A Good Isaac Bell Read
356279
Not quite up to the usual Isaac Bell fare, but a good adventure read anyway.  It seemed that the plot dragged and became unnecessarily involved in the shadowy figure of the early years of the Van Dorn Agency, and then ended on a jagged note.  Interesting to get some early info about Bell.
3063985
A Cold and Broken Hallelujah is a good read.

I like the protagonist, Danny Beckett, and his fellow detectives/cops.  I like the fact that Danny is capable of recognizing his preconceptions and changing his mind when he is faced with reality.  I like the humanization of the victim and the understanding of the milieu of the boys and men responsible for the crime.  The bad guys are human, too.  It's a good story.

I got it through Kindle First as my freebie for the month, then went and bought the other two books in the series.  Smart folks, these Amazon managers.
3381579
It's 1907 and the Southern Pacific Railroad is engaged in major expansion efforts to shorten the time it takes a train to get across the Cascades. While thousands of workers are being driven to exhaustion by the demands of the railroad, accidents and acts of sabotage are also taking place which kill workers and travelers as well as cause the railroad's work to slow down. It appears that at least one man is the cause of much of the chaos and this man gets the title of "The Wrecker." In turn, this causes the railroad's president to bring in the Van Dorn detective Agency and off we go on another rollicking and thrilling adventure featuring Isaac Bell.

This is the second book in the new series that covers the swashbuckling career of Isaac Bell (Following "the Chase") but there is no real requirement to read these books in order. Anything you need to know about Bell is described in this book like his wealth and upbringing and his current romantic situation (Engaged to Miss Marion). The book tells the story from each person's perspective so we get one or two chapters where we follow the Wrecker and what he does, and then a chapter or three from Bell's perspective. The Wrecker is not identified by name initially, but it does not take too long for the reader to figure out who he is so this book reads more like a thriller than a mystery.

In typical Cussler style, there is much description of the various machinery. In the Dirk Pitt series, the focus is on old cars. In this series, it is on locomotives and trains, with old cars thrown in for good measure! Since this is a kind of trademark, it was fun to read about the various implements. Set mostly in the west there is much action that involves running around on trains to get to various places. It does remind us of how slow life was a century ago when trains were the fastest mode of transportation available and `living in the fast lane' meant that it took four of five days to get from California to New York.

When reading any Cussler thriller, some suspension of reality has to take place. That is true in this book as well as the plot involves a master criminal (The Wrecker) who has planned many of his moves months and years ahead of time and has accomplices stationed in all kinds of places ready to do his bidding at a moment's notice. However, once Bell gets involved, a lot of improvisation starts taking place leading to the expected fall of the master mind. Also, the master criminal is supremely knowledgeable about all kinds of things that move the plot along, yet is completely unknown in the field, and yet has accomplices everywhere and knows all kinds of criminals who are happy to throw their lot in with him and kill or destroy things for him. Odd.

The writing is fast paced and there is lots of action, most of which involves Bell, of course. However, we also get some secondary characters who jump in and out of the picture. Many of them serve the same role as the security guys in Star Trek - they show up just to get killed. As usual, Bell is depicted in very positive terms and can be suave and charming as well as a cold-blooded killer- but only of the bad guys. All of this is par for the course in these kinds of books and this is not meant in any negative sense.

These kinds of books do not require much thinking. You just go with the flow and enjoy the ride. If you do start thinking about it, some of the holes in the plot become quite glaring. For instance, The Wrecker is very well financed, but there is no description of how he got to that stage. For another, Bell figures out who it is within the first third of the book, yet all of a sudden forgets about it until the last fifth of the book (this actually caused me some mirth). And so forth. I took this book on some long flights and for that purpose it was a perfect way to pass the time. I enjoyed it as much as I have enjoyed the others in this series.
331414
Somehow Isaac Bell has replaced my love of all Sherlock Holmes novels and collections written by a wide variety of authors.  Cussler's Bell certainly takes a big bite out of the established competition and I shall remain a fan as long as he and Justin Scott can keep turning them out; just wish that would be more often.
1545388
I was pleased with this book. I enjoyed it very much. The story was interesting. The plot development was sound. I thought I had it figured out, waiting to see how Bell and Lane would prove my theory, only to be surprised with new twists. I found myself trying to get back to it as often as I could to find out how it ended. The author gave good enough descriptions so I could envision the island and the people on it, but didn't go overboard so that it became boring paragraph after paragraph I wanted to skip through to get to the good part. The only sections I found reading awkward were the scenes when the main characters were alone, Bell jogging, and Lane in the water. The style of writing in those sections was new to me, and I hadn't made up my mind if I liked it or not.
Over all, I would definitely recommend it.
I received this book for free in exchange for a review.
4716894
Reading a novel set in the post-civil war south about blacks and whites learning to live together is a good thing. How many Caucasians stop to consider how terrible and difficult life was for slaves. Even after the abolition of slavery, it was a long hard road. Books like this provide that awareness and give whites an appreciation for the struggles faced by blacks even today.

This is the second book in the Carolina Cousins series. This new series doesn't suffer from being an offshoot of the popular Shenandoah series. Just like the novels of George MacDonald, a man who has served as a mentor to Phillips, character development is primary. The focus is on relationships and issues.

Phillips follows MacDonald's lead in emphasizing the fatherhood of God, our relationship to him as children, and obedience as the primary way to know and follow God. Though this might be considered light reading, it contains thoughtful spiritual content. Like MacDonald, Phillips provides keen insights into human nature and the nature of God.

He is not afraid to challenge traditional thinking. His views, which are slightly unorthodox at times, can be a little unsettling, but they are also thought-provoking. Some may find them refreshing.

Particularly interesting are the romantic relationships. Jeremiah starts to wonder if Mayme, the woman he planned to marry, is interested in his long lost friend Micah, who comes to live with them on the Rosewood Plantation. Jeremiah begins to wonder if he has more in common with Emma, an uneducated former slave, who has a son named William. Phillips effectively portrays the insecurities and uncertainties typical in romantic relationships. He keeps you guessing as to what will happen.

Blacks and whites living and working together in the post-Civil war south may seem far-fetched but the good writing and storytelling make it believable. That's not to say that this group doesn't experience hostility and danger from others. They do. The story starts with an act of evil and then backtracks to fill in the events leading up to it.

This is a pleasant read, and since it's been shown that whites and blacks have different perceptions on racism, books like this can be a bridge to a more realistic perspective and promote empathy.
3760856
Another great book by Isaacs. If you are looking for a good humorous read, this is it.  I will be checking out The Hazards of War which is another book by this same author. Good job JPI.
3147655
Entertaining book for those interested in historic fiction, especially the period in the late 1700's or early 1800's in London.  Good storyline, and well told.  I don't think the writing is fully in the class of experts like Patrick O'Brian or Charles Dickens, but I think it is still very good.  Was worth reading, and I'll definitely read his other novels too.
2754593
I think it was a great idea for Cussler to tell the early life of Isaac Bell. Nice story reflecting the Money Barons and Union interaction in US history.  Hope Cussler keeps going with Isaac Bell.
1622164
Big Pete, the biggest, baddest killer in the city is hired to kill a preacher. This is a wonderful short story with a well defined main character experiencing the power of God. I really enjoyed this.  The first three chapters of his next book accompany this and it sounds like it will be good. It is a suspense and the main character seems to be being framed (I think).
2169273
John Pilate had a near encounter with death and is now relocating to Key West, where he will devote himself to writing a book about that experience. In Key West, he unwillingly becomes involved  in the death of a stranger and starts participating in a dangerous game that will put him, again, at risk.
The novel is perfectly written. The plot was rather simple to my point of view, but the characters are engaging and lead the reader to the end of the story. Main character John Pilate has flaws just as anybody else, and he makes decisions that are rather questionable, but you will find yourself, as a reader, accepting and liking him.
I liked that the story has a bit of mystery and suspense, and this is mainly what kept me interested during the whole process of reading. Another thing that caught my eye from the beginning was the book cover, which is attractive and quite abstract at the same time.
I highly recommend this story to those who enjoy a good-quality mystery book.
4918364
While the ending is obvious early on, this is an enjoyable read nonetheless.  I always enjoy books by Donnell Bell.
3365157
This book - a continuation of the Bolitho novels - paints a good picture of life and English values in the early 1800's.  An enjoyable read.
3249903
I enjoyed Nathan's origin story. I read the other reviews, and the basics of the story seem to be well reported. Nathan is an upstanding guy, better than most of us, and that's why he's chosen. I would have preferred a bit more character development, and a bit less episodic learning in the early chapters. I appreciate that Nathan doesn't have full understanding of what's just happened to him. It creates a nice tension when it comes to the free will decisions he will make as the story unfolds. Choices have consequences, and they aren't always happy. It gets four stars from me because I enjoyed myself, and I think you will too. I also appreciate how much room this character has for future stories.
3649421
I enjoy the hangman's daughter series.  Gives an insight to the happenings of Tia time frame.  A good historical fiction novel.
4795371
This is an excellent suspenseful novel that Clive Cussler has has put many twists and turns into it. At times it was hard to follow along and required you to go back a page or two to see if you might have missed something, but after continuing on you would understand it. The epilogue leaves you to believe the Isaac Bell series has come to an end as he is now a grandfather and no longer capable of doing the impossible and unheard of.
923848
Cussler never disappoints me. I love his books and this one is not exception. I love a good Isaac Bell book and this one is still just as good as the first one. I love the period pieces and the incorporation of old and new characters throughout this book. I was kind of confused at the part when they were in Baku but, their escape was pretty epic. The unsolved romance dilemma at the end sort of made me feel sad for Isaac but, I am greatly anticipating the next book!