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3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
My first Brad Meltzer book, great read, very entertaining!
It was fun reading about the National Archives but felt this was a book you could finish with a week at the beach.
I had seen a couple of episodes of Brad Meltzer's Decoded by accident before I read this book (another from the Gina and Patrick reading list), so I knew kind of what I would be getting: a story featuring a political conspiracy. That is what Meltzer delivers.
Beecher White is an archivist in DC's National Archives. One morning as he gives a long ago crush a look into a SCIF, a secure room for reviewing classified documents, a SCIF President Orson Wallace will soon be visiting, a hidden book--a book that is not supposed to be there--falls out of a compartment in a chair. A book meant to go to the President. Only one conclusion can be entertained: the President is involved in some sort of conspiracy regarding government secrets. And the story is off and doesn't slow down. Who can Beecher trust? Who knows more than they are saying? What is the President and his aides covering up? As Beecher tries to figure out the secrets of the book, he tires to just keep his head down.
Any good thriller must present characters who are suspicious, and those suspicions must be denied or confirmed. Meltzer provides many such opportunities and handles them deftly. The story will keep you guessing, make you question your suppositions, and then turn them on their head. What a good thriller should do.
Beecher White is an archivist in DC's National Archives. One morning as he gives a long ago crush a look into a SCIF, a secure room for reviewing classified documents, a SCIF President Orson Wallace will soon be visiting, a hidden book--a book that is not supposed to be there--falls out of a compartment in a chair. A book meant to go to the President. Only one conclusion can be entertained: the President is involved in some sort of conspiracy regarding government secrets. And the story is off and doesn't slow down. Who can Beecher trust? Who knows more than they are saying? What is the President and his aides covering up? As Beecher tries to figure out the secrets of the book, he tires to just keep his head down.
Any good thriller must present characters who are suspicious, and those suspicions must be denied or confirmed. Meltzer provides many such opportunities and handles them deftly. The story will keep you guessing, make you question your suppositions, and then turn them on their head. What a good thriller should do.
OK--I have to admit to liking the premise of this book--an archivist hero, a glimpse behind the scenes of the National Archives -- how can a librarian NOT love a book with these tracings: "Archivists--Fiction" and "Conspiracies--Fiction"?
I found the self-deprecating hero/sometime narrator Beecher very likable. However, the plotting was hard to follow and very far-fetched. I found myself waiting for another tidbit about the inner workings of the Archives and their wide-ranging collections. The sequel is all set up, but I won't bother.
However, I was happy to see the author credit the terrific children's book by Thomas B. Allen. [b:George Washington, Spymaster: How the Americans Outspied the British and Won the Revolutionary War|6467|George Washington, Spymaster How the Americans Outspied the British and Won the Revolutionary War|Thomas B. Allen|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165602169s/6467.jpg|713227]. Yeah kids' nonfiction!
I found the self-deprecating hero/sometime narrator Beecher very likable. However, the plotting was hard to follow and very far-fetched. I found myself waiting for another tidbit about the inner workings of the Archives and their wide-ranging collections. The sequel is all set up, but I won't bother.
However, I was happy to see the author credit the terrific children's book by Thomas B. Allen. [b:George Washington, Spymaster: How the Americans Outspied the British and Won the Revolutionary War|6467|George Washington, Spymaster How the Americans Outspied the British and Won the Revolutionary War|Thomas B. Allen|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1165602169s/6467.jpg|713227]. Yeah kids' nonfiction!
I like to escape in the crazy, conspiracy theory filled work of Brad Meltzer. I just found out that he is working on a sequel to this book, so I can forgive the open ended ending.
It’s probably wrong on some level to associate books with circumstances or places. After all, you should be able to read whatever you want wherever you are. That said, this feels like one of those books a sighted flyer would pick up at an airport gift shop—something with some fast action that runs on high-octane entertainment to get you through a boring flight. So, I’ll think of this as the perfect airport-purchased book for the desperate flyer looking to overcome the boredom of what lies ahead.
Beecher White is an archivist at the National Archives. He’s better at observing history than he is at making it, but on an eventful day when the U.S. President comes to the archives, White finds himself in the unfortunate business of making history. That’s the same day White’s high-school crush walks back into his life and asks him to help find her father. Hot off a brutal breakup, White agrees instantly. But things are not what they seem with the troubled enigmatic woman.
Before the book ends, white and some shadowy associates will uncover a presidential secret that goes back more than a quarter of a century. A presidency and White’s life are on the line, and the conspiracy is both fascinating and for me a bit confusing in places.
Beecher White is an archivist at the National Archives. He’s better at observing history than he is at making it, but on an eventful day when the U.S. President comes to the archives, White finds himself in the unfortunate business of making history. That’s the same day White’s high-school crush walks back into his life and asks him to help find her father. Hot off a brutal breakup, White agrees instantly. But things are not what they seem with the troubled enigmatic woman.
Before the book ends, white and some shadowy associates will uncover a presidential secret that goes back more than a quarter of a century. A presidency and White’s life are on the line, and the conspiracy is both fascinating and for me a bit confusing in places.
This thriller got me interested when I found out the main character is an archivist. I mean, how cool is that? *grin* Anyway. Beecher White works at the Archives, and gets in way over his head one day while showing off for an old childhood crush who shows up out of the blue. (Moral of this story: don't show off for old childhood crushes...)
Next thing he knows, he's on the run with the girl and an old dictionary, and trying to stay one step ahead of their pursuers--difficult enough on a normal day, almost impossible when he doesn't even know who they are. Except that they may be working for the President of the United States...
Character: Beecher is an earnest hero. He tries to always do the right thing, and can't seem to not help out if asked. He's not the brightest, but eventually does put two and two together to get four--even if it is at gunpoint and the bad guys are staring him right in the face. Not your typical hero, but more of a nerdy-type-does-good kinda dude, which is alright in my book!
Pace & Plot: The story moves along quickly, and you're never bored or wondering "what on earth?". I felt that it got a bit convoluted in the middle--there was a lot of who-can-you-trust (or not!) situations, and I didn't think Beecher was that dumb that he couldn't figure this out. But then again, he's not your typical hero, so maybe he did need the help?
Pick this up if you're a fan of the underdog-vs-powers-that-be thrillers.
Next thing he knows, he's on the run with the girl and an old dictionary, and trying to stay one step ahead of their pursuers--difficult enough on a normal day, almost impossible when he doesn't even know who they are. Except that they may be working for the President of the United States...
Character: Beecher is an earnest hero. He tries to always do the right thing, and can't seem to not help out if asked. He's not the brightest, but eventually does put two and two together to get four--even if it is at gunpoint and the bad guys are staring him right in the face. Not your typical hero, but more of a nerdy-type-does-good kinda dude, which is alright in my book!
Pace & Plot: The story moves along quickly, and you're never bored or wondering "what on earth?". I felt that it got a bit convoluted in the middle--there was a lot of who-can-you-trust (or not!) situations, and I didn't think Beecher was that dumb that he couldn't figure this out. But then again, he's not your typical hero, so maybe he did need the help?
Pick this up if you're a fan of the underdog-vs-powers-that-be thrillers.
adventurous
informative
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
This one was a lot of fun! The unlikely hero was a breath of fresh air, and there were so many great twists! An excellent book for fans of adventures with American history and political espionage!
This was my first book by Meltzer. I have tried to read him many times but have never been intrigued enough to continue.
For some reason with The Inner Ring this changed. Even though the story was predictable at times and you really wanted to throttle Beecher White for being a wimp, the fascinating historical detail and locations kept me going. I will be giving The Fifth Assassin a try.
For some reason with The Inner Ring this changed. Even though the story was predictable at times and you really wanted to throttle Beecher White for being a wimp, the fascinating historical detail and locations kept me going. I will be giving The Fifth Assassin a try.