Alex Ander's Blog - Posts Tagged "baldacci"

The Innocent by David Baldacci

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


SUPERB! Superb, superb, superb. My only regret is that I read book #2 before book #1. As a result, I could see the ending coming. That fact didn't ruin The Innocent for me, but I know I would have been blindsided at the end had I started with book #1.

This story had running and gunning, plot twists, excellent character development and down time to get to know the characters. I even enjoyed Julie and her typical 14-year-old attitude. I believe the word used to describe her in the book was 'precocious.'

Mild foul language, but no F-bombs and chapter after chapter, the focus remained on the protagonist and his companions. I love that! No diversions to find out what happened in the bad guy's childhood that made him the way he is today.

If you enjoy thrillers, government agents, running & gunning, then you MUST READ The Innocent. Baldacci is in the same league as Brad Thor and John Gilstrap with their Scot Harvath and Jonathan Grave series.

My rating: 6 stars (if I could)



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The Target by David Baldacci

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Typical great Baldacci/Will Robie reading. Minimal foul language and the chemistry between Robie and Reel is what makes this book, and so far the series, so exciting. Maybe it's just me, but I love books that have male and female lead characters. The back and forth verbal and nonverbal exchanges between the sexes are fun.

There was one point in the story where Robie and Reel went off on a side mission that seemed to have no bearing on the plot. I scratched my head about this, but in the end, I decided I didn't care. The action scenes were still great and that's what most important.

Once again I found myself skipping over the chapters that didn't focus on the main characters. Not that they weren't done well. It's just my reading preference. I don't really care about the nitty gritty details of anyone outside of the protagonist and his or her allies.

If you've read the first two books in the series, then #3 is a must for you. If you haven't read any, go back and start with book #1. As for me, I'll be grabbing book #4 in the near future.



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Bullseye by David Baldacci

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Although I'm not entirely sure why, I have to give Bullseye 4.5 stars. I believe it has to do with the fact that this book combines main characters from two different series. I have not read any of the Camel Club books, so Oliver Stone means nothing to me. Had I been familiar with him, I probably would have tacked on the half star.

Overall, a good book. I like the shorter reads. And since I finished this one in a single day, Bullseye certainly qualifies as a short read. There wasn't as much of the traditional action I'm accustomed to reading. There was more talking and planning and scheming. Robie and Stone had to share the pages, so that left those of us in the Robie camp with fewer pages with "our" protagonist.

All in all, I would recommend Bullseye to anyone who has read all or some of the Will Robie books.



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End Game by David Baldacci

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


The action & adventure was great, and there was a lot of it. Although a little more elevated than usual, the foul language wasn't too bad. There were a few big bombs with more frequent...crass and crude words...for lack of a better way to describe it.

The ending was a little different, and unexpected, but it was cool. And, there was a little more attention paid to the personal side of the characters. Many thrillers simply end a few pages after the final big battle. This novel gives readers a little more.

Having read this entire series, I can honestly say that End Game was similar to the first three books, which I enjoyed immensely. If you're a Baldacci fan, or have read others in this series, you won't want to miss Book #5. Recommended.



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Split Second by David Baldacci

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Awesome story. It started out good, slowed down a bit, and then took off and just kept getting better and better. The author went deeper and deeper with the main characters and gradually drew them closer together without giving away the ending. There was a twist at the end that I DID NOT SEE COMING. I'm very curious to see where book number two goes. In fact, that's going to be my next read.

This author highly recommends Split Second by David Baldacci for action & adventure and thriller fans. I think this might actually fall into the mystery genre, too, as the villain was not revealed until the end of the book.



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Hour Game by David Baldacci

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I believe Hour Game was more of a murder mystery than an action thriller. There was a lot more talking, theorizing, and interviewing potential suspects than there was "running and gunning." Those are merely observations and NOT critiques.

I liked this book. Good dialogue. Humor between Sean and Michelle sprinkled in. Plus, I have to see what happens between the two main characters; therefore, I'm sure I'll be picking up the next in the series.

This second installment in the King and Maxwell saga had limited foul language and no sex scenes. And I can highly recommend this book for those who enjoy the murder mystery genre (bodies are dropping and who did it?)

For fans of the action thriller genre (specifically novels where you already know who the villain is, but don't know how the protagonist will prevail...or how many gunfights there will be in the process), I can still recommend Hour Game. Just know, however, you won't be picking up much 'brass' when you've finished the story (i.e. more talking, less shooting).



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Simple Genius by David Baldacci

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Enjoyed this book even more than the previous one in the series. Once I realized this series is more of a mystery/whodunit versus an action thriller, I settled in and just kept reading. Great story with a deeper look into Michelle Maxwell's personality/childhood/background. I really liked that aspect.

One thing that came to me after finishing the book: Sean King is not your usual protagonist. He is not a superhero who kicks the snot out of the villain. He relies on his partner, Maxwell, to fill that role while he uses his brain to figure out clues and identify the villain. That's an interesting twist on traditional main characters...at least from my experience.

Foul language seemed to be a bit elevated compared to the first two books (some F-bombs and more frequent cussing). Not too bad, but a little distracting for this reader.

Simple Genius is highly recommended for mystery fans and even those who usually enjoy more action.



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