Customer Reviews

Scimitar

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

 

 

I thought this book was barely worth more than the paper it was written on. The "world-famous author who is using a fake name" could have done so much more with it. There was an interesting twist where the main character (who can have any woman he wants, of course) accidentally sleeps with both a mother and a daughter. I thought he could have taken that and ran with it. The main character is killed far too abruptly. We never find out exactly why he hates America so much. I thought the information on Sarin was interesting, if scary, and I thought it was uncanny that the book was about Bush and terrorism and religion. All in all, very flat read, but I have to admit, I finished it. Realistically, though, Sonny had a brickish personality and probably couldn't get any woman, no matter how attractive. So unrealistic it was distracting.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book and expected it to be a dud since there are so few reviews. But I'm happy to say, I enjoyed the book (and I didn't waste my money purchasing it).

The book focuses on a planned terrorist act and the detective work that was geared towards stopping it. The story was told well and interestingly, and the characters were three dimensional. The "bad guy" was cold-blooded, but still had a human-side. In other words, he didn't kill everyone that crossed his path, and he had something of a "life" other than killing. The author gave just enough glimpses of that to contrast with what has to be a sick mind in order to passionlessly kill people.

The author threw in a few plot surprises which added to the suspense, and helped to paint a clearer picture of the terrorist. The dialog was appropriate and not boring, and the author's writing style is good. And to make things better, the audio book reader was very good and made the book even more enjoyable. This is a book I'd recommend.

Yet another book about a band of terrorists out to assassinate a political leader, in this case President George Bush. The rationale is somewhat slow to develop, and the plot seems to borrow heavily from the Day of the Jackal. The story is filled with action, converging characters, and possibly too many dead bodies for reasons that are never totally clear. The "trained assassin" seems a little too easily distracted by women he uses and casts aside, but this villain comes to a surprising end and the hero and heroine survive, although emotionally damaged. The secret leader of the terroists leaves many tracks leading in his direction, but gets away clean. Are these final events setting the reader up for a sequel?

I hesitated a long time, but since I knew it's Ed McBain/aka Evan Hunter who wrote this, I must say :one of his finest.
Exists in hardcover and audio cassettes; I advise them both.
Enjoy.
J.P.

Follow Sonny a professional political assassin and member of a secret terrorist group in his bid to murder the President of the U.S. The author did a commendable job in creating a charismatic and even likeable villain. Great page turner with lots of action although a bit Hollywood.