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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Good suspense story. So many twists & turns, an abundance of suspects; my head was spinning trying to figure out "who did it."
Published and set in 2003/2004, the plot revolves around the assassination of one Presidential candidate eight years before the start of this book and the kidnapping of another one in the story's present day. The main characters are the two Secret Service agents, Sean King and Michelle Maxwell, whose errors in judgment factored heavily into the aforementioned assassination and kidnapping. Events conspire to bring King and Maxwell together to figure out how, or even if, the two events are related.
As with most of the Baldacci books I've read to date, the writing style is smooth and easy with a sure-footed pacing that ensures a fast read. King and Maxwell make for likable characters; he's in his mid-forties and has managed to rebuild his life after his career took a nose-dive after he lost his protectee to an assassin's bullet. She's in her early thirties and facing her first real failure at, well, anything once the candidate she was guarding gets snatched right out from under her nose. It did irk me a little that once the two started working together it seemed like it was only King who ever made the important connections and discoveries in the cases while Maxwell was left to mostly function as his sounding board. The crimes also seemed extreme and over-the-top considering the motivation behind them. It would be akin to taking some overly winding, side road to get from point A to point B, that ends up taking you three hours out of your way before you get there, instead of the interstate highway that offers a straight shot.
That said, I haven't read a bad Baldacci book yet. I'm always entertained and this book met that standard.
As with most of the Baldacci books I've read to date, the writing style is smooth and easy with a sure-footed pacing that ensures a fast read. King and Maxwell make for likable characters; he's in his mid-forties and has managed to rebuild his life after his career took a nose-dive after he lost his protectee to an assassin's bullet. She's in her early thirties and facing her first real failure at, well, anything once the candidate she was guarding gets snatched right out from under her nose. It did irk me a little that once the two started working together it seemed like it was only King who ever made the important connections and discoveries in the cases while Maxwell was left to mostly function as his sounding board. The crimes also seemed extreme and over-the-top considering the motivation behind them. It would be akin to taking some overly winding, side road to get from point A to point B, that ends up taking you three hours out of your way before you get there, instead of the interstate highway that offers a straight shot.
That said, I haven't read a bad Baldacci book yet. I'm always entertained and this book met that standard.
This was my first Badacci read, and I did enjoy it. Both the leads I very much enjoyed; Sean King and Michelle Maxwell are very different from one another but still feel real. Michelle's a tough chick and extremely accomplished, but flawed in her own way. The plot seemed a little squirrely, and a little...much but King and Maxwell remain even-keeled throughout the ordeal. I'm looking forward to picking up the next book in this series.
Split Second is a typical Baldacci first book in a series. It has interesting characters and excellent writing but the plot is a bit weak. I have seen this trend across his various books and this one is no exception.
As always, the lead characters are extraordinary individuals (secret agents in this case) who have had to deal with a personal/professional tragedy. This time around, it is the loss of the VIPs they were supposed to protect.
I loved the chemistry between the leads. And the reversal of roles too. The woman is the superior ass-kicker while the man is the superior analyst. They have differing views on life and this makes their interactions interesting.
The plot was weak though. There is this huge conspiracy and a complicated plot that is hinted at. In the end, the plot fizzles out. But, regardless, I still enjoyed the book because, you know, it's Baldacci.
As always, the lead characters are extraordinary individuals (secret agents in this case) who have had to deal with a personal/professional tragedy. This time around, it is the loss of the VIPs they were supposed to protect.
I loved the chemistry between the leads. And the reversal of roles too. The woman is the superior ass-kicker while the man is the superior analyst. They have differing views on life and this makes their interactions interesting.
The plot was weak though. There is this huge conspiracy and a complicated plot that is hinted at. In the end, the plot fizzles out. But, regardless, I still enjoyed the book because, you know, it's Baldacci.
Couldn't finish it. Just could not get into the characters and found the book slow moving and tedious. Hard to believe this is the same guy who wrote The Winner.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
I usually like his books, but didnt really care for this one, found it quite confusing and really weird.
Read as part of World of Sleuths ReadAlongs
This is the first book I've read by this author and I really enjoyed it. It had a good amount of mystery and action that kept me interested in the story. It was a good introduction to these two characters and I'm curious to see where the following books in this series goes.
This is the first book I've read by this author and I really enjoyed it. It had a good amount of mystery and action that kept me interested in the story. It was a good introduction to these two characters and I'm curious to see where the following books in this series goes.