Rating: 
Summary: Another good Cannell read
Review: Again, Cannell does not disappoint. He writes a fast-paced enjoyable book with plenty of twists. He really is a master storyteller. His style is grittier than Nelson DeMille but he weaves his plots in a similar way. The sexual tension between the two main characters was a bit to formulaic but it doesn't detract from a very enjoyable read and an interesting, if not frightening insight into Asian crime rings. If you have a rodent phobia, beware!
Rating:
Summary: Cannell just gets better and better......
Review: Do not let the fact that Mr.Cannell is involved with television/Hollywood.... fool you regarding his ability to paint descriptive characters/places and plots with his words....if by chance you are like me and delight in finding an author that can actually make you look forward to picking up the book you are presently reading....and if you tend to read everything the author has written...then order 'Riding the Snake' with confidence and each of Cannell's previous works....'Riding the Snake' was entertaining as well as culturally illuminating...Cannell is one of those rare authors that allow us to relish where he has taken us...and to wait in anticipation of his next work.
Rating:
Summary: This book is a lot like an amusement park ride.
Review: Extremely fast paced, with lots of adventure and excitement, this book will keep you on your toes, always wondering what will happen next. Our main character, Wheeler Cassidy, is well developed, and stronger than his initial description leads us to believe. He is the brother of Prescott Cassidy, who is murdered in his office. Wheeler must find the strength and the courage to avenge his brother's murder, but he has no idea what he is getting himself into. Teaming up with a tough lady cop from Asian Crimes Division, Wheeler sets out on a journey that will have international repercussions. Wheeler's mother is a strong character that will stay with you. The story takes you up many roads, bumpy and directionless, blindfolded. You will enjoy excitement and adventure while getting your money's worth. The only problem I had with this book was keeping all of the characters straight. Once the author gets into China and Hong Kong, you'd need a listing in front of you to understand who everyone is. Still, the plot is great, the story well written, and it's a very good read.
Rating:
Summary: Really, really good!
Review: I, being a very fickle reader--meaning that if I don't like something about the book, or something about it rubs me the wrong way--or if it is unbearably boring, I will stop reading it--found this book to be almost perfect. It kept me held tight until the last page. I bought it because I buy anything with a multi-cultural character make up--and I was even happier to discover that there was an IR relationship involved. But like another reveiwer said, the IR relationship took a backseat to the general greatness of this books' plot. It was really good, interesting, fast paced, and I loved the characters--all of them. I especially loved Fu Hai's journey for freedom, for wealth, for something different from the hardship he'd been accustomed to his entire existence. Cannell's writing is airtight, and he knows what he's talking about--which is another plus. My only qualms, which constituted removing one star from my rating--was the horrible slang he used for the South Central characters--including the main character Tanisha's dialogue at times. It was laughable, and I, being an African American female, didn't know what the people were talking about half the time because they were saying things I've never even heard before. But, I didn't grow up anywhere like South Central L.A. either so maybe I'm just not hip enough... Anyway, the book was great, go get it.
Rating: 
Summary: Jet propelled thriller populated by unforgetable characters.
Review: Stephen J. Cannell has created a stunning book that combines ingenious plotting with insightful characterization. RIDING THE SNAKE slithers through the deadly and byzantine world of Chinese Triads, a deadly variant of organized crime that makes La Cosa Nostra look like the Girl Scouts.The unlikely hero of Cannell's latest work is Wheeler Cassidy. Wheeler is an American classic, a pathetic, spoiled country club drunk who is resurrected by the perils of Cannell's gripping plot. The unlikely alliance between Wheeler and a cynical, black cop, Tanisha Williams, is enriched by Cannell's extraordinary gift for idiom and detail. Throughout the book one is struck by the honesty and richness of dialogue. And no matter how treacherous the jeoprady, Cannell manages to enliven the proceedings with unexpected, and completely welcome, humor. RIDING THE SNAKE is not just a sensational thriller, it is a revelatory expose of the threat posed by Chinese organized crime. Cannell has done his homework. The book is an eye openner. Cannell plots better than Grisham or Clancy and renders characters with greater resonance than Dilillo or Russo. RIDING THE SNAKE is an unforgetable read and, inevitably, will be a wildly popular movie.
Rating:
Summary: A superior thriller!
Review: The first thing that strikes the reader is the quality of Cannell's research into China which afforded him a very natural environment for his characters and his plot.One minor complaint:Wheeler Cassidy's persona could have used a stronger touch of the dramatic.
Rating: 
Summary: And a weak two stars at that
Review: The first two-thirds of "Riding the Snake" aren't too bad. Actually, it's a pretty good "cops and robbers" action story. Granted it does become a bit unbelievable at times. For example, does anyone really think that four people on the ground, two with limited or no weapons training, can win a shootout with dozens of trained killers shooting down at them from above? Of course, what do I know? Cannell used to produce the "A Team" which starred the great American actor, Mr. T. He's an expert on such things. Then there was the matter of his main character, a life long alcoholic who kicks his habit through the no step program. Sorry, Steve, I don't think it's that easy. Then there is the main villain who apparently would rather face a Chinese firing squad than be in a US Prison. After all, what does he think the price of failure and exposure of double-dealing by his communist government is going to be. Actually, I had two major problems with this book. The first was the ending. I recently read one of Mr. Cannell's other books, "King Con". It was a lot better than this. However, like this one, the ending was a bit weak. This seems to be a common problem of late in the action oriented books I have read. No one seems to be able to come up with a believable ending. This was the second book in a row I have read where the villains hide a nuclear device in a major American city. And, how does it get found in "Riding the Snake"? Is it through good police work or a thoughtful investigation? Nooooooooo! The main character just knows where to look. It could happen. The other problem with this book is something more insidious. Anyone reading it will have to decide if this book is racist, and, if so, is any racism in it intentional or just from a lack of sensitivity on the author's part. In fairness, there are a few non-white characters, including one of the two main ones, who are decent people, and even one or two white characters who are on the wrong side of the law. However, most of the characters can be defined by the equations: (1) White person equals good guy and/or victim. (2) Non-white person equals villain or willing collaborator of villains. And, at least for me, that is not the type of math that I can agree with.
Rating:
Summary: A real nail-biter; would LOVE to see this onscreen or TV!
Review: The often-overlooked fiction genre of Interracial Romance (IR) is a favorite of mine. I wound up seeking out Stephen J. Cannell's "Riding The Snake" after seeing it mentioned in an online review re: an IR that had been recommended to me. Courtesy of the aforementioned review, I knew going in that there would (eventually) be some type of romantic interaction between the black female lead (Tanisha Williams) and the white male lead (Wheeler Cassidy). Yet, less than five pages into the Prologue, my interest in the IR became secondary as I began to realize there was a great deal of supsense which would be generated by these two crossing paths with the character of "Willy" Wo Lap Ling. By the fifth chapter, the suspense being generated by the histories and actions of Tanisha, Wheeler, and Willy (as well as other characters) began to totally CONSUME me! I agree with another reviewer who stated the book is full of memorable characters: there's the country club-lurking family screw-up looking for a last chance at redemption, Wheeler...the passionate, haunted yet focused, no-nonsense cop, Tanisha...the lethally cunning and methodical Willy Wo Lap Ling...the doomed dreamer, Fu Hai...the (visually) unforgettable Johnny Wong. Cannell's writing is so tight, I even found myself remembering the "cameo" appearances--characters you saw every now and then, chief among them being Dry Dragon: Cannell's description of how he came by his nickname had me LOL. Occasionally, I *did* get a bit bogged down by all the technical jargon re: the guns and foriegn policies. But, the pace at which the storyline moved was so quick and steady, I easily was able to once again get back on course. A few times I had to suspend my disbelief a *wee* bit, but the nerve-wracking thrills generated by the action scenes more than made up for it. Mr. Cannell gets MAJOR kudos from me for having the guts to make his central female character black! Seeing as there is NOT a wealth of black femmes front and center in the crime/suspense genre, it was extremely refreshing to see a sista not only front and center, but complex, intelligent, and REAL. And while Cannel may not be able to get the all the nuances of his black characters down cold like the FABULOUS James Patterson does (my mind was simply BLOWN to discover Patterson, the creator of the MARVELOUS Alex Cross & Sampson characters from the Alex Cross series, was white), he most certainly deserves an A for having the guts to put for the effort! The character of Wheeler, IMO, wasn't quite as fleshed-out as Tanisha, but he was nonetheless still interesting. I'd have like to seen the troubled (past) relationship between Wheeler and his father (and brother Preston) explored more in the background narrative. Still the last scene of the book hammered home what Connell had so earnestly and believably conveyed throughout our peek into Wheeler Cassidy's troubled soul: He really DID love his baby brother. My fondness for IRs notwithstanding, I still found that the (romantic) relationship between Tanish & Wheeler progressed at plausible pace and *was* believable. The love scene was well-written (although, I'll admit, I'd have prefereed a *bit* more detail! *g*); tender without being syrupy or sappy. It was by no means a scorcher, but the emotions being generated by the two were palpable. Some have commented that they didn't think the romance was beliveable. I totally disagree. Yes, they were people from drastically different backgrounds (he, from the plush, pampered Hills of Beverly; she, from the rough, blood-strewn streets of Compton), but Cannell managed to tap into the common emotion of LOVE and take us into minds and hearts of the characters, exposing their hopes AND fears. This has been one of THE most satisfying (fiction) reads I've had in ages. The ONLY thing that could top it would be to see Mr. Cannell's story brought to TV - cable, *please*; the networks are NOT ready to try and portray the aftermaths of "Death By Myriad Swords" or "The Living Death" - or the big screen. Angela Bassett & Alec Baldwin would be PERFECT as Tanisha & Wheeler, respectively!
Rating:
Summary: Some improvement
Review: There is a real novelty in this book: for the first time ever in Cannel's cosmology, a Latino character (Ramón) is not directly associated with crime, dirt and grease altogether. Well ... he is an illegal immigrant, but hey!, you can't have it all.
Rating:
Summary: Trials and Tribulations
Review: What a good story. This is the first novel of his I have read. I will read more. I found the information on China and their triads, gangsters, and tongs to be very informative. The book was well researched. All in all a great fiction story with a non fiction base. We can beleive today the real enemy will be China in the future. I hope not for many years.Best of all it shows how our country is not protecting us by allowing all the illegal immigrants and now talking of their rights. Fiction is a close brother of non fiction, actually Siamese twins. Read it and weep.
|
