Customer Reviews

The Malagasy Tortoise

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Author Jim Halon has managed to create characters that enabled this reader to feel she knows them personally. A very well crafted story with laugh out loud writing. The humor the author displays throughout is refreshing and uplifting.

Halon has a wonderful ability to place the reader "there"...with exceptional description, one feels like they're partaking of the adventure right along with Morgan. The fresh prose delights throughout the story. "My steak disappeared so fast that David Copperfield, the infamous illusionist, would have been awestruck, and demanding that I eat another so he could pick up on my trick."

I was gravely mistaken when I initally thought this was a "man's" adventure story. Halon has combined adventure with a hefty amount of humor and romance. This reader was quite impressed with his choice of female characters...strong-willed, intelligent, competent, attractive and independent. Don't expect a damsel in distress in this novel. Halon's female characters makes this particular female reader exceptionally impressed with what he created. All of them, including Morgan himself, are realistic and believable. I sincerely give this novel a five star rating, only because six wasn't available. Order a copy, curl up in a comfortable spot and prepare to be highly entertained! This author has great promise and I look forward to the sequel.

The Malagasy Tortoise was a thriller from the word go, kind of a Tom Clancy meets James Bond, only much better. This is one of those books a friend will borrow and you'll never get it back. And unlike all the ridiculous 007 books and movies, The Malagasy Tortoise was believable, as well as articulate and extremely well-written. James Halon, the author, has a diverse background, including military service, which is obvious in writing. A great read for anyone, though I found it particularly interesting since I live in the DC area, where a lot of the action takes place. Thank you Jim Halon for a great escape. It's been a long time since I've enjoyed a novel this much.

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From the frozen Alaskan tundra to the bowles of a Russian prison, Jim Morgan seeks true love as cheif engineer on a scientific expedition into the heart of Madagascar in search of a rare tortoise purported to possess great powers. Eunice (Jim's ex-fiancé whom he had cheated on with a stripper) organizes the trek and sends him out with an open checkbook and a beautiful CIA agent named Sophie. (Lucky guy) Some say Jim Morgan is a womanizer, a wantabe James Bond. I think he's a kid in a candy store with a pocket full of change and not a clue about what he wants. He professes his love for Eunice and sleeps with Sophie all the while lusting for provocative English agent Tina Johnson. Then in a cruel twist of fate, Eunice shows up in Madagascar and Jim sleeps with Eunice while Sophie waits in the wings. Reminds me of the song "Did you ever have to make up your mind? Take up with one and leave the other behind." I wonder how many men have fantasized about having Jim Morgan's prowess with the ladies.

The bad guy/gal, Russian spy Margolova, leaves dead men everywhere she goes. Her sights are set on the Malagasy tortoise and Jim Morgan's body. I couldn't put this book down, mainly because I wanted to see how far James Halon would push Jim Morgan before he collapsed from sexual frustration. I needed to know who Jim Morgan would choose in the end...and who would finally possess the Malagasy Tortoise. Read the book to discover the stunning conclusion.

James Halon has done an excellent job of mixing elements of intrigue, action packed adventure, and infatuation.Jim Morgan, like so many men, is carnially motivated by love - or lust (I'm not sure he knows the difference). His motto seems to be love the one your with. His overactive libido leads him into one disastrous scenario after another.
On his quest to find the rare Malagasy Tortoise in Madagascar, he finds himself torn between his recently reunited love, Eunice and the young, sultry, CIA agent, Sophie. Perhaps, the mysterious Tina Johnson would be a good distraction from this dilemma. What is a man capable accomplishing in the name of love? Jim Morgan, an engineer by trade, finds himself smack in the middle of a CIA covert operation. Car crashes, burning buildings, Russian prisons, is any woman worth the tortures he finds himself enduring?
This book is a great read for any audience. It's difficult to find characters portrayed so honestly. James Bond, he's not. Jim Morgan tries to be just as suave and sophisticated with the ladies. Instead, his charismatic wit and humor seem to be his strong point. In the end, like Bond, Morgan finds his share of love / lust.
This reader can't wait for the next, Jim Morgan Adventure!

I could not put this book down. The Malagasy Tortoise is on my Christmas list for sure. This is a great book, full of wit, suspense and romance (and very tastefully done, may I add?). I loved all the characters, even the bad guys; each one has their own unique personality. Jim Morgan is a hoot. He reminds me of a James Bond wannabe who can't seem to quite get it all together. I laughed, I cried a little and I even dreamed. It is funny one minute and serious the next. I recommend this book to all men and women over the age of 18.

If James Bond was an Engineer and wore sweatshirts instead of tuxedos his name would be Jim Morgan... Well, maybe not. Morgan is a refreshingly unique character unlike the typical male protagonist. James Halon has conjured many wonderful characters in this book that take the reader on a bizarre quest for a rare tortoise. A quest that reveals multiple lovers, deadly spies and plenty to laugh at along the way. I look forward to Jim's next adventure and future dreams.

James Halon takes the spy thriller to a whole new level with his novel The Malagasy Tortoise. Engineer Jim Morgan has a knack for being in the wrong place at the wrong time and making the most of it. Fancy clothes, secret weapons, Bond girls, Morgan doesn't need them (well almost!)as he battles the forces of evil. Humor, witty dialogue, brilliant description, and imaginative situations keep this fast paced book clicking along.

James Halon will tickle your adventure-bone with this novel! His characters have an incredible depth to them, and the premise of his story is unique and fast-paced. Halon's main character Jim Morgan has wit, intrigue and sex-appeal. Morgan is today's James Bond without all the gadgets and far-fetched scenarios. See what happens when a Field Engineer is thrown into a life of spys, danger, and romance! Even Halon's 'bad guy' has been done originally and is a refreshing departure from the norm. I recommend this book to anyone who loves adventure with a twist of romance!! For Halon fans, be sure to check out his collection of poetry entitled "Poetry" by James Halon, too! You will glad that you did! This author is extremely versatile and has a firm grip on how to entertain a reader!

From the first page to the last, "The Malagasy Tortoise," a Jim Morgan Adventure, by Author James Halon is a thrilling, non-stop, action-packed novel.

The main character, Jim Morgan, is irresistible, with a playful side - an enticing combination. There is an undercurrent of sexuality without being blatant, which comes across as romantic. I think this book will appeal to women as well as men.

James Halon has written a creative book, filled with imagery, vivacity and humor. "The Malagasy Tortoise" is a must read, and will leave you breathlessly awaiting the sequel.

The story is interesting and it kept my attention, but the punctuation use and grammar were so bad that they really detracted from the quality of the novel. Quotations marks were used gratuitously and frequently; possessive words were punctuated incorrectly; there were frequent sentence fragments. There were also spelling and factual errors that a good editor would have caught (for example, the blue and gold Purdue pennant, when Purdue's colors are black and gold - since he studied there, I assume it's a typo, but an annoying one given the extent of the Purdue mentions). While errors like this don't mean the story isn't interesting, they do wear down the reader and make the book less enjoyable. This reflects the problem with self-publication quite well.

The dream sequences also got a little old, and the ending was kind of a let down in terms of content.