Rating: 
Summary: Another Great Kidd Novel
Review: A great follow-up to The Fool's Run and The Empress file. If you like the other Kidd novels, then you'll be pleased with this one! If you have bever read Sandford's Kidd series, you'll enjoy a great, plot-twisting, suspenseful, technological thriller. Good technical details to keep the tech-at-heart interested and good stroyline / suspense to keep those that like surprises pleased. A quick, enjoyable read. Looking forward (hopefully) to the next Kidd novel.
Rating: 
Summary: New Reader Disappointed
Review: After a ten-year absense, Kidd is back in a new novel by John Sandford. This time Kidd's old friend John James Morrison gets mixed up with a high-tech government contractor and winds up dead. His sister, Lane Ward comes to Kidd for help in solving the crime, and Kidd soon finds himself caught in the middle of government paranoia and private greed. Kidd's partner-in-crime joins in the search as well, lending her unique combination of sexiness and ruthlessness to the story. Together, the three must stealthily find out why Morrison was killed and shut down the killers before they themselves are deleted.
Actually, this is the first Sandford book I've read. It may be a long time before I read another. Despite his success and critical acclaim with the Prey series, he seems to slip badly in his return to the Kidd novel. The story does move, but seems to wander aimlessly on the whims of the strange characters that Sandford has created. One night they are breaking into an office, and the next night they are cracking a safe, all without a clear reason for doing so. It is almost as if Sandford is simply adding action for action's sake, without concern for why the characters make the decisions that they make and take the risks that they do.
I found the relationship between Kidd and LuEllen to be interesting, but shallowly described. It may have been fleshed out in previous Kidd novels, but in this one it seems contrived. Even the "bad guy" was a disappointment, turning from a cool, competent operator to a silly fool as the story progresses. Not a good recipe for a successful thriller.
The author's note at the end of the novel gives some insight into a possible reason for the discrepancy between previous Sandford works and this one. He seems to have unenthusiastically written this novel in order to appease Kidd fans, especially his son, who blocked out the story and created the paper-thin characters. It is hard to tell how much Sandford wrote himself and how much was engineered by his son, but therein may lie the secret of why this book misses so badly. In any case, unless you are a Sandford fan or a Kidd fan or both, I would give this one a miss.
Rating:
Summary: Riveting change of pace
Review: Although the Prey series are popular they have never been my favorites simply because I dislike reading about believable predatory serial killers stalking believable victims. Enter Kidd!
I listened to the unabridged audio first and then bought the print version. Kidd and his cohorts weave a tense and engaging story of computer hacking, burglary, and unconventional justice. The characters are wonderfully three-dimensional and leave the reader wishing for many more Kidd tales. Bobby the somehow disabled infospook/champion of justice, Luellen the knockout blonde burglar who's tough as nails but the best of women to have around and of course Kidd. Kidd is a likable rogue whom you can forgive the occasional decent into industrial espionage. Hints of Kidd adventures to come are liberally sprinkled throughout the story so one can hope! An suspenseful and entrancing story of greed and murder dappled with technology, friendship, revenge and even a little tasteful sex.
I can only hope Mr. Sandford will abandon Prey in favor of the Kidd.
Rating: 
Summary: John Sandford Breaks the Code
Review: Because of my love of Hanged Man Song which was fabulous. Cause me to seek his other books with the characters such as Bobby,LuAnn and others. While the book itself has a fantastic plot. It took a long time to get there. But it is still a good read. I can't wait to read Empress File.
Rating: 
Summary: Creative Plot!
Review: Ejoyed this one by Sandford. Very creative especially with the technology of today. Kidd and LuEllen add a twist to things. Would enjoy reading other books with them.
Rating:
Summary: Not his best...
Review: From "Rules of Prey" on, I have been a John Sandford fan. Unfortunately, the Kidd novels have never been on the same par as the Davenport books.Part of the problem is that Kidd isn't as well-defined as Davenport, and Luanne is even hazier. Also, Kidd's semi-omniscience (every fact he needs seems to be just a few computer clicks away), master thieving skills and financial security make him just a little too perfect; it is the human characteristics that make a character interesting and drives the story. All this would reduce the story to four stars, but the other problem here is the story itself. While not bad, it is not as interesting as others. The villain, in particular, is a pale shadow of some of the true nasties that have occupied the Prey novels.
Rating:
Summary: A Light Hearted Romp
Review: I decided to give The Devil's Code a whirl because I am a big fan of John Sandford's Prey series. I'm glad I did. If you enjoy a light hearted romp through intrigue, mystery, suspense, sex and high tech complexity, you would be well advised to do the same. Granted, The Devil's Code doesn't have the intensity of the Prey series. This is the story of a part time artist, part time criminal and part time computer hacker who gets dragged into a high level political investigation that involves the FBI, CIA and other law enforcement agencies. Although he is completely innocent of any involvement, Kidd -- the book's main character - needs to find the real criminals before the investigation leads to him. His mysterious and talented sometimes partner, LuEllen, shows up to help him and add spice to the narrative. While the Prey books deal in realism, The Devil's Code is pure escapism. One of Kidd's hacker friends is murdered and his (the friend's) sister asks Kidd to help her find the murderer. This sets off an action-packed chain of events involving espionage, conspiracy, violence and suspense. But it's all fairly superficial. From virtually any phone booth or motel room, Kidd is able to access a complex network of computer hackers to get the information he needs. No dial-up problems, no slow network speeds, no disconnects - just instant response with the answers Kidd needs. For a heavy Internet user this seems a bit fictional, but that is what this is, fiction. And the criminal plot that slowly unfolds before us is truly ingenious. The bad guys have devised a way to access highly sensitive government information for great monetary gain. But I won't reveal what this is because it would ruin the story. Read it, and have fun!
Rating:
Summary: Not great, but worth your time
Review: I dig technothrillers, and picked this up just before boarding a plane. Kidd and Lu Ellen are great characters, and would like to see them in future novels, along with their hacker buddies. However, the plot becomes a bit convoluted in the beginning, but seems to pick up steam at the end of the novel.
Rating:
Summary: "TO MUCH HI-TECH"
Review: I don't know why I keep on reading the books about Kidd and LuEllen. I really like their characters, I guess is why. John Sandford has to be a brilliant writer to write the Prey series and then to wirte books like this. I really, really like Davenport Prey books. I like the Kidd and LuEllen books because of the mystery, action and suspense but I cannot understand the high-tech and computor stuff--way over my head, so I loose a big part of the books. If you like mystery and computor stuff you will like this book. If you like mystery and lots of scary action you will like the Prey series. Sandford can't loose.
Rating:
Summary: Boring
Review: I don't ususally write reviews of books, but I found this book to be one of the most boring I have read in a long, long time. What happened to the John Sandford of old where you were kept on the edge of your seat to wait and see who the killer was?
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