Dark Light [Audio Cassette]

Randy Wayne White (Author), Henry Strozier (Narrator)

Product Details

• Audio Cassette
• Publisher: Recorded Books (2006)
• ISBN-10: 1419369156
• ISBN-13: 978-1419369155
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.5 x 2.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)

More About the Author

Randy Wayne White is the author of sixteen previous Doc Ford novels and four collections of nonfiction. He lives in an old house built on an Indian mound in Pineland, Florida.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hurricanes and Sunken Treasure, June 7, 2008

By 

J. E. Stephens "Jeanne" (Florida) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Dark Light (Doc Ford Novels) (Hardcover)

This tale had lots of things Florida is famous for like hurricanes and sunken treasure.

I live in Florida and this book brought back lots of memories of Hurricane Charley. RWW accurately describes dealing with the government and insurance companies after a hurricane.

I'd never thought much about WWII and the possibility of shipwrecks from the era. This book kept my interest with its interesting plot.

The bad guy, Bern Heller, was so evil I had to take breaks after reading about him. I read on RWW's website, [...], that he will be in his newest novel.

Doc Ford fans and all people who love Florida will enjoy this book.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Doc Ford mystery in a while, April 24, 2006

By 

doc peterson (Portland, Oregon USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Dark Light (Doc Ford Novels) (Hardcover)

Wow - I was surprised at the negative reactions from some reviewers, but I understand where they are coming from. In _Dark Light_ White takes readers in another direction than from the previous 2 or 3 installments of his series. However I found the change refreshing and much more reminiscent of the earlier books in the series.

Rather than concentrating on Doc's dark, violent past or the looming conflict between his former covert life and his friendship with aging hippie Tomlinson, _Dark Light_ focuses on lost treasure... a metaphor not only for the diamond encrusted Nazi death's head found in a wreck after a hurricane, but also for the development and changes to the Florida the author loves so dearly.

White does a tremendous job of weaving a story of sunken Nazi treasure, devious entrepeneurs and hints at a ghost story with the the familiar characters from Dinkin's Bay. For readers not familiar with the series, _Dark Light_ wouldn't be my recommendation to be introduced to the characters - but I do strongly recommend it, even over the last few books written in the series.

17 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Worst Doc Ford book ever!, April 16, 2006

By 

Sarah C. Truax "young at heart" (Bellevue, NE) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dark Light (Doc Ford Novels) (Hardcover)

I have read nearly all of the Doc Ford novels, the only exceptions being North of Havanna and The Mangrove Coast.

"Dark Light" takes place in the aftermath of a devastating hurricane. And it is so bad that I wondered if Mr. White hired a ghost writer to help him meet his deadline during the aftermath of the real-life hurricane.

There seems to be no real dominant plot, in fact, the book seems to jump wildly from idea to event to extremely vague flashback so often that it makes very little sense at all.

The Doc/Tomlinson death contract issue that ended Tampa Burn, and cropped back up in Dead of Night with a seemingly grudging resolution, is back on the table.

In a number of very vague and confusing flashbacks during Dark Light, one is led to believe that Doc did "something" before the hurricane hit that got Tomlinson's neck off the chopping block. What that "something" exactly was, and whether or not it is a final solution is never discussed.

The book delves so heavily into supernatural mumbo jumbo, most of which Doc is the focus, that you will find yourself wondering, Which one of you is Tomlinson again?

The ending makes very little sense, and leaves many bizarre unanswered questions.

The tertiary characters dominate the story, and are poorly written to the point of being charicatures. Also, the hurricane-related destruction of Dinkins Bay and deaths/tragedies involving long time residents are heartbreaking. There are also a number of distressing continuity errors. Tomlinsons former lover, and mother of their daughter is referred to as his "ex-wife" despite the fact that they were never married.

Tucker Gattrel's long time residence, and Sally Carmel's hometown of Mango FL is referred to as "Coconut," and there are more typographical errors than I can count.

Sorry to all the die-hard fans out there, but it seems that Mr. White has grown tired of Doc and Dinkin's Bay. It would not surprise me if this is the last Doc Ford novel. However, if there is another, I expect it to contain:

1. The murder of Tomlinson

2. The subsequent berserker rage on Doc's part, and

3. The borderline-criminal destruction of one of the finest crime series I have ever read.

I only hope that if Mr. White continues to make such a half-hearted effort, that he will let the series die with the dignity that it deserves.

By the time I finished "Dark Light," I was so disappointed that I was near tears. If I could "unread" it, I would. I wish that I could give it 0 stars, but Amazon makes you give at least one.