Customer Reviews

Out of Order

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

 

 

after reading l.j. roberts' review of charles benoit's new book "out of order", i was wondering if l.j. and i had read the same book. i thought that "out of order" was of the same high caliber of writing as was "relative danger". i doubt very seriously that many readers, if any at all, would guess that an item that is not a usual part of a something so traditional to the culture of india could contain the "magic" of the real deal. one of the obvious pitfalls charles benoit will have to avoid if he keeps to his great theme of putting innocents abroad into intriguing scenarios will be becoming too formulaic in his storylines. hopefully, his creativity to weave a tale and the wealth of overseas' locales will prevent that from ever happening. critics should keep in mind the immortal words of napoleon; "glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever". charles benoit shouldn't worry about that because thanks to the likes of characters such as douglas pearce and jason talley, his true talent is anything but obscure.

I liked this book a lot. It has interesting characters including a very strong-willed young woman (beautiful too, aren't they all?) and most of the story takes place in India. The author has spiced up the narrative with adventures and descriptions of what it is like in that country in places including Delhi, Jaipur, Mumbai. There are twists and suspenseful episodes throughout. Having been to India twice, I enjoyed remembering how it was. I found it hard to put down.

I think this book's terrific! As with "Relative Danger," Benoit gives us plausible characters, mind-enhancing descriptors and a plot that keeps us guessing 'til the last page. His attention to detail creates such an authentic setting that we're planted right in the center of the action. It's refreshing to find an author who depicts past and present India without romanticism or condescension. Can't wait to see where Benoit takes us next!

Though they see life differently and only know each other less than a year, loan processor Jason Talley and married couple Sriram and Vidya Sundaram have become friends. Sriram asks Jason to hide a red sari he is bringing as a present to his mother when he visits her in India; he has not told his beloved wife yet that he plans to return home without her for a few days. The next day Jason returns to their apartment complex in Corning, New York to find his two friends dead in what the cops believe was a suicide murder. On the spur of the moment, Jason decides to deliver the sari to Sriram's mother; he sends an email to all those on Sriram's list telling them he comes to pay homage.

Jason flies to India where he finds everyone else on the tour a geriatric except for Canadian Rachel Moore who won the trip with a lottery ticket. She bullies the reluctant Jason into leaving the formal tour to ride the trains to see the real India though she insists they skip the Taj Mahal. As they journey together, Sriram's former India computer associates and his American based employer want the sari that they believe contains a "magical" program stitched on it.

OUT OF ORDER is a fabulous thriller starring an individual whose entire life has been planned to the nanosecond until he goes to India. Suddenly, the sane, safe, and secure lifestyle that Jason has lived for twenty-seven years vanishes especially when he meets the spontaneous Rachel. Fans will appreciate the beleaguered Jason struggling to determine friend from foe and the RELATIVE DANGER of each as everyone except Rachel seems to have an agenda involving the sari.

Harriet Klausner

Another schmoe from upstate New York takes on an improbable quest to perform a last favor for a murdered friend. The journey carries him to India, where he finds intrigue, romance, and comedy.

How can you not like a hero who is willing to dance and sing "Jingle Bells" in front of the Indian police to save the girl he loves?

The Internet plays a huge role, shrinking the world and revealing secrets in more ways than one. The protagonists find, however, that the world is still a pretty big place when you're crossing it by rail.

This book was exotic, exciting, and just plain fun!

A talented author makes a story interesting. Personal knowledge by the author makes the story believable. Benoit makes the story real. The only time that I put the book, "Out of Order," down was to get up and take some Dramamine during the train scene.

I loved "Relative Danger," and I enjoyed "Out of Order" just as much. The characters, especially the protagonist, are nicely drawn. The Indian setting is perfect. And the fast-paced plot and wonderful humor add up to a fantastic adventure romp. If you are looking for a well-written book with a sense of fun and place, this book is for you. I'm already looking forward to Charles Benoit's third book.

The author has discovered a recipe for success. He takes a twenty-something man in a small rustbelt city, in this case Corning NY, and puts him in an adventure in a foreign locale, in this case India. The hero is nice enough but admits he is already in a rut with his life even though he is not yet 30. That all changes when he finds himself in the middle of an industrial espionage adventure in India. The story is fine but the co-star is truly the subcontinent. The hero goes from a comfortable guided tour to backpacking on a budget thanks to the desire of a pretty, train loving girl bored with the canned tour for seniors. Then the author gets to display a keen knack for discribing the passing scene. I thought his narrative was riveting. It reminded me of Paul Theroux. So the reader gets a good yarn in a facinating setting, a 2 for 1. The female lead even gets "Delhi Belly" from the food and water which is certainly true to life.

I picked this mystery up for a discount at Half-Price books because it was partially set in India, which I had visited the year before. It turned out way better than my expectations. A young man lacking focus impulsively signs up for a trip to India after two of his best friends, an Indian couple, are found dead. The police label it a murder-suicide, but Jason has his doubts. Trying to deliver the sari his friend Sriram entrusted to him the night before he died, Jason will be attacked by a knife-wielding fanatic, questioned by police, entertained by movie stars, and intrigued by a very quirky American girl. A little slow at first but disciplined and gripping once it gets going. Laugh-out-very-loud funny in several places, with wonderful characters and a "fair" solution to the mystery - meaning, the clues were all clearly presented for the reader to solve. Recommended.

I had great fun reading this book, although I haven't been to India I have known and have many friends from he sub-continent. Charles Benoit has caught the flavor of the language with a deadly accurate ear. I could hear my friends say the lines with the odd lilt that is the Hindi voice. The scenes in India dealing with officialdom are just perefect. The need to do things by the book even if it makes no sense.

Jason the hero wanders through this adventure bewildered by everything especially his new girl friend Rachel who is an original free spirit. If you want fun and have a good read this book is for you.