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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
almost dnf-ed. nothing super wrong with it, it just didn't catch my attention the way i wanted it to. i felt like, at times, the writing was bland and almost too functional. the plot near the end was utterly ridiculous. i might try out the rest of the books in the series to see if baldacci's prose works better as he writes more, but this one was a major disappointment.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Wow. This book surprised me after seeing the TV show first. Yeah, I know I should be wary of that but that is what happened. This book is a good thriller with good action throughout that does not overpower the building of characters to kick off the series. Agent Maxwell is fresh off an protection gone awry ends meeting King who had is now a private lawyer after a protection gone wrong years ago. They have a similar career-ending experience that draws them into sharing their skills to resolve what happen to both of them. This book is one of the better ones I have read to haves compelling storyline that isn’t lessened to make room for the introduction of the series’ main characters. A refreshing aspect of the this thriller is that it does not rely on assassination as the main skill set.
What can be said about Split Second that hasn't been said already? Plenty, actually. Both good and bad stuff. All the things that are the hallmarks of Baldacci are present, but in lesser and more minute forms. Cruel tragic death at the end, check. Serial killing, check. Character the epitome of training, check. Age difference between hero and heroine, check. And twist after insane twist, che-didly-eck.
The motive of the villain is the achilles heel in this brew of a thriller. Very comic book villainy. The journey to the ending was fun. Not so the drowning parts. More so the bleedingly patient investigation. I do love me some mystery. I blazed through the pages in that section. Enjoyed reading the detailed questioning like it was vintage Agatha Christie.
King and Maxwell were different enough from the Camel Club - my favorite series of Baldacci. King is a more ordinary person compared to Oliver Stone. Sean King was downright insulting to Maxwell at many times. And it was not justified. Not even finding a body in your office justifies it if one wants you to believe in the righteousness of the hero. But that was never Baldacci's aim. He wanted to tweak his stock hero and add foibles to the design of the latter. Maxwell is a very likable character. She has enough wits about her to guess the right thing at the right time. A few of her moments are the best parts of the book. King and Maxwell team up for the second book. Can't wait.
The motive of the villain is the achilles heel in this brew of a thriller. Very comic book villainy. The journey to the ending was fun. Not so the drowning parts. More so the bleedingly patient investigation. I do love me some mystery. I blazed through the pages in that section. Enjoyed reading the detailed questioning like it was vintage Agatha Christie.
King and Maxwell were different enough from the Camel Club - my favorite series of Baldacci. King is a more ordinary person compared to Oliver Stone. Sean King was downright insulting to Maxwell at many times. And it was not justified. Not even finding a body in your office justifies it if one wants you to believe in the righteousness of the hero. But that was never Baldacci's aim. He wanted to tweak his stock hero and add foibles to the design of the latter. Maxwell is a very likable character. She has enough wits about her to guess the right thing at the right time. A few of her moments are the best parts of the book. King and Maxwell team up for the second book. Can't wait.
3.5 stars. It had some good action in it but the ending was a semi let down.
Having just read the Will Robie series and loved it, I remembered watching the TV series of King and Maxwell a few years ago and enjoying that too.
I picked up the first book in this series next because of the TV show and I loved this one too, I enjoy the dynamic between King and Maxwell.
I did guess certain parts of the storyline but it held my interest well and was a compulsive read. I look forward to continuing the series.
I picked up the first book in this series next because of the TV show and I loved this one too, I enjoy the dynamic between King and Maxwell.
I did guess certain parts of the storyline but it held my interest well and was a compulsive read. I look forward to continuing the series.
I recall reading some Baldacci book a while back and bought this at a garage sale, put it aside and dug it out recently while sick and looking for something to read. WOW, was I glad I unearthed this book! I might become a strident Baldacci fan after this. Quick-paced, action-packed - a page turner to the last. I was left guessing, couldn't figure out the story, superbly written. I'd have to say, the perfect action/suspense book. I'd go as high as a 4.5 for this : )
Another good one by David Baldacci. I do like when he makes the female character strong and able to save herself and others.
While exciting, this book is to...well...complicated? I would need a flow chart and colored stars to keep track of all the Many....MANY characters and plot points. It’s like Baldacci was winging it...deciding the plot as he went along...ditching previous directions as he went and starting all new ones.....complicated beyond necessity and confusing.
I wanted to like this book, really I did but it just kept dragging along slowly, painfully to what I will just call a bizarre ending that was not really satisfying. That being said I may give the next book in this series a chance since we have most of the boring stuff out of the way - I hope.
Happy reading!
Happy reading!