No where near as good as his first book.
351423
I enjoyed Mr. Khoury first novel. However, this one missed all around. Quick start, then it slows down way to much. Mt. Khoury spends to much time doing flashbacks, not moving the characters forward and character twist for shock value. This book seems to have been written more as a screen play than a novel. Mr. Khoury did not spend much time trying to endear us to the characters. Less than half way through the book I started to care less for the characters than I did in just finishing the book. A far departure from his first book in character development and story telling, perhaps his next book will be better.
3406242
i didn't think it was as interesting as his first book. However it makes a great coffee table type book.
1073603
I assume it's no better than in his first book - I don't intend to read it and plan to send it back to the publisher or recycle it.
3263533
Not quite up to the quality of the first book which was better than the second, appears that the author has lost interest in developing this series and just wrote entertaining short stories with the plots originally intended to be full books. Or perhaps he could not find enough story to make these into books.  Still an ok read
3226976
Not nearly as funny as his older material. It seemed to be a grab bag full of his orphaned pieces not sold elsewheren  Disappointing.
2742742
I have read all of his books.  This one was the first that I did not like.  I should have moved on to another book but thought he would make the read worth while.  The joke was on me.  It was a failure.
728108
This book is basically uses a large number of imagines from his prior book. I was somewhat disappointed with the book as a result of that action.
213385
This book is not nearly as good as his other books.  Much smaller in size.  The moveable items are boring.  And the book ends very abruptly with a sleeping bear.  No finale.  Very disappointed and may not buy his books again.  Not worht $10 at all.
3086480
not as good as the first book, got about haflway through before stopping since it is almost the same exact story retold again.
2504202
Compared to his previous novels this was a very poor effort.
1199436
Not as good as first book of his that I read.  I enjoyed the San Francisco setting more.  Even though I have been to many of the places in the book, the European setting was not as compelling.
1929838
I ordered this Towles novel because I read "The Gentleman in Moscow" and absolutely loved it.  This first novel is not nearly as enjoyable as his second. So, if you have read this one and are not certain about the second, you really must go ahead with the second.
4263375
Good I absolutely loved his first book, it was better than this one.  But I love reading about  the South.
4570876
I had much hope and waited in anticipation for David Salkin's second Deep Black Sea book after he sent a note responding to my first review if the first book in the series.  Sadly though, i found the second book to be a mediocre sequel.

This first book was full of mind bending twists a turns and things unexpected.  The second book in the series continues the saga of the first using the same main characters and "sea monsters" and for the most part, all of the second book was very predictable and was absent of new things to keep your mind churning about what would come next.  It was also a very short book.

I hope that third book endeavors to kick it up a notch though and gets back to the style that makes David a good writer, one with twist and turns, and food for thought.
2514232
Hawes' first novel, "A White Merc With Fins", was truly fantastic. His second is nowhere near as good, with unengaging characters and plot.
2605834
Not as good as the first book.  It is fast-paced and worth the .99 price tag but there are some very cliched phrases and plotting. Like RoboCop and Blade Runner all mushed together, with a little side of noir.  The book could stand a decent spell check and some editing. I don't mind a word here and there, but when you misspell the main character's name several times -- well, you know you haven't taken enough care with the presentation.
4404247
Not as good at the first book.  It is an easier read but something is lacking, it just has no excitement.