Customer Reviews

The Tower

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Well written, well paced and well delivered, The Tower succeeds in being an above average thriller but there's little to differentiate it from the hundreds of other novels in the genre that saturate book store shelves. Hurwitz seems to go out of his way to avoid using those elements that might distinguish The Tower.

With Jade Marlow, Hurwitz creates a hero who's difficult (at best) to like. But at the same time we see his personal motivation, revealed through dreams and flashbacks, so his attitude is, for the most part, excusable. Plus, he gets the job done. But while the references to Jade's past help the reader understand what's driving him, they really don't add to the story and I was left wondering why they were included at all. Unfortunately, Hurwitz doesn't take full advantage of either character in the novel that seems to be able to stand Marlow - his best friend or the FBI agent with whom he only briefly begins an affair (yet another unresolved element of the plot).

The tower itself is perhaps the most under-utilized creation in this novel. It was an intriguing creation, although from a legal point of view I'd have a hard time seeing such a thing ever getting built - I think the whole `cruel and unusual' civil rights arguments would stop a project like this from getting any further than the drawing board but the tower and its residents were a relatively minor part of the entire novel.

The psychological and profiling aspects of the novel were interesting and displayed that Hurwitz had clearly done his research. While The Tower had a lot going for it, it had little to differentiate it from every other thriller on the market.

This book is a thriller set in a maximum security prison in the San Francisco Bay Area, ala Alcatraz-style! The story follows not only the serial killer but also the detective determined to bring him to justice. You actually find yourself deep in the mind of the killer and the detective, seeing the situation from each perspective. I found myself completely absorbed in the characters as they made up the larger plot. The descriptions of the prison and surrounding area were so vivid and spell-binding, I felt like I was actually in "The Tower." I usually will only purchase paperbacks, but this book is well worth buying the hardback with its beautiful silver and red cover. To sum up this short review, I bought this book and read it cover to cover in 4 days because I literally couldn't put it down!

What an impressive debut from first time author, Gregg Hurwitz. He takes us on a psychological thrill ride as we follow Allander Atlasia's escape from the Tower and his chase by ex FBI agent Jade Marlow. The book is filled with an excellent combination of action sequences and psychological undertones that help make it a compelling drama. These elements make the novel stand out from other books in this genre. Hurwitz is a very visually descriptive writer and I would love to see this on the big screen. Make sure you don't read it late at night, or if you do, leave the lights on.

THE TOWER is a dark, though well written tale that gripped me from the start. The story has been amply recapped here already. Suffice it to say that the suspense was so well constructed I had a tough time putting the book down. While it's definitely similar in some respects to Silence of the Lambs, I don't feel it's fair to compare the two. They stand apart and alone, and both hold up well. When I bought The Tower, I also bought FALSE ACCUSATIONS, by Alan Jacobson. It was a great read as well. Although very different from The Tower, both have villains with a horribly real evil side. Can't go wrong with either of these books.

Gregg Hurwitz's first literary effort is a winner on many levels. Fans of the psychological intrigue found in `Silence of the Lambs' or `Kiss the Girls' will not be disappointed. Hurwitz paints a darkly textured portrait of Allander Atlasia, whose violence serves as therapy for his gruesome childhood. Equally compelling is the narrative of Jade Marlowe, an anti-hero whose own demons have gnawed his humanity to the bone. Hurwitz turns literary and cinematic cliches on their heads in the deadly chess match which ensues when Marlowe is hired to bring in a rampaging Atlasia, and the reader comes to embrace the innocence and evil of both main characters.

With such solid characters and plot in place, Hurwitz has the freedom to run wild in the many action sequences which make the book so memorable. Atlasia and Marlowe battle in locales exotic as the maximum-security prison the book is named after, and as frighteningly `safe' as the suburbs of northern California.

Perhaps even greater than Hurwitz's gift for plot and character is his flair for imagery. Just as readers feared the water after reading Benchley's `Jaws,' readers of The Tower should be warned that they'll never approach their front doors quite the same way again after finishing this chilling work.

It has all the elements of shockingly creepy thriller. Outlaw ex FBI agent Jade Marlow hired by a freaky FBI Director, his beautiful and strait-laced female counterpart, a crazed and brilliant killer, and perhaps the most innovative incarceration facility in modern fiction. The sub plot involving the killer's parents is a riveting story in itself. I found a major stumbling block, however, which refused to allow me to "suspend" my disbelief on almost every page - the character of Jade Marlow himself. Marlow, in name as well as character development, is a Hollywood cliche taken past the extreme and left flailing out in space to disturb the reader. He's tough, he's big and bad, he has no sympathy or empathy, in fact, he's just not likable at all. Not your usual cliche - boozy detective fraught with a past tragedy - he is a vile character (yes he does have a tragedy in his past - of course) but his lack of an emotion other than anger becomes boring very quickly. Too bad, as it really deflects from the story, inducing yawns when there really should have been nail biting. In addition, I think The Tower itself could have been the star of this fictional piece had it been used more effectively instead of just as a big build up to open and then a place to go to resolve the story. This one disappointed me.

It may sound like a strange title for me to pick for this review since it is his first book, but I have read all of Hurwitz' other novels and this was my last one. I do think he is consistently excellent, although I have to say that his books continue to improve. I loved that way he went back and forth between Allendar, the escaped convict, and Jade, his tracker. I also loved the interplay between Jade and the female FBI agent and how their relationship sort of developed. Hurwitz' writing is always wonderful, as is his plot development. The psychological insight into Allendar is very thorough and it's chilling as Jade gets further and further into his head. Jade, who is very tough and can seem unfeeling, develops a very sensitive relationship with Allendar's mother, bringing a softer dimension into his character. Flashbacks to his mentally challenged brother do as well. The story is very violent. but these are violent men. It is truly a multifaceted story and it is astounding that it is a first novel. I think his later novels are more subtle in their violence and stronger on suspense instead, but I am also amazed at his versatility as a writer. I would wholeheartedly recommend this and any other book written by Gregg Hurwitz.

The Tower novel is a real page turner through and through. The best part of the novel is the beginning in my opinion. The infamous Allander Atlasia is in a futuristic-type prison called ALCATRAZ II by its inmates, which are the worst of the worst in the U.S. The daring escape of Allander was very well written and then the game (or chase) is on! Then enters - The Tracker, ex-FBI agent Jade Marlowe. He is a most obnoxious person and no one likes him, including me, the reader. Now, I know the writer was trying to paint us a picture of a different kind of cop-chaser and thats all fine, but this guy is way too callous to care much for. He was not believable because of his work ethic, no police force of any kind would have put up with this guys shinanigans. This is the weakness of the novel. This guy broke so many rules and regulations, as well as civilian casualties, that he would have been arrested himself no matter who he was. Allander is the real strong point and character in the book, I almost wanted him to get away just so I can read about him again in a sequel, like Hannibal Lector. I would have liked to see the Marlowe character get his clocked cleaned - just once! His partner Travers was of course a beautiful agent, forced to help Marlowe, and like me, she hated him. I knew somehow that they would have a love affair, and thank god the writer kind of only skimmed the surface with that. The good thing about the novel was that overall it was a fast-paced thrill ride, and that bumps it up a good notch for me personally. The action scenes I thought could have been written better, I would think that the final showdown between the two would have been a little bit more explosive. Actually it read like a hollywood movie, and would probably make a good movie if you are not into cop thriller/action movies than more realistic-type cop dramas. Its worth the read though, so check it out folks!

This book is all about pushing the conventions of the serial killer drama to the limits. The "good guy" in the novel is so over-the-top rebel it made me laugh out loud. Especially the part where he interrupts his sexual encounter in a muddy ditch with his partner becuase he realizes something. The serial killer isn't as fascinating or funny ... but it is novel how he is psycho-analyzed. and his parents are well written. Overall I would recommend this book to avid readers who will be able to see the satire and exaggeration at work.

While an entertaining book (I read it in less than two days on vacation), The Tower fails to really present anything fresh to the genre. I love books about serial killers, and Atlasia really wasn't very original. He was a little too crazed (his rantings were a bit hard to swallow even for a supposedly homicidal maniac and felt like the author was stretching to provide a level of intelligence for the character), and I found the author's description of his thought-processes a little too formulaic. The best part of the book was the descriptions of the Tower's inmates in the early chapters. A major disappointment was Atlasia's method of escape. While very realistic, it was all too predictable, and I had hoped for something better suited to a supposedly "inescapable" prison that would have been more in line with Atlasia's intelligence. Once Atlasia escaped, the book became very generic. The rationale behind his killing spree was unlikely (no explanation for how he knew anything about his victims to tie them in to his plan, etc.), and the ending was a little too formulaic. Perhaps I'm being too critical in my anticipation of Thomas Harris' "Hannibal". Lecter is a truly interesting character with genius and subtly to his horrible nature. If you're looking for an entertaining read, pick up The Tower, but don't expect it to really wow you. If you can, wait for Harris' new release, or go read Silence of the Lambs again. That, or check out John Sandford's "Rules of Prey" or Jeffrey Deaver's "The Coffin Dancer" for solid thrillers of the same genre.