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Jack White #2
Killing Games
Jack weiß, wie man Spuren verwischt, Menschen verschwinden lässt und sich selbst fast unsichtbar macht. Er ist ein Ghostman und dazu noch ein sehr guter. Nur einmal in seinem Leben hat er einen Coup vermasselt. Seitdem hat er seine damalige Mentorin Angela nicht mehr gesehen. Als sie ihn jetzt um Hilfe bittet, zögert er keine Sekunde. Es geht um einen missglückten Überfall, bei dem Angelas Leute wohl mehr entwendet haben als nur Edelsteine. Angela hat sich damit Feinde in gefährlichen Kreisen gemacht, die jetzt hinter der Beute her sind, und über Leichen gehen. Jack ist Angela noch etwas schuldig. Damals hat sie sein Leben gerettet. Jetzt ist es an ihm, sich zu revanchieren …
379 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2014
About the author
Roger Hobbs
13 books230 followersRoger Hobbs was the author of Ghostman and Vanishing Games. Hobbs graduated in 2011 from Reed College in Portland, Oregon, where he studied ancient languages, film noir, and literary theory. He wrote Ghostman during his senior year. Also in 2011, he sold the adaption rights to his crime fiction Ghostman to Warner Brothers. In 2014, Hobbs was nominated for the Edgar Award for Best First Novel by an American Author. Hobbs died of a drug overdose at the age of 28.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 266 reviews
June 24, 2015
Jack is a ghostman a professional thief whose specialty is disappearing and living off the grid. He’s a master of disguise, has more fake passports than Jason Bourne, knows more about guns than Rambo, and can crack locks and safes as fast as most of us can type in a password. Jack lives for the action and his biggest problem is boredom as he fritters away his downtime posing as a moderately successful professional gambler at a casino.
That changes when he gets a message from his old mentor, Angela. She’s the one who taught him all the tricks of the trade, and they were partners and friends as they traveled the world stealing and having fun spending the loot. However, Jack hasn’t seen her in six years ever since a job went sideways, but now she’s asking for help so he hops the first plane to Macua. There he finds that an operation she’d planned involving stealing sapphires from smugglers has gone horribly wrong. She doesn’t have the gems, but she’s being hunted by a serious badass named Laurence who believes she has something even more valuable from the boat. Jack is determined to help save the one person in the world who knows his real name, but he two of them will need all their skills to survive the Macau criminal underworld and Laurence’s relentless murder spree.
I enjoyed Ghostman, the first book starring Jack, which at its best made him seem like a 21st century version of Richard Stark's Parker. He's an unapologetic criminal who knows every angle and has a shady connection in every major city in the world. However, it’s biggest problem was that Roger Hobbs never quite knew when to stop showing off all the research he’d done, and the book had too much of Jack lecturing the reader on the minutiae of every single bit of equipment or process that came up. It often seemed to be as concerned with telling us all the ways that something could have been done rather than what actually happened.
At first it seemed like this one would follow the same pattern. The first several pages detail smuggling and piracy in the South China Sea, the mining of gems in Myanmar, character traits of the pirate crew trying to steal the sapphires, and a description of what kind of weapon is being used as a sniper rifle including how much it costs. Or in another early part Jack spends several paragraphs laying out all the ways you can be shot through a hotel door including his speculation about the door frames and walls as potential protection, and none of it matters because nobody shoots at him.
That’s the kind of stuff that can ground a story and lend it authenticity but use it too much and it just becomes infodumps. Fortunately, this falls mostly by the wayside as the action of the book gets going, and eventually it turns into a pretty well paced action-thriller. At a brisk 289 pages compared to the slightly bloated 400 of Ghostman it seems that Hobbs either realized that sometimes less is more, or he got a good editor. Either way, it’s an entertaining crime novel with an international feel.
That changes when he gets a message from his old mentor, Angela. She’s the one who taught him all the tricks of the trade, and they were partners and friends as they traveled the world stealing and having fun spending the loot. However, Jack hasn’t seen her in six years ever since a job went sideways, but now she’s asking for help so he hops the first plane to Macua. There he finds that an operation she’d planned involving stealing sapphires from smugglers has gone horribly wrong. She doesn’t have the gems, but she’s being hunted by a serious badass named Laurence who believes she has something even more valuable from the boat. Jack is determined to help save the one person in the world who knows his real name, but he two of them will need all their skills to survive the Macau criminal underworld and Laurence’s relentless murder spree.
I enjoyed Ghostman, the first book starring Jack, which at its best made him seem like a 21st century version of Richard Stark's Parker. He's an unapologetic criminal who knows every angle and has a shady connection in every major city in the world. However, it’s biggest problem was that Roger Hobbs never quite knew when to stop showing off all the research he’d done, and the book had too much of Jack lecturing the reader on the minutiae of every single bit of equipment or process that came up. It often seemed to be as concerned with telling us all the ways that something could have been done rather than what actually happened.
At first it seemed like this one would follow the same pattern. The first several pages detail smuggling and piracy in the South China Sea, the mining of gems in Myanmar, character traits of the pirate crew trying to steal the sapphires, and a description of what kind of weapon is being used as a sniper rifle including how much it costs. Or in another early part Jack spends several paragraphs laying out all the ways you can be shot through a hotel door including his speculation about the door frames and walls as potential protection, and none of it matters because nobody shoots at him.
That’s the kind of stuff that can ground a story and lend it authenticity but use it too much and it just becomes infodumps. Fortunately, this falls mostly by the wayside as the action of the book gets going, and eventually it turns into a pretty well paced action-thriller. At a brisk 289 pages compared to the slightly bloated 400 of Ghostman it seems that Hobbs either realized that sometimes less is more, or he got a good editor. Either way, it’s an entertaining crime novel with an international feel.
October 22, 2016
I really enjoyed Ghostman, the debut novel by Roger Hobbs, and the second installment in the series is just as intriguing and fast-paced. It begins when a small band of highly organized crooks attacks a yacht in the South China Sea. The crew of the yacht is smuggling millions of dollars worth of uncut sapphires, and the robbers intend to relieve the smugglers of the gems. But once on board the yacht, the robbers get a huge surprise and from that moment, the carefully planned scheme quickly flies off the rails.
The jugmarker who spent months planning this operation and picking the crew is a very tough, clever woman named Angela, and when everything goes sideways, she knows that not only the operation but her life as well is now at serious risk. There's only one person that she can turn to for help--the Ghostman, a former confederate that she first discovered as a young man and trained up to be a master criminal.
It's been five years since the two have seen each other. Angela vanished at the tail end of a bank job gone bad and the Ghostman doesn't even know if she's still alive. But he misses her every day and when he receives her coded distress message, he's off and running, determined to help in any way that he can. He grabs the first flight out for Macau and on arriving, finds himself smack in the middle of a very complex and dangerous situation. Angela's--and now, his--adversaries are brilliant and ruthless, and if the Ghostman is going to save the day, he's going to have to draw on every last resource he possesses.
You really can't say much more about the plot without giving too much away, but this is a high-octane ride that moves at a breakneck pace. Realistically, you need to read it at a breakneck pace as well, otherwise the implausibility of it all might catch up and overwhelm you. But this isn't a problem. The first scene is a real grabber and once you're into it, you're not going to want to put this one down for any silly reason like eating, sleeping, working, or whatever else you might otherwise be doing. I'm already looking forward to the next installment.
The jugmarker who spent months planning this operation and picking the crew is a very tough, clever woman named Angela, and when everything goes sideways, she knows that not only the operation but her life as well is now at serious risk. There's only one person that she can turn to for help--the Ghostman, a former confederate that she first discovered as a young man and trained up to be a master criminal.
It's been five years since the two have seen each other. Angela vanished at the tail end of a bank job gone bad and the Ghostman doesn't even know if she's still alive. But he misses her every day and when he receives her coded distress message, he's off and running, determined to help in any way that he can. He grabs the first flight out for Macau and on arriving, finds himself smack in the middle of a very complex and dangerous situation. Angela's--and now, his--adversaries are brilliant and ruthless, and if the Ghostman is going to save the day, he's going to have to draw on every last resource he possesses.
You really can't say much more about the plot without giving too much away, but this is a high-octane ride that moves at a breakneck pace. Realistically, you need to read it at a breakneck pace as well, otherwise the implausibility of it all might catch up and overwhelm you. But this isn't a problem. The first scene is a real grabber and once you're into it, you're not going to want to put this one down for any silly reason like eating, sleeping, working, or whatever else you might otherwise be doing. I'm already looking forward to the next installment.
April 1, 2026
Review on English, followed by the Bulgarian one. Ревюто на английски е първо, следва това на български.
A decent sequel of the first part of the series.
I give a lower rating because of the open ending and the many unnecessary repetitions in the text.
Writer overdosed so there won’t be more. 🥲
—————————————————————————
Прилично продължение на първата част от серията.
По-ниска оценка давам заради твърде отворения край и многото ненужни според мен повторения в текста.
Писателят е умрял от свръхдоза, така че няма да има повече.
A decent sequel of the first part of the series.
I give a lower rating because of the open ending and the many unnecessary repetitions in the text.
Writer overdosed so there won’t be more. 🥲
—————————————————————————
Прилично продължение на първата част от серията.
По-ниска оценка давам заради твърде отворения край и многото ненужни според мен повторения в текста.
Писателят е умрял от свръхдоза, така че няма да има повече.
September 28, 2021
Not as good as the first and reoccurring themes but still worth the time.
July 8, 2019
Well...our ghost man is at it again. Opening with a scene that leads us into the story we then move on and our HERO hears from the woman who trained him, who made him the Ghost Man he now is.
I listened to the Audible version of this book and I must say that Jake Weber's narration with his low range rough voice in a slower pace kept reminding me of the detective nior films of the '30s...
"It was just another day and then...SHE walked in. She was all woman with curves that wouldn't quit and legs the went all the way down..."
Anyway, the story holds up drawing us in. I think I liked the first book a little better as so often when our hero sees or thinks about our heroine he goes all, gooey.
Okay still good action yarn with the requisite amount of blood, suspense and intrigue. I think you'll like it, give it a try.
I listened to the Audible version of this book and I must say that Jake Weber's narration with his low range rough voice in a slower pace kept reminding me of the detective nior films of the '30s...
"It was just another day and then...SHE walked in. She was all woman with curves that wouldn't quit and legs the went all the way down..."
Anyway, the story holds up drawing us in. I think I liked the first book a little better as so often when our hero sees or thinks about our heroine he goes all, gooey.
Okay still good action yarn with the requisite amount of blood, suspense and intrigue. I think you'll like it, give it a try.
February 3, 2021
Wow, another terrific book in the Ghostman series! I'd say I can't wait to read them all, but I just did.
RIP Roger Hobbs, a great crime writing talent gone way too soon. #addictionkills
RIP Roger Hobbs, a great crime writing talent gone way too soon. #addictionkills
January 11, 2017
Loved both books what a tradegy,Roger hobbs as died.
February 9, 2014
Dang, that was good! Nonstop action, appealing hero and heroine who are both tough as nails, fascinating details on how to decapitate someone or perform self-surgery on an eye, inside information on heists, all set in the fascinating city of Macau. Throughout the book I kept thinking "Geez, that was interesting. I had no idea!" If you haven't read GHOSTMAN, by all means get it ASAP so you can read this when it's released this summer.
August 12, 2015
I don't know if you had this particular stereotype of a kid in your school, but in the schools I attended, there was always the kid who thought he was streetwise and had his ear to the ground of major criminal activity. Maybe he claimed he had an uncle that was connected or that he was secretly a Krip or that your small town was actually a network of drug addicts, but he always came off as a little bit of a joke. Roger Hobbs is that kid. Every sentence is some brag about insider criminal information and rather than feel like entrance into some nefarious world, it feels like someone whose Google history might look psychotic. Maybe it would help if the author's photo wasn't in the book:
Or if I didn't know that he came from the hard streets of Reed College. But I can't help feel the authenticity of this book is off. Needless to say, I had a weird experience with this book and maybe it was all my fault because I did not follow Barthes commandment that the "author is dead."
Or if I didn't know that he came from the hard streets of Reed College. But I can't help feel the authenticity of this book is off. Needless to say, I had a weird experience with this book and maybe it was all my fault because I did not follow Barthes commandment that the "author is dead."
November 27, 2015
Jack the Ghostman is backed, this time his mentor, Angela needs his help. After a heist to steal some uncut sapphires worth millions of dollars goes wrong, Angela finds herself in trouble. An unknown crime organisation seems to be after her and she is stuck in Macau without any help. She turned to her protégé in the hope to get back the sapphires and get out alive.
I remember Ghostman to be a fun, fast paced heist novel so when book two, Vanishing Games was released, I knew I would eventually read it. What worked really well in the book was the setting; Macau becomes this mysterious city full of uncertainty. A sovereign state of China, Macau is one of the richest countries in the world, thanks to housing the largest gambling district. A tourist attraction for high rollers, but still housing a seedy underbelly. I had a lot of fun with this book, it was fun and action packed, but still a typical heist novel which is not a bad thing.
This review originally appeared on my blog; http://www.knowledgelost.org/book-rev...
I remember Ghostman to be a fun, fast paced heist novel so when book two, Vanishing Games was released, I knew I would eventually read it. What worked really well in the book was the setting; Macau becomes this mysterious city full of uncertainty. A sovereign state of China, Macau is one of the richest countries in the world, thanks to housing the largest gambling district. A tourist attraction for high rollers, but still housing a seedy underbelly. I had a lot of fun with this book, it was fun and action packed, but still a typical heist novel which is not a bad thing.
This review originally appeared on my blog; http://www.knowledgelost.org/book-rev...
June 14, 2015
I loved the Ghostman and have been waiting for the follow up. While the Ghostman started out with a bang the first few pages, it took a little further for this one to get going. Not that much further though. Just like his first book, this one kept me on the edge of my seat. While I think the first one was better than this one, this one did not disappoint.
I love how the narrator, Jack or whatever his name is, steps kinda back out of scene and describes to you the translation for the "Ghostman" terms. Or even just the different ways he could be handling a certain situation. Like he's talking right to you and doesn't want you to loose in the story.
If you haven't read any of Roger Hobbs' books, you are totally missing out!
Thanks Penguin for letting me use my points from the First to Read program so I could enjoy this very thrilling and entertaining book.
I love how the narrator, Jack or whatever his name is, steps kinda back out of scene and describes to you the translation for the "Ghostman" terms. Or even just the different ways he could be handling a certain situation. Like he's talking right to you and doesn't want you to loose in the story.
If you haven't read any of Roger Hobbs' books, you are totally missing out!
Thanks Penguin for letting me use my points from the First to Read program so I could enjoy this very thrilling and entertaining book.
June 4, 2015
Review
I didn’t read this book, i devoured it. I began to read it about 9am and by lunchtime it was gone, i just could not put it down, and i could not slow down, it has a plot line like a rip-tide; it catches you unaware, grabs you before you know it and yanks you along on a hectic danger fueled ride. This really is a stunningly successful follow-up to the impressive debut Ghostman.
full review: https://parmenionbooks.wordpress.com/...
I didn’t read this book, i devoured it. I began to read it about 9am and by lunchtime it was gone, i just could not put it down, and i could not slow down, it has a plot line like a rip-tide; it catches you unaware, grabs you before you know it and yanks you along on a hectic danger fueled ride. This really is a stunningly successful follow-up to the impressive debut Ghostman.
full review: https://parmenionbooks.wordpress.com/...
August 4, 2016
While not as interesting as Ghostman, the first book in the series, this was a solid crime thriller told from the point-of-view of master thief "Jack White," about his reuniting with an old flame that was also his mentor and partner-in-crime.
January 11, 2022
If you’ve been following along with my book shouting for a bit, you already know I’m a big fan of everything-goes-boom action/thrillers and this book has so much of what I love: con artists, heists, and everything-goes-boom action. I inhaled it and then I was bummed that I’d read it so fast and thus there was no more.
It’s the sequel so I will say start with the first in the series, Ghostman, because it’s super good. But if you don’t care about order or for some reason only have access to the sequel I will admit I read Ghostman two years ago and who remembers something from that long ago? I was not lost while reading the sequel and not remembering details at all from the first. But enough about book order, here’s why I loved this one!
It starts with a heist going horribly wrong and it forces Angela to have to send out a call for the Ghostman, Jack. Long ago they knew each other when Angela taught him what she knew, and now she needs him to help her disappear. It’s what he does. But this is a thriller filled with action and not one but two con artists so this is not going to be easy, if they can even succeed! There’s the whole them running for their lives thing, while also having the mystery of who is behind this and why, and then you get Angela and Jack’s backstory, and the whole layered conspiracy plot that comes with action/thrillers–all fun!
I needed something that would help me escape the current world and that could hold my attention long enough to do so and this really delivered for me.
(TW child forced labor/ animal cruelty/ torture)
--from Book Riot's Unusual Suspects newsletter: https://link.bookriot.com/view/56a820...
It’s the sequel so I will say start with the first in the series, Ghostman, because it’s super good. But if you don’t care about order or for some reason only have access to the sequel I will admit I read Ghostman two years ago and who remembers something from that long ago? I was not lost while reading the sequel and not remembering details at all from the first. But enough about book order, here’s why I loved this one!
It starts with a heist going horribly wrong and it forces Angela to have to send out a call for the Ghostman, Jack. Long ago they knew each other when Angela taught him what she knew, and now she needs him to help her disappear. It’s what he does. But this is a thriller filled with action and not one but two con artists so this is not going to be easy, if they can even succeed! There’s the whole them running for their lives thing, while also having the mystery of who is behind this and why, and then you get Angela and Jack’s backstory, and the whole layered conspiracy plot that comes with action/thrillers–all fun!
I needed something that would help me escape the current world and that could hold my attention long enough to do so and this really delivered for me.
(TW child forced labor/ animal cruelty/ torture)
--from Book Riot's Unusual Suspects newsletter: https://link.bookriot.com/view/56a820...
July 10, 2017
This book reads like an encyclopedia of crime. You'll learn how to commit scores of criminal acts, from basic fraud to acts of extreme violence - all carried out an absolutely blistering pace. You'll find out how a master thief/fixer carries out all manner of illegal acts - including how to fashion a basic silencer from an empty beer bottle and strips of newspaper. You'll meet up with Angela, a woman as dangerous as her onetime protégé, who's sometimes known as Jack, or more often as the Ghostman and learn a vast amount of detail about sapphires. There's also a crazed gunman who enjoys killing people and is on a mission to recover a huge amount of "supernotes" - the best dollar bill forgeries ever made. Almost all the action takes place in and around the city of Macau. An absolutely brilliant sequel to Roger Hobbs' debut novel "Ghostman".
August 29, 2022
This is the kind of story where you never really get to know the main characters, because they're not supposed to exist and can change who they are, very quickly. To compensate this, it feels like Jack, in whatever reincarnation he happens to be in, is so maudlin. It doesn't quite match.
His obsession with Angela is especially jarring.
Is it exciting? Yes. But there's still too much details put into describing items, especially guns. Primarily how many bullets they have. It's the one pet peeve I had from the first one, the constant reference to guns, who doesn't even get used.
Anyway, I was at the edge of my seat at times, but I will admit to skip ahead in the fight-scenes, because they are also extremely detailed, and I keep reading them like a stop motion film.
His obsession with Angela is especially jarring.
Is it exciting? Yes. But there's still too much details put into describing items, especially guns. Primarily how many bullets they have. It's the one pet peeve I had from the first one, the constant reference to guns, who doesn't even get used.
Anyway, I was at the edge of my seat at times, but I will admit to skip ahead in the fight-scenes, because they are also extremely detailed, and I keep reading them like a stop motion film.
July 4, 2015
After reading and enjoying Ghostman I then read that a sequel was in the works, and I couldn't wait to read it. Vanishing Games is that sequel and for me it was even more thrilling and exciting to read than Ghostman.
Vanishing Games is one of those books you really need to read without knowing all that much about it. So the blurb tells us that after a heist in Macau goes badly wrong, a criminal mastermind known only as Angela must call upon her old friend Jack, the Ghostman, to help her fix things before she ends up dead. Jack arrives in Macau and finds himself embroiled in a criminal conspiracy bigger than he has ever seen. Jack and Angela soon have their work cut out for them trying to stay alive and attempting to escape. They are being chased by some very dangerous people who will stop at nothing to take back what was stolen from them. And in terms of what was stolen it makes for compelling reading, and had me reading up further online about real life cases.
To call Vanishing Games all the usual cliches: addictive, heartstopping, thrilling etc would be an understatement. It really is nonstop action all the way through with two of the best characters I have read about this year in Jack and Angela. I was a little bit confused in the beginning because I was convinced I knew so much about Angela already, but then I remembered about the Angela from Lorenzo Carcaterra's most recent novel, The Wolf. Both characters have various similarities however and Roger's Angela is one of the best female characters that I have ever read about. In Ghostman Jack was very much an enigma, a truly intriguing character and in Vanishing Games we are given further insight into his past, especially his relationship with Angela, somebody he hasn't seen for six years since she quite literally vanished from his life. They are both massively interesting characters, and when they are together on the page you can almost feel the tension yourself.
One of the real strengths of this series is the research carried out by Roger Hobbs, and his obvious knowledge about the subjects that he is talking about. He has captured the settings of Macau and Hong Kong and the various other places our characters find themselves in brilliantly. It felt as if I was part of the book myself, but I was relieved to not actually be a part of it. Roger goes into great detail when discussing technology, drugs, criminals and the underworld, some might say it can be too much detail because it does detract from the action somewhat but personally I want that level of detail and I doubt there will be a thriller released this year more authentic than Vanishing Games.
The story moves at a blistering pace as we follow Jack and Angela across this metropolis as they fight to stay alive. It's one of those stories where you never know what's around the corner, you only know that you can't wait to find out. Towards the end of the book in particular things become extremely intense, and I just had to finish the book in one sitting. Jack and Angela find themselves in so many situations that leave you wondering just how the hell they are going to get out of them, but as the masters of disguise they are two of the cleverest and most cunning characters I have ever read about. All too often you can read a thriller that is ruined by its ending, but the ending in Vanishing Games was just as good as everything that came before. I highly recommend that readers pick up this book, and Ghostman too for those that haven't already. Vanishing Games is one of those books that reminds me why I read and I loved every minute of it.
Vanishing Games is one of those books you really need to read without knowing all that much about it. So the blurb tells us that after a heist in Macau goes badly wrong, a criminal mastermind known only as Angela must call upon her old friend Jack, the Ghostman, to help her fix things before she ends up dead. Jack arrives in Macau and finds himself embroiled in a criminal conspiracy bigger than he has ever seen. Jack and Angela soon have their work cut out for them trying to stay alive and attempting to escape. They are being chased by some very dangerous people who will stop at nothing to take back what was stolen from them. And in terms of what was stolen it makes for compelling reading, and had me reading up further online about real life cases.
To call Vanishing Games all the usual cliches: addictive, heartstopping, thrilling etc would be an understatement. It really is nonstop action all the way through with two of the best characters I have read about this year in Jack and Angela. I was a little bit confused in the beginning because I was convinced I knew so much about Angela already, but then I remembered about the Angela from Lorenzo Carcaterra's most recent novel, The Wolf. Both characters have various similarities however and Roger's Angela is one of the best female characters that I have ever read about. In Ghostman Jack was very much an enigma, a truly intriguing character and in Vanishing Games we are given further insight into his past, especially his relationship with Angela, somebody he hasn't seen for six years since she quite literally vanished from his life. They are both massively interesting characters, and when they are together on the page you can almost feel the tension yourself.
One of the real strengths of this series is the research carried out by Roger Hobbs, and his obvious knowledge about the subjects that he is talking about. He has captured the settings of Macau and Hong Kong and the various other places our characters find themselves in brilliantly. It felt as if I was part of the book myself, but I was relieved to not actually be a part of it. Roger goes into great detail when discussing technology, drugs, criminals and the underworld, some might say it can be too much detail because it does detract from the action somewhat but personally I want that level of detail and I doubt there will be a thriller released this year more authentic than Vanishing Games.
The story moves at a blistering pace as we follow Jack and Angela across this metropolis as they fight to stay alive. It's one of those stories where you never know what's around the corner, you only know that you can't wait to find out. Towards the end of the book in particular things become extremely intense, and I just had to finish the book in one sitting. Jack and Angela find themselves in so many situations that leave you wondering just how the hell they are going to get out of them, but as the masters of disguise they are two of the cleverest and most cunning characters I have ever read about. All too often you can read a thriller that is ruined by its ending, but the ending in Vanishing Games was just as good as everything that came before. I highly recommend that readers pick up this book, and Ghostman too for those that haven't already. Vanishing Games is one of those books that reminds me why I read and I loved every minute of it.
October 27, 2016
Wow, what a fun ride! This book, the 2nd in a series, was my first foray into Mr. Hobb's work, and it was rewarding and enjoyable. As another reviewer had mentioned, one must suspend, just a bit, one's critical thinking to avoid the implausibility inherent in passages found along the way. Nevertheless, this is, after all, a work of fiction, meant to entertain, and in that respect, it succeeds.
I wanted a change of pace in between reading two Nordic noir mysteries, and this fit the bill. I selected this, the second novel of his series, as my first, based on other reviews here on Goodreads, that indicated the author had improved his pacing, etc. Criticisms of his tendency to slow things down with explanations for the reader of how various illegal activities can be done or how a lock may be picked, etc., are valid, but I found these to be minor annoyances. His larger flaw, in my opinion, is his apparent unwillingness to explore the relationship that seems a bit one-sided, between the two protagonists-- I kept waiting for a romantic interlude, or at least the promise thereof, to break out between them, given the intensity of one's fascination and devotion for the other. On the other hand, I also half-expected the woman to double cross her "pupil" in the end, but I won't spoil anymore of the plot here.
It is a fast-paced ride indeed, fun and full of action-- a quick read and lovely diversion. I will read the first book, "Ghostman," now for comparison. Enjoy.
I wanted a change of pace in between reading two Nordic noir mysteries, and this fit the bill. I selected this, the second novel of his series, as my first, based on other reviews here on Goodreads, that indicated the author had improved his pacing, etc. Criticisms of his tendency to slow things down with explanations for the reader of how various illegal activities can be done or how a lock may be picked, etc., are valid, but I found these to be minor annoyances. His larger flaw, in my opinion, is his apparent unwillingness to explore the relationship that seems a bit one-sided, between the two protagonists-- I kept waiting for a romantic interlude, or at least the promise thereof, to break out between them, given the intensity of one's fascination and devotion for the other. On the other hand, I also half-expected the woman to double cross her "pupil" in the end, but I won't spoil anymore of the plot here.
It is a fast-paced ride indeed, fun and full of action-- a quick read and lovely diversion. I will read the first book, "Ghostman," now for comparison. Enjoy.
October 17, 2021
The first book in the series was the right book at the right time and just hit the spot. But this one was more not in right time. I have been struggling reading all day so it might have been that but this wasn't as engrossing as the first one. Though it was a decent time spent
April 11, 2015
A much smoother Jack White than I remember from GHOSTMAN -- but nevertheless, a fast-paced and thrilling high-stakes caper that is enjoyable from start to finish.
January 24, 2023
The plot was a little repetitive from the first one. His love coming back to do a job then disappears again later. Still a great crime thriller.
August 21, 2015
I loved Hobbs' first book, Ghostman. I've been waiting for this sequel, and was thrilled when I was able to receive an ARC. That is where the thrill ended for me.
This second book is something of a mishmash. The first chapter, which is for some reason labeled as a Prologue (it's not), is fast-paced action. Sucked me right in. Had me wanting more. And then...
The pace slows. Dramatically. We're told a lot of things that are too much like research and explanations. These passages are interesting, sure, but they feel a little like the snotty kid who has to show off all his knowledge. These passages don't flow with the book. They take us aside and say, "Hey, want to know how this works? Want to know why this is done?"
Then we have the reminiscing. Much of the content, particularly up through the middle of the book, is Jack and/or Angela looking back at their lives, their crimes, how awesome they were, and what they've gotten away with. Some of this is to help orient readers who haven't read Ghostman, but most of it is filler. The plot doesn't have enough going on, so let's bring in bits and pieces of past excitement and show off. I'm not saying that was the author's intent. That's just what it felt like for me. In fact, I think plot development suffered severely because of this.
About midway through the book, the pace picks up again. We have far less reminiscing and the focus is once again on the plot at hand. Parts were riveting. Parts had me rolling my eyes. The plot itself was fascinating. The way the pieces came together held my interest. But then we add the telling again. This is how a pro escapes. This is how a con artist works. This is how you find an off books doctor, and this is why he/she is willing to work on you. It's a how-to instruction manual. It's a criminal handbook. Yes, it's interesting, as an aside. In a Google search. In nonfiction. Not so much within a thriller novel. Ghostman handled these aspects better, weaving them into the story. This felt more like show and tell.
The characters aren't developed well. Most of what I know about them comes from having read Ghostman, and then from the reminiscing here in Vanishing Games. It was hard to really care about what was happening. I would have loved more time with the characters, in the present, and less time with crime lessons and reminiscing.
Roger Hobbs absolutely is a great writer, which I think is part of what irritated me so much. He is a far better writer than this book shows him to be.
This second book is something of a mishmash. The first chapter, which is for some reason labeled as a Prologue (it's not), is fast-paced action. Sucked me right in. Had me wanting more. And then...
The pace slows. Dramatically. We're told a lot of things that are too much like research and explanations. These passages are interesting, sure, but they feel a little like the snotty kid who has to show off all his knowledge. These passages don't flow with the book. They take us aside and say, "Hey, want to know how this works? Want to know why this is done?"
Then we have the reminiscing. Much of the content, particularly up through the middle of the book, is Jack and/or Angela looking back at their lives, their crimes, how awesome they were, and what they've gotten away with. Some of this is to help orient readers who haven't read Ghostman, but most of it is filler. The plot doesn't have enough going on, so let's bring in bits and pieces of past excitement and show off. I'm not saying that was the author's intent. That's just what it felt like for me. In fact, I think plot development suffered severely because of this.
About midway through the book, the pace picks up again. We have far less reminiscing and the focus is once again on the plot at hand. Parts were riveting. Parts had me rolling my eyes. The plot itself was fascinating. The way the pieces came together held my interest. But then we add the telling again. This is how a pro escapes. This is how a con artist works. This is how you find an off books doctor, and this is why he/she is willing to work on you. It's a how-to instruction manual. It's a criminal handbook. Yes, it's interesting, as an aside. In a Google search. In nonfiction. Not so much within a thriller novel. Ghostman handled these aspects better, weaving them into the story. This felt more like show and tell.
The characters aren't developed well. Most of what I know about them comes from having read Ghostman, and then from the reminiscing here in Vanishing Games. It was hard to really care about what was happening. I would have loved more time with the characters, in the present, and less time with crime lessons and reminiscing.
Roger Hobbs absolutely is a great writer, which I think is part of what irritated me so much. He is a far better writer than this book shows him to be.
October 7, 2014
When a trio of pirates ambushes a yacht in the South China Sea they discover the cargo is more than the fortune in sapphires they were hired to steal. There is an incredible find on that yacht, something worth killing for. Only one man returns to shore and texts the “jugmaker”, his employer Angela, that he has the stones but doesn’t tell her what else was on the boat. Then he disappears. Angela receives a deadly threat: Return what you stole and I will return the sapphires. With her back against the wall, Angela contacts someone she hasn’t seen for five years, someone who thought she was dead: Jack, a criminal with extraordinary skills, a Ghostman. And Angela, his mentor, taught him everything he knows.
To tell any more of the book would ruin all the surprises and twists that make it an entertaining and exciting read. The author is obviously having a great time with his characters and the setting, the island of Macau. After hearing the author, Roger Hobbs, speaks the other night about the second book in his Ghostman series it was apparent that he loves what he does and intends to keep writing. He has the basics of the third book lined up and is very excited. His exuberance comes across in Vanishing Games.
The relationship between Jack and Angela goes way back and they have what appears to be more than just a non-romantic student/teacher connection. It’s an interesting collaborative partnership and I think the author does a good job of keeping it genuine. Unlike the first book, Ghostman, which had a team working together on a job, Vanishing Games is just the two of them. And it works well.
But what really amused me about this book is that is almost reads like a textbook on how to be a master criminal. The reader will learn the best way to scuttle a boat, destroy the facial features of a severed head, make a silencer out of a plastic pop bottle, the workings of a “Kansas City Shuffle”, and how to break into a hotel room using a program off the internet to bypass the card key system. And that is only naming a few of the tricks someone can learn from this book.
It’s a fun read with a fast and furious ending. This book does not disappoint. Recommended for those who love thrillers or want to pick up some extra tips on how to become a Ghostman.
To tell any more of the book would ruin all the surprises and twists that make it an entertaining and exciting read. The author is obviously having a great time with his characters and the setting, the island of Macau. After hearing the author, Roger Hobbs, speaks the other night about the second book in his Ghostman series it was apparent that he loves what he does and intends to keep writing. He has the basics of the third book lined up and is very excited. His exuberance comes across in Vanishing Games.
The relationship between Jack and Angela goes way back and they have what appears to be more than just a non-romantic student/teacher connection. It’s an interesting collaborative partnership and I think the author does a good job of keeping it genuine. Unlike the first book, Ghostman, which had a team working together on a job, Vanishing Games is just the two of them. And it works well.
But what really amused me about this book is that is almost reads like a textbook on how to be a master criminal. The reader will learn the best way to scuttle a boat, destroy the facial features of a severed head, make a silencer out of a plastic pop bottle, the workings of a “Kansas City Shuffle”, and how to break into a hotel room using a program off the internet to bypass the card key system. And that is only naming a few of the tricks someone can learn from this book.
It’s a fun read with a fast and furious ending. This book does not disappoint. Recommended for those who love thrillers or want to pick up some extra tips on how to become a Ghostman.
July 21, 2015
Vanishing Games is action packed from the start and hard to put down. It’s a compelling story with two very engaging and likeable lead characters in Angela and Jack. Set mostly in Macau it’s a thrilling rollercoaster, with menace and danger all around them, these two skilled criminals face adversaries who are as equally lethal as they are. This is a fast paced absorbing novel I am more than happy to recommend to you.
Angela’s planned heist off the coast in the South China Sea doesn’t quite go to plan. She loses her crew and without quite knowing why she finds her life in peril. She turns to an old friend in ‘Ghostman’ Jack to help save her and they both find themselves plunged into a massive criminal conspiracy. Both seasoned criminals themselves they immerse themselves in the seedier underside of Macau to try and uncover what’s really going on. What they discover is a shock to them both and they soon acknowledge what a mess they have gotten themselves into. Somehow they need to escape with their lives and getting out of Macau then vanishing seems to be the only game in town…
This is Roger Hobbs follow up to highly acclaimed Ghostman which I hadn’t read but I still loved this book. This is a real page-turner with two really lovable criminal leads that you can’t help but want to succeed. I will be looking out for the next Roger Hobbs novel with great anticipation as he clearly has that gift of reeling the reader in and then providing them with great characters, both good and bad, along with serving-up lots of gripping action and entertainment. (Received ARC)
August 1, 2015
Roger Hobbs's first thriller, "Ghostman" was impressive. Hs second keeps up the good work. "Jack" is a professional, big-time thief. So is his criminal soulmate and teacher, "Angela." They haven't seen each other for several years after a spectacular job-gone-wrong and narrow escape in SIngapore. Now Angela reaches out to Jack ("the kid") for help. She has led a crew that knocked off a team of sapphire smugglers only to encounter a set of hostile actions (some internal, some from an outside player). Sapphires weren't all that was being carried by the smugglers. The intended recipient of the sapphires is out for blood, but so is the fairly scary outsider. Jack, who has lived on memories of Angela (as well as criminal activities of his own) responds by entering Macao, where she is on the run. How Jack and Angela reconnect, fight off two sets of enemies, avoid disaster, and exit with something significant to show for their time makes a nonstop action-driven (though intelligent) thriller. There is a scene between jack and a triad leader that is stunning.
February 2, 2014
There are definitely a few small flaws that I can think of, but this was such an enjoyable read that I can hardly complain. Though Hobbs does use some of the conventions of the action/mystery novels heavily, he does so in his own way so everything still feels fresh. I loved how he included so many interesting details about the ghostman's trade and lifestyle without any of them feeling forced. I honestly have no idea how accurate any of those details are but that doesn't matter because Hobbs's writing is so damn good that it all feels very real. Even in the cheesiest parts, or scenes that included amazing physical feats or levels of violence that over the top, I was able to suspend my disbelief the whole time, or at least give the author the benefit of the doubt that it would all pay off. And all of it did. I can't wait for the next book in the series, but since I read this one so soon after it was released, I'll have to wait a while.
May 27, 2015
It's been two years since GHOSTMAN was released, and I'm so pleased that Roger Hobbs is back. VANISHING GAMES starts out quickly and offers up a bevy of action. Like in his debut, Hobbs explores many details of the criminal underworld (maybe too many at times) which makes the story seem more plausible. The writing is good and tight and it flows quickly. Some of the supporting characters were very well developed and quirky. I agree with some other reviewers that the relationship between Jack and Angela needs to be expanded. The relationship is a bit confusing (mentor and protegee, or romantic?). Disappointingly, I felt as if the ending fell flat. All things said, I think that GHOSTMAN was better.
Fans of Roger Hobbs might like my first novel, Deception.
Fans of Roger Hobbs might like my first novel, Deception.
August 14, 2015
In the second novel featuring "Ghostman" Jack, our criminal hero is called to the aid of the woman who mentored him and then abandoned him six years ago after a heist. Her plea for help takes him to Macau and right into the middle of Asian gang territory and a complex shell game that will hopefully deceive the other criminal elements long enough for Jack and Angela to get out of the game completely. Hobbs once again provides high-speed action peppered with Jack's explanations of the mechanics of crime, this time on an international scale. Jack's first adventure offered a simpler plot, more familiar surroundings, and a touch of humor, resulting in a more enjoyable read. Both books showcase Jack's character - a thief who remains likable by taking on criminal elements who are more violent and twisted than he is.
July 19, 2015
I seem to be in the minority with my 2.5/5 star review. I have read Hobbs's previous book, Ghostman, and was also not too enamored of that one. I hoped that Hobbs might have used his creative plotting ideas this time, and combined it with better writing and characterization. Instead, Vanishing Games has the same protagonist, the Ghostman known as Jack, helping out his old colleague and mentor, a Ghostman known as Angela. The writing is similar to the last book, in which Jack takes time to explain the mechanics of every move he makes. The parts where Jack is narrating the book take a folksy, chatty method of telling the sometimes gruesome story. Still, I found the whole story rather wooden and not terribly suspenseful, with the exception of a very good, intriguing beginning.
May 26, 2015
‘Jack’ the Ghostman is back and this time to save his mentor, Angela. The story follows a sapphire robbery that has not gone according to the plan. The plot follows the steps that Jack must take to help the person who he has always admired, and to find a solution to the situation that has occurred. The path will not be easy, but if there is one person who can do it, it’s the Ghostman. He must help while he can and the Vanish before he gets caught.
More information can be found on my blog at: https://hesaidbooksorme.blogspot.com
Disclaimer: I was awarded this book as part of the ‘Penguin First to Read’ program. While I did not pay for the book, the opinions are strictly my own.
More information can be found on my blog at: https://hesaidbooksorme.blogspot.com
Disclaimer: I was awarded this book as part of the ‘Penguin First to Read’ program. While I did not pay for the book, the opinions are strictly my own.
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