Customer Reviews

Chameleon

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

 

 

This is one of the few books I've read that I couldn't put down. William Diehl keeps the suspense going from page one to the end. His research here if fabulous. The twists weren't the least bit contrived and kept me guessing. Would make a terrific movie.

I find most of Diehl's entertaining and riveting. Chameleon is no exception. Diehl has a fascination with disguise techniques used by experts. In "The Hunt" aka "27", he uses the theme well. In "Primal Fear", he does not use physical changes through makeup and artifacts, but still bases the entire book on the deception of a brilliant, but evil man.

I found this book to be a good read and while not a classic, it was very entertaining.

I'm still struggling through this tedious novel, which does have its good points, but my impression so far has been: WHERE ARE THE EDITORS??? This book contains POV shifts in the middle of scenes, vague descriptions, redundancies and the author's terrible habit of using "and" 3-5 times in one sentence! The most annoying thing about the novel, however, is the way he introduces characters in disconnected scenes and gets us acquainted with them only to kill them off! Gets so I don't want to know them and I can't keep them straight. I will give him credit for his action and sex scenes. These are tight and well-written. He has done extensive research and his writing has an authentic ring to it, be it about explosives, arctic oil rigs or Italian race car drivers.

I had an idea for a novel with the title "Chameleon" and we I saw this one by Diehl I thought it could interest me. The author has done his homework judging by his detailed description of weapons used by assasins, ocean oil rigs, Japanese culture and political events from the Vietnam era. Yet the novel failed to amaze me because is nothing more than one detail description after another of either events or situations that happened before, and so, only true spy novel fans will be able to digest- without a stomachache- the plot and development in this novel. I believe that just like there are rules for writing, Mr. Diehl should realize that there are things that just don't work on paper like the scene where a briefcase with a hidden gun fires several rounds into a bad guy- we can't hear the shot, nor can we see the reaction of those in the room, and none of us knows how it sounds when a skull is hit by bullets-plus don't you think that the kidnappers would have seized the briefcase at the entrance?
Diehl goes into detailed explanations describing 2 characters only to have them die after a brief romantic encounter and we wonder why. I couldn't relate to anyone in this novel and some of the procedures that the spies/assassins used seemed from old movies, like when Spettro (Ghost) knocks in the door and asks the contact for a light and the ciggarette shows S.P.E.T.T.R.O. on it's side as he takes a puff. One would think that being in the spy/killer-for-hire business you'd know better than to open your door to a stranger and then stand so close to him.
The motives of some of the characters seem irrational and disorganized. Then the author goes on and on explaining the background of a former officer, and talks about things that happened so long ago that even Baby boomers will go "huh?". Unless you're a historian you won't know what his talking about. This style of writing probably was a hit back in the sixties but it sounds dated now. Less detail and more momentum would have saved this book.

My second favorite next to Thai Horse. My review on Thai Horse is shown on the posting.

after the first twenty pages, i kept reading this book because it had to get better. at the halfway point, i kept reading to punish myself for having purchased this trite book because of the well written synopsis. this book is a slow read; characters are never fully developed, plotlines are erratic, and the conclusion is only satisfying because it is the conclusion.