Customer Reviews

The Empress File

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I love John Sandford's Prey-series, and thought I would also check out the Kidd-series. The Empress File is the second in this series, but the first one I've read.

The computer-expert/artist/con-man Kidd receives a call late at night from his online friend Bobby, asking him to go to the town of Longstreet, where a black kid has been shot by the cops. The town is covering up this shooting, as it was the wrong boy who got shot.

The town's underground hard-core black politicians are mad, about the killing of the black boy which is just the latest thing in a row of injustices, redneck racism and corruption in this small Southern town.
Kidd is asked to help developing a scheme, making the current city council fall. His on and off lover, the burglar LuEllen, is brought in as his sidekick, and the story takes off.
There were some intrigues in this story concerning political stuff and computer technicalities that I couldn't quite figure out, but the story moves quickly along, and it is overall a fast and easy read. Some of the rednecks and their methods stand out as particular bad, and the freaky new-age mayor is also a good character.
Though I am not rating this story a 5 star read, I am sure I will read the other Kidd-novels by John Sandford.

Kidd, master computer hacker, and LuEllen, master burglar are hired by a local action committee to discredit the mayor of a small Mississippi town. The mayor is corrupt, along with the group of selectmen who govern with her and the honest people in town want to take their town back. Kidd and LuEllen swing into action but things go wrong and two of the honest folk are murdered. And then Kidd himself is captured. Will he die in the dreaded vacuum chamber or will LuEllen be able to rescue him before it's too late.

The Kidd and LuEllen novels were originally written by John Sandford under his own name, John Camp, and as such pre-date his more successful "Prey" novels. The Kidd novels are just as good if you can overlook the outdated computer technology Kidd uses (that was cutting edge when the novels were written). The writing is great, characterization is right on and the dialog sparkles. As others have suggested read "The Fools Run" first to get a little background on both Kidd and LuEllen. I'd recommend this book.

This author is very talented. Kidd and LuEllen are back in the saddle again (read The Fool's Run first). The plot was well thought out and consistent. The action keeps drawing the reader along. Hopefully, there will be more of this series (can two books make a series?). More of a con game than a mystery thriller, this book and the Fool's Run are just as good as the Prey series. Encore.

If you like computer mysteries, this book is for you. It's amazing the things that these two characters, Kidd and LuEllen, go through just to hack a computer. John Sandford demonstrates in his "Prey" series that he's a good suspense writer. In this book and the previous one in the series, The Fool's Run, he also shows he has a great sense of humor. Thanks for a fast, fun and intelligent read

This is the second novel starring Kidd, a computer whiz and painter and his partner in crime LuEllen, a professional burglar. After taking down a defense corporation through computer hacking in the first novel(The Fool's Run), Kidd was asked to help bring down the corrupt government of Longstreet, a small town located south of Memphis. The town's political machine consisted of the mayor, a few councilmen, and a dogcatcher who is the town bully. The town was also divided among its white and black residents. The current town government was ruled by whites (with only 1 black councilman) even though blacks were the majority. The mayor and her gang accepted bribes and stole money from the city at every chance they got. Kidd agreed to help the few black members who want to overthrow the government both as a favor to a friend and a good opportunity to steal the illegal cash the political machine members had stashed away.

With LuEllen's help, Kidd concocted a con scheme to topple the current town government and appoint new members to the council. As the plan is executed, something terrible happens. Several murders took place. Kidd and LuEllen is faced with possible danger as the mayor and her gang gets more desperate...

Overall, I like this book better than the first one because there is less computer terms therefore no confusing dialogue since the con scheme relies more on lying and planning than computers. The con scheme is fun to read about, almost brilliant. The relationship between Kidd and LuEllen gets more interesting as Kidd's feelings are brought more to the surface. Even though they enjoy an open relationship (each had other lovers), it's clear that they are devoted to each other more or less. Kidd on several instances in this book declares his love for LuEllen. However, I think it will be some time, if ever, before this couple is willing to acknowledge their feelings and settle down with each other. Hope the author doesn't disappoint us and fully develops their storyline in later novels.

This page-turner is another chapter of Kidd and LuEllen. Reading this is like eating popcorn. Can't stop, goes fast, instant gratification. What more can you ask for? Bring on the next installment.

Sanford has written another in his laudable Kidd series. Taut writing, complex characters, and fast moving plotting provide high quality entertainment with a thoughtful edge. Each in the series of four unveils new aspects of Kidd, the artist who has some unusual and lucrative, if less than legal, skills. With LuEllen, his new twist on a sidekick and Bobby, who we never quite get to see as he guides them via computer, the plots twist and wind to satisfying conclusions. Read them all, and try to read them in order to enjoy the full effect.

Sandford novels are great, since they keep you guessing, and I like the way he tells his stories. Maybe it's because he is from Minneapolis, and so am I. Any how, he keeps you guessing, and the twists and turns are always good, but the novels are generally always realistic, which I prefer, rather than the far-fetched sci-fi stuff. This is one of his older novels, so some of the "technology" in the book is now outdated, but I find that somewhat amusing, and it certainly shows how fast this computer age has travelled in such a short period of time. Great books for the business traveler who spends a lot of time on planes.

Wilmon Benson IV
Edina, MN

As I read John Sandford's THE EMPRESS FILE, I was amazed how how well the book withstood the test of time. It was written in 1991 and Kidd, the main character, is a computer whiz (among other things). Just like Sandford's first Prey book, his writing has been great from day one. That's why you should definitely check out this book if you haven't read it yet. Even though the techology is twenty years old, you won't get bogged down in the computer stuff. Sandford keeps it simple, and background to the main story.

Kidd's hacker friend Bobby has friends that live in Longstreet, a town along the Mississippi River and as corrupt as can be. When the cops kill an innocent 14 year old boy, Bobby's friends Marvel and John reach out to Bobby. Bobby contacts Kidd. The goal is simple. Remove the corrupt city counsel and replace it with decent people. Oh, and give Kidd and Luellen free reign to take as much money as possible.

We don't get as much of a glimpse into the evil villains as Prey books, but this is stilll a quick, fun read, and evidence that Sandford has always been one of the best.

Some printings of this book list the author as John Camp; others as John Sandford. Either way, it's a Kidd and LuEllen adventure. Don't be put off by the author names.