Russell's bookshelf: all en-US Sat, 23 Apr 2016 17:55:46 -0700 60 Russell's bookshelf: all 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg The Geronimo Breach 18242627
Albert Ross is a malingering misanthrope - a boozing, chain smoking philanderer; shifty, lazy, cowardly, going to fat, & more prone to doing the wrong thing than any man alive. His purgatorial existence working for the State Department in Panama gets shattered when a routine errand becomes a race against the clock, battling adversaries for whom no price is too high to protect a secret that could topple the world order. As the body count climbs in a struggle without rules, Al must face his own demons, as well as the myriad very real ones intent upon destroying him. The unexpectedly shattering conclusion of this richly drawn thriller is both topical & chillingly plausible, making for a roller-coaster action/adventure without parallel.]]> 236 Russell Blake 148027772X Russell 5 4.01 2011 The Geronimo Breach
author: Russell Blake
name: Russell
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2011
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2016/04/23
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Wayfaring Stranger (Holland Family Saga, #1)]]> 18775356
It is 1934 and the Depression is bearing down when sixteen-year-old Weldon Avery Holland happens upon infamous criminals Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow after one of their notorious armed robberies. A confrontation with the outlaws ends as Weldon puts a bullet through the rear window of Clyde’s stolen automobile.

Ten years later, Second Lieutenant Weldon Holland and his sergeant, Hershel Pine, escape certain death in the Battle of the Bulge and encounter a beautiful young woman named Rosita Lowenstein hiding in a deserted extermination camp. Eventually, Weldon and Rosita fall in love and marry and, with Hershel, return to Texas to seek their fortunes.

There, they enter the domain of jackals known as the oil business. They meet Roy Wiseheart—a former Marine aviator haunted with guilt for deserting his squadron leader over the South Pacific—and Roy’s wife Clara, a vicious anti-Semite who is determined to make Weldon and Rosita’s life a nightmare. It will be the frontier justice upheld by Weldon’s grandfather, Texas lawman Hackberry Holland, and the legendary antics of Bonnie and Clyde that shape Weldon’s plans for saving his family from the evil forces that lurk in peacetime America and threaten to destroy them all.]]> 435 James Lee Burke 1476710791 Russell 3 3.99 2014 Wayfaring Stranger (Holland Family Saga, #1)
author: James Lee Burke
name: Russell
average rating: 3.99
book published: 2014
rating: 3
read at:
date added: 2014/12/29
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Night of the Assassin (Assassin, #0.5)]]> 18274047 Librarian's Note: This is an alternate cover edition - ASIN: B006M5L5JC

Night of the Assassin is the second book in the Assassin series, and is the gritty, edge-of-your seat prequel to King of Swords. A no-holds-barred, breakneck-paced thriller, Night charts the early years of El Rey - known as the King of Swords - a super-assassin responsible for some of the world's most spectacular and daring executions.

Framed against the backdrop of present-day Mexico's brutal narco-trafficking violence, Night of the Assassin chronicles the making of a monster - a cold-blooded, ruthless killing machine. Raw, disturbing, edgy and unflinching, this epic saga defies convention to create a roller-coaster of intrigue, suspense and thrills that will leave even the most jaded thriller aficionados gasping for breath.

Best if read after King of Swords, Night was written to provide background on El Rey, with the assumption that the reader is already familiar with the events in King of Swords.]]> Russell Blake Russell 0 3.78 2011 Night of the Assassin (Assassin, #0.5)
author: Russell Blake
name: Russell
average rating: 3.78
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2014/10/06
shelves:
review:

]]> An Angel With Fur 18242942 Russell Blake 1610618920 Russell 0 4.16 2011 An Angel With Fur
author: Russell Blake
name: Russell
average rating: 4.16
book published: 2011
rating: 0
read at:
date added: 2014/10/06
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Age of Absurdity: Why Modern Life makes it Hard to be Happy]]> 7623692 240 Michael Foley 1847375243 Russell 5
I've recommended this book to at least a dozen friends. It's that good. And as with some books, it has you thinking long after you've turned the final page.

Modern consumer society has become a race to reward ourselves with ever greater or more varied experiences, which we basically tell ourselves we deserve by virtue of being, well, us. The problem being that like a hit of heroin, that which might make us feel good in the short term requires larger and larger hits to get a smaller and smaller high, until eventually we've trained ourselves to have to be mainlining just to feel somewhat normal. It's great if you're in the biz of selling heroin, not so great if you're in the biz of trying to live a self-actualized, relevant, relatively happy life.

What a wonderful book. Not often you hear me say that...

Will it give you a series of easy-to-follow steps on how to wind up happy? No. Because there is no such bromide. Will it give you enough food for thought to give you a running chance at living as full a life as possible?

Yes.

Best $10 you'll ever spend, and a joy to read.]]> 3.81 2010 The Age of Absurdity: Why Modern Life makes it Hard to be Happy
author: Michael Foley
name: Russell
average rating: 3.81
book published: 2010
rating: 5
read at: 2014/10/01
date added: 2014/10/04
shelves:
review:
A fascinating, erudite, compelling exploration of the philosophy and science of happiness - whether it's achievable as a sustained state, what brain chemistry tells us about love and infatuation, our biological drive for transcendent states and why they are essentially unsustainable, why variety may be wildly overrated and misunderstood, why the great philosophers all seem to arrive at the same conclusions about man's search for meaning...

I've recommended this book to at least a dozen friends. It's that good. And as with some books, it has you thinking long after you've turned the final page.

Modern consumer society has become a race to reward ourselves with ever greater or more varied experiences, which we basically tell ourselves we deserve by virtue of being, well, us. The problem being that like a hit of heroin, that which might make us feel good in the short term requires larger and larger hits to get a smaller and smaller high, until eventually we've trained ourselves to have to be mainlining just to feel somewhat normal. It's great if you're in the biz of selling heroin, not so great if you're in the biz of trying to live a self-actualized, relevant, relatively happy life.

What a wonderful book. Not often you hear me say that...

Will it give you a series of easy-to-follow steps on how to wind up happy? No. Because there is no such bromide. Will it give you enough food for thought to give you a running chance at living as full a life as possible?

Yes.

Best $10 you'll ever spend, and a joy to read.
]]> Eleanor 22081556
1993. Eleanor is fourteen years old when it happens for the first time... when she walks through an ordinary door at school and finds herself in another world. It happens again and again, but it's only a curiosity until that day at the cliffs. The day when Eleanor dives... and something rips her out of time itself.

And on the other side, someone is waiting for her.]]> 450 Jason Gurley Russell 5 3.70 2014 Eleanor
author: Jason Gurley
name: Russell
average rating: 3.70
book published: 2014
rating: 5
read at: 2014/06/14
date added: 2014/06/14
shelves:
review:
Eleanor is a virtuoso performance with language so lush and resonant that I found myself going back and rereading passages for the lyricism of the prose. Although not my usual genre, I finished the book in three sessions, which says much considering it can take me weeks to get through a tome, given my schedule. The story reminds me of Neil Gaiman in some ways, and of CS Lewis in others, never going in a predictable direction as the author creates worlds within worlds and pushes the boundaries of high fantasy, all the time with a dark undercurrent running through it. I predict this will be one of those novels readers either love or hate, but which, in either case, they'll also think about and discuss. There can be no higher praise than to be remembered vividly by both your detractors and fans. I've already recommended it to several friends - it might just be the book of the year.
]]> The Son 16240761
Part epic of Texas, part classic coming-of-age story, part unflinching portrait of the bloody price of power, The Son is an utterly transporting novel that maps the legacy of violence in the American West through the lives of the McCulloughs, an ambitious family as resilient and dangerous as the land they claim.

Spring, 1849. The first male child born in the newly established Republic of Texas, Eli McCullough is thirteen years old when a marauding band of Comanche storm his homestead and brutally murder his mother and sister, taking him captive. Brave and clever, Eli quickly adapts to Comanche life, learning their ways and language, answering to a new name, carving a place as the chief's adopted son, and waging war against their enemies, including white men-complicating his sense of loyalty and understanding of who he is. But when disease, starvation, and overwhelming numbers of armed Americans decimate the tribe, Eli finds himself alone. Neither white nor Indian, civilized or fully wild, he must carve a place for himself in a world in which he does not fully belong-a journey of adventure, tragedy, hardship, grit, and luck that reverberates in the lives of his progeny.

Intertwined with Eli's story are those of his son, Peter, a man who bears the emotional cost of his father's drive for power, and JA, Eli's great-granddaughter, a woman who must fight hardened rivals to succeed in a man's world.

Phillipp Meyer deftly explores how Eli's ruthlessness and steely pragmatism transform subsequent generations of McCulloughs. Love, honor, children are sacrificed in the name of ambition, as the family becomes one of the richest powers in Texas, a ranching-and-oil dynasty of unsurpassed wealth and privilege. Yet, like all empires, the McCoulloughs must eventually face the consequences of their choices.

Harrowing, panoramic, and vividly drawn, The Son is a masterful achievement from a sublime young talent.]]> 561 Philipp Meyer 0062120395 Russell 4 4.01 2013 The Son
author: Philipp Meyer
name: Russell
average rating: 4.01
book published: 2013
rating: 4
read at: 2014/04/15
date added: 2014/04/16
shelves:
review:
Sweeping, epic, ambitious, multi-layered, intelligently written. Puts one in mind of Michener. A big book that spans generations, begins somewhat slowly, but relentlessly pulls the reader in until he/she’s immersed in the threads of the multiple POV narratives, all of which are masterfully executed and riveting. Can be somewhat depressing in places, as can be the human condition. Ultimately too great an emphasis on detail that bogged the story down in places and a somewhat anticlimactic conclusion, but a worthwhile read nonetheless by a talented author.
]]> <![CDATA[Light of the World (Dave Robicheaux, #20)]]> 16130228 “America’s best novelist� (The Denver Post) and “the reigning champ of nostalgia noir� (The New York Times Book Review) introduces his most evil character yet in the twentieth thriller in the bestselling Dave Robicheaux series.

A New York Times bestselling author many times over, James Lee Burke is a two-time Edgar Award-winner whose every book is cause for excitement, especially those in the wildly popular Dave Robicheaux series.

In Light of the World, sadist and serial killer Asa Surrette narrowly escaped the death penalty for the string of heinous murders he committed while capital punishment was outlawed in Kansas. But following a series of damning articles written by Dave Robicheaux’s daughter Alafair about possible other crimes committed by Surette, the killer escapes from a prison transport van and heads to Montana—where an unsuspecting Dave happens to have gone to take in the sweet summer air, accompanied by Alafair, his wife Molly, faithful partner Clete, and Clete’s newfound daughter, Gretchen Horowitz, whom readers met in Burke’s most recent bestseller Creole Belle.

“James Lee Burke remains the heavy weight champ,� says New York Times bestseller Michael Connelly, “a great American novelist whose work…is unsurpassed.� The master proves it once again with this harrowing novel that examines the nature of evil and pits Dave Robicheaux against the most diabolical villain he has ever faced.

]]> 560 James Lee Burke 1476710783 Russell 4
My rating should really be four and a half stars. Why not five? Well, the ending wasn't as well-developed as the rest of the novel, and I found it less than satisfying. Not necessarily in execution, but in concept. I don't require the typical cathartic finish that so many formulaic tomes clumsily deliver, but when something becomes just a little, shall we say, Stephen King, in the last thirty pages, it pulls me out of the story.

Some might label Burke's prose as a tad purple in places, but not me. I appreciate a wordsmith who pushes the envelope on what prose can do, and doesn't shy away from complex sentences that have a lyricism and musicality that a series of short, simple notes don't. I will say that the editor could have flagged several echoes that triggered my editing radar (riparian several times, port arms two or three), but these are niggling complaints in a 600 page tome. Having said that, others in his oeuvre are better, solid five star efforts, without qualification. But even with the warts, this is four and a half, and most novelists should live so long as to be able to craft a work nearly as well.

Now to the characters. Sometimes folks review books based on how much they like the characters, as in, how likable they are. I don't. Frankly, I eschew good guys who are all good and bad guys who are all bad, and I enjoyed that there's moral ambiguity in his cast, even if the villain was over-the-top, pure evil. It's entertainment, and taken as such, I found it entertaining, even if we've seen the tropes before in his other works.

As an author, reading Burke is a bit like going to church, or at least, school, because every book is a demonstration of just how good this kind of fiction can be. As a reader it's a delight, and casts a long shadow over similar efforts by lesser talents. Recommended reading. I even bought a copy as a gift for a friend. Which says it all.]]> 4.00 2013 Light of the World (Dave Robicheaux, #20)
author: James Lee Burke
name: Russell
average rating: 4.00
book published: 2013
rating: 4
read at: 2014/03/01
date added: 2014/03/06
shelves:
review:
It's hard not to like JLB's masterful use of language, the descriptions that are palpable, effortless dialogue that rings true. Light of the World's a longish book, but I devoured it in three days, after starting and stopping in disgust my vacation reading of five traditionally published novels by top names. Like a breath of fresh literary air, Burke is one-of-a-kind, and whether it's the Louisiana bayous or the mountains of Montana, he puts you into the thick of it.

My rating should really be four and a half stars. Why not five? Well, the ending wasn't as well-developed as the rest of the novel, and I found it less than satisfying. Not necessarily in execution, but in concept. I don't require the typical cathartic finish that so many formulaic tomes clumsily deliver, but when something becomes just a little, shall we say, Stephen King, in the last thirty pages, it pulls me out of the story.

Some might label Burke's prose as a tad purple in places, but not me. I appreciate a wordsmith who pushes the envelope on what prose can do, and doesn't shy away from complex sentences that have a lyricism and musicality that a series of short, simple notes don't. I will say that the editor could have flagged several echoes that triggered my editing radar (riparian several times, port arms two or three), but these are niggling complaints in a 600 page tome. Having said that, others in his oeuvre are better, solid five star efforts, without qualification. But even with the warts, this is four and a half, and most novelists should live so long as to be able to craft a work nearly as well.

Now to the characters. Sometimes folks review books based on how much they like the characters, as in, how likable they are. I don't. Frankly, I eschew good guys who are all good and bad guys who are all bad, and I enjoyed that there's moral ambiguity in his cast, even if the villain was over-the-top, pure evil. It's entertainment, and taken as such, I found it entertaining, even if we've seen the tropes before in his other works.

As an author, reading Burke is a bit like going to church, or at least, school, because every book is a demonstration of just how good this kind of fiction can be. As a reader it's a delight, and casts a long shadow over similar efforts by lesser talents. Recommended reading. I even bought a copy as a gift for a friend. Which says it all.
]]> <![CDATA[The da Vinci Code (Robert Langdon, #2)]]> 968 The da Vinci Code, The da Vinci Code, The da Vinci Code, and The da Vinci Code

While in Paris on business, Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon receives an urgent late-night phone call: the elderly curator of the Louvre has been murdered inside the museum. Near the body, police have found a baffling cipher. While working to solve the enigmatic riddle, Langdon is stunned to discover it leads to a trail of clues hidden in the works of Da Vinci -- clues visible for all to see -- yet ingeniously disguised by the painter.

Langdon joins forces with a gifted French cryptologist, Sophie Neveu, and learns the late curator was involved in the Priory of Sion -- an actual secret society whose members included Sir Isaac Newton, Botticelli, Victor Hugo, and Da Vinci, among others.

In a breathless race through Paris, London, and beyond, Langdon and Neveu match wits with a faceless powerbroker who seems to anticipate their every move. Unless Langdon and Neveu can decipher the labyrinthine puzzle in time, the Priory's ancient secret -- and an explosive historical truth -- will be lost forever.

The Da Vinci Code heralds the arrival of a new breed of lightning-paced, intelligent thriller utterly unpredictable right up to its stunning conclusion.]]> 489 Dan Brown Russell 3
This would be more like 3.5 stars than 3.]]> 3.92 2003 The da Vinci Code (Robert Langdon, #2)
author: Dan Brown
name: Russell
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2003
rating: 3
read at: 2013/12/10
date added: 2014/01/02
shelves:
review:
Overall well written, with an interesting formula: an overarching mystery to be solved, with four or five smaller mysteries as one moves through the book, each one progressively larger as it rolls along. Reason I don't give it 4 or 5 stars is that the last 10-15% of the book kind of fell apart, with the shocking climax not particularly so, and the denouement somewhat hollow after the breathless, melodramatic inner or external dialogue each chapter seemed to end with ("Good God, if that's true, then there's nothing to save us from the sky falling!"). Having said that, I liked the book. But I also think Angels and Demons is a better example of Brown's work. Obviously, I'm in the minority on that one. Then again, I also think A Time To Kill is a much better book than the Firm, so go figure.

This would be more like 3.5 stars than 3.
]]> Alpha (Black Flagged, #1) 12996229 Someone is trying to raise Black Flag from the dead, and drag Petrovich back into the poisonous life he abandoned. Someone who knows his darkest secrets.

In exchange for the promise of a clean slate, and a chance to keep the life he has built with the woman he loves, he agrees to carry out one more mission. Now Daniel has an even bigger problem. The assassination of Mohammed Ghani, a wealthy Muslim importer, wasn't the uncomplicated mission he had been promised. Seven other prominent Muslim businessmen are killed on the same night along the East Coast, suddenly extinguishing Task Force HYDRA, the most significant counter-terrorism investigation in recent FBI history.

Daniel's life is about to disintegrate, as he becomes the focus of a relentless FBI manhunt, and the target of a vengeful CIA agent. To survive, he'll be forced to release a dark side he fought for years to keep suppressed. A dark side with no boundaries, and few loyalties.

]]> 306 Steven Konkoly Russell 5 3.95 2011 Alpha (Black Flagged, #1)
author: Steven Konkoly
name: Russell
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2011
rating: 5
read at: 2011/12/14
date added: 2013/12/31
shelves:
review:
Author Steven Konkoly has moved from the style he uses in his blockbuster The Jakarta Pandemic to an even faster-paced, action orientation in Black Flagged. The protagonist is capable and interesting, the story compelling, and the style a big favorite with me. There's a conspiracy, good guys who maybe aren't so good, bad guys who maybe aren't so bad, and twists and turns galore. Fans of Jakarta are sure to like Black Flagged, as are fans of Ludlum/Childs-style thrillers, and I'd expect that we'll hear a lot more from Steven moving forward. Black Flagged firmly carves out territory for Konkoly as an epic action/thriller writer with a bright future.
]]> Fatal Exchange 18241018 Librarian's Note: this is an alternate cover edition - ASIN: B0054M6PTY

Tess Gideon, a female Manhattan bike messenger with an appetite for the wild side, becomes embroiled in a rogue nation's Byzantine scheme to destabilize the U.S. financial system.

From the sweltering streets of Seoul to the sex-and-drug-driven underbelly of Greenwich Village, attempts at silencing a leak in an international counterfeiting operation leave a trail of butchery that leads inevitably to Wall Street, pitting a counter-culture heroine against a ruthless state-sponsored assassination team that will stop at nothing to achieve its lethal ends.

As the body count climbs, Tess is assisted by Detective Ron Stanford, a NYPD homicide specialist tracking a brutal serial killer whose ritualistic cycle of murder and mutilation targeting bike messengers is escalating to fever pitch.

Tess's battle to survive propels her into a deadly underworld where she must become judge and executioner, challenging her core beliefs about morality, justice and love.]]> Russell Blake Russell 5 4.13 2011 Fatal Exchange
author: Russell Blake
name: Russell
average rating: 4.13
book published: 2011
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2013/09/15
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Purple Cane Road (Dave Robicheaux, #11)]]> 44766
While helping out an old friend, Dave is stunned when a pimp looks at him sideways and asks him if he is Mae Guillory's boy, the whore a bunch of cops murdered 30 years ago. The pimp goes on to insinuate that the cops who dumped her body in the bayou were on the take and continue to thrive in the New Orleans area.

Dave's search for his mother's killers leads him to the darker places in his past and solving this case teaches him what it means to be his mother's son. Purple Cane Road has the dimensions of a classic-passion, murder, and nearly heartbreaking poignancy-wrapped in a wonderfully executed plot that surprises from start to finish.]]> 387 James Lee Burke 0440224047 Russell 5 4.11 2000 Purple Cane Road (Dave Robicheaux, #11)
author: James Lee Burke
name: Russell
average rating: 4.11
book published: 2000
rating: 5
read at: 2013/04/04
date added: 2013/04/05
shelves:
review:
Incredible imagery, wonderfully three-dimensional characters, understated dialogue, plot twists galore... James Lee Burke is indeed a master of his craft, and one of the best, if not the best, living fiction writers of our time. This should be required reading for every aspiring fiction writer - it's like going to school. I won't belabor the multitude of glowing reviews that have more than adequately conveyed just how good this is. Five stars, and highly recommended.
]]> <![CDATA[Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk]]> 13325079 Billy Lynn's Long Half-Time Walk is a razor-sharp satire set in Texas during America's war in Iraq. It explores the gaping national disconnect between the war at home and the war abroad.

Ben Fountain’s remarkable debut novel follows the surviving members of the heroic Bravo Squad through one exhausting stop in their media-intensive "Victory Tour" at Texas Stadium, football mecca of the Dallas Cowboys, their fans, promoters, and cheerleaders.]]> 307 Ben Fountain 0060885599 Russell 5 3.79 2012 Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk
author: Ben Fountain
name: Russell
average rating: 3.79
book published: 2012
rating: 5
read at: 2013/02/24
date added: 2013/02/25
shelves:
review:
I browsed the one and two star reviews, as I confess I sometimes do, and found myself scratching my head, wondering what book these people read. It seems that many of those who dislike the book dislike the politics. Personally, I could sort of care less - if there's anyone still walking the earth that doesn't get that America went to undeclared war in Iraq based on lies of WMDs ready for launch at a moment's notice, led by men who never had spent a day in combat themselves, then I seriously wonder where they've been for the last decade. That's not what this book is about, or rather, that's not what makes this book brilliant. The main reason it's a must read, as are some of David Foster Wallace's tomes, is because it's so damned well written. As an author of some small notoriety myself, I can honestly say that I found myself smiling at turns of phrase that were novel, very smart, and just, well, brilliant. More to the point, the book itself is rather like an episode of Seinfeld - it's about nothing, really, and yet, simultaneously, everything. At times wry social commentary, at others wildly funny, and still others, poignant, little is left un-skewered by Ben's relentless pen. I have personally recommended it to at least three people, one of whom is my editor, and will continue to do so. A five star effort in every way.
]]> Love is a Wounded Soldier 15711694 But World War II is raging, and its vortex snatches him away from his young bride. He finds himself fighting in Europe, witnessing and participating in the unspeakable ugliness and brutality of war. His love for Ellen holds him back from utter despondency, and his will to fight and live draws strength from his desire to return home to her.
When he finally does return home to Kentucky, he's exhausted, jaded, and scarred -- inside and out. His worst fear is how Ellen will respond to the changes in him, but when he gets home he finds that Ellen is different, too -- much different.
Can things between them ever be the same again? Or will their love be the war's most tragic casualty?]]> 256 Blaine Reimer 0987981420 Russell 5 4.10 2012 Love is a Wounded Soldier
author: Blaine Reimer
name: Russell
average rating: 4.10
book published: 2012
rating: 5
read at: 2013/01/19
date added: 2013/02/25
shelves:
review:
Lush, poetic, superbly written, visceral. A superb new talent. Why aren't more people reading and getting why this is a standout example of the craft? Just a great book. Not my usual reading, but I enjoyed it and would recommend it.
]]> Operator 15981553
Michael quickly learns that his hometown has changed as he is pulled into the web of mystery and corruption surrounding Melissa's death. He will soon confront the abusive ex-boyfriend, a town sheriff with mixed motives and the ruthless Russian gang at the heart of it all.

Michael will be forced to choose between two paths - that of the desk-working, college-educated intelligence analyst he has become or the Tier I Army Operator he once was. Only one of these identities will survive as Michael is relentlessly hunted by a series of ruthless men.

This meticulously researched, seamlessly plotted thriller is the first in a new series by David Vinjamuri.]]> 178 David Vinjamuri 0985775610 Russell 5 3.95 2012 Operator
author: David Vinjamuri
name: Russell
average rating: 3.95
book published: 2012
rating: 5
read at: 2013/01/01
date added: 2013/02/25
shelves:
review:
Operator is a well-written, fast-paced action/adventure tale that will leave enthusiasts of the genre happy they read it. The protagonist has all the usual almost preternatural hyper-competence readers of these types of novels have come to expect from the leading man, so while there aren't a lot of surprises in his makeup, it's convincing and offers enough detail to ring true. The story moves well, with gripping action and satisfying prose, and enough twists to keep one guessing. I think that's one of the things that set the book apart from a number I've read lately - it was just plain old well written by an author comfortable with his craft. Sadly, that's rarer and rarer these days. Fans of Bourne and Reacher will eat this up. Recommended, and a good candidate for a series, I would think.
]]> <![CDATA[Money Land (Sheriff James Pruett, #2)]]> 17187746
When a small plane bound for the Canadian border carrying money for the Sustantivo Cartel smashes into the glacial Wind River Mountains, the event brings a heartless evil presence to one of the more remote places on earth.

The tail of the plane is discovered, empty. No drugs. No money. Shortly afterward, people start dying. When the cartel comes to town, Pruett will do anything within his power to save his town, his people, the land, and his family. Anything.

Once again in the sparse, gritty, starkly poetic styling of James Lee Burke, Tony Hillerman, and John D. MacDonald, R.S. Guthrie brings you his classic hero, at odds against the drug cartel, his own friends and citizens, and federal agencies that begin to sniff out a chance to attack an international crime organization.]]> 134 R.S. Guthrie Russell 4 4.06 2012 Money Land (Sheriff James Pruett, #2)
author: R.S. Guthrie
name: Russell
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2012
rating: 4
read at: 2012/12/27
date added: 2013/02/25
shelves:
review:
Guthrie's Blood Land was one of the best books of 2012 - a completely unexpected surprise. Money Land, the sequel to that novel, picks up where it left off, and follows the trials and tribulations of a small town cop who has to battle his own demons while grappling with impossible moral choices in a shifting landscape of greed, retribution, brutality and honor. A shorter and more accessible work than the masterfully-crafted Blood Land, Money Land is sure to delight fans of R.S. Guthrie's evocative storytelling and efficient prose. At times haunting and at others fast-paced and gritty, it's a fine sequel in what should develop into a considerable series. One word of caution: readers would do well to read Blood Land first, as even though Money Land can stand on its own, it will be more satisfying if the books are read in order.
]]> Dark Prairies 15745231
When billions of dollars in natural gas rights hang in the balance and the town's top law officer's wife is slain by her own blood, a reluctant hero is forced to battle his own demons and ultimately choose between justice, revenge, and duty.

In the tradition of Dennis Lehane, Tony Hillerman and James Lee Burke, Guthrie's sparse, haunting storytelling compliments his talent for creating richly-drawn, unflinching law officers with human frailties and a sense of justice.]]> 230 R.S. Guthrie 098351125X Russell 5 3.90 2012 Dark Prairies
author: R.S. Guthrie
name: Russell
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2012
rating: 5
read at: 2012/08/11
date added: 2012/09/12
shelves:
review:
Blood Land is that rarest of beasts, a novel that works at a number of levels. The characters are richly drawn, the plot compelling, the atmosphere palpable, the writing remarkable for its depth and lucidity, as well as the maturity of the choices the author makes - the restraint and the plain old good taste. There is a marvelous economy to the prose and yet it has tremendous impact. I kept thinking as I read that this is how it should be done. As an author myself, I am hyper-critical of grammar and editing issues, and I'm happy to say Blood Land has none of the usual that afflict a regrettably large number of indie novels. I was asked today for some recommended reading by a fan, and I recommended Blood Land without hesitation. That pretty much says it all. Deserving of more than five stars, this is a remarkable book in an ocean of mediocrity. I sincerely hope it gets the attention it deserves. We should be hearing a lot more from Mr. Guthrie, who is an obvious talent with a prodigious gift.
]]> <![CDATA[Giv: The Story of a Dog and America]]> 6391931 262 Boston Teran 1567030556 Russell 5 4.15 2009 Giv: The Story of a Dog and America
author: Boston Teran
name: Russell
average rating: 4.15
book published: 2009
rating: 5
read at: 2012/07/21
date added: 2012/09/06
shelves:
review:
Less a book than a spiritual upheaval, Giv is one of those rare books that reminds one of the power of words and their ability to evoke emotion. See the dog, indeed. A brilliant, difficult to define work that is deeply moving. I will be reading more from this author. Only annoyance was some so so formatting, but in the end, a non-issue compared to the impact of the book. Deserving of every one of five stars.
]]> <![CDATA[The Delphi Chronicle, Bundle Book 2 & 3 - The Tortoise and the Hare, and Phoenix Rising]]> 13347351 The Delphi Chronicle is a serial trilogy - a story that unfolds over three installments, with each continuing in the next episode, usually with a cliffhanger ending, on all but the last installment. This bundle of book 2 & 3 continues the saga of NY private eye Michael Derrigan, as he comes into possession of a manuscript that will change the world order if its secrets are aired. Clandestine factions of the U.S. government will do anything to keep the story buried, & a trail of butchery follows Derrigan as he races for his life in a chase that takes him from New York, to Mexico, to Havana. A roller-coaster ride of a thriller, The Delphi Chronicle's unflinching & often disturbing twists and turns question the nature of reality & of the integrity of our governments in a post-modern world of lies, deceit & betrayal.

+++
Questions & Answers with bestselling author Russell Blake.

Question: The Delphi Chronicle posits a troubling & plausible conspiracy. Where did you get the idea?

Russell Blake: The idea stemmed from the title. I was originally going to call the trilogy The Pegasus File, & I'd conceptualized a cool cover, so I Googled it to confirm there weren't any other books with that name. The original conspiracy was much tamer than what I wound up with. I had the idea of a literary agent getting a manuscript detailing a shocking scheme, but I hadn't defined what it was, exactly. From that search came this conspiracy, & I have to admit I considered toning it down a lot, because it scared even me. So readers? This is fiction, OK? And U.S. government? No need to send a wet team after me. We all understand it's fictional. As in, an invention, not real. That's my official position. Readers can decide how plausible the
invention is for themselves. Some will hate it, as it portrays the U.S. government in a negative light. Can't please everyone.

Q: Why write it as a trilogy?

RB: It would have been a long single volume if I'd tried to squeeze it all into one book. Given the success I saw with the Zero Sum trilogy, I wanted to do another one, & this was just naturally written in three volumes, although I think most will get the first one, & then buy the specially-priced bundle of Books 2 & 3 if they're interested in following the story to its thrilling conclusion (wink wink).

Q: How do your novels compare to the work of your peers?

RB: I think they're faster paced than most. I try to catapult readers through a series of twists & turns at such aggressive velocity they're left gasping by the end. And I dislike books where I can see the ending coming a third of the way through. Just hate that. I try to write racing, intelligent thrillers that don't pander & aren't formulaic. All have gotten raves, so I'm fooling at least some of the people most of the time...

Q: Part of Delphi unfolds in Mexico. Any particular reason?

RB: I live in Mexico. Have for almost a decade. Modern Mexico is very different than as portrayed by the U.S. media. Many parts are indistinguishable from medium sized cities in the U.S. Strip malls, high rises, melting-pot racial integration, etc. It's not cactus & sombreros. One of the things I find fascinating is how different it is than what my expectations were when I moved here, & I try to impart that. Most novels set in modern Mexico I've read are caricatures of the truth. Mission bells, white-garbed peasants, stereotypical characters. I try to imbue my fiction with reality, not a Hollywood portrayal based on a snapshot from the 1950s. I think readers will find that distinction interesting.]]> 346 Russell Blake Russell 5 4.05 2011 The Delphi Chronicle, Bundle Book 2 & 3 - The Tortoise and the Hare, and Phoenix Rising
author: Russell Blake
name: Russell
average rating: 4.05
book published: 2011
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2012/07/10
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Zero Sum, Entire Trilogy Bundle (Dr. Stephen Archer Cross, #1)]]> 12756909 435 Russell Blake Russell 5 4.02 2011 Zero Sum, Entire Trilogy Bundle (Dr. Stephen Archer Cross, #1)
author: Russell Blake
name: Russell
average rating: 4.02
book published: 2011
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2012/07/10
shelves:
review:

]]> King of Swords 13159033
The G-20 Financial Summit is planned for San Jose Del Cabo. The world's pre-eminent finance ministers will attend, along with the presidents of the U.S. and Mexico.

Captain Romero Cruz of the Mexican Federal Police uncovers an assassination plot against the attendees. In a roller-coaster race against the clock, Cruz must track and stop El Rey, the "King of Swords" - a faceless super-assassin responsible for a string of the world's most spectacular killings, before he turns the G-20 into a slaughterhouse.

King of Swords is an intelligent, rule-breaking rush that shatters convention to create a richly-drawn story that's sure to shock and delight even the most jaded intrigue/adventure thriller fans.]]> 306 Russell Blake Russell 5 3.98 2011 King of Swords
author: Russell Blake
name: Russell
average rating: 3.98
book published: 2011
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2012/07/10
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Manuscript (The Delphi Chronicle, #1)]]> 13438643 Russell Blake 1619796171 Russell 5 3.87 2011 The Manuscript (The Delphi Chronicle, #1)
author: Russell Blake
name: Russell
average rating: 3.87
book published: 2011
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2012/07/10
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[The Voynich Cypher (Dr. Stephen Archer Cross, #2)]]> 13541338
Stalked by secret societies, and aided by the daughter of a murdered colleague, a trail of riddles catapults Cross from England to Italy to the Middle East, where a Byzantine web of ancient secrets leads him to a revelation so profound it will change the world order.]]> 331 Russell Blake Russell 5 3.90 2012 The Voynich Cypher (Dr. Stephen Archer Cross, #2)
author: Russell Blake
name: Russell
average rating: 3.90
book published: 2012
rating: 5
read at:
date added: 2012/07/10
shelves:
review:

]]> <![CDATA[Trojan Horse (Sasha Del Mira Thrillers #1)]]> 10766135 368 David Lender 0615448755 Russell 5 3.52 2011 Trojan Horse (Sasha Del Mira Thrillers #1)
author: David Lender
name: Russell
average rating: 3.52
book published: 2011
rating: 5
read at: 2011/08/16
date added: 2011/12/17
shelves:
review:
I enjoyed the Sasha character, and hope we see more of her. This was a well executed financial thriller, with just enough of all the elements I enjoy to move it into the five star category.
]]> Bull Street 11531309
Excerpts from Trojan Horse, The Gravy Train and Vaccine Nation, David Lender's other thrillers, follow the text of Bull Street.]]> 349 David Lender 0615491235 Russell 5 3.72 2011 Bull Street
author: David Lender
name: Russell
average rating: 3.72
book published: 2011
rating: 5
read at: 2011/09/03
date added: 2011/12/06
shelves:
review:
One sentence summary: The Firm goes to Wall Street. An engaging, well paced Wall Street novel with bad guys, big money, and loads of Canali and Armani suits. If you like this genre, don't miss it.
]]> <![CDATA[The Devil of Light (Cass Elliot, #1)]]> 11993314
When young Detective Cass Elliot responds to a 911 call at the home of a prominent businessman, she finds him violently murdered in the barnyard with his battered wife unconscious near the tool that killed him. Still raw from her own unsolved attack six years ago, Cass is stunned when confronted with graphic photographs scattered across their kitchen floor that lead to a shadowy sect called The Church of the True Believer.

A COVERT WEB OF LIES AND EXPLOITATION

Cass and her partner Mitch Stone delve into a cunning world of blackmail and violence � and find a cult concealed for nearly a century beneath the genteel, small town façade of Arcadia in East Texas. Their investigation triggers a brutal response from powerful men who will protect their identities at any cost. They unleash a ruthless killer whose actions create a media frenzy and destroy the fabric of trust within the police department.

A PERVASIVE EVIL

Cass and Mitch circle closer to the cult’s few members, following a slim lead into a night lit by fire. A night that begins with a blood ritual and ends with Cass holding a man's life � or death � in her hands and struggling to walk the fine line between vengeance and justice.]]> 455 Gae-Lynn Woods Russell 5 4.06 2011 The Devil of Light (Cass Elliot, #1)
author: Gae-Lynn Woods
name: Russell
average rating: 4.06
book published: 2011
rating: 5
read at: 2011/10/18
date added: 2011/10/25
shelves:
review:
Woods keeps the reader guessing right to the last page while crafting a plot with more twists and turns than a silly straw, all in an incredibly thoughtful and well-written novel. Her sense of place is evocative, her characters richly drawn, her command of language dexterous, and her ability to balance all the elements in the story without resorting to cliche or predictable devices unexpected. This debut effort is further proof that there are undiscovered novelists out there who can more than keep up with the big names. I expect we'll be hearing more of Gae-Lynn Woods in the future. Tip of the hat to a remarkable book by a promising talent.
]]> <![CDATA[The Jakarta Pandemic (Alex Fletcher, #1)]]> 9632773 "RIPPED FROM TODAY'S HEADLINES AND METICULOUSLY RESEARCHED, The Jakarta Pandemic walks you through a family's near impossible struggle to survive a lethal pandemic virus.""A rare, up-all-night thriller series. Alex Fletcher is the 'hero' we need when disaster strikes and the bonds of society start to break."THE JAKARTA Cases of a highly lethal virus appear in major cities around the globe. Most ignore the warning signs.Alex Fletcher, Iraq War veteran, has read the signs for years. With his family and home prepared to endure an extended period of seclusion, Alex thinks he's ready for the pandemic. He's not even close.The unstoppable H16N1 virus rapidly spreads across the United States, stretching the fragile bonds of society to the breaking point. Schools close, grocery stores empty, fuel deliveries stop, hospitals start turning away the sick...riots engulf the cities. As hostility and mistrust engulfs his idyllic Maine neighborhood, Alex quickly realizes that the H16N1 virus will be the least of his problems."It delivers a vicious punch of violence and heroism for the reader to endure and admire. I could hardly put The Jakarta Pandemic down until I finished it." - Amazon reviewer"The tension builds as difficult choices are made, when no good options seem to be available. I found certain segments to be uncomfortably realistic, at times creepy in the way you could feel things closing in around the family." - Amazon reviewer"It makes you think...how far are you willing to go to protect your loved ones? Every day that goes by, these characters have to question what is right and what is wrong. Take the trip thru this book. You won't be disappointed." - Amazon reviewerThe Alex Fletcher Books (In Order):The Jakarta Pandemic, Book OneThe Perseid Collapse, Book TwoEvent Horizon, Book ThreePoint of Crisis, Book FourDispatches, Book Five _________________________________________________________________________________Steven's novels are recommended for fans of Brad Thor's Scot Harvath, Vince Flynn's Mitch Rapp, Brad Taylor's Pike Logan, Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan, Lee Child's Jack Reacher, Robert Ludlum's Jason Bourne, L.T. Ryan's Jack Noble, C.G. Cooper's Daniel Briggs, Daniel Silva's Gabriel Allon, Mark Greaney's Gray Man and Michael Crichton.Learn to survive COVID19—coronavirus]]> 527 Steven Konkoly Russell 4 3.92 2010 The Jakarta Pandemic (Alex Fletcher, #1)
author: Steven Konkoly
name: Russell
average rating: 3.92
book published: 2010
rating: 4
read at: 2011/09/27
date added: 2011/09/28
shelves:
review:
This is a fast moving thriller that has a lot of good beats and will keep readers engaged. As a debut effort it's especially noteworthy. I expect we'll see more out of Mr. Konkoly, all of it good. I can't wait for his next one - he's got an interesting voice.
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