Customer Reviews

The ACOLYTE: A Novel

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Good first effort from David Compton, but in desperate need of an editor. The story is rambling and un-focused at times, but when it clicks, this tale of espionage takes some interesting twists and turns, coupled with heavy doses of violence and sex. Compton, a University of Memphis grad and acquaintance of John Grisham, shows real potential, and I look forward to reading his next novel.

I started this book three times before I was able to get past the first 100 pages. If a book does not captivate me in the first 25 pages I rarely bother. For some reason I hung on to this one forced myself past the beginning and I am glad I did. Compton did an acceptable job overall, but to me it was tad bit too predictable. I think Compton was inspired by Frederick Forsyth, but Forsyth makes for a more interesting read with a much simpler plot. The Acolyte's plot is a bit overdone and this would have been a better book had he kept it simpler and developed the conflicts better. I never really "felt" Greers danger and fear, they all happened too fast and resolved way too easily. I recommend this book, and feel that Compton will improve with practice. To D.C.: re-read some more Forsyth books.

It was easy to immerse oneself into the characters of the Acolyte. A fast moving thriller in the Crichton/Grisham/Stuart Woods genre, this book rarely lept into stories too far-fetched, but kept the excitement building throughout. Well thought out and apparently thoroughly research story makes for an exciting, pleasurable read! I can't wait for the next one

I purchased the audiobook because of Reed Diamond's narration, which was fabulous. Diamond has a far broader range as an actor than he is generally able to reveal in his visual-media roles, so it has been delightful to experience his talent through his narration of The Acolyte as well as the book on which the Homicide series was based.

As for David Compton's story, I edited mentally throughout. The ambitious plot was all that kept me interested, and even then parts of the plot failed to engage my interest. Obvious flaws abound. If you are a writer and want to feel better about your chapters, this is a good one to read--but only as a break between more instructive novels.

In this novel, the author tackled an ambitious subject; to where spy stories should go after the cold war. The author did not shift to terrorism or international crime but wrote straightforwardly the espionage between nations. I appreciated that. But unfortunately, the story itself was not so sophisticated; it was sometimes boring; it contained too many unnecessary sex and violence. And the characters were not so attractive. I would have given this novel only two stars if I had not appreciated the ambition of the subject. I expect the author will write better next time.

Written for the tired executive with a long flight ahead, or for the husband who is involved in a clandestine affaire with a woman who is slated for promotion sooner than he....this book will captivate you with a twisted mind's version of his ultimate sexual and career fantasty. Will be a favorite of all political wannabes.

Very captivating after a brief slow start. If you read The Firm with passion, pick up this one. Ever since I've tried to find another book I've read so feverishly.

This book got a great review, and every book I've ordered from amazon.com has been a 9 0r 10. But this one just lost my interest after a hundred pages. I either get a buzz from a book or I don't. This one sputtered

Working in DC I can see where Compton has spent a great deal of time researching or either knows first-hand about how the CIA and other US government agencies really operate. Admittedly I was reading this from an "insider's" perspective, but I'm a real fan of how he put together the intricate spy plot. Some others have pooh-poohed the book, but I'd say they just don't have an appreciation for a story that's a cut well above a Grisham thriller. A great read.

PuhLEEZE.....I don't find the gratuitous violence and the puerile characters remotely captivating. Yawn. Thumbs down.