"Reap the whirlwind......"
920433
...and that is exactly what the protagonist, Chance, attempts to do in this cracker-jack noir-ish thriller. Set in and around various locations within Thailand and Cambodia, this tale, written in the best style of Jim Thompson or John Burdett, really captures the mayhem, chaos and chilling ordeals faced by the various members of a crime family operating within the "boundaries" of the law (meaning of course, "protected"). Who is protecting them and helping them? Well at various times it is the Thai Army, other times it's some Yakuza from Japan, and at other times it is the Buddha. The plot centers around a mysterious kidnapping and bombing which sends Chance on a near-death mission all across Thailand and parts of Cambodia. The author's prose, like the best noir/thrillers is lean and compact. Short on adjectives, but very rich when describing the type of criminal sub-cultures flourishing around 2010 (including the local political riots which took place). I truly can't wait for more from this talented author, only I hope the same cast of characters continue to populate future works.....HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
4012573
Nicole welcomes you to the city of Perth in this intense novel of rekindling a whirlwind romance and marriage that was lost due to amnesia. Jasmine has lost any memory she has of the previous few months, yet she continues to wear her rings because their mere existence calms the uncertain storm of emotion that is raging inside her. Luciano (Lukas to Jasmine) has other intentions when he begins to seduce his WIFE again by having her escort him on a business trip to the city of Broome: Crush her like she did him when he found out the news.
"She won't be my wife for much longer and I'd appreciate you not interfering with my personal life."
Cupid had different plans for these two. Lukas couldn't help but fall in love with his wife all over again while Jasmine couldn't pinpoint why she was instantly drawn to him. Lukas was a source of comfort, love and joy to Jasmine, she just wished she could remember how they got to this point. I must side with Jasmine in her frustration of everyone "leaving her to find her memory out for her own." I would be Googling myself or something. :)
There was this one moment in all their rekindling that just stood out to me. He presented his wife with a gift during breakfast and the playful banter that ensued gave me hope for the two.
"You can rip it open you know," his dry tone telling her he was impatient for her to reveal his surprise.
"I like to savour the moment, draw it out for as long as possible."
"To torment the gift giver?"
She smiled cheekily over at him. "When the gift giver is you, yes."
The road to love in this book was not an easy one. As her memory revealed itself, both Lukas and Jasmine were hurt again. Would their love be enough to move forward and start a new life together? Jasmine and Lukas both had demons in their past, and with a very persistent father not wanting this marriage to exist - this trip to HEA would be anything but smooth sailing.
Details about the plot? NOT from this reviewer. But, here are a few things you will get from me:
Nicole writes a wonderful story of second chance at a first love, and does it with such raw, real and intense characters. You do get your HEA, but not without a few well placed bumps.
Nicole is from Australia, and I have decided that I adore reading books by authors from other countries - the language and terminology is different, and I like to learn new words and phrases.
And finally - you have another book after this to look forward to, Bound By His Desire. (This one stars Nick, Lukas' business partner and this means I am sure we will get to catch up with our favorite Italian Stallion, Luc and his wife, Jasmine.)
Before I leave you to go and pick up this great romantic read by the uber awesome Aussie, Nicole, I want to leave you with my FAVORITE quote from this book. I adore grand gestures and this is why I find myself drawn to romances. Every girl needs John Cusack to stand outside of her window with a boombox on his shoulder confessing his love to her. And now that I have revealed my inner nerd to you, I must confess the one thing that can give a good romantic grand gesture a run for it's money, in my opinion, is a good NERDY conversation.
"Where is Doctor Who with his Tardis?" she muttered.
"Probably morphing between one realm and another. We don't need him, Darryl is an excellent pilot. I only employ the best."

How do you NOT fall in love with Luciano right at the mere mention of morphing between realms? :)
334111
There are few books that I read and feel "Whew!--what a whirlwind ride!"  There are fewer still that I feel like
I need to read again because I'm sure that there are some
deeper meanings to understand.  Empire Falls has both of
these qualities.  Just finished reading it last night...and I'm sorry it's over!  [But I came online to get Russo's other
books...]
390332
...I have just experienced a helluva ride!

 Frequently  as I sit in my recliner reading,  I hear the chop, chop, chop long before he comes into view.  I look up Sandia Peak, thinking that
someone lost their footing at almost 10,000 feet; or that they slipped on the loose granite; or grabbed a short, brittle limb from a pinon pine as they careened down the side of the slope.  Whatever... it just ruined a beautiful day of hiking!  And now I will never look skyward again in the same way as I have done in my 26 + years from this vantage point.  Now I realize rescue teams deliberately fly a beautiful craft onto the side of the mountain or hover over a deep crevasse as a rescuer slides down to someone dead or alive.

These "war stories" read like a novel, keeping the reader on the edge of his seat until each mission is completed.  The harrowing escapades are thrilling, excitement filled, and depict the dedication, compassion, and occasional frivolty of the flight crews as they perform heroic deeds.  To them, it is just their job...but what an exhilarating job on the worst day!

This book tells the stories of the teamwork required to complete a successful mission.  It characterizes each crew member through the colorful aviator lingo and conversations, the stress relief antics of their BFFs, and the seriousness of each role they individually play as a flight crew.  Individual escapades plot the skills and daring required of each crew member so that they may live to fly anither day.

This is a fast paced book that encourages the reader to fly by the seat of their pants from beginning to end, whether you are an experienced aviator or merely an armchair pilot!
I especially enjoyed Helicopter Training 101 in the beginning.  This information was invaluable so the reader could fly along without crashing!
4414843
Intrigued by the word play, "shooting an albatross," I decided to quickly scan the book for potential gems.  However, a few beautifully crafted paragraphs drew me into the setting, the characters and the action so that I was compelled to read every word.

This is a novel to appeal to many reading styles:
  -a fast paced adventure, romance, mystery story line;
  -historical and vividly descriptive narrative;
  -symbolic themes and images.

********************
For me, as a fan of Coleridge, I loved the shooting an albatross symbolism and recalled lines from "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" that describe the characters that tell the story:

  Floyd's guest--"...He cannot chose but hear;
  And thus spake on that ancient man..."

  Floyd---"...Instead of the cross, the Albatross
  About my neck was hung..."
  "...And till my ghastly tale is told,
  This heart within me burns..."

  Floyd's guest--"...He went like one that hath been stunned,
  And is of sense forlorn;
  A sadder and a wiser man,
  He rose the morrow morn."

********************
This is a good story, but even better if you take the time to appreciate the descriptive narrative and let your mind wander through comparable literature.
4588343
I'm in an adaption of the Wiz right now as an insane person, a slave, and  part of the tornado. It RULZ!
4553099
This is so true about our lives, looking back it all seems to flow.  ""All of it came from whatever I did before. Then, when the before ended, it led to the next thing. I could not have ever planned all of the next steps. But there was a pattern that emerged. Every time something ended, that ending led to the next thing that was what I needed and was looking for,. ...Every time, the next step just came. It just did.""
787274
seems to me that most criticisms of the airplane are all sorta the same....what do people expect????.........seems that most that booked return flights on the jefferson airline did so for the experience........some rides were bumpy, delayed or even canceled.....but when they took off they shattered barriers.......today the experience is past but the atmosphere is conjured up in live albums like this one........i'm not sure what a five star rating is supposed to mean but this album will take you for an old fashioned ride......its a 5 star blast-off through an old foggy atmosphere and back again.....Fly Jefferson Airplane and Grace will get you there on time
1281908
I have one word for this story and that is, "ASTOUNDING". Not often does one become so involved in the flow of events that one can feel the chill and damp of the weather, the feeling of grit on the skin and so on. This was my first encounter with Ken Follett and I am forever grateful that I experienced his magic. A great story, well done !!!!!
3748309
It wasn't the San Francisco Earthquake of 1906, which leveled a great city, or Hurricane Katrina, which nearly destroyed New Orleans. In its own way, though, the Armistice Day Storm delivered an equal measure of terror to the upper Midwest in 1940.

  Almost forgotten today, the storm that brought death and destruction from Minnesota to Michigan is given its due by Tom Powers in "In the Grip of the Whirlwind" (Thunder Bay Press, $14.95), a masterful recounting of the calamity that took 154 lives.

  Powers, whose previous books explored Michigan history and natural attractions, gives the first complete report of the surprise storm of Nov. 11, 1940, that doomed freighters, other ships on Lake Michigan and dozens of hunters ill-prepared for an unseasonal blast of wintry hell that plunged temperatures by 40 degrees or more on the 22nd anniversary of the end of World War I.

  As "Whirlwind" opens, the region was enjoying a prolonged Indian Summer in the autumn of 1940, as temperatures soared well above normal. Powers reports that the pre-dawn readings were in the low 50s Fahrenheit even in the upper Midwest. By the dawn of Nov. 12, the temperatures were well below freezing, and scores of people were dead.

  The deadly storm, which initially swept in from the West Coast and zoomed north, brought gale- and hurricane-force winds to an unsupecting Midwest, which received no warnings of the danger ahead. Caught unprepared on the Great Lakes, particularly Lake Michigan, were the ungainly freighters carrying ore and other cargo.

  Mayhem ensued on the waters, as the craft were helplessly buffeted by high winds (a weather station in northern Michigan reported a gust of 126 mph), then rain, sleet, snow and ice.

  On land, meanwhile, duck hunters in shirt sleeves perished by the dozens, and travelers found themselves in grave situations as roads soon were blocked by ice and snow. Powers tells of one isolated farmhouse that played host to 200 stranded travelers; he speculates how the house looked after the weather cleared and the emergency shelter emptied.

  In colorful, lively prose, Powers gives a day-by-day narrative of efforts to save the lives of those trapped by nature's fury. He tells of miracles and tragedies, plus acts of heroism that rescued people who otherwise would have died.

  "In the Grip of the Whirlwind" definitely belongs on the shelf of anyone interested in the history of the Midwest or buffs of disasters on the Great Lakes. It's a shame it took 69 years  to tell this tale of death and redemption, but I'm glad such a book was published.

Gene Mierzejewski was the Books Editor of The Flint (Mich.) Journal from 1987 to 2007.
3370535
First and foremost I have to say that the author Wallace St. Clair had me from the start when I read the prologue where embedded within was the word "quagmire." That in itself peaked my curiosity to want to explore his word game and purchase the book, no matter the cost. Now did he disappoint? Not at all; greatly impressed was I with the variety of words implemented to give this compelling story that extra added flavor. I also have to give kudos for his ability to toggle back and forth between the caliber of words yet keep the story mesmerizing. The delivery of his words put me front and center in Da Point as well as gave me that bird's eye view into the mind and world of Sasha. Her journey from childhood to young adult was marred with such injustices, that I wanted to find out her whereabouts and bring her home to stay with me. The style...the cadence of the writing pulled me into the very understanding of the "junkie love" and that "junkie life" and why it is they do, what it is that they do. I made a connection with Saint, Honey-Dee, Brianna...the whole lot; so much so that I wanted to put down my sorrows and go start a grass root program... JunkieHoRetribution.org - So Abuela, Deacon Suarez and you too Rusty...watch out...I'm comin for ya...cause you ain't had to do that...ain't had to do that at all. Can't believe you took Sasha thru like that...naaww...Not My Baby Girl !!
468980
Best heard the first time when you aren't driving...there was one magic moment when I thought someone was trying to escape from my trunk...this while I was doing nearly 70 on Highway 101 and I switched off the player, listened to silence for a moment, switched the player back on and breathed a sigh of relief. There are some totally memorable tunes, wickedly sardonic and delivered with brutal accuracy. Not uniformly balanced, but considering the players, I wouldn't expect it to be. It was wonderful driving through Northern CA listening to this...one song was so dead on appropriate, I had to stop at a scenic pullout and LMAO. Absolutely a Mekons meets Pere Ubu joyride capable of producing simultaneous flashbacks and flashforwards. I do, truly do, recommend you give this one a chance before it vanishes forever and becomes one of those legendary classics spoken of in hushed, reverant whispers by ultra-reclusive stoner geeks. Not mild, nor for the faint of heart or dull of mind. This is not easy listening by any stretch and it's best played at high volume. Having written this, all I can add is: IMO, it's a keeper. It gets better every time I hear it. Buy it!
3286167
I love the multi-part title song. That and Into the Storm.  Would enjoy listening to Trevor Horn sing it
2323449
I enjoyed the first Rick Mofina book that I read recently so selecting this one was a no brainer for me. "Whirlwind" brings another good, three dimensional female character as a lead in Kate Page, a woman looking for an internship as a reporter for a news outlet in Dallas.

However, the story begins with Jenna Cooper, who is a flea market with her two children, when a tornado hits. When it is over, the woman who had offered to hold Jenna's baby son is gone with her son. As the story takes hold, Page digs in to get more of the story and as any interesting story should go, the circumstances surrounding young Caleb's disappearance is much bigger than first thought.

Interwoven into this thriller is Kate's fight to win a job against a younger, better connected woman as well as Jenna's fight to find her son.

Some plot points can get a little redundant but I noticed that the redundancy actually made the read go faster and overall, I like Mofina's storytelling style. Nothing fancy but definitely gets the job done.
3963978
Episode II is just magnificent!! This magical journey continues with winding paths, questions answered and more questions asked. It's a spiral through every emotion possible, Firinne's emotions as well as your own. The mental imagery is fantastic!  What a wonderful tale, a wicked journey and a courageous girl!! Episode III?? I'm ready for you!!! '
2745799
Another great story that's well worth being told!! I served 1969-73 during some not-so-good times,involving tragic incidents. During one of the Wes Pac cruises,I remember this guy who walked up to several of us already standing around {I think we were on the 01 level aft}.He said that it had been predicted that "the ship bearing the hull number 22 will be lost at sea". Later, we rode out a typhoon on that cruise,losing several life rafts and the motor whale boat. I was told we were frequently taking 37 degree rolls either side of centerline. We endured this for several days,but we didn't sink. I think this was the '70 or '71 cruise. Over the years I forgot all about the prediction. Fast-forward to the year 2002,while I was surfing the TinCan Sailors website,when I read: "Just in:The U.S.S.Benjamin Stoddert went down on 03 February 2001".Those words seemed to leap off the page,startling me! Thanks Jim!
4912560
Wow, this is such a whirlwind read. You will not be able to put it down. Non-stop action.