Adams

Phillip Margolin does it again with this latest work of suspense. This one is a little slower than his usual style and only peripherally involves the legal system, but is quite entertaining none the less. This audiobook was particularly enjoyable due to the vocal talents of the reader, Suzanne Houston, who is able to convincingly modulate her voice to mimic everyone from a 16 year old girl to a sassy black prosecutor.

This book fell far short of living up to what the title claims. High octane stories? I don't think so. As an example, one story, "Chloe", was about a son helping his gangster father on the run go to the bathroom at a service station - that was the whole story. Oooh, I was on pins and needles - NOT! I figured with the multiple authors and stories, I'd be sure to get some good ones, but alas, it was just one mundane story after another. There was only one stand-out story that actually had a decent plot (Michael Palmer). I wish I could get my credit back.

Deaver can surely write them, but based on this compilation, he can't pick them. These stories were anything but suspenseful, and many of them were downright boring. As an example, one story was about ex cops hired to confiscate knock off merchandise from street vendors and the moral anguish this causes one of them; where's the suspense in that? Many of the stories abruptly end,leaving the reader to ask "what was the point of that?". I'd avoid this one.

I'm a big fan of science fiction and imaginative stories, so I purchased this anthology. These stories were awful. If this is their best, they must be a front for the CIA, because I don't see how they could stay in business, otherwise. The stories were dull, pointless, and meandered like a leaf floating on pond.

After having tortured myself by sticking with this book to the inept end, I am writing to spare the unsuspecting. The premise sounded intriguing, but the actual plot, and I use the term very loosely here, was dull, had poor focus and little substance. The ending read like the author suddenly tired of writing the book and just abruptly finished it off. Instead of a mastermind, Mission impossible like plan that would actually be needed to take a major cruise liner, especially after the Achille Lauro, this book describes essentially a walk onto the ship that you'd have to be brain dead to believe. Fast paced? Unh,unh. Thriller? I don't think so. Put this on your 'avoid' list.

I've enjoyed most of the 87th precinct novels, but don't believe the publisher's hype on this one -- "brilliant and intricate" this is not. In fact, it's a one note tune that involves a series of messages sent to the precinct ad nauseum based on wordplay that taunts the detectives to solve a crime that is about to be committed, and it gets old fast. When the climax finally arrives, the commision of the crime is so simple as to be ludicrous and disappointing.

This excruciatingly boring book started with a simple, mediocre premise, then proceded to stagnate for hundreds of pages, going on and on with absolutely no advancement in the plot, like a car stuck in the mud. If you're a Ludlum fan like I am, you will be acutely disappointed in this bomb, so skip it! I wish I had.

This book was a departure for Sidney Sheldon, who is usually known for plots involving romanance and adult drama. This, however, is a story worthy of the "X files", and a very good one, too. A mixture of sci-fi and intrigue, the plot moves quickly along and is loaded with action. Fans of sci-fi and suspense will like this one.