Customer Reviews

Hunting Down Amanda a

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

Andrew Klavan wins my 2001 annual award for "Most Heart-Stopping Opener." Lordy! A bucolic summer scene in quaint Hunnicutt, MA and then,

"A white-hot light spilled wide across the face of heaven ---as if the sky had been obliterated by a blinding stain."

A commercial aircraft has exploded in mid-air over the town center, and it is raining metal, fire and body parts. A little girl runs amid the falling debris to find her mother. Thus we are introduced to Amanda who is the epicenter of a desperate search by the government and a pharmaceutical company (all bad guys). Why? It seems Amanda is able to "sparkle" people, to use her words. She can heal by touch. This gift is neither occult nor spiritual, but the result of drug experimentation. The catch? Amanda is depleted by her "sparkling," and if overused, will die. Her street-smart mother has been on the run for a year. The rest of the novel is the chase by the bad guys and the obsession for the mother, Carol by haunted musician, Lonnie.

The characterizations are expertly done and highly believable. Each player is etched on your mind. This is the strongest part of the book. However, the plot becomes so fantastic, it is almost ludicrous. I can suspend belief for maybe three impossible escapes, but not ten or twenty. The pace is pounding, and the ending is poignant; but I had left any believability behind. Grade B-

I found this book delightful. Whether you are a Klavan fan (as I am) or simply a genre-shopper out for a great, fast read from an author you haven't read before, you should find something enjoyable in "Amanda." It sizzles along like the best thriller bestsellers, but it has the depth of character and plot that few summer potboilers ever achieve. Granted, like many thrillers it is necessary to suspend your disbelief occassionally, but one of Klavan's strengths is his ability to make you willingly suspend it. And maybe Klavan has written more seamlessly plotted novels in the past, but none as accessible. I strongly recommend it to anyone who loves Klavan's work, but also to fans of Thomas Harris, Jeffrey Deaver, early Dean Koontz or later Robert McCammon.

Five year old Amanda, has, by reason of a dose of chemicals, injected into her father before her birth, by a pharmaceutical company, the power to heal with a touch. This has made her the target of unscrupulous men who wish to sell her to the highest bidder, and have forced her mother Carol, an uneducated cocktail waitress, turned prostitute, to keep constantly on the run in an effort to outwit the baddies. Recently widowed saxophonist, Lonnie who is spiralling downwards in a haze of alcohol, literally bumps into Carol and saves her, at least temporarily, from the clutches of the crooks. They spend the night together, with Carol captivating Lonnie so much that he stalks her, putting himself in great danger from that moment on. After many adventures in which other innocent people are involved and ultimately killed, Carol, Lonnie and Amanda are helped to make a final run for freedom by a reformed crook, who sacrifices himself to save the child. I agree with other reviewers that it has the makings of a "made for cable" movie, but I found it to be an exciting read nevertheless!

Over the holidays, I read some of Andrew Klavan's more recent novels so I went back and tried some of his earlier books. I'm a little late to the party on this one but thought I'd throw in my two cents worth.

My rating may be a little generous; I'd rather give the book between three and four stars. But overall it is a very exciting and interesting read. Some critics have complained about the lack of originality and I can't argue. We'll all read it before - the child with abnormal powers, the villains from some high-tech facility chasing her, the unlikely heroes to team up to thwart the villains - it's been done. But the real key is how well it's done; as they say, there are only so many plots.

With that, Klavan has written a very fast-paced and absorbing story. The characterizations are deeper than are usually found in this type of novel and the plot zips along. His writing is sometimes poetic and you buy the premise. I don't want to oversell this book but I have certainly read far worse.

Klavan is a good writer and those who really want to see how far he's progressed might want to try some of his recent novels featuring the characters of Weiss and Bishop. I suspect that if is your first encounter with Klavan, you'll want to try others; the guy can tell a good story.

I ran across this in a ship's library near the end of the voyage so could not finish it. Bought a cheap copy and found the quality of the writing and the plot twists very enjoyable.

I have to confess I like Andrew Klavan's style of writing. It is fast paced, centralized to a few main characters, and there is always something interesting happening. That style is what made "True Crime" a masterpiece (in my opinion). This book comes close to duplicating that style with likeable characters who are constantly in and out of predicaments. The problems I had with the book had more to do with the believability of the characters choices. Many times I had to put away my common sense as plot points got more and more far fetched, including a villian with god-like powers. Yet, despite the problems that I had with the book, I still gave it 4 stars because it was impossible to put down and was a thoroughly enjoyable read. Just don't think about it too much.

Hunting Down Amanda is an electrifying page turner from the moment you lift the cover. The thrilling intrigue and suspense captivate your attention from the beginning and never allow you to lose your grip. The perils of Carol Dodson and Lonnie Blake will have you cheering for them as you turn each and every page. Complete with the evil villain Winter, Hunting Down Amanda is one book you will actually want to read over and over again. From the award winning author, Andrew Klavan, this is another one of his novels you would love to see on the "big screen" next to True Crime. I'm dying for a sequel.

I became an Andrew Klavan fan after reading True Crime. Hunting Down Amanda is another great book that keeps you guessing from beginning to end. Great story and characters. Klavan makes it very easy to get to know the characters. The opening chapter grabs you and refuses to let you go.

Hunting Down Amanda is a brilliant novel for its almost perfect coincidence of idea and story. The work is a modern retelling of the Orpheus and Eurydice story from Greek mythology (complete with a disgruntled Classics professor who retells the famous myth for those who might not otherwise know the story). At the same time, the level of suspense is maintained: will this modern story end tragically as the Greek myth does?

Eighteen months have passed since his beloved wife was murdered. Musician Lonnie Blake still mourns his loss as if it was yesterday. He no longer cares about living. His life hits rock bottom until he meets Carol Dodson, who pleads with him to take her into his apartment in order to keep her temporarily safe from a stalker. She pretends to be a prostitute and acts the role of Lonnie's deceased spouse for a night. However, when the night ends, she vanishes and Lonnie remembers the passion that Carol, not his wife, aroused in him.

Carol is not a hooker as Lonnie thought. Instead, she worries over her five year old daughter Amanda, who has special healing powers that a pharmaceutical firm wants to own at any cost, including murder. Carol and Lonnie soon join forces trying to keep a special little girl, one who can heal cancer and raise the dead, safe from villains who want to exploit her for profit.

Anyone who has not read Andrew Klavan (see THE UNCANNY) is missing the works of one of the top thriller writers in the last few years. Mr. Klavan's current novel, HUNTING DOWN AMANDA, is a great work that starts with a bang, never lets up, and closes with an incredible climax. The plot twists and turns in a plausible, action-packed manner. Carol and Lonnie are a soulful couple seeking atonement for alleged sins they believe they committed. Amanda is a delight who revels in her power, even as she cannot understand the fuss. Though much darker than the best selling TRUE CRIME, HUNTING DOWN AMANDA will send readers hunting down the classical works of Mr. Klavan.

Harriet Klausner