Rating: 
Summary: It'd be thrilling, if it weren't so sad for immigrants!
Review: I really think Deaver is one of the better American writers of this genre...but is it absolutely necessary to cram his stories full of offensive language? I was always taught by both my parents and my professors in writing and English, that if a writer had to resort to constant use of foul language, that those people did not have anything of import to say. It's getting to the point very quickly with Deaver that I will cease to pick up his books if he doesn't curtail the language a bit. It's not that I am prudish (ok, well maybe I am) or naive that this stuff doesn't go on in the 'real' world. As a deaf person, I am lucky. I don't have to hear this constantly. I certainly don't want to read it constantly either!Having said that...I thought the plot was plausible and intriguing. I am always sad to read about the absolute indignities and dangers that immigrants risk trying to come to our country. I am also aware that we Americans tend to be less than cordial for whatever reasons, even though I figured and Deaver clarified that those coming over here from Asia are more educated and less liable to be users of our welfare system, then many of the people who have been here for centuries. Deaver threw a few curveballs in here, and even though I thought about the possibility that a certain character was involved as the 'bad guy' everyone was looking for, the plot device that Deaver used ended up surprising me a bit. Other than the language, the book was enjoyable. Since Deaver is a mystery writer, I don't expect him to pad his stories a lot with romance. If I wanted that particular genre I'd look at other authors. As always, the forensic science is interesting, and Deaver keeps up-to-date with the new technology coming out involving care for quads and also assistive technology that makes it possible for those of us with disabilities to participate in the real world through computers. Karen Sadler
Rating: 
Summary: MONKEY BUSINESS
Review: After reading this latest in the Lincoln Rhyme series, I have to wonder if Mr. Deaver finally caved in to all the critics who faulted him for his "preposterous plot twists..". I have been a Deaver fan since reading "Praying for Sleep," and have appreciated all the nifty off-the-wall twists that left my mouth agape in wonder! "Stone Monkey" is Deaver's most predictable and least surprising work so far. You can pretty much see all the plot twists coming in this one, and they are not as grandiose as in his previous works. Although Lincoln and Amanda remain interesting characters, I felt Rhyme wasn't used very much in this one, and it is also a slower paced novel than one expects from Deaver. The character of Sonny Li is a great addition, and he seems to be sharper than both Lincoln and Amanda. The subplot involving William Chang is both meaningless and uninteresting, and is never really resolved.
The settings are unique, some of the dialogue is great, but overall "The Stone Monkey" is not one of my favorite Deaver books. Hopefully, he'll ignore the erudites who think incredible plot twists aren't good reading....
Rating:
Summary: Not As Good As the Others
Review: I am a huge Jeffrey Deaver's fan and I was a little dissapointed with this book. Lincoln Rhymes and Sachs take a back seat to these new characters. What happened to the blooming romance/relationship between Lincoln and Amelia? The details of death and the trail of the killer where no where near the depth of The Coffin Dancer or Devil's Teardrop. Read the others first - you will love them.
Rating:
Summary: Better than THE EMPTY CHAIR, that's for sure.
Review: In Lincoln Rhyme's latest novel he is helping the FBI and the INS to track a hired killer and human smuggler known as 'The Ghost'. Rhyme tracks the assassin to a Chinese freighter that is bringing two dozen illegal aliens to the United States. When the Ghost finds himself cornered he blows up the ship and manages to escape. He does not want any survivors and kills anyone he can find. The lucky ones manage to pass by the Ghost and escape to Chinatown. The killer cannot let them live and he will use every single connection he has to kill them. At first the Ghost's motivation for killing the undocumented survivors is elusive. It does not make much sense throughout the story. It is not until the end of the story that Lincoln Rhyme and his assistant, Amelia Sachs, pulls a rabbit out of the hat and manages to explain everything. Deaver brings in his trademark twist that gives the book its satisfying conclusion. The author does a good job with his characters by adding more dimensions to them in each particular book. The focus in this novel is with Amelia who is concerned about Lincoln as well as her health. She befriends one of the refugees who helps her come to terms with some of her issues. Deaver always brings something new to his series that is always appreciated. One should also try Deaver's stand alone novels like A MAIDEN'S GRAVE for the serious reader or THE DEVIL'S TEARDROP for fans of the hard boiled mystery. Whatever the case, it is always a treat.
Rating: 
Summary: It's all about creating balance in your life.
Review: Deaver has outdone himself. This latest installment of the achievements of Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs is outstanding. He weaves a plot so well that you are constantly guessing at the outcome. The character growth of both Lincoln & Amelia are helped immensely by the other characters in the book. He has used the plight of Chinese refugees to help set the stage for a magnificent piece of work. I didn't want the book to end. The melding of Eastern and Western philosphies and detective work was outstanding. The characters throughout the book were built upon the conflicts that are there in all families who have migrated to this country. The characters of Sonny Li and the Ghost were especially entertaining. Throughout the book the central theme was about creating balance in your life which makes this work of fiction a work with philosophical undertones. I believe that Mr. Deaver has achieved that balance himself and he now wants the same for his readers. Whether or not one has read the previous Lincoln Rhyme installments or not, I would definitely recommend that they read this one immediately. It is the best book I have read this year.
I cannot wait for the next installment of the adventures of Rhyme and Sachs (no first names, please)!
Rating:
Summary: Same stuff won't sell for too long
Review: This book was a great example of Jeffery Deaver's writing. Unfortunately, I felt as though I was reading Coffin Dancer again. The plot is intriguing and while I couldn't wait for the end, I was trying to guess which character was playing the double role that is found is Deaver's other Lincoln Rhyme novels. Amelia having endometriosis is a new concept to add to the mix. I suffer from it and personally don't feel it adds anymore to the story. In this novel and the other ones since Lincoln and Amelia have become lovers, we miss when that happened and why. Sure we occassionally get a brief romance-novel worthy glimpse, but other than that how can it be love? Their affection for each other seems forced in the writing. Overall this book was a disappointment.
Rating:
Summary: Another wonderful book from Jeffrey Deaver
Review: This will be short and sweet. Deaver is beginning to know Lincoln and Amelia better and better. The result is a "hooked on the first paragraph" book. What is so wonderful is that his previous work-The Blue Nowhere-did the same thing. I love to see an author step away from the "safe" and do it so well. I am anxiously awaiting the next Lincol/Amelia novel but I am also just waiting for the next novel-period. Whatever this man writes is always worth reading.
Star
Rating:
Summary: Good, but the machinery is showing
Review: I discovered Jeffery Deaver at the time of the "Bone Collector" movie, and have read all the Lincoln Rhyme novels as well as 5 others. I loved them all. With "Monkey," however, I had a slightly different experience. I love Chinese culture and philosophy, and appreciated how they were used in this story without making them seem inferior, silly or too (using Rhyme's phrase) "woo-woo." I loved the developing relationship between the two main characters, and the usual supporting players. And again I marvel at the tightness of Deaver's plotting. BUT! For the first time I was aware of the machinery at work in the story--of how he manipulates the reader. He packs in as many twists and turns and red herrings as he thinks he can get away with in his attempt to string the story and the reader along. It reminds me of a general complaint I have about fiction today, which is that when you read the back cover or flyleaf for the description of the story, all you read is, "This happens, and then this happens, and then this happens, etc." The book ends up becoming less a story and more a gimmick--a juggling act, wherein the author tries to keep as many balls in the air as possible in an effort to appear "realistic." The result is books that are longer than necessary and too many "surprises" that are no longer surprising. (Examples: the true identity of John Sung, or the suggestion of an affair between Sung and Amelia, or Amelia's supposed adoption of the orphan; all are simple authorial tricks to fool the reader; if the author were playing straight with us, he would merely show us what is happening instead of trying to make us think it's one thing and then springing yet another "twist" on us.) When something looks bad, we already know it won't be. Also, I had the feeling that, in this book, Deaver was working overtime to make sure that all the "right" people remained alive and all the "wrong" ones died or were imprisoned. (Dean Koontz does this all the time, and it seriously undercuts the suspense he's trying to build when you know that no matter what sort of peril he puts his hero into, the character will always survive because the author can't bear to kill him off.) When there's too much manipulation by the author, we are uncomfortably reminded that we are reading a book, rather than simply becoming "lost" in it and observing events as if they were real. Ideally, the characters are "real" and the audience doesn't exist. Still, it was nice to see Rhyme acknowledge that he doesn't know everything, and that factors other than forensics can be of use.
Rating:
Summary: The Ten Judges of Hell
Review: This is the fourth in Jeffrey Deaver's series starring quadriplegic forensic investigator Lincoln Rhyme and his associate, Amelia Sachs. The writer's skills continue to improve with each new effort and 'The Stone Monkey' may be his best in the series since the spectacular work in 'The Bone Collector.' The primary plot of 'The Stone Monkey' turns on the fates of the passengers of the ill-fated Fuzhou Dragon, carrying illegal immigrants to the United States from southeastern China. On board as well is the human smuggler (or snakehead) they have paid to bring them here - Kwan Ang, a psychopathic killer also known as 'The Ghost.' When the Dragon is nearly captured by a team under the direction of Lincoln Rhyme, the Ghost cold-heartedly locks immigrants and crew alike in the hold and blows a hole in the ships side, sending it to the bottom as he makes his own escape. As luck would have it, the Chang and Wu families, along with a few others, manage to escape. Despite the Ghost's determination to kill them they reach shore before Amelia Sachs and INS can arrive and sweep them up. They, with the Ghost in hot pursuit, disappear into the rich oriental subculture of New York City. The Ghost is determined to kill the escaped Chinese 'piglets.' So determined that he leaves a trail of death behind him wide enough to draw attention. Soon he begins to find his actions and plans countered by Rhyme and the rest of the GHOSTKILL team. Without a blink he moves to include Sachs and Rhyme among his victims. Two Chinese men have a great impact on the case, and on the emotional relationship between Rhyme and Sachs. These are John Sung and Sonny Li, both passengers on the Fuzhou Dragon as well. Sung is a doctor and herbalist. His calm forthright style attracts Amelia as she deals with the problems of a woman who loves a quadriplegic. Sonny Li is a Chinese police officer, driven to hunt the Ghost down and bring him to justice one way or another. While Li seems to be a bit of a space cadet, his brand of wisdom and insight gradually make him a friend of Rhyme. Jeffrey Deaver writes true 'mind candy.' Not only is this a story that is almost entirely pure detection with many satisfying twists and turns, it is full of facts and insights. He reveals to us an entirely different kind of Chinese world, where good and bad frequently have entirely different meanings. Many times Deaver traps us in our misconceptions and makes us confront situations at are a bit beyond the traditional comfort zone of the mystery novel. And he does this all with an easy, believable style. Expect a novel several notches above the norm.
Rating:
Summary: GOOD READ
Review: i am a big fan of Deaver's work. this book is no exception. although this book seems different than Deaver's past books, i still found it quite enjoyable. a PAGE-TURNER. this novel did not have the usual "multi-surprise" ending, but it does give you something that the others have not... Rhyme opens himself up and finds friendship (other than sachs and thom).
i also became engrossed with the chinese culture. Deaver does a great job examining the sub-culture of New York's China town.
i found the characters very likable, and when i finished reading the book, i couldnt help but wish it was much longer.
i cant wait for Deaver's next one!!!!
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