Customer Reviews

Overfall

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Sam Wintripp, recently retired from a lucrative private investigation practice, is sailing with his dog near the Queen Charlotte Strait when he spots a woman in the distance, running on a narrow trail above the shore. Chased by those who mean her harm, she plummets into the cold and angry water below. Somewhat reluctantly, Sam is drawn into action (and out of retirement) rescuing a Ms. Anna Wade, who turns out to be an Oscar winning, $20 million per picture actress. More importantly, Anna has some information regarding her brother that his captors (and her pursuers) want very much to retrieve.

With this beginning, Dun launches into to a taut and well written thriller which is sure to please his growing base of fans. As with his prior two novels, there is a developing and believable romance between the primary players, Sam and Anna. But his latest novel is a bit more ambitious than the prior two -- broader in scope and ultimately more satisfying. Dun does a nice job with fairly complicated scientific elements and technical discriptions. As always, he avoids talking down to his readers, and puts his trust in their ability to keep up with the plot while following its scientific underpinnings. His characters are well developed, and he includes enough sub-plots to add interest and texture. Dun's writing in this latest effort is always good enough to draw the reader through the various plot twists, but at times it's even better than that, showing Dun's maturation as a thriller novelist.

Overfall is another fine effort from Mr. Dun. With this thinking person's thriller, Dun shows again that tight plotting and well developed characters is the key to success. As a reader, it's nice to have someone new to turn to as "the formula" for some of the old standbys is beginning to get a little old.

I was intrigued with this story right from the first few pages. It's a super sleuth story with a pretty good love angle and lots of action. Sam the hero is not your usual macho guy given the blend of back woodsy Native American mysticism woven into his character. It's a nice touch that take's him out of the crowd of action heros. In Overfall Sam is confronted with a number of brain altered people and sets about trying to discover the reason. He is hired by Anna, a celebrity, whose genius brother is suffering from an unknown ailment that soon takes on sinister overtones. Of course it turns out to be the tip of the iceberg and Sam ends up trying to unravel a far reaching plot while he tries to keep everybody important alive. Grady the ex-stripper is another unique and memorable character and Dun does a good job of bringing in another mind catching point of view.

Dun's formula is a little different than the norm and that helps. It's not the same old International conspiracy nor is it a typical who-done-it. The romance is great, well developed, as is the female character Anna. Sam is an expert in corporate espionage and terrorism and works free lance. Dun does this in a convincing way that seems novel although there are some parallel ideas floating around in other books. But it is fresh when Dun does it and he makes you believe that a guy might just have a business like Sam's. When we meet Sam he suffering from old wounds and is in semi-retirement. That part isn't original but the way Sam comes out of retirement is very well done. Although I haven't read his other books I understand that Dun is the master of the chase and he certainly proves it in this very fun thriller. I give it the highest rating because the total package really entertains.

This is Dun's third book, it obviously bears his signature action sequences that are, as usual, creative and spell binding. This is his best effort to date. Unlike his first two books the story moves around the world and the plot is a bit complex. The suspense is even better and the book is very compelling. Sam is an intriguing character with a fascinating profession. A self anointed bachelor, Sam is clever, sympathetic, and dashing but seems to suffer (or revel) in a sense of adventure and detachment where women are concerned. The bad guys in this book are really well done, there is more than one, and they create a great subplot. Sort of like those fighting fish that try to eat each-other. The book is driven by suspense and great characters and is a must read.

I loved Overfall because of the chemistry between Sam and Anna and the repartee as well as the fast moving plot. It was original, imaginative and kept me guessing all the way to the end. Anna as a celebrity was realistically portrayed and amazingly wasn't boring. Dun did a good job of making her touchable and of enabling the reader to see her life before she became famous. We could therefore be somewhat empathetic. It's hard to give highly successful people a touch of humanity and he succeeds. Sam is interesting because of his life style, his profession and his aloofness which makes Anna's conniving and plotting to romantically ensnare him a fascinating little sub-plot. The evil guys and gals are very well-done and a story unto themselves. All in all Dun has written a sophisticated entertaining thriller with just the right amount of everything for me.

Sam, the protagonist. is sort of a reluctant hero. He's retired. He doesn't want to enter the fray and prefers his adrenalin rushes in the form of adventuresome pass-times as opposed to shoot outs. But of course Anna, his love interest and client is sufficiently intriguing to cause him to leave retirement. Besides he's a good guy and can't leave a damsel in distress. Anna's brother Jason is a brilliant mathematician with a peculiar mental problem and he seems a mental hostage to the corporation that makes a fortune on his mathematical modeling. Grady is Jason's daughter, Anna's niece, and has defined herself in this world by taking up exotic dancing and does quite well at it but for a growing cocaine addiction. Attaining Grady's help with respect to her father is paramount in Sam's plan so his initial task is to motivate her in a new direction. Of course as soon as Sam begins to work his magic powerful forces are threatened and Sam and Anna play chicken with a deadly group while they try to save Jason and unlock the mystery that holds him hostage. It's a very fast paced thriller that held my attention throughout and I highly recommend it for those who like action reads. The characters are well done and the plot thoughtfully put together.

Sam Wintripp is a cool guy with an interesting way of solving high powered problems created by high flying criminals. He doesn't chase anybody but the best of the best and therefore we get the idea that he has to be the cleverest of the clever. This is a great mystery thriller although plenty wordy with lot's of action and a whole cast of bad guys who keep you guessing throughout. Dun gives the reader a myriad questions to puzzle over in this well crafted and somewhat unusual story. Dun loves the outdoor chase with man against nature and man against man and this book is no exception.

Another great book - I couldn't put it down. I thought it was wonderful the way Dun made Sam a Tilok descendent since I loved the Tilok proverbs in "Necessary Evil." If you like adventure and romance, you definitely should read this book. Five Stars!

I read this book in one sitting and it was as good as any in it's genre that I have recently come across. If you want somebody new that doesn't quite dish out the same old thing I would give Overfall a try. For the first fifty pages or so I wasn't quite sure what to think but then I really got hooked and couldn't put it down even when I was laughing a bit at some of the more outrageous plot twists. In all books of this genre you have to use a little imagination and you have to make sure you don't think to hard. This is a very good read for a brain dead afternoon.

This book is excellent reading, it is after completion that disappointment arrives. I enjoyed this, my first, Dun novel so much that I ordered his other books. However, in thinking about Overfall I came to realize that Sam was out-thought and out-planned, until the very end, by adversarys without access to the "big brain" computer. It seems more luck than anything that he was semi-triumphant. Certainly, he must have recruiting problems as his best skilled team members and friends fall in record numbers. Perhaps there should be greater reliance on "big brain" as the hero of the novel.

I am looking forward to reading the books I have ordered and will read the next "Sam of something" novel. "Sam" is a great creation and has potential to become a rival of Cussler's "Dirk".