Master of the Game

Rating:
Summary: Pure brain candy: Loads of fun, but short on substance
Review: This is the first Sydney Sheldon novel I've read. You don't often find stories this enticing. I was hooked from the first page, a vivid scene of the 90-year old heroine surveying her life, her family, and ghosts of old mistakes come back to haunt her. Despite its hefty length, this book kept me coming back for more, daydreaming at work about what would happen next, and staying up late at night to get to the next chapter. I read it in just a few days even though with my schedule it usually takes me at least a week to finish a book.

However, despite the story's addictive sway, Sheldon's writing style did not meet my expectations. After reading all the glowing reviews at Amazon.com, I expected this to be a terrific epic that would leave me awed and inspired, something in the vein of Gone With the Wind or Lonesome Dove. Instead, "Master of the Game" is more akin to John Jake's "North and South" -- yes, it is a multigenerational saga full of adventure, betrayal, and suspense, but it resembles a television screenplay more than a novel. The author moves from scene to scene, from tragedies to triumphs and back again, at a breakneck pace with only the barest attention paid to character development and plausibility. While I enjoyed the twists and turns of the story, it started to seem a bit melodramatic and predictable. You didn't have to be a brain surgeon to realize that [spoiler alert!] Salomon van der Mewre was going to cheat Jamie McGregor out of the money. Or that Tony would fall in love with Marianne rather than Lucy - and that it was Kate's plan all along. [end spoiler].

This book is pure brain candy, all fun with no substance. Similar to a night-time TV soap like Dallas -- you can predict what is going to happen, you know it is wildly improbable, but yet it has just the right mixture of intelligence, ruthlessness, and intrigue to keep you coming back.

Rating:
Summary: THE BEST SO FAR....
Review: I have read around 8 books for Sidney Sheldon, and Master of the game is the best among them so far.

This story if full of suspence, thrill, and life. The story's events started at the 19th century and ended up on the 20th century. Jamie was a very ambitious young man who was looking forward to be very rich and powerful person. He left to Africa like the others digging for the Gold and the Diamonds. He came across a horrible experience by meeting one the well known business men whome jamie seeked his assisttant and help. He ended up screwed and cheated and about to be killed by this man, but sooner Jamie recovered and took his revenge and became very rich ....(read more to see how...its a thrilling events)..

Kate was Jamie's only child who survived as her elder brother been killed and that been followed by her Dad's death. She lived with her mother and got married to her dad's best friend David. Kate inhereted all the wealth plus her dad's determination and stubborn. Her Company grew larger, cause kate used to have that great passion for the company and the Business world.

Tony, Kate's child, since his child-hood had that great passion for painting and wished that one day he would be a great painter. That was against Kate's plan for her only child who suppose to take over the company from her, so she decided to destroy his dream.... (this part is realy great.. reflect Kate's determination and well plan).

Tony got married and had twins. Eive and Alexandra, two adorable girls with extra ordinary beauty, but opposit characters. Eive was an evile person whome tried several times to kill her sister Alexandra who was sharing her everything and she hated that. Both of them ended up marrying doctores, but read the story to see the total different life they had lead...

On Kate's 90th Birthday.. she was still worried who is going to take over the dynasty she had made...is it going to be her Grand son Roberts (Alexandra's child)??

All the momories was flashing back at her..and still she was worried....

Rating:
Summary: Master-piece
Review: Old Sid can really pack a punch in this book. Follow along as a man builds his fortune in diamonds and then watches his family fall apart like a Chinese motorcycle. It kind of reminds you of the Kennedy clan and Camelot. It's all about power and greed and ofcourse a great plot and story line. One of the best soap opera books out there. A legend!

Rating:
Summary: Sheldon is the 'Master of the Game'!
Review: This was the first Sidney Sheldon book I have read & what an entertainer! I was utterly surprised at how hooked I was! I'm one of those readers that like to read books one or two chapters a day. With 'Master of the Game', that was an impossible habit to keep.

Overall, this book was excellent! The intensity at which Sheldon has the reader addicted compares to the likes of CRACK! (I'm assuming of course, hehe). Sheldon has a wicked ability to create suspense & hits it with incredible timing throughout. It was difficult to put down this book.

The greatest section is the beginning. The character of Jamie McGregor is forever etched in my memory. What this man endured in order to improve his standard of living a million folds is simply unbelievable! This is one of the best intro's from a novel EVER! 'Sensational' doesn't even describe it.

However, there were a few things throughout the book that Sheldon could have easily improved upon with a few strokes of a pencil. **For those who have NOT read this book, you may want to read the remainder of this review at a later time.**

The way Eve Blackwell 'wacked' George Mellis on the boat did not match the way one expected from her character. After what George did to her, I can't imagine that all she did was stab him! When Eve was 5 years old, she set her sister on FIRE for God's sake, & George the murderer/rapist only gets a stab? That was weak.

Also the last few chapters were a little disappointing... The proper ending would have finished off this incredible book with a 'BANG!', rather than a 'blah.'

This book was recommended to me from Indian film actress Kareena Kapoor after I read a profile about her. 'Master of the Game' happens to be one of her all-time favourites, so I thought I'd see what the hype was about. Anyway, apart from my opinons regarding the story, I fully recommend this book to anyone looking for an entertaining, solid read. Sheldon's talent for storytelling is simply sensational & I'm definitely looking forward to reading more from him. Thanks!

Enzo

Rating:
Summary: Magnificent! Thank you, Sidney Sheldon!
Review: This is undoubtedly the best book of Sidney Sheldon's, and probably one of the best novels I have read. The story itself begins in such an enticing manner, with all-time heroine Kate Blackwell, head of Kruger-Brent Ltd. reminisces about the ghosts of her past.The book covers the 100 year-long saga of the Blackwell family. It has incredible twists and turns,(although they seem a bit abrupt at times) and I finished it in one whole sitting.(despite its hefty length) The characters are well-developed and thoroughly enticing. Its not often you can find such a detailed and marvelous book as Master of the Game.

Rating:
Summary: A true masterpiece....worth every dime
Review: 'Master of the game' is a novel that has everything a reader looks for in a general fiction book. Love, betrayal, hate, jealousy, poverty, fame, wealth, courage. The book is divided into three parts revolving around three main characters yeilding a beautifully written, well thought out storyline consisting of four generations of a single family. Below is a brief description of the the novel without giving anything away and a justification of why this book is such a good read.

The novel starts out with Jamie McGregor heading to South Africa in search of diamonds. His path to South Africa, his betrayal revenge together his building his empire, his rise to great fame after finding diamonds really appeals to the reader.

Kate Blackwell, Jamie's daughter takes over Jamie's empire. She is that kind of a character whose self-drive, ambitions, power etc.. are vicarously worth loving.She is the master of her game. Her son Tony grows to dislike her and the mind games between mother and son is just too good and keeps the pages turning like no other.

The final part of the book is my favourite. It is for this part alone the book is worth reading. Tony gets two daughters(twins) Eve and Alexandria, one good and one bad and here is where the jealousy starts. One twin is jealous of the other and look to destroy the other. Her plans to destroy the other twin all through her infancy, teenage life is a work of pure genius on the part of Mr. Sheldon.

Trust me, this is a real show-stopper among Sidney Sheldon novels, easily his best(among the ones I've read atleast) and worth the purchase. The plot is superb, the character are the ones you really get the feel off and care about. Worth the buy.

Rating:
Summary: my first sheldon-- still the best!
Review: this was the first Sidney Sheldon book I ever read, at the age of 12 when I was traveling in India with my family. My brother and I wouldn't be quiet, so at a 5 min. stop, my harried mother jumped off the train and came back with this book for me- and I became hooked on Sheldon's amazing storytelling abilities. He paints characters so vividly and his stories are a perfect mix of drama and a great plot with some practical knowledge and a bit of smut mixed in. I always wanted to be one of his heroines- sexy AND smart! You actually get to know the characters and care about what happens to them- and it's not superficial stuff . . . in some ways his writing reminds me of greek myths . . . lots of drama, extremes of wealth and excess and ruin and poignant lessons to be learned . . . Sheldon does have a few books with more surprising plots, but this remains a favorite!

Rating:
Summary: What the heck....
Review: If you want to read 500 pages just to get to a crappy ending then go ahead and read this book. I just don't get it. It fails you, you expect something and all you get is 'i know someone whos a dear old friend of Zubin Mehta'

If i missing something please fill me in, otherwise I do not recommend this book.

Rating:
Summary: Please do not waste your precious time on this schlock
Review: This book was filled with ridiculous, over the top plot twists. Silly I can take, but when they became disturbing that's where I draw the line. I feel dumber having read almost 400 hundred pages of it before throwing it away.

Rating:
Summary: Sheldon at his best
Review: A woman recaps her life and the life of her company through her father, husband, children, and even her grandchildren's lives. How she became the woman she is and what she did to obtain and keep her power. The people she encounters are useful only if they can help her. Even her family is not safe from her powerful clutches. She controlls everyone--even if it means protecting a murderer--if it meant her family name and company would be spared.