Customer Reviews

The Pact With Bruno: A Novel of Wealth, Family and Revenge

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The second of a four-part series, "The Pact With Bruno" is David O' Neal's novel of wealth, family and revenge. "Pact" continues the adventures of Doug Carlson from the first book, "What Goes Around," and the decisions that entrench him firmly in mob boss Bruno Sebastino's tight-knit family. O'Neal again illustrates how, when faced with the "no win" scenario, often the choice is simply survival. This story addresses the idea that cops can become immune to the very laws they represent. So hold on to your seats, breathe in . . . and hang on for a wild ride . . . as the saga continues . . .

The Pact With Bruno weaves a web of excitement, breathless anticipation, and heart-rendering emotion. The words followed one another in spell-binding anticipation, as I read page after page, chapter after chapter, until the very last word of the novel concluded the end of The Pact With Bruno.

I had high hopes for this little book. I currently read about 100 books a year (and particularly enjoy mafia/underworld stories) but this one lacked...well...just about everything. The plot, though largely well-conceived, was interrupted incessantly with meaningless flashbacks. Otherwise powerful scenes became limp with annoying character daydreaming. Not only was there an abundance of typos (probably publisher's error) but the strange use of italics and punctuation frequently distracted this reader. And pacing was irregular: the novel's sense of "time" varied from paragraph to paragraph; the story bumped along. But perhaps the biggest disappointment was the writing itself. I found no voice in the book. Instead, choppy phrases and trite descriptions ("Mama's tired eyes lingered and drank the shared love her men demonstrated for one another") left me searching for writing skills. So I wasted a little time. Big deal. I learn something every day.

David O'Neal has a unique way of taking a great character, Doug Carlson, and sending him on another, and even greater, adventure. Carlson is a more three-dimensional "Dirk Pitt," of Cussler fame, but just as gutsy and demonstrates that he can match wits with an array of very interesting characters. I can't wait until the next O'Neal book!

Reading for pleasure allows a person not to worry about facts, figures or other distracting information. All you need do is sink into the story and enjoy yourself. If it's a good one, time passes quickly. I started "The Pact With Bruno", remember noticing that I was on page fifteen, then in the blink of an eye, it seemed, I had finished the book. That's how good it is; better I think than the first Doug Carlson novel. David O'Neal still has the same sparse, smooth style but this second novel gives us a deeper insight into the motivations of his characters. A very good book.