The Plantation

Payne & Jones #1

by Chris Kuzneski

One by one, in cities across America, people of all ages are taken from their homes, their cars, their lives. But these aren’t random kidnappings. They’re crimes of passion,
planned and researched several months in advance, then executed with a singular objective in mind. Revenge.

Ariane Walker is one of the victims, dragged from her apartment with few clues to follow. The police said there’s little they can do for her, but that isn’t good enough for her boyfriend, Jonathon Payne.

With the help of his best friend (David Jones), Payne gives chase, hoping that a lead in New Orleans somehow pays off. Together, they uncover the mystery of Ariane’s abduction and the truth behind the South’s most violent secret.

Genres: Thriller, Fiction, Mystery, Adventure, Action, Mystery Thriller, Crime

432 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Chris Kuzneski is the #1 international bestselling & New York Times bestselling author of twelve novels and one novella. His thrillers have been translated into more than twenty languages and have sold millions of copies worldwide. One of his books (THE HUNTERS) is currently being made into a major motion picture, and another (THE PRISONER’S GOLD) won an ITW Thriller Award for Book of the Year.

Armed with witty prose, a unique narrative voice, and a penchant for blackmail, Kuzneski has garnered praise from many of the top authors in the world: James Patterson, Nelson DeMille, Lee Child, Vince Flynn, James Rollins, Tess Gerritsen, Douglas Preston, Lisa Gardner, Steve Berry, Scott Mariani, Allison Brennan, W.E.B. Griffin, Graham Brown, Boyd Morrison, John Gilstrap, Raymond Khoury, David Morrell, Andrew Gross, Joseph Finder, Jeremy Robinson, and his writing idol, Clive Cussler.

Simply put, his books are awesome.

A former football player at the University of Pittsburgh, Kuzneski worked as a journalist until he realized it was easier to make stuff up in the comfort of his own home. He has been writing fiction and sleeping in ever since. The only thing that has slowed him down is his obvious need for a pen name, since most people don't know how to spell or pronounce 'Kuzneski'. [Hint: Seven of the letters are silent.]

Reviews

[Lindig · Rating 1 out of 5]

Jeez, this was bad (and no, I didn't finish it). The dialogue was generally false sounding. The characters do things totally out of character. The plot -- well, the plot was unbelievable. Yes, I believed the historical info about slavery etc. It's the author's use of it for his plot that I disliked.

Besides, one of my favorite books has the same plot -- unbalanced person seeking redress for historical wrongs, abducts wealthy people and makes them slaves on a plantation -- it's called "Last Day in Limbo" by Peter O'Donnell.

[Rakib Hasan · Rating 3 out of 5]

অনুবাদ ভালো ছিল কিন্তু বইটা মোটামুটি লাগলো। যদিও লেখকের প্রথম বই হিসেবে বেশ ভালো এবং দাসপ্রথা নিয়ে অল্পস্বল্প বর্ণনাগুলো বেশ ভয়ানক ছিল।

[Chris Eddy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Couldn't be bothered finishing this book. Wasn't enjoying it at all, and life is too short to read bad books!

[Rosalyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a different twist this book was. So many red herrings and is he isnt he moments .

[Alice · Rating 1 out of 5]

53% read and I just couldn't bring myself to finish it. It was a bit too disturbing for me.

[Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pain is something everyone must deal with, and those that deal with it the best will succeed the most.
-Holmes

I won this book through a GoodReads giveaway and would like to take this opportunity to say thank you for being able to read and review this amazing book!

People are mysteriously disappearing, being abducted by the same unknown force. These taken individuals were specially selected for a reason, and this reason centers on revenge. The kidnappings are going on right under everyone's radar until one particular woman is taken, Ariane. Ariane is a bright, beautiful young woman who is dating one very important man, Jonathan Payne. An ex-MANIAC, or a participant of an elite branch of the U.S. military, and the head of a huge company, Payne can easily get around. To make things better, his former comrade and best friend, David Jones is now a detective. Together, these two men must find Ariane before something horrible happens to her. Quickly getting a glimpse of what must be going on, they are determined to stop it before matters get worse.

Taking a look at the security footage from her apartment, the area of her abduction, they find that the culprits are all dressed in black from head to toe, and underneath the black clothing is dark skin as well. The two clues that they have to go on right now are one tattoo and a single license plate number. From here, Jones and Payne go on the thriller of the century. With the authorities having their hands tied in this case, the two take it upon themselves to find out that a group is on a secluded piece of land in the middle of a watery nowhere that absolutely no one would ever look on. The horrors that go on here behind the veil of law is stunningly gruesome.

Ariane wakes up to find herself in an unexpected and frightening situation. She's on a plantation that was used years ago when slavery was still a major part of the United States's history. Here, all of the people are put to work, going through the same horrors that the slaves went through before the conclusion of the Civil War. Forced to look over the fields, tending to them and working the ground, the civilians live a life of horror. Cruel men look over them, never raising a helpful hand except when an overseer wants one of them beaten. Everyday is a game of chance, wondering who will be tortured next. Ariane is holding out hope that Payne will find her and deliver everyone from the depths of despair. However, she is still determined to remain strong. This woman goes and tries to lend a helping hand to those who need it and lessen the pain of everyone around her. In the face of death, she is still an amazing person.

Why were these people selected to be put on the plantation?

Will Payne and Jones save everyone before it's too late or will things turn south?

Sometimes you gotta betray one trust to gain another.
-Levon Greene

I was extremely shocked when I was reading the forward to this book. Kuzneski described how no one wanted to publish his book at first, and I thought to myself how crazy they must have been. The Plantation was brilliant! The story was so original and thought provoking. Who would have ever thought of the white man working under those of African descent instead of the other way around on a plantation? It was a total turn around. Learning about slavery throughout the entirety of my schooling, I can easily see how horrible it must have been for those poor people. I, like countless others, despise the thought of one man, no matter their color, ruling and beating another. The Antebellum lifestyle surrounding the injustice of slavery was a horrible thing, a definite dark spot on American history. While some individuals may think that this book is racist, I have to strongly disagree. It was a brilliant outlook on what could and may have been.

Many reviewers mention that the book was graphic and too hard for them to read. I can definitely understand this. There were some parts that included extensive blood shed and disturbing scenes, but, while they might be part of the story, they don't engulf it. I have to respect the author in this way. He wrote at the end how he wanted to accurately portray how life on the plantation for a slave was no walk in the park. There were horrible instances every single day that they had to endure. I feel as though he gave this fact utmost justice. I also believe that he did an amazing job describing how some overseers may have felt. Some enjoyed the pain and torture that they were able to inflict on others. I was extremely glad that Kuzneski's writing rang true to history in so many ways that it may seem unbelievable when reading it.

I absolutely loved Payne and Jones together. They were hilarious. Even in the darkest of times, they would make the funniest comments as a way of stress release. They both were strong characters that you wanted to know more about, especially Payne. The drive and passion that this man had for the safety of one woman was amazing. Also, this book had an fantastic pace to it. The adventure, thrill, and suspense never let up. There was plot twist after plot twist, deception after deception. I really didn't want to put it down even though I had to carry on with my life. To be honest, I never expected to love this book so much, but I did. It has an excellent writer behind it who can easily get into the human mind and write like a true expert. It almost felt like I was watching a movie instead of reading a book! I definitely would love to continue this series. There's no doubt about it, The Plantation was a fabulous creation that countless people enjoyed and hopefully will continue to enjoy and read for years to come. Kuzneski definitely deserves five starts for this breathtaking creation!

You can see reviews like this one and more at http://knightingalereviews.blogspot.com/.
(http://knightingalereviews.blogspot.c...)

[Kristin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd actually give this book 3 1/2 stars (I have to REALLY like it for 4 stars, and that's pretty rare for me, but I more than just liked this book). This is a good quick read for anyone who wants a thinking action book. I almost didn't read the book based on all of the reviews that were turned off by the violence in the book. To be honest, I didn't find it that violent. Yes, there is violence. But it seems appropriate to the story (i.e. you have people put on a plantation meant to understand what it was like to be a slave, and slaves were not treated kindly or gently). I didn't find the book any more violent than what you would find in a typical action movie. I did find the premise of the book interesting (i.e. people wanting to make white people *personally* understand the horrors of slavery, rather than it being an intellectual exercise). I found the book well paced (i.e. the sory had twists and turns that I didn't expect) I liked the main charcaters. I'd recommend the book for people that like this genre. I read a lot of books outside this genre, so it was a good "break" for me.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent premiere novel by Kuzneski, exploring slavery and plantations on which slave worked... with a twist. While I see a lot of the polishing and updates he eludes to in the foreward, I am shocked this novel was not picked up when it first came out!

[charlotte, · Rating 1 out of 5]

mr kuzneski, reverse racism isn't real...

CWs: violence, torture, casual homophobia & misogyny

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many reviewers have panned this book giving it only one star, or saying "I read one of the later books, and this one just doesn't cut it." Let's look at the book on its' merits. It is the first book of an author. It's a little rough in areas. Sometimes the flow isn't very smooth. There are the downsides.

On the upside, the author takes a refreshing concept on the issue of slavery, the past coming back to bite us in the rear, and the execution of such. I found the premise of this book to be refreshing and extremely interesting. I am looking forward to more of the series. I am very glad that I started with this one as it explores the characters from the beginning. The author doesn't just state that the main characters are ex-special forces to justify the special skills they have that get them out of many extraordinary situations, he brings in the old unit. He proves that these characters are special to the readers.

This book has to be one of the best opening novels to a series that I have come across in a long time. I enjoyed it, and I think that if people will give it a real chance, they will too.

[Dee Haddrill · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have to be honest, the first time I tried to read this book, I struggled and didn't finish it. I went on to read other books by Mr Kuzneski and thoroughly enjoyed them. So I decided to try this one again and I worked out what my problem with it was in the first place.

The reason was twofold.

1 - I didn't understand or appreciate the way Payne and Jones responded to stress, violence, etc. Having since read more and loving the banter between the two, I've realized so much more how they deal with all the terrible things they see by using humour.

2 - the torture in the books is really tough to read. I understand why it was there and it pains me to know that the awful things done in the book were really done to the black slaves, but over a longer period of time, making it all the more heinous!

The Plantation is a brilliantly written book that will have you laughing, cringing, and turning those pages as fast as you can.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first in the Payne and Jones series and I must say I really enjoyed it, which after reading the following six books I wasn't expecting as the first is often not as good as the others. But this opens the series with a bang and fully embraces the banter that exists between the two and how they just can't help but take matters into their own hands, killing a bad guy or two (dozen) along the way. This books finds Payne's girlfriend kidnapped and him on the trail of the kidnappers but the reason is not the usual one of greed but that of revenge, long since cold revenge as she find herself on the Plantation and part of a white slave ring centuries in the making. Brilliantly fast paced with a good dose of action, violence and wit, this is a great read.

[Dez Nemec · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF - I got a quarter of the way through this, and I just couldn't care less what was going to happen. Time to give up.

[Jean Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn't put this down

[Sensitivemuse · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was one of the most action packed books I have ever read. It was like watching a movie most of the time. I enjoyed it. Immensely. I can sort of understand why some people might not like it. There are heavy racial overtones in this book and perhaps there are some that are not comfortable with that kind of subject matter. Then there are some reviews I have read that thought this book was filled with such cheesy action it was like a Hollywood movie. I admit, it does have a Hollywood feel to it. That doesn't mean I didn't enjoy reading it though. I also heard some just didn't like the playful banter and immature jokes that came from Jonathon and David. It didn't bother me. In fact, I enjoyed it and saw it as a form of comic relief. It's playful - however sometimes unnecessary but when things come to a head they do smarten up and stop with the immaturity.

Aside from the action and the fast pace, this story caught my attention and I actually dropped a couple of books just to finish reading this one. I knew the story had to be predictable. I already had an idea on what was happening and sort of what was going to happen although the ending rather threw me off track. Nevertheless I thought it was still an enjoyable read. The action really made up for it's pitfalls because it just felt like such a huge adrenaline rush and an engaging read.

I liked both main characters; David and Jonathon. They are your typical dynamic duo! and the way they work together is fun to read - not to mention they playful banter. Ariane on the other hand, is strong and suitable for Jonathon. Although you don't really read much about her, she's really in the background for most of the time - even though she's the object of their rescue. Which rather irked me. I wished she was more in the picture she seemed like such a strong character.

The predictability of this novel is probably the major pitfall of the story, and the heavy racial overtones could turn some people off. However as I mentioned already, the action does make up for it and if racism doesn't bother you, by all means read this book. There is gore and some hard to read parts where it concerned torture. So it may not be for the squeamish. Overall a good novel if you just want solid action and a fast paced read. I enjoyed it and was willing to give it a try.

[Neil · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read various reviews about this book, and it seemed to attract either a review panning it or praising it, but nothing in the middle ground. In the introduction the writer admits that originally this was his first foray into writing, and as such had to self publish. Now that it has been more widely released corrections have been made.
The plot line seems fairly original, with a series of seemingly random abductions taking place across America. The abductees wind up in an old Plantation area down in Louisiana, where their troubles really begin. Unfortunately for the bad guys, one of the kidnap victims is in a relationship with Jonathon Payne. On face value he is the CEO of Payne Industries, and his best friend is a Private Investigator, David Jones. So it is not too long before they are tracking down leads, that the Police are unaware of, using their old military skills.
The story line does appear a bit disjointed in places, and some of the twists and turns seem to have been added as an afterthought. Sometimes the banter between Payne and Jones slightly irritates, as it seems to serve little purpose. There are plenty of action sequences throughout the book, some more graphic than others, so maybe not something for the squeamish.

[Claire Feenicks · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of Kuzneski's work, so of course, I had to pick up his first novel. It was intense, but not necessarily in a good way.

It reeked of 'evil black man' and 'good white saviour' and was pretty racist to boot. One of the things I like about Kuzneski's works is that one of his main characters is a black man, and he often introduces and subverts racial issues, but The Plantation was NOT one of the good subversions.

I liked it at first, but thinking back on it, I know why I was uncomfortable when I read it. It takes the Black Panthers and distrust that black people have for white people and makes it completely demonised.

[Andrew Watson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I got about half way through this before abandoning it. For the most part it is reasonably well written although the beginning is a bit hard to follow as it is a series of disjoint sequences that presumably make sense later in the book. Once past that it settles down into a fairly linear storyline.

It just isn't my kind of story. A book should stir up emotions and this certainly did - just not the sort I wanted stirred up. Without giving too much away, the "activities" that take place on the plantation are rather disturbing. I am sure it all works out in the end as most stories do, but I can't see me looking back and saying I enjoyed the read. So onto something else.

[Paul Bourke · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a twist on disgraceful human history

While some of the connections in this story are a little too contrived the story idea is devilishly good. There are brutal moments in the story that really make you think how harsh humans have been too each other in history. It's the combination of the original idea and the elects of the story that make you think that make this a special read. It is, at its heart, a fast paced action flick, but these subtle differences make it stand out for me.

[Alik · Rating 1 out of 5]

Yeah, not very good at all. Couldn't even finish this one.

Not a fan of stories that drag on with predictable 'twists'. And to have all that paired with empathising with slave owners and their families? While also heavily stereotyping and demonising black folk in the Southern states? Rubbish. Really not a good shout.

Having read Kuzneski's 'Hunters' series, I was intrigued to see what he wrote beforehand. To say I was disappointed would be putting it very, very lightly.

[Taznina Zaman · Rating 3 out of 5]

এমন না বইয়ের কাহিনী খারাপ কিংবা অনুবাদ খারাপ তারপরেও আমার বইটা ভালো লাগেনি। বিশেষ করে পেইন- জোনস জুটিকে রীতিমতো ভাঁড় লেগেছে কখনো কখনো। আর এই যে ম্যানিয়াক, এটাকে তো রীতিমতো রাখালবিহীন গরুর মতো লাগলো। যার যখন ইচ্ছা ক্যাপ্টেন্সি নিচ্ছে, গোলাগুলি করছে এসব কি ভাই! একমাত্র অ্যাকশন সিকোয়েন্সগুলো ভালো ছিল, অনেস্টলি।

গত প্রায় বিশ দিন আমি এই বইটা নিয়ে বসে ছিলাম, যা এই বছরের সর্বোচ্চ সময় লাগিয়েছে শেষ করতে। কাজেই বলা যায়, খুব একটা উপভোগ করেছি বলা যায় না।

[Heather McAuliffe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't understand why there are so many 1 star reviews for this book. It was a engaging read! Yes, there were parts that were shocking and quite disturbing (not at all the kind of thing I would choose to read normally) but this was how people were treated, it shouldn't be sugar coated.

It's written very well, and had me hooked from the start. Ready to start the second in the series now!

[Sue · Rating 1 out of 5]

A later book in this series was recommended to me, so I thought I'd start at the beginning. I can only hope later books improve in plot depth, character development, and believability. This was a monumentally stupid book, with more flaws than anyone could possibly list.

[Helen Belton · Rating 2 out of 5]

I usually love Chris Kuzneski's books from this series, however i found this one very disturbing and at times very upsetting. The other books from this series are a lot more light hearted.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Plantation is book one in the Payne and Jones series by Chris Kuzneski. When Ariane Walker, disappeared her boyfriend Jonathon Payne asked for help from his friend PI David Joseph Jones. During their investigation, they found out that Ariane Walker was not the first person to be kidnapped. The readers of The Plantation will continue to follow PI David Joseph Jones and Chris Kuzneski to find out what happens.

The Plantation is an enjoyable book to read. However, I did have trouble engaging with this book. It was because it took a long time before I reached the drama part of this book. I love Chris Kuzneski portrayal of the characters and how he intertwines them with each other throughout this book. The Plantation is well written and researched by Chris Kuzneski. I like Chris Kuzneski description of the settings of The Plantation that complimented the book's plot.

The readers of The Plantation will learn about the Spanish Plaza highlighted in the history and culture of New Orleans. Also, the readers will learn about Louisiana's Fire Ants.

I recommend this book.

[L B · Rating 1 out of 5]

For a book that the first three pages were so good, this book crashed in a hurry. Couldn't get past page seventeen. The dialog was corny at best. It came across as hollow, fake and forced for the most part. It really had promise, as long as the characters weren't talking.

Glad I had a second book with me.

[Greg · Rating 2 out of 5]

Novels later in this series are better. Here, I liked the premise but the dialogue is corny. And it descends into a chase novel about halfway through after a good twist. 3 stars for the first half, 1 star for the rest. 2 stars overall, a just-okay debut.

[Hedgehog · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can't begin to express how amateurishly written this is. The dialogue between the characters is contrived and wooden, each point is overemphasised and most chapters are ended with a cliché along the lines of "but their journey was only just beginning". The characters are very simplistic and one dimensional, with all the "goodies" being flawless paragons of beauty and bravery, and all the "baddies" being pure sadists, and despite the fact that the good guys are meant to be the best of the best in the military world, the so called twists that they take ages to figure out were obvious to the rest of us to a mile off. Most off putting to me was the fact that all of the characters think out loud in such an unrealistic and clumsy way: "'Oh, I can't find her. I wonder where she could be,' he said to himself" and similar such drivel. I'm sure the author's later books must be better written, but for now I'm still cringing from this one too much to take the risk.

[David Eppenstein · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've managed to read all of Chris' books except his first two. Now I've read his first and I'm almost at a loss on how to review it. Yes, it's well written and an action packed thriller but the subject matter is quite disturbing. In his forward Chris talks about this book came into being and how he received one rejection letter after another from publishers that didn't know how to market a book like this. Really? Apparently Chris didn't understand their problem. Slavery and violent racism are probably inappropriate subjects for escapist fiction in the thriller genre. Can I suggest that the subject's use in this manner is poor taste? I can believe Chris meant to highlight and bring the readers' attention to the cruelty he discovered in his research but his effort has been lost in the excess of unrealistic violence. I have generally given Chris' books 4 stars. This book gets 3 for writing ability but loses a star for implausibility and the insensitive treatment of a very sensitive subject.

[Anuja · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm confused whether to give this book 3.5 stars or 4.
I read this book after reading all other books of Payne and Jones so I guess the effect of the book was not as much as it should have been.
At first I thought that the plot is crazy but then again, I realised that the plot was just shedding some light on the racism issue, how some people interpret it and would want to take revenge for it. All those who feel that they were wronged will definitely look to get even but in this case it was kinda extreme and rather scary- the chopping, the whipping, the box, the listening post.
I absolutely love the duo of Payne and Jones. Their job is tough, stressful and demanding and as a vent for their stress, Chris uses humour which works pretty well.
I didn't like the character of Greene from the beginning and was glad that even Nate got a chance to have his share of revenge. Overall, the book is a fast read filled with action that won't let you keep it down.