Customer Reviews

Alistair Maclean's Dead Halt

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"Alistair MacLean's Dead Halt" is the fifth in a series of suspense novels actually written by Alastair MacNeill to capitalize on outlines left by MacLean at his death. This novel continues the adventures of the United Nations Anti-Crime Organization (UNACO) operatives first introduced in "Death Train" (and dramatized in the movie of the same name by Pierce Brosnan, Alexandra Paul, and Patrick Stewart).

The story features exotic locales, suitable adversaries in the IRA, the Mafia, and Columbian drug lords, and a complicated plot that literally twists and turns to the very last page. For those attached to the UNACO operatives of the earlier novels in this series, the story is reasonably suspenseful and mildly entertaining.

McNeill has mastered MacLean's basic plotting mechanics but falls well short of MacLean's ironic and understated writing style, and his dialogue is often awkward. Serious fans of Alistair MacLean's work will find this a pale copy and are advised to stick to MacLean's original works.

Ummm, a correction to the review below written by 'A reader'. This book was never written by Alistair MacLean. It was written after his death in order to cash in on his name. Note how closely the "real author's" name is to Alistair MacLean's. A number of other non-MacLean books were distributed after his death under names similar to Mr. MacLean's or under the pretext of 'based on a storyline developed by Mr. MacLean' or 'based on a screenplay written by Alistair MacLean. In other words, after MacLean's death, they grabbed unfinished stuff (which he probably never wanted to publish anyway) and tried to squeeze out every buck they could...

Really one of Macleans less known books - but it follows the fast adventure pace which his earlier novels demonstrate. Straightforward characters with a strong bent for heroism and adventure, a fast moving plot with several double crosses, smooth and engrossing storyline with simple and elegant descriptions. Maclean was famous for books like Where Eagles Dare, and the Guns of Navarone which are full of hereoes doing relatively heroic tasks and facing impossible odds. This one fits the bill. A great light adventure read.