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Customer Reviews

35 Reviews

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(5)

Average Customer Review

3.5 out of 5 stars (35 customer reviews)

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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Little People Fight Back, April 22, 2002

By

Untouchable (Sydney, NSW Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Devil's Workshop: A Novel (Mass Market Paperback)

Here is a great example of microbiological experimentation and the dangers of dealing with what is essentially a weapon in which no one really has total control. In this case, during the testing phase in which the virus is to be delivered to the test subjects via mosquitoes, some escape the test chamber, beginning a chain reaction of human devastation.

The saviour of the world comes in the form of two people who are seeking vengeance after their lives are touched by the creators of the new bio-weapon. The first is Stacey Richardson whose husband was a microbiologist working on a military installation. She wants answers after her husband is murdered but his body has been set up to look as though he committed suicide. The second is Cris Cunningham, an ex-marine and Gulf War hero who now carries a devastating virus thanks to an American-made bio-weapon used by the enemy. He's after vengeance, but is hampered by a serious drinking problem.

The action really takes off after a series of suspicious events in east Texas which lead Stacey and Cris to return to the scene of the disastrous test. In Cris' former life, he was a hobo, catching rides on passing freight trains and it's this means of transportation that they use as they chase a group of renegade killers who have gotten their hands on a batch of the deadly virus.

This is the classic underdog scenario where people who have been terribly wronged by those with power take matters into their own hands and fight back against the odds. Throw in a few off-beat characters and an unusual chase sequence and you've got a non-stop thriller that provides for very entertaining reading.

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is a must read!, March 4, 2004

By

Jacki (Littleton, CO USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Devil's Workshop (Audio Cassette)

The Devils Workshop is my all time favorite book. It ties together so many different subjects: science, love, action... It's so easy to get hooked on, I've read it at least ten times...and I'm still not bored of it. I would definitely recommend it for anyone who loves to get lost in the action and emotion of a great book.

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Thrilling Adventure Among Deadly Bioweapons, August 22, 2001

By

George Webster, Ph.D., (Orlando, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)

This review is from: The Devil's Workshop: A Novel (Mass Market Paperback)

After microbiologist Stacy Richardson gets shocking news that her scientist husband killed himself at Fort Detrick, she finds that he knew of illegal work being done there by the Military. Suspecting that he was murdered, she teams with former Marine officer Cris Cunningham to find that a secret lab at Detrick is producing deadly prions that target specific races. It is testing the prions on human prisoners. Admiral Zoll, in charge of the project, orders Stacy and Cris killed. But a complication arises when a white supremacist preacher sets out to steal the prions to use to wipe out minorities. All in all, it's a rousing thriller that will keep you turning pages.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars THE DEVILS WORKSHOP-
THE BOOK GRABS THE READER FROM THE FIRST PAGE, AND YOU DON'T WANT TO PUT IT DOWN UNTIL YOU HAVE FINISHED THE ENTIRE THING!

STEPHEN J CANNELL WILL BE SORELY MISSED! Read more

Published 12 months ago by BIG JIM

5.0 out of 5 stars Striking
This one has all the ingredients. Microbiology, inside train lingo,white supremacists and Hobos. What else could lead to such a intriquing story as this. Read more

Published on September 30, 2009 by David A. Spearman

5.0 out of 5 stars Divine Doomsday Fiction
Chris Cunningham is responsible for the death of his four year old daughter, he believes this because he was exposed to a biochemical during the Gulf War that causes tumors that... Read more

Published on December 18, 2008 by Tracy Oshima

4.0 out of 5 stars A great read
Even if you don't recognize Stephen J. Cannell's name, you probably know his work - his list of credits includes television shows as diverse as "The Rockford Files," "Hunter,"... Read more

Published on June 21, 2007 by Henry W. Wagner

5.0 out of 5 stars A colorful read likable characters
I like Cannell, he writes with a visual sense. Our knowledge of his characters develop along the way. Read more

Published on May 12, 2007 by Donna Shields

2.0 out of 5 stars A Whole Lot of Moving
As I finished this novel (it is a novel, it's part of the title) I was struck by how many times the author "moved" his characters. Read more

Published on October 13, 2003 by barbre

1.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing
I think Stephen J. Cannell is wonderful, however, this is a real "snoozer".

Published on June 7, 2003

2.0 out of 5 stars A fleshed out Screen Play
I'll admit I had trouble with this book. Stacy, the main character, is suddenly widowed when her husband's murder is labeled a suicide. Read more

Published on November 26, 2002 by Douglas De Bono - Author of No...

4.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining.
Cannell seems to take quite a beating from the critics on this one (see editorial reviews). It is certainly true that this is not great literature: the characters are somewhat... Read more

Published on December 20, 2001

1.0 out of 5 stars I never even finished this book
I have always accociated Stephen J Cannell with great story telling on TV in series like The Rockford Files and was therefore pleased to see him start to write novels. Read more

Published on August 4, 2001

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Inside This Book (learn more)
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First Sentence:
Wendell Kinney reached out and squeezed Stacy Richardson's hand for luck. Read the first page

Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
neurotransmitter lab, manifest train, white train, yard bull, mud races, tanker car, priority train, switching yard, gas tanker, carbon sheets, train riders, unit train

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Fort Detrick, Admiral Zoll, Vanishing Lake, Colonel Chittick, Fannon Kincaid, Troy Lee, Cris Cunningham, Hollywood Mike, Gulf War, Texas Madman, Randall Rader, Stacy Richardson, Wendell Kinney, Steam Train, Devil's Workshop, Major Flynn, Santa Monica, Buddy Brazil, Gary Iverson, Pale Horse Prion, Pullman Kid, Sylvester Swift, Ben Brook Bob, Charles Lack, Captain Zingo

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