Customer Reviews

A Knife Edge (Vin Cooper)

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

 

 

I had planned on giving this 5 stars, I WAS LOVING IT SO MUCH !, until page 312 when it started its descent, then totaly crashed and burned on page 363.

Up until then tho the book was stellar. The sharpest and funniest military thriller I've read in many years, maybe ever. I was laughing and grinning the whole way, until 312 that is.

I still highly recommend the book, *ONLY* be forwarded that you will be extrememly disappointed from pg. 312 on out to the end.
When I read pg. 363 I almost cried. I was so pissed off I couldn't fall to sleep!

How can an author, after putting all that effort into a book, turn right around and KILL it, I'll never know. But we've all seen it happen time and time again.
What is it? Do they lose interest? Suddenly don't give a hoot?

Before pg. 312 my only complaint was the front cover. And the title for my review was to be 'Don't judge this book by its cover'.
What a god awful cover. In fact if I hadn't seen the Kirkus Review blurp on the back I would of returned it to the library self.

I'll try another of his books. Maybe this one was a slip.

As the recovery ship Natusima waited, the Shinkai underwater research vessel is as deep any human had ever gone while exploring a Pacific trench off Japan. Dr. Hideo Tanaka and Professor Sean Boyle discover a frightening bacterium that each fear could devastate the planet. Soon afterward Tanaka is dead a victim of a shark attack.

Air Force Special Investigations Vincent Cooper is now assigned to the Department of Defense on DC. His on and off relationship with Anna Masters is off again as she feels he takes nothing serious; even when they worked together on THE DEATH TRUST case. However, he quickly found solace with a terific heated tryst with his superior officer, Lieutenant Colonel Clare Selwyn. The brass sends Vin to Japan to investigate the "accidental" death of the scientist. Before he finishes his Tanaka inquiry, as only the military could do he is assigned to investigate the parachute jump death of Master Sergeant Ruben "Wrong Way" Wright who became road kill in Florida; they served together in Afghanistan.

The frustrated Masters explains why the Vin Cooper CID procedurals are so much fun; he takes nothing serious as he quips and jokes even when facing deadly adversaries. In reality, Vin does believe his inquiries are usually important and tries to resolve them, but also feels strongly one can work diligently and hard, but have fun doing so. Fans will enjoy his antics in Japan, Florida and especially DC.

Harriet Klausner

This is Rollins second book. The first was great and this is also good. If you enjoy action reads, get this book. I must say, though, that if I had to choose between the two books, the first book would be ranked above this one. Its action, sarcastic humor, and plot were better. At some points, the Knife Edge story simply becomes too much--too many action scenes and serendiptious moments that taken together became unbelievable.

Book #2 in the Vin Cooper series. Definitely not as good as the first, but all in all entertaining. There were a few to many far fetched situations for this reader. David Rollins has a gift to tell a story and I will continue to read the Vin Cooper series, I'm hoping the next installment is a bit more believable. Read the book to keep up with the series, but don't expect to much from this one.

Please read my review of Rollins's Ghost Watch, which is the best thriller I've ever read. Knife Edge is almost as good and "edgy" -- fabulous stuff!

I listened to this on CD. I have never felt the need to leave a review before but this book was close to awful. There are too many divergent story lines that just don't make sense. The protagonist is a military investigator who gets assigned then pulled off two different investigations, then dispatched on a black ops mission. Really?? come on! The end of the book arrives and the author hasn't tied everything together so he spends the last chapters just telling you how it is all supposed to fit. Honestly, if he had left out the gratuitous sex and "love interest" story line, he would have had the words to spare to tell a coherent story.

An absolutely heart-pounding thriller ... The Suspense and drama of A Knife Edge will keep the fingers turning pages until well into the night.

Exciting ... readers will cheer as the wisecracking Vin Cooper refuses to give up in perilous situations that would have discouraged if not killed your average thriller hero.
Air Force Special Investigations Vincent Cooper is now assigned to the Department of Defense on DC. His on and off relationship with Anna Masters is off again as she feels he takes nothing serious; even when they worked together on THE DEATH TRUST case. However, he quickly found solace with a terific heated tryst with his superior officer, Lieutenant Colonel Clare Selwyn. The brass sends Vin to Japan to investigate the "accidental" death of the scientist. Before he finishes his Tanaka inquiry, as only the military could do he is assigned to investigate the parachute jump death of Master Sergeant Ruben "Wrong Way" Wright who became road kill in Florida; they served together in Afghanistan.

The frustrated Masters explains why the Vin Cooper CID procedurals are so much fun; he takes nothing serious as he quips and jokes even when facing deadly adversaries. In reality, Vin does believe his inquiries are usually important and tries to resolve them, but also feels strongly one can work diligently and hard, but have fun doing so. Fans will enjoy his antics in Japan, Florida and especially DC.
This is Rollins second book. The first was great and this is also good. If you enjoy action reads, get this book. I must say, though, that if I had to choose between the two books, the first book would be ranked above this one. Its action, sarcastic humor, and plot were better. At some points, the Knife Edge story simply becomes too much, too many action scenes and serendipitous moments that taken together became unbelievable.
Mr. Rollins, go ahead your book soon becomes a wonderful Movie, I promisse.

Please, take me advice, read this book, simply unforgetable.
Eternally yours
Fabián

A deep-sea scientist is eaten by a shark and skydiving accident of a former Combat Controller buddy have to be solved by Vin Cooper.

These two relatively independent events are found by Vin Cooper to have a connection with global implications.

David Rollins has in this second book further developed the character of the sarcastic but effective Special Investigator Vin Cooper.

This is an action packed tale mingled with the in your face personality of the protagonist. The story is fast paced with many twists and turns. Thoroughly enjoyed the book and did not want it to end.

The high point of the story is the HALO jump. A little hard to believe but stranger actual events have happened in skydiving.

I found it a good follow up to his first book "The Death Trust". Unlike some follow-ups the second is as good as the first and look forward to the further adventures of Investigator Cooper.

Author draws out to many insignificant elements. Most of time he is doing this just to set up something humorous. Some times it works. The author also likes to tease the reader by holding information.