The Shadow Box [Import] [Paperback]

John Maxim (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Piatkus Books (1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0749930713
• ISBN-13: 978-0749930714
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #7,958,185 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

John R. Maxim was born in Greenwich Village, NYC, educated at NY Jesuit Schools (Xavier and Fordham) played all the street sports and most team sports.
Comes from a family of cops and a few Feds. After school, took up flying, skydiving and dirt-track stock car racing until the Military decided it could do without him. Then went into marketing and advertising. Several awards. Rose to Senior VP at major New York Advertising agencies. Work involved a great deal of international travel. Major hobby back then was sailing.
Always wanted to write, however, and, one night on the bar car, decided to give it a year, succeed or fail. Sold first novel at age 41. Wrote 12 more plus one non-fiction, averaging a year and a half each. Translated into ten languages. Several were optioned for film or TV. Still waiting.
Took up skiing. Many trips to Switzerland and Colorado. With the kids gone, sold our Connecticut house and moved to Hilton Head Island with his beautiful wife, Christine, herself a champion sailor.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not His Best, But Still Better Than Average, July 24, 2000

By 

Jocelyn L. Smith "jessiegrrl" (Johnson City, TN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Shadow Box (Paperback)

As someone who has read and enjoyed "Mosaic" and "Time Out of Mind", I delved into "Shadow Box" with great anticipation. Alas for my expectations! Maxim seems to have been having a difficult time writing this novel. Most jarring of all are the "jumping tenses," by which I mean literally within the same sentence the verbs will change from present to past to future tense. Maybe this is some literary tool that's supposed to make the tale more suspenseful; I found it annoying. Also, some of the plot devices has the hero seemingly unusually thick-headed (I'm thinking, 'for Pete's sake, man, it's called a contact lense!') just so his heroine can be brilliant and explain the whole thing to him later.

That being said, the relationships between the characters are extremely convincing and well-developed, the motivations behind the bad guys' actions are mysterious and revealed masterfully, and I also especially enjoyed the character of Moon (he should have his own book!). Maxim's worst is still better than the majority of books written in his chosen genre.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Gripping, suspenseful and entertaining, July 12, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Shadow Box (Paperback)

I would strongly recommend this book to fans of suspense fiction. It is compelling, dramatic and features some very interesting character, including one of the best, most loathsome villains I've encountered in a while. I will definitely be on the lookout for more Maxim books after this one!

15 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is how Maxim reacts to those who dont like his books:, March 15, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Shadow Box (Paperback)

"John R. Maxim" wrote:

I know I shouldn't bother, but I'm having a slow day. So, let's see. What can I deduce about you?

You're mean-spirited dick head. That much is clear. You're negative, opinionated, self-important, a boor and probably a coward. Therefore, you're certainly unpopular, ridiculed by those who know you, and your sex life must be almost non-existant. You live a life that's devoid of grace, good manners, or any worthwhile accomplishment. The latter would explain why you feel the need to tear down what everyone else has praised.

How am I doing? No, don't tell me. If I see a reply, I'll delete it unread. I'd be willing to bet that almost everyone who knows you wishes that they had a button they could press that would make you shut up and go away.

JRM