Customer Reviews

The Run (Will Lee)

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(15)
2 star:		(15)
1 star:		(20)

 

 

I felt compelled to write a review of The Run after reading several reviews of Worst Fears Realized where readers claimed that Mr. Woods was loosing it, and not writing as well as he has in the past.

I was fortunate enough to have gotten hold of a copy of The Run several weeks before its release to the public. (I have an issue with waiting.) For those that claim Mr. Woods is not writing up to par, you MUST read The Run. He is at his very best here, and I believe he is setting us up for something wonderful in the future!

In The Run, Mr. Woods uses characters from one story (Swimming to Catalina, Grass Roots) and incorporates them into another. Something is brewing and I can't wait to find out what it is! Thanks Mr.Woods, I had a blast!

I have read every one of S. Woods' books, but this one was my first big disappointment. It is obvious Mr. Woods wishes to promote his political agenda, which he has every right to do. But it so overshadowed everything else, that the story line was lost. If making all conservatives look like dishonest morons was his goal, he certainly succeeded in this book.

The story was predictable and certainly not his best, but my enjoyment was also very tainted by his unabashed promotion of the liberal viewpoint as the only intelligent, honest way to go.

Mr. Woods, many of your fans are conservative. Please don't slap us in the face with such one-sided, offensive, and actually untrue writing.

Sometimes, you just want to pick up a book for fun and lose yourself in it for a few hours. Stuart Woods's THE RUN is the perfect way to kill a few hours on the beach, on a plane, or on the back porch this summer.

To be sure, the plot is nothing spectacular, and for veteran readers of political thrillers, it definitely tends toward the predictable. But Woods does a nice job in keeping the story interesting and giving the reader a good narrative to follow, and it is pretty clear from the structure of the book that Woods has visions of another sequel (authors just LOVE to have their characters become president for some reason). To his credit, Woods does not make the mistake of other authors who have written sequels--having too many "in-jokes" or opaque references to previous events from earlier books. One does not have to read GRASS ROOTS first to enjoy the current offering. My one major complaint about the plot is that it takes several large leaps in time that seem to interrupt the flow of the story, but then Woods's books are not the 900 page epics produced by Clavell or Clancy.

Neither a classic nor a clunker, this book is worth reading, especially during an election year.

I've been a Stuart Woods fan since NEW YORK DEAD and SANTA FE RULES.

I believe THE RUN is his best effort yet. This story about an honorable man's run for the Presidency is dead to rights. Although Woods acknowledges help from a Deputy Press Secretary in Ted Kennedy's office, he must have had other sources within the beltway because he misses nothing.

I didn't finish this book in one sitting because I wanted it to last. I hope we Woods' fans will have the opportunity to read more about William Henry Lee IV, his terrific wife, Kate, and his sharp-as-tacks parents. His presidency should be interesting.

This is a winner.

Enjoy!

The Run is a fast paced thriller about an old Stuart Woods character from Grassroots, Will Lee. He's now a democratic senator from Georgia and making a run for the presidency. To make things a little more interesting, he's also being hunted down by a right-wing militia group assassin. The story is compelling, tight and very readable. It's obvious that Mr. Woods has done his homework on both the Washington scene and the primary and election process and these details add real credibility to the story. The climax and ending are predictable... there are no surprises in this novel, but the premise is good, the main characters well drawn and it all adds up to a very enjoyable read.

Stuart Woods is such a good story teller that he can even make a Goldwater Republican like me cheer for the very liberal Democrat Will Lee as he runs for President.

This is the third book featuring Will Lee, so his character is fully developed, and those surrounding him (family, friends and professional associates) are equally well defined. Of the three books I liked "Grassroots" the best.

In "The Run", those trying to prevent Will Lee from being elected come from within his own party, the Republicans and an ultra right wing paramilitary organization attempting to assassinate him. An unlikely ally resides in a maximum security prison for treason-like activities.

Mr. Woods' novels all move at a speedy pace and "The Run" is no exception. Some suspension of disbelief is necessary, but that does nothing to detract from the book's enjoyment. I guess that's why they call it fiction.

Will Lee is that rare politico with no skeletons that can lead to his downfall. But, you do get to experience the backroom deals, the ugly back stabbing of Washington politics and the D.C. intrigue.

"The Run" is a fun, quick and timely weekend read that is sure to keep you turning pages, caring for the characters and cheering for Will Lee.

My local library had this book on display because it is a political thriller during this political season. Don't let the description fool you. It is not a thriller. The story line is good, but I think Woods went to print prematurely. Some of the actions of the mafia nut will, frankly, make you laugh and say "yeah right!" This book was written pre-9/11, but even back then the secret service would not look the other way when bomb sniffing dogs hone in on a "chocolate cake." They are not going to miss massive explosives under a podium at the DNC and they certainly are not going to miss a sniper rifle hiding behind a heat vent.

The suspense doesn't exist in the book and even if it did there are too many unbelievables to make the book intriguing.

Stuart Woods has written some excellent books - Chiefs, Palindrome and many others - but this is not one of them. The title is "The Run : a Novel" but, in fact, this is not a novel; it is a political diatribe. If you think Cuba has a great form of government and love Fidel, Ted Kennedy and similar communists, you may enjoy this book. If, on the other hand, you think Thomas Jefferson got it right, Rush Limbaugh is a moderate and the Second Amendment means what it says then you should pass on this one.

This book tells the story of a senator from Georgis (a moderate Democrat) and his run for president. Of course "the run" for president is full of suspense and plenty of close calls. The story held my attention, but some parts of the book were highly unrealistic (including the political scenarios). This would be a good read for person who is interested in politics, who wants to read something light.

As it happens, I actually *was* driving across ND when I listened to this set of cassettes. It was entertaining enough to keep me from completely losing my mind across the relentlessly flat terrain, but this isn't precisely a stunning political thriller. There elements of suspense, and there were moments when I laughed out loud at a well-turned phrase or at a character's action; however, I wouldn't go out of my way to spend hours listening to this novel.

The story revolves around Will Lee's bid for the presidential nomination, and the political ups and downs that come with such an expensive, extravagant, exhausting endeavor. The characters do come to life fairly well, and the dialogue is better than a lot of authors'. Still, this is not a hugely satisfying story.

This was actually only the second book on tape I've ever listened to, so I may be a bit biased in my opinion of it - it took awhile to get used to being read to, rather than reading myself.

Overall, it's "ok."