book. Recommended.
SPOILER SPACE
Clinton does take advantage of the bully pulpit here, especially in the literary President's final speech to a joint session of Congress. I thought the number of women in important positions in the novel was really interesting -- most of the major players, in fact, are women. While no person in the novel is identifiable as a real person, the Speaker of the House comes close -- not a flattering characterization, either. I did guess the mystery part, but the realistic scenario and action kept me turning pages. I'm not a thriller fan, but I heard President Clinton interviewed about the book, and found the concept intriguing. I enjoyed it, and I do recommend it. My Dad would have loved this book.
There is some truth to all of the rumors, and a lot of ungrounded speculation, typical for the cable news/24 hour news cycle.
The truth is: The President IS hiding, and trying to stave off the most deadly terrorist attack every devised -- he knows he has only a few hours, and he doesn't know whom he can trust.
President Clinton has done a great job in taking us behind the scenes and giving plausible characters a realistic plot line. Lots of suspense, and lots of interesting ideas as well. This is a winner for both thriller fans and fans of politics. The political geeks will have fun dissecting the nuances, but this is not a roman a clef, perhaps because of Patterson's work on the book. Recommended.
SPOILER SPACE
Clinton does take advantage of the bully pulpit here, especially in the literary President's final speech to a joint session of Congress. I thought the number of women in important positions in the novel was really interesting -- most of the major players, in fact, are women. While no person in the novel is identifiable as a real person, the Speaker of the House comes close -- not a flattering characterization, either. I did guess the mystery part, but the realistic scenario and action kept me turning pages. I'm not a thriller fan, but I heard President Clinton interviewed about the book, and found the concept intriguing. I enjoyed it, and I do recommend it. My Dad would have loved this book.
pdalsky's review against another edition
3.0
In this book, you can find...
Some good action/mystery.
Wayyyyyy too many chapters (128!)
Some ehh characters and some interesting ones.
A president who actually wants to make our country better.
No wonder this is a work of fiction.
Some good action/mystery.
Wayyyyyy too many chapters (128!)
Some ehh characters and some interesting ones.
A president who actually wants to make our country better.
No wonder this is a work of fiction.
evmb_c's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
justacatandabook's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
A group of terrorists decide to mess with the United States' cyber grid for their own wealth and enjoyment.
It's the plot for the wild and crazy THE PRESIDENT IS MISSING, but it's also a horrifying and rather plausible possibility, which is always in the back of your mind while reading. Said President is ex-military, anti-establishment, and suspects a leak in his inner circle. At the same time, he knows he has just days to stop a virus from shutting down the entire U.S. cyber infrastructure and sending America back to the dark ages--and into utter chaos.
This story starts out a little slow, veers into wild and fun moments, and then lags again at times. It's very uneven and makes it hard to get fully into the story, even if it is exciting. The President receives warning from some defectors from the terrorist cell, and he goes rogue (aka missing) to try to save his country. There are appearances from members of said inner circle plus leaders of other countries and then various parts of the terrorist organizations. It's up to us to puzzle it out along with the President.
This is a fun story (albeit rather sobering because it feels a little too real) but sometimes an up and down tale.
It's the plot for the wild and crazy THE PRESIDENT IS MISSING, but it's also a horrifying and rather plausible possibility, which is always in the back of your mind while reading. Said President is ex-military, anti-establishment, and suspects a leak in his inner circle. At the same time, he knows he has just days to stop a virus from shutting down the entire U.S. cyber infrastructure and sending America back to the dark ages--and into utter chaos.
This story starts out a little slow, veers into wild and fun moments, and then lags again at times. It's very uneven and makes it hard to get fully into the story, even if it is exciting. The President receives warning from some defectors from the terrorist cell, and he goes rogue (aka missing) to try to save his country. There are appearances from members of said inner circle plus leaders of other countries and then various parts of the terrorist organizations. It's up to us to puzzle it out along with the President.
This is a fun story (albeit rather sobering because it feels a little too real) but sometimes an up and down tale.
ravenclaw_clara's review against another edition
4.0
A beautiful combination of the president as a human being and competent leader- although a bit too idealistic at times, President Duncan left a lasting impression on me. I truly enjoyed a glimpse behind the scenes of international cooperation against cyberterrorism.
nickelwing_td's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Fundamentally felt like an airport read. There were some cool moments and plot twists, but the ultimate “mystery” driving the plot felt fairly rote and predictable, and the main character was a bit too “perfect” for my liking.
mapleice's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.25