by David Baldacci
I read the first instalment of David Baldacci's "Camel Club" series and was not overly impressed. It was tedious and the plotting was mediocre at best. I skipped the second novel in the series and, for reasons unknown, picked up the third.
Wow! Can this guy write! The characters are more fleshed out, the plot is one surprising twist after another and the climax is anti-climax followed by a smashing finale. I really, truly did stay awake all night to finish this.
Oliver Stone is a former CIA assassin living in the nation's capitol, making sure the Republic is kept out of evil hands. Having lived in a tent in Lafayette Park across from the White House for several years, Stone now lives in cemetery caretaker's cottage. (Oliver Stone, by the way, is an alias and the play on the conspiracist director is deliberate.) Assisting Stone in his gargantuan task is the Camel Club, three other misfits, Reuben Rhodes, Milton Farber and Caleb Shaw. Joining them is a con artist on the run, Annabelle Conroy, the youngest of the lot. At one time, all of them were forces to be reckoned with, now they are ageing has-beens.
In less capable hands, this cast of characters would be unbelievable. In fact, in the first novel, they were unbelievable. But Baldacci has refined them, each and everyone, to the point where they do indeed appear perfectly capable of meeting the challenges that face them, not as supermen, but as friends bound to one another and willing to sacrifice themselves for their friends.
Threats abound. Annabelle ripped off a ruthless casino owner, Jerry Bagger, for $40 million and he is seeking revenge. At the same time, Harry Finn, a threat assessment analyst contracted to various government agencies, is killing off retired CIA assassins, who murdered his father, a former US Intelligence spy. Add to the mix the villainous Carter Gray, director of the CIA and Senator Simpson, who used to be Stone's CIA superiors, and you have a very, very busy novel of close calls, danger, thrills and suspense.
Baldacci brings it off without missing a beat. The characters, as noted above have the essence of "real". They have fears. They make mistakes. They do brave things. (And, of course, they are fortunately lucky.) Baldacci's plotting is magnificient. He pulls rabbits out of hats and you do indeed believe that there was a rabbit in that hat.
Balducci lards "Stone Cold" with an array of fascinating facts and factoids. (Did you know, for instance, that the staff of a United States Senator has 20,000 square feet of office space a piece? Do you have any idea of how much that costs taxpayers?) These facts all play a part in the story and my hat is off for the way Baldacci pulls it off.
The plots and sub-plots are easy to keep clear and things move enjoyably quickly. The climax turns out to be anti-climatic and Baldacci goes on to end the book with a (forgive me) bang.
Wow! Can this guy write! The characters are more fleshed out, the plot is one surprising twist after another and the climax is anti-climax followed by a smashing finale. I really, truly did stay awake all night to finish this.
Oliver Stone is a former CIA assassin living in the nation's capitol, making sure the Republic is kept out of evil hands. Having lived in a tent in Lafayette Park across from the White House for several years, Stone now lives in cemetery caretaker's cottage. (Oliver Stone, by the way, is an alias and the play on the conspiracist director is deliberate.) Assisting Stone in his gargantuan task is the Camel Club, three other misfits, Reuben Rhodes, Milton Farber and Caleb Shaw. Joining them is a con artist on the run, Annabelle Conroy, the youngest of the lot. At one time, all of them were forces to be reckoned with, now they are ageing has-beens.
In less capable hands, this cast of characters would be unbelievable. In fact, in the first novel, they were unbelievable. But Baldacci has refined them, each and everyone, to the point where they do indeed appear perfectly capable of meeting the challenges that face them, not as supermen, but as friends bound to one another and willing to sacrifice themselves for their friends.
Threats abound. Annabelle ripped off a ruthless casino owner, Jerry Bagger, for $40 million and he is seeking revenge. At the same time, Harry Finn, a threat assessment analyst contracted to various government agencies, is killing off retired CIA assassins, who murdered his father, a former US Intelligence spy. Add to the mix the villainous Carter Gray, director of the CIA and Senator Simpson, who used to be Stone's CIA superiors, and you have a very, very busy novel of close calls, danger, thrills and suspense.
Baldacci brings it off without missing a beat. The characters, as noted above have the essence of "real". They have fears. They make mistakes. They do brave things. (And, of course, they are fortunately lucky.) Baldacci's plotting is magnificient. He pulls rabbits out of hats and you do indeed believe that there was a rabbit in that hat.
Balducci lards "Stone Cold" with an array of fascinating facts and factoids. (Did you know, for instance, that the staff of a United States Senator has 20,000 square feet of office space a piece? Do you have any idea of how much that costs taxpayers?) These facts all play a part in the story and my hat is off for the way Baldacci pulls it off.
The plots and sub-plots are easy to keep clear and things move enjoyably quickly. The climax turns out to be anti-climatic and Baldacci goes on to end the book with a (forgive me) bang.
Review by Nan Sevic
3 comments:
I talked to my librarian cousin yesterday who also recommended this book. I'll guess I'll have to get it next trip to the library. Thanks Nanc.
In spite of your warning, I requested the first book of the series and am about halfway through it.
Enjoying it so far.
You're right on, Nanc. I like the way the characters are fleshed out.
BTW, I didn't catch the "Oliver Stone" connection until re-reading your review. Thanks
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