Rating: 
Summary: Sadly Sub-stellar
Review: We have some interesting premises here, a largely innocent glassblowing bystander subjected to vicious attacks for unknown reasons due to friendship with a jockey, suddenly deceased. Discovering the reasons is a real puzzle for much of the book, thanks to a more bull-headed protagonist than usual for a Dick Francis tale. Oddly, I didn't enjoy this outing as much as most, perhaps because the Francis formula is here too transparent, forced, and manipulative. Mr. Logan the glassmaker has an archly parodistic self-awareness of the virtues of a Francis Hero: thirtysomething lone man diffidently glorying in his talent, tiresomely reticient, touchy but sensitive, fit and steadfastly tough when the villains press hardest. The episodes are "quick": convenient friendships, the love interest, the multiple brutal beatings, recovery, along with the blundering hero's comments on this. The final two pages of reconciliation with death didn't ring psychologically true. It all felt just a little artificial and choppy, a bit of a Francis pastiche (though who better to write it!)--and there's very little of the special horeseracing ambiance he did so well. All in all a long story about very little, yielding small pleasure. As always the hardback's typography is generous and easy to speed through. If you're a Francis fan who is going to buy this book--because you've already read the better early and middle ones--buy this at discount (Amazon or paper).
Rating: 
Summary: Not His Best -- Far From His Worst
Review: I've been reading Dick Francis's mysteries for about twenty-five years now. "The New Dick Francis" has been an annually occurring, eagerly anticipated treat, for most of that time. But the last few have ranged from Competent But Not Outstanding to just plain Disappointing; the last Francis i would say that i unreservedly enjoyed was "Decider", with its story about wonderfully vicious family politics and its interesting protagonist. Well, i'm sorry to say, "Shattered" isn't *quite* that good. The interesting protagonist is there -- the glassblowing background is both interesting and unusual, ranking with Kit Fielding, Tim Ekaterin and Sid Halley in that regard, but the story is not all that great. There is just a bot too much air of the benevolent magician pulling a rabbit from his hat for our amazement -- and a few too many rabbits from hats in the working-out of the story. The motives of most of the characters don't really ring true, and the McGuffin -- what's actually *on* the video tape that so many Nasty People seem to want -- has an even more tinny sound. The true identity of a major character, which has bothered Logan for much of the book, while important, is merely stated, rather than revealed through action or characterisation, when it becomes necessary for us to know. But the way to get over thin ice is quickly, and Francis (as usual) certainly can cover dodgy ground quickly. As frequently is the case, the big climax turns around the hero's specialities; in this book the climax is in the protagonist's glass-blowing shop, where, among other things, a glob of 1800-fahrenheit-degree molten glass on the end of a punty rod makes amemorable means of persuasion and weapon. Also, as usual with Francis, it is wise to read carefully all the apparently inconsequential scene-setting descriptions of aspects and tricks of the protagonist's trade. (My only regret along those lines is that the rabbit pulled from the hat in this regard is just a small bunny, not the man-eating rodent from "Monty Python & the Holy Grail", which would have been a bit more helpful.) Also, the love interest and romance in this one are as uniquely Franciscan as any of his books contain -- which means that, as is often the case, he hits us from left field with an amusing and truly romantic affair. Several characters, who -- we are *told*, but not truly *convinced* -- are central to the plot are wonderful eccentrics, and the group of volunteer bodyguards that Logan accumulates as he goes along are both touching and amusing, clearly painted with a typical few deft strokes of the Francis brush. If there are any earlier Francis books you haven't read (with the possible exceptions of "Slayride" and "Trial Run"), i'd recommend picking them up and reading them before grabbing this one. But you should definitely read this one, because, overall, you'll probably enjoy it.
Rating:
Summary: Another Subpar Effort from Francis
Review: I thought this book was as dismal as Francis' other recent works. The characters were lacking in depth. The plot didn't hold together. Characters made convenient and unbelievable personality changes. The character offered up as a sacrifice at the end was such a nonentity I had to check back to figure out who he was. And why, if the main character was so anxious to have his friends act as bodyguards, did he have them all too far away to help when he set up a confrontation?
Rating: 
Summary: A jolly good show
Review: Gerald Logan and Martin Stuckey met in a jury room and became immediate friends although they share little in common. Martin is a horse jockey who races at the elite English tracks. Logan, who owns and operates Logan Glass, is a gifted glassblower, beginning to earn a well deserved reputation. Even after the trouble began, Logan never blamed Stuckey nor regretted their friendship. On New Year's Eve, Logan watches Stuckey race at Chelthenham. However, one of the horses Stuckey rides stumbles and falls on top of the jockey, killing him instantly. Before a stunned Logan can leave the track, he receives a videotape from Stuckey's valet, who says the deceased planned to give it to him after the races. Logan leaves the tape and his store's receipt on the store counter to go outside and enjoy the new millennium. When he returns, the tape and his money are gone. A couple of days later, thugs accost Logan demanding the tape. They do not believe him when he tells the he no longer possesses the tape. He also knows he is in trouble unless he recovers the tape and gives it to the proper authorities. True genius is rare, but with his track record Dick Francis has to be considered one. Each book he writes is unique, fresh, and entertaining. SHATTERED is no different due to a wonderful hero thrust in a situation not of his making. He not only blames no one, but also seeks vengeance for his buddy. Mr. Francis provides his fans with another stirring, believable mystery starring an ordinary guy as a sleuth investigating an extraordinary scenario. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: Another great one from the Master
Review: I first discovered Dick Francis's mysteries with "Reflex" (about halfway through his now extensive current series). One of the joys of discovering a mystery writer who already has an extensive backlist of books is being able to read all those older books immediately; I must have taken no more than two weeks to devour Francis's entire backlist. One of the even greater joys is when that writer keeps on creating and publishing a new book every year. The greatest joy of all is when the one published in 2000 is as exciting and strongly written as the ones he wrote in the 1960s. I often joke to my friends that Dick Francis writes the same book year after year after year, but if you're reading this, Mr. Francis, I mean that as the highest compliment: there is no one as dependable and consistent to turn our a strong mystery adventure with every new book. As in previous books, "Shattered" features a likeable first-person male protagonist caught up in a mystery involving the horse racing world, a mystery that threatens him with physical danger but which is never a deterrent to our hero to see justice done and the mystery solved. Francis continues to impress me as one of the best researchers in the mystery world: many of his novels shows off his detailed knowledge of not only the racing field but also an additional expertise. In "Shattered" hero Gerard Logan is a glass-blower; I've learned more about the intricacies of the craft from this book than I ever imagined. Better yet, Francis makes learned about it interesting and vital to the plot. In previous books he's focused on such diverse subjects as meteorology, wine and spirits, flying, filmmaking, diamonds, delivery trucking, and much more--all with a detailed expertise that's vital to the plot and a light touch that never hammers you over the head. The search for a valuable videotape leads Logan in conflict with a ruthless woman and a murderous doctor...threatening his livelihood, his friends, and his life. Still, my favorite aspect of a Dick Francis novel is that his heroes--from jockeys to breeders, investigators and painters, film stars and glassblowers--are likeable, immensely personable, and always determined to do what's right. They come off as ordinary men caught in extraordinary situations that would have most of us hiding behind the sofa. I've never had to face a band of murderous thugs or face physical threats, but if I did, I'd hope I'd be able to deal with it as forthrightly and matter-of-factly as Francis's regular-joe heroes. (Now, Mr. Francis, how about a novel about a guy who works for a publishing company, writes reviews for an online bookseller, and gets caught up in horse-racing mystery...?)
Rating:
Summary: Not His Best -- Far From His Worst
Review: I've been reading Dick Francis's mysteries for about twenty-five years now. "The New Dick Francis" has been an annually occurring, eagerly anticipated treat, for most of that time. But the last few have ranged from Competent But Not Outstanding to just plain Disappointing; the last Francis i would say that i unreservedly enjoyed was "Decider", with its story about wonderfully vicious family politics and its interesting protagonist. Well, i'm sorry to say, "Shattered" isn't *quite* that good. The interesting protagonist is there -- the glassblowing background is both interesting and unusual, ranking with Kit Fielding, Tim Ekaterin and Sid Halley in that regard, but the story is not all that great. There is just a bot too much air of the benevolent magician pulling a rabbit from his hat for our amazement -- and a few too many rabbits from hats in the working-out of the story. The motives of most of the characters don't really ring true, and the McGuffin -- what's actually *on* the video tape that so many Nasty People seem to want -- has an even more tinny sound. The true identity of a major character, which has bothered Logan for much of the book, while important, is merely stated, rather than revealed through action or characterisation, when it becomes necessary for us to know. But the way to get over thin ice is quickly, and Francis (as usual) certainly can cover dodgy ground quickly. As frequently is the case, the big climax turns around the hero's specialities; in this book the climax is in the protagonist's glass-blowing shop, where, among other things, a glob of 1800-fahrenheit-degree molten glass on the end of a punty rod makes amemorable means of persuasion and weapon. Also, as usual with Francis, it is wise to read carefully all the apparently inconsequential scene-setting descriptions of aspects and tricks of the protagonist's trade. (My only regret along those lines is that the rabbit pulled from the hat in this regard is just a small bunny, not the man-eating rodent from "Monty Python & the Holy Grail", which would have been a bit more helpful.) Also, the love interest and romance in this one are as uniquely Franciscan as any of his books contain -- which means that, as is often the case, he hits us from left field with an amusing and truly romantic affair. Several characters, who -- we are *told*, but not truly *convinced* -- are central to the plot are wonderful eccentrics, and the group of volunteer bodyguards that Logan accumulates as he goes along are both touching and amusing, clearly painted with a typical few deft strokes of the Francis brush. If there are any earlier Francis books you haven't read (with the possible exceptions of "Slayride" and "Trial Run"), i'd recommend picking them up and reading them before grabbing this one. But you should definitely read this one, because, overall, you'll probably enjoy it.
Rating: 
Summary: kept me entertained
Review: I would give this three and a half stars for the story and one-half star for the bonus of learning a little about glass blowing. I enjoyed the book, but was a little confused about why he didn't have the police arrest the ones that he knew who assaulted him. It would have saved him a lot of trouble, but, I know it's just a book. Never the less, I did enjoy the book. It was just long enough that I could read it in one sitting and it moved right along. The main character's friend dies in a freak accident while riding in a horse race. The friend leaves a tape for Gerard and before he can watch it, it is stolen. Other tapes have been stolen from the home of the victim and more of Gerards. Solving the mystery of the tapes leads to many adventures that keep your interest until the end of the book.
Rating:
Summary: Not His Best Work
Review: To start, I should say that I've been reading Dick Francis for twenty-five years, give or take a couple. I think I've read each and every one of his forty or so books, and have read most two or three times. Francis started out writing strictly horsey mysteries--jockeys, trainers, stablehands, owners, then moved out further and further into other professional and personal worlds, all the while maintaining some link to British horse racing. The clump of books in the sixties, including Nerve, Enquiry, Dead Cert, and Forfeit really pulse with that best of the writer's creations, a world, a walk of life, fully realized. Clearly, Francis was writing from his own knowledge of a world he'd known intimately as a jockey in the fifties, and of which he was still a part. In the Seventies, Francis did a wise thing--with able research assistance from his wife (I apologize for blanking on her name at the moment--she has recently passed on, by the way), he linked other occupations (inventor, photographer, hostage negotiator, portrait painter, accountant) to racing in a seamless way that made us feel we were now walking through two worlds. By the time he wrote Reflex in the early eighties, he had added intricate plot twists (always a feature, actually) and strong, complex character development and interaction (a bit more than his classic stoic loner who stood the test through so many of the first two decades of novels) to his repertoire. The Eighties books--Reflex, Break-in, Bolt, The Danger, Hot Money, Banker, Twice Shy, etc., are the work of an author maintaining his peak for a surprising length of time. But now we have seen the nineties and are into the two-thousands. Second Wind and Shattered represent the decline of a real craftsman. The villains have cruder, less plausible motivations-Francis was never one for subtle villains (except, maybe Risk), but now they are cartoon characters, full of obsession and menace. The technical writing skill is there but there are outlandish plots married to it (especially Second Wind!). The twists are less sophisticated, the romances too easy, the main character's inner conflict not as palpable. And the classic Francis ingredient, horses, is barely there. Shattered is not worth your money--but go back to the sixties and seventies and eighties, and feast on a master. Or buy Field of Thirteen, his collection of short stories, which show a more subtle witty side of Dick Francis--a wonderful showcase for some other talents he held back in his more mainstream, blockbuster work. For thirty-five years, Francis was a true craftsman, capable of real inspiration at times, and always a satisfying read. I'm afraid I can't say that any longer. Everyone slows down; I give him thanks for a wonderful body of work.
Rating:
Summary: A purloined videotape, business espionage, and glass art
Review: Master glassblower/artisan Gerard Logan is at the Cheltenham races when his jockey friend Martin Stukely is killed in a riding accident. He discovers that Martin has left him a videotape for safekeeping, but the tape immediately disappears in a robbery. Various people appear demanding the tape, all disclaiming any knowledge of its whereabouts, and Gerard finds himself caught in the middle. He finds himself between an ugly man-hating woman who wants to physically hurt him, a widow who seems to have a romantic interest, and a woman police constable who ends up in his bed. The plot provides considerable side information on the art of working with hot glass. The author, as usual, has done extensive research on a subject. The main character, Gerard, seems to have considerable financial resources as he has no hesitation about hiring cars and drivers, and seems to have only secondary concerns about money stolen from him. Gerard seems a bit careless about charging into danger, and does not seem to consider the possibility of collateral damage. He finds an assortment of allies ranging from young children to street smart toughs. Overall, it is a good mystery with some surprises. It seems suitable for teenage readers.
Rating:
Summary: Brantley's not so super review
Review: This is, said to be, the last in a long line of thrillers from author Dick Francis. This story centers around a middle-aged glassblower in England. He is, early in the book, troubled by the death of his friend Martin. The jockey dies in a freak accident right in the middle of a race he was shore to win. Martin leaves behind family, friends, and an entire community of race-goers. But to Gerard Logan's surprise he is left a mysterious package that is quickly stolen from him along with a large sum of money.
Francis offers us an array of multidimensional characters. Most fit into the typical "thriller" genre mold. Throw in a couple of nice, seemingly innocent people, with a love interest and a gang of criminals and you have a story by Dick Francis.
Most of the characters are not without their faults, even the main character Gerard Logan has an air of confidence that can easily come off as arrogance. Let's just say some of them wouldn't make it through the final cut of a Walt Disney rendition. Gerard Logan: main character, has a nack for doing a little investigating on his own. Martin Stuckley: A jockey who dies leaving behind a mysterious videotape that a lot of people want. Catherine Dodd: A rugged street cop who quickly becomes Gerard's love intrest. Rose: A petty bitter women out for only her own good. Watch out for this one. All in all the book was an exciting escape, but I would only recommend it to those who find themselves with too much time on the weekends. Other than that I'd leave this one on the shelf.
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