Hour Game

This is the first book that gave me "sore ears" because I couldn't stop listening! If you enjoy murder mystery genre, this ia s real winner!

I have read two other books with Sean and Michelle and love their chemistry and the research that Baldacci puts into these novels. However, this story was not one I would recommend. It was okay if you want to keep up with the progression of the series; it had some details that might be good to know that carry over to the next book. However,the story-line was all over the place. Even after the EXTREMELY convoluted summation at the end of the book it still didn't make for a believable story. I thought the ending was very far-fetched. However, the biggest criticism I have about this book is the way Baldacci treated the Michelle character. Michelle was a strong female protagonist in Split Second and First Family (both very enjoyable.) But, here the author portrays poor Michelle as a weak sidekick to Sean King. When we are introduced to her as a top-notch Secret Service agent in Split Second, she had amazing skills in marksmanship, self-defense, investigation, and reasoning. She really was a force with which to be reckoned. In this book, she never takes a shot until it's too late, (and then she misses,) she can't fend off an attacker when her life is endangered, and her investigative skills are almost useless. She makes only small contributions along the way, usually as a follow-up revelation to something that King has already figured out. At one point, one of the characters in the book refers to the team as "Batman and Robin" and that's about right, except that Michelle doesn't even come off as being as helpful as Robin! In my opinion, the team works best when they come off as Batman and Superman with each possessing slightly different, but nevertheless, exceptionally cool skills that allow both of them to make equal contributions to the team. This book missed that mark.

I have listened to several Baldacci books. This one is pitiful. The serial killer just kills and kills. I lost count. One protagonist is spared when two bullets collide in mid-air (please...) The bad guy hides tools in a "false vein" in his arm. Gag. I made it to the end, but what a waste.

As I listened to cliche after cliche and fight after fight, I felt the Hour Game was a game of endurance. I have read other Baldacci novels and enjoyed them, but this one is a waste of your hours and mine.

Like one of the other reviewers I have read and enjoyed some of the authors other books a lot more. The story was a bit too unbelievable. The narrator was good very easy to listen to however.

I had always enjoyed David Baldacci?s books until I encountered ?Split Second?. I was very disappointed with that book. Excessive coincidences, people doing totally illogical things seemingly just to advance the plot, poor dialog, and on and on.

Convinced that this must have been a Baldacci aberration, I was somewhat excited to see Audible.com quickly pick up his newly published book, ?Hour Game?. Since Scott Brick (possibly the best book reader in existence) was the reader, purchasing that audio book was literally a no-brainer.

The same main characters grace ?Split Second? and ?Hour Game? but I decided I could not hold that against them. Well, I?ve heard this newest book ? even the excruciating last hour or so. Cardboard characters, mouthing unrealistic dialog, stumbling through a convoluted collection of plot twists that go no where satisfying. When the main character in the book has to endlessly tell other characters what is really going on, it strikes me that the author might better be writing essays rather than novels.

One last cavil ? and I am sure this does not give away any important plot. Two characters shoot at each other and their bullets collide in mid-air. Really silly -- and worse yet, it contributed nothing to advancing the plot.

I really think the citizens of the thinly veiled Waynesboro, Virginia may have a valid class action suit against Mr. Baldacci.

It keeps going and going and going. This is one of the first Scott Brick narrations that I couldn't wait to end. I made it through but I felt like saying to the author, "ENOUGH already." Too many murders, too many subplots. I can handle a good mystery but this was too much to take. My advice: skip it.

So, so....could of been much better but was lacking something. Scott did his best but story just didnt do it for me.

I recommend you read/listen to Baldacci's 'Split Second' before 'Hour Game'. I loved this book, I couldn't put it down. It's a great who done it and leaves you guessing all the way through. Narration was excellent!

This was my first book by this author and it was definitely a thriller. I felt a bit gyped at the ending....didn't expect it to be who it was...came sort of out of the blue for me - but...that being said....it is well written, suspensful and will not be my last read by Baldacci. I'm ready for more !