Blast From The Past- John Sandford- Naked Prey

John Sandford has created one of best characters in modern fiction in Lucas Davenport. His “Prey” novels are consistently not just good, but great. The name John Sandford is the pseudonym of the Pulitzer Prize winning journalist John Camp. It is hard not to get emotionally invested in the characters Sandford creates. The world of Lucas Davenport is never boring. Well dressed and willing to kick ass on a moment’s notice makes the action taunt, compelling and fast moving.
The surrounding cast –Weather, Del, Shrake on down, make you want to keep turning the pages. The addition of Letty in this book is a stroke of genius that will benefit readers for a long time.
To say that I enjoy Sandford’s brilliance is an understatement. I have read all his work and eagerly await each new book. He has a style that will grab you and not let go. Do yourself a favor. If you haven’t for whatever reason discovered John Sandfords work, start at the beginning. Enjoy the evolution of the world of Lucas Davenport. The thrill ride will be worth it, from the first Prey novel to the most recent. What are you reading today? Check us out on Facebook, Goodreads, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Tod Goldberg-Burn Notice's - The End Game

Wait, don’t click away. I think I know what you are thinking. Burn Notice is a television show on the USA network. Why am I mentioning it? Am I daff? Well yes I am. Most would tell you Giovanni is a face card short of a full deck; perhaps there are only butter knives in his drawer or that the elevator only has a ground floor.
I am not ashamed to say that any time I can get another dose of Michael Westin, I will take it. Sometimes over the counter stuff is ok. ”The End Game” is the perfect prescription for a rainy day or something light on the beach. I am glad that I caught this after the season finale. It has helped with my withdrawal symptoms.
Sam, Fiona, Ma Weston and the rest of the gang in Miami are fun and enjoyable. The Goldberg brothers are good writers. Tod’s brother writes the Monk Series which I thoroughly enjoy also. That’s for another time another post, focus Giovanni.
The End Game is just like watching a Burn Notice episode in your head, except you really get to get into their heads, if you know what I mean. Usually Michael narrates, but now we get inside Sam, Fiona and Ma’s thought process and see their point of view. Totally enjoyable. Goldberg has crafted a great companion to the series. If you haven’t seen the show yet, check it out. It doesn’t matter if you have read the book or have seen the show first. Fun, friviolity, commraderie, and a well crafted story await. Throw caution to the wind. Suck up the paperback, watch the show; it is a great synergy. What are you reading today? Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Goodreads and Blog Catalog.

Stephen J. Cannell-The Pallbearers

Happy Monday to everybody; only five days to Friday, Oops sorry, that sounds depressing. Thanks for all the kind words on the addition of Graphic Novel Friday. I will take all your suggestions to heart and do as much with them as possible. We are starting two new things this week. First we are adding a new tab to the site titled ”Facebook/ Goodreads Writers”. Pressing on the tab will get you to a new page that contains friends that are writers we have made on Facebbok / Goodreads. We like to support our friends. Check them out, friend them if you don’t know them and try their books. I always enjoy finding new stuff to read, why not a new friend’s stuff. On Thursday, I will begin to feature a new book from that tab and post on it. To get the ball rolling in that direction I am currently reading “A Real Basket Case” by Beth Groundwater.
Today’s book is The Pallbearers. I love the title, love Shane Scully and just love this book. I have read all Cannell’s work, Scully and non-Scully. I have also enjoyed the different television series he has written. The Pallbearers is an excellent read for many reasons:
-We the reader really get into the head of Scully and find out more about his youth and who helped him thru it, even though he was an orphan.
- The other Pallbearers are excellent characters in their own right. I am guessing we haven’t seen the last of them. I am looking forward to reading about them in future books.
-Scully can now have a Yodi like presence in his life.
-Maybe Scully can finally remove the big chip on his shoulder he has been carrying around. This would mean one less secret and a bit less guilt for him to carry.
-For once we don’t find Scully battling his wife and City Hall but a force held deep within himself.
-Finally he relies on others and is a team player.
-Cannell offers another book that is a fast, crisp ride that would make any roller coaster ride proud. The story from beginning to end is strong, fast and in your face. Give it a try. What are reading today? Check us out on Facebook, Goodreads, Linkedin, Blog Catalog,and Twitter

Graphic Novel Friday- CLAWS featuring Wolverine & The Black Cat

I am very happy to be presenting this each Friday. I would also suggest that you relax and wear a Hawaiian shirt or something else suitable when reading this and sending me a comment. My involvement in comics goes back to about 1969 when I really got the bug as a youth and started to build my collection based on my allowance and working around the neighborhood doing odd jobs. Comics at that time were twenty cents and special additions were around thirty five. The cost grew as did my collection. Before I stopped collecting, I had 32 character titles. All were Marvel, as DC didn’t hold my interest. Not that I am a hater, I just didn’t get a groove on the art and the story lines. I know, how can a little kid discuss story lines?
I wound up slowing down on the collection as the prices for the comics rose and my income did not, so I just concentrated on the titles I felt were part of my core collection.
I wound up selling the collection in college to help fund my studies but my passion for comics never waned. As we all do, I regret parting with it. I had many number ones, but hey, coulda, woulda, shoulda. I have enjoyed seeing the evolution of comics, not just with the Graphic Novel but also movies.
Don’t worry; I won’t go into my thoughts on the movies. They are too radical and I am much too much a traditionalist with the story lines.
I got my hands on CLAWS, a Wolverine & Black Cat vehicle. Jimmy Palmiotti & Justin Gray are the writers. I enjoyed the repartee between the characters. It was constant throughout; no letup at all. They kept me engaged till the last balloon .Pencil & Inks was Joe Linsner. Great job! His artwork is clean, crisp and isn’t dark. My feelings are that comics are to be fun and an enjoyable respite from the everyday reality. I like learning things just like anyone else, but this is a comic book after all. It’s supposed to be fun. I am glad to be able to start a new collection beginning with CLAWS. I am happy to be back in the game. See you next Friday!
Please check us out on FaceBook, GoodReads, Twitter, and LinkedIn. What are you reading today

Blast From The Past-James Swain- The Night Monster

I buzzed through this awesome addition to the Jack Carpenter series in one sitting. The action never stops. I try not to give away any plot points in my posts, but since reading this Jack Carpenter vehicle I was hoping he would have his two franchise characters meet and interact. Finally Swain did it, although briefly. To possibly have the two collide again in the future on more of a larger scale would be incredibly intense .Valentine and Carpenter together with their supporting casts would be more explosive then nitro.
Swain has received a slew of nominations and awards for his work. Here is the list; Mysteries of the Year by Publishers Weekly & Kirkus Reviews, Three Barry Award
Nominations, a Florida Book award for fiction, he has won the prestigious Prix Calibre .38 for Best American Crime Fiction. The Tony Valentine novels were recently purchased for theatrical release, with Swain writing the screenplay.
If you enjoy suspense, action, characters and books that just about read themselves, pick Swain’s book up. Don’t miss a page. Check out his website at www.jamesswain.com. Please drop in our Facebook page become a friend, follow us on Twitter , Linkedin and goodreads.I look forward to hearing from you.What are you reading today?

William G. Tapply- Dark Tiger- A Stoney Calhoun Novel

Dark Tiger is the 1st Stoney Calhoun novel I have read. I must say I thoroughly enjoyed the character and his surrounding cast. The back story on Stoney is that 7 years ago he awoke in a VA hospital with no memories- which he is told is the result of a freak lightning strike. He has a bunch of unexplained talents (language ability, weapons expertise, etc.).He lives a quiet life with his dog Ralph near Casco Bay, Maine working as co-owner of a local bait shop and fishing guide. Good stuff.
The “nameless man in the suit “ that visits Stoney from time to time to see if he has gotten back his memory or any part of it , visits Stoney again and the adventure begins. I am a big fan of this type of fiction, good characters and a rich and supportive core group of friends. Tapply peppers the book with plenty of good dialogue and picks up the pace throughout the piece. For anyone that fishes as hobby especially fly fishes, he adds a lot of nice info on flies to use and conditions in which to fish. I think he gives nice instruction on it. You can tell he has a passion for it and is able to convey that very well.
Tapply crafts a good ending, leaving plenty of meat on the bone for the next Stoney Calhoun vehicle. I plan on getting the first two Stoney books-“Bitch Creek” & “Gray Ghost”. Add them to your reading list if they are not already on there, you will not be disappointed .We love to hear from you, drop us a line. What is on your reading list? Catch up with us on Facebook, Myspace, Linked in and Twitter. .Enjoy.

Split Image-Robert Parker

I was very sad when I got the news Robert Parker passed on. Split Image is the 55th book of his that I have read. You can’t say that about many writers. To say that I enjoyed his work would be an understatement. I am not good at eulogies; instead I am dedicating April’s Blast from the Past posts to Robert Parker. The order of appearances will be Spenser’s “Mortal Stakes”, Jesse Stones “Stone Cold”, Sunny Randall “Shrink Wrap” and finally” Appaloosa”.
Split Image is a great addition to the Stone series. There is a healthy dose of Sunny Randall in this and I thoroughly enjoyed her presence in this book. Parker knows how to keep the action taunt, the suspense tense and the story quick .Molly, Suit and the rest of the Paradise cast gets plenty of time and we get to see their characters take another step forward in development.
Parker did a nice job of melding the two worlds of Stone and Randall together as they continue to solve their internal problems. They use the same means to arrive at the answers they already know, but don’t wish to face. The title is very appropriate for this book. I think that you get the gist, I enjoyed this book. Pick it up, give it a try, it won’t disappoint you. Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, and Linked in. What are you reading today?

The Silent Sea-Clive Cussler with Jack DuBrul

The Oregon Files Adventures has quickly become my favorite Cussler franchise. I have enjoyed the way Cussler aged Dirk Pitt graciously, brought along Kurt Austin, and introduced us with two installments (a third is on its way this June) to Isaac Bell. The favorite right now though, must be The Chairman and The Corporation, they just flat out rock.
The addition of Jack DuBrul has taken the franchise to a new level. I enjoyed Craig Dirgo’s work but DuBrul has helped add a lot of lean muscle to the characters and take the action to more of a consistent level. I think it is difficult not to become emotionally invested in the characters and the story lines and not root for them.
I earmarked some of the dialogue to just give you a flav of the book if you have not had the pleasure to crack it open yet:
“You’re having fun aren’t you” Max was pleased.
“Apart from getting shot at and left at the bottom of a two hundred foot pit for a while,yeah I am.”
Hanley chuckled” You liked those parts too.”
Juan just grinned.
Dialogue like this is what great character driven fiction is all about: fun, action, relationships, good vs. evil, the whole nine yards. The Silent Sea has action to spare. The Chairman and The Corporation ride again. All aboard; don’t miss this adventure.
This week we are going to introduce something new, our Graphics Novel posts. They will start to appear on Fridays. The schedule for the posts then will be as follows, Monday thru Wednesday – Fiction books /New, Thursday /Blast from the Past, Friday /Graphic Novel. I look forward to this new addition, hopefully you will too. Hey, check us out on Facebook, Twitter and Linked in. Coming Soon for Clive Cussler an Isaac Bell Book- The Spy-June 1,2010

Worst Case James Patterson/Michael Ledwidge

Mike Bennett is back. I love the character and his Family. Being the Father of eight I can identify with the things that go in his life that revolves around his kids. Unfortunately for me there was too little of that for me.
The addition of FBI abduction specialist Emily Parker was ok but the thread for me was not believable. I found that it detracted from Bennett’s character as he has already started to look at the nanny ,Mary Catherine in a different light at the end of the last book.
The ingenious killer ,really wasn’t that ingenious. His mistakes were many and his sudden desire to carry out such heinous crimes a bit suspect. The bad guy didn’t cripple the city, had a plan that was ok at best, and was not anything we could identify with. His agenda was basically very forgettable.
Having said all that negative stuff ,which I try to stay away from, I like the book and its action overall. I mean ,this is Mike Bennett were are talking about here. The core group of characters were brought to life again and I enjoy them. The other stuff is just the icing on the cake for me. Mike Bennett, Seamus , the Nanny and the kids are what I was looking for and found them here and there.
The pressures of Fatherhood, single parenting, the support group he has is the core of the series. The balancing act was missing from this book, there not much of it. I hope that Patterson finds it again in the next installment. Overall I will give him a pass on this one ,hoping that the next Bennett vehicle is more plausible and filled with what makes Mike Bennett and Company ,Mike Bennett and Company. What’s on your reading list right now? Drop us a line. Check us out on Facebook, Myspace and Twitter. Have a great day.Coming Soon From James Patterson

William Rabkin-PSYCH- The Call Of The Mild

Being a huge fan of the show, I have to admit I loved the book. William Rabkin has been Edgar Nominated twice for television writer. He crafts a fine, entertaining peace of work here. There are already a couple more-“Mind over magic” and “A mind is a terrible thing to read” in the series. Being the wonderful obsessive /compulsive I am, I choose to start with numero uno in the series. There’s that and then there is the fact that is what the library had left, believe what you will.
The best part of the book for me is the way we can now get in the heads of the characters. The shows actors are enjoyable and they seem to have a nice chemistry on the set. I especially enjoy the Psych Out portion of the show at the end. Now we can read what’s on their mind as we picture them doing their “thing” .The Mighty Guster, the best friend and unside kick to Shawn Spenser, gets to explain Shawn’s thought process and his side of the story. Shawn being Shawn does Shawn very well. And it is nice to finally get into Henry Spenser’s head, Shawn’s Father. The book is totally fun, purely entertaining .If you haven’t seen the show it’s a nice way to identify with it. I enjoyed it with a Nor’easter snow storm, but it would go just as well on the beach, a good rain storm or a way to just chuckle a little. Yeah I said chuckle.
I look forward to hearing from you. What is on your book list right now? Look for us on Face book, Myspace and Twitter.

Blast From The Past- James Swain- Loaded Dice

James Swain has an awesome book series in the Tony Valentine character. Loaded Dice is just one of the series: Funny Money, Sucker Bet, Grift Sense are the others .A trusting sole like myself really never wants to believe that people are trying to set scams and steal 24/7.Tony Valentine stops them dead in their tracks and always seems to be one step ahead of the scammers.
The plot and story lines Swain weaves are likeable and intriguing. There are scams and cons that not only leave you to shake your head, but having explained the mechanics of the scams, make you feel that the next time you walk into a casino, you can pick out the crews yourself.
I have read the whole series and totally love the characters and their flaws. They are a nice group of people worthy of ones time .I don’t hesitate to recommend reading the series, you can’t lose it is a suckers bet for sure

"The Midnight House" by Alex Berenson

Alex Berenson’s  The Midnight House

www.alexberenson.com

            I was lucky enough to crack this book open on a Sunday when I had nothing else to do. Snow, snow, snow! I am a big John Wells fan. The character is awesome. The supporting cast that Berenson surrounds him with is strong. The dialogue and repartee Berenson provides works very well, giving us the flavor and thought process of people thrust into extraordinary situations. The moral and ethical questions through these characters are  strong and powerful.

            I am heartened by the way he portrays the men and women in our Military and Government services community. Although all are not shown to have deep commitment to honor & integrity, he nicely points out the flaws in our system. Wells and company as usual, run into some road blocks. They approach the solutions with ethics and a nice moral code, all things one loves in its hero.

            Berenson is a best selling author and winner of the prestigious Edgar Award and rightly so. He produces good work that is challenging, thought provoking and entertaining. All too often, some writers in the industry portray the men and women that sacrifice each day as less than they are. I think that it is far too easy to forget that our liberties and freedoms come with a cost. Berenson doesn’t forget.

            I don’t hesitate to say to you, pick up this book. It is hard to put down. It is entertaining and thought provoking and lends itself to some very strong feelings. Enjoy, rejoice, John Wells is back. I look forward to hearing from you. Drop me a line over in the chat area, check out our Facebook, Twitter and Myspace.

"Kisser" by Stuart Woods

Stuart Woods – Kisser
www.stuartwoods.com

Stone Barrington, Dino and the Gang are back. Back in a big way! Kisser is a very entertaining, fast book. Woods doesn’t fail in delivering a nice addition to the Barrington Novels as well as setting up a few more plot twists for the next book.
I was a bit perplexed by Woods’ preoccupation with the sexual aspect of the character in this book. Yes, we know and expect that Stone gets his gal as much if not more than 007. Yes we are used to him and the comedy that ensues as he balances two or more lady friends and the dilemmas that result. Yes we are used to Dino, Bill Edgers and other characters laughing off his exploits. I just felt Kisser was leaning too far too the excessive: and far too graphic. Usually Woods leaves some of it up to his reader’s imagination, not this time. It seemed as if he wanted to have the twists and turns revolve around the Stone in the sack more than the action.
Getting down from my soap box, I can say Woods definitely knows how to put together a decent piece of fiction. Long on entertainment, short on reality. Basically it is what it is. I love it. Pick it up; breeze through it. Smile, then wait for the next one. Gotta, gotta, have it. What is the release date for the next one, Mr. Woods? I look forward to hearing from you.
Is there someone you enjoy that isn’t on our short list of Favorite Writers? We love to hear from you. Next up is a Blast from the Past.

"The First Rule" by Robert Crais

Robert Crais's "The First Rule"

www.robertcrais.com/www.penguin.com

       I am not going to bore you with the inside of the book jacket synopsis. All one needs to know and understand is that this is a Joe Pike vehicle and Elvis Cole is along for the ride; nuff said. "The First Rule", you should read this book posthaste, make all haste to get this in your hands and indulge yourself. I was not raised too smooch gluteus maximus, but I must say if Mr. Crais is reading this, I am a big fan of your work. The characters are memorable, and the interplay engaging. The speed of the story, turbo! Suggestion for you when you grab this book, don't plan on doing anything for awhile. It grabs you and is hard to put down.
One must enjoy a story with the Russians; excuse me, the Serbs as the bad guys. The camaraderie of Pike and company, the dedication to each other that these so called characters of morally questionable behavior is to be enjoyed. "One of my guys" is spoken throughout, in addition to, honor, integrity and allegiance above personal gain and keeping the scales of justice in place.
The haters out there can't wrap their heads around the fact that if they had five dollars and Joe Pike had five dollars, he would have more money than they had. Many can’t fathom the fact that Pike can punch a Cyclops between the eye. The other critics are claiming that Joe Pike is to perfect a character, tsk, tsk, tsk. Please get over yourselves; it's a book. It's enjoyable and entertaining.
I strongly suggest reading Robert Crais's work. I have read all his books and have not found one too weak or unworthy of my time. Joe Pike and Elvis Cole are strong characters with a great cast around them. Crais crafts good storylines with basic themes. The beginning, middle and end are all strong. The human condition and plenty of humor awaits you. Robert Crais has a nice website; give it a try. Enjoy; see you soon. I look forward to hearing from you.