Rating: 
Summary: Weatherman Turns Detective!
Review: SECOND WIND is my first Dick Francis mystery novel and I'm hooked (that leaves about 37 books to go)! I couldn't put this book down and found myself out of breath as surprises continued to erupt toward the end of this well-written story! SECOND WIND tells of English meteorologist Perry Stuart's flight into both extreme weather and bad company after accepting a Caribbean vacation opportunity to chase a hurricane. The chase plane goes down and Stuart barely makes it to an island that is anything but usual. Dick Francis really keeps readers guessing throughout this complex tale! Story components include British weather forecasts, sick race horses, depressed friend, piloting airplanes, Florida, hurricanes, ocean/island survival, cows, good guys and bad guys. Francis rather brilliantly incorporates a fascinating look at British TV meteorologists in action by neatly tying weather forecasting in with his favorite topic, horse racing! Dick Francis, a former British steeplechase jockey, is a top-notch storyteller who is superb at constructing unique who-done-it scenarios. It's my understanding that nearly all of Francis' novels are based in some way upon his own experiences and/or that he and his wife take a great deal of time to research for background and technical accuracy, etc. Francis writes in a smooth, fast-paced, vividly descriptive style using an economy of words. The thing is, every word is effective! I immediately cared about Francis' very human characters and felt a part of the story because of his cultural and setting descriptions. I also learned from entering his well-researched worlds of meteorology, flying, and, of course, the horse racing scene based upon his own experiences! I highly recommend this book to all readers who enjoy a mystery full of compelling surprises! I predict you won't be able to stop with just one Dick Francis novel!
Rating: 
Summary: This is not your typical Dick Francis novel
Review: If you wish to read one of the dozens of Dick Francis novels, and every mystery fan should, please don't start with Second Wind. To be sure the writing has all of the usual Dick Francis qualities of concise yet telling prose. But the plot involving not a horseman but a BBC meterologist, Dr. Perry Stuart, and his fellow meterologist Kris, the desire of suicide-minded Kris to fly through a hurricane, the tiny island of Trox, now deserted, and the mysterious goings-on there, and the collection of folks met at a party at Newmarket is in the end unsatisfying. The plot was strained at times, and the various physical poundings befelling Perry, including surviving a hurricane with only a life vest, seemed more cartoon-like than real. Although Francis had the help of a professional meterologist for the atmosphere, still the impression was a very superficial one and in a way misleading. There was little or no talk that I recall of the various models that forecasters rely on, or the atmospheric teleconnections that enable forecasters to predict with some accuracy the weather a week down the road. Also, Francis has Hurricane Sheila whipping up the waves in November which would be some 17 named storms, close to if not a record for the number of named Atlantic storms in a single season. In sum, Francis seemed to have trouble in deciding whether this is mystery or suspense, or whether he should highlight the business of weather forecasting or the machinations of terrorists and their helpers. Read Dick Francis, but not this one.
Rating:
Summary: More great rational heroes...
Review: The primary reason I continue to seek out and read Dick Francis is that he continually creates heroes that are efficacious and rational. He avoids the common pitfalls of most modern writers, and instead invents characters who pass the ultimate test: "Would I like to meet and know this person?" If you can answer "yes" to that question then there is great potential for enjoyment in the fiction centered around that character. If you answer "no" to that question, why even bother reading further? In Second Wind the master of galloping fiction spins an interesting story with more twists than a hurricane. Although it is not my favorite Francis book it is certainly worthy of my growing library of top books recommended to friends.
Rating: 
Summary: Inept criminals
Review: Dr Perry Stuart has a PhD in physics, works as a TV weatherman at BBC, and cares for his semi-invalid grandmother. His suicidal co-worker, Kris Ironside, takes him along on a fly-in to a Sunday luncheon at Newmarket where he meets an interesting group of guests, and a visit to the local stables finds a prize racehorse extremely ill from unknown causes. The plot then moves forward to an invitation to join Kris in Miami and the West Indies as a houseguest of some of the Newmarket people. Kris has been offerred an airplane to fly through a hurricane, with a side trip to check out a small isolated island. Flying through a hurricane, of course, turns into a disaster that involves Perry in a strange situation. The plot seems a little improbable as bumbling criminal wannabes trip over their own feet. Divided leadership among the criminal elements causes them many problems. Perry finds himself caught between shady individuals on one side, and an unknown government agency on the other. He seems to have a hero's nine lives as he survives airplane crashes, illness, and physical attacks on his person. He emerges battered and victorious as the story twists and turns to reach a conclusion. The novel has an interesting readable plot, but I would not classify it as great literature. One has to assume that the villains are taking dumb pills (not consistent with their business success) and the hero has the survival abilities of Al Capp's Fearless Fosdick.
Rating:
Summary: Where have the horses gone?
Review: I originally started reading Dick Francis' mysteries because of the connection to the horse world. While Second Wind is very well written, there was practically no connection to horses whatsoever. Some of Mr. Francis's other current novels showed this omission, and I sincerely hope he will bring back horses and their influence in his stories.
Rating: 
Summary: One of My Favorites
Review: When I want to read a book that teaches me something, offers some wisdom, and thoroughly engrosses me in a great story, there's no one I'd rather read than Dick Francis. For a man who began writing about horse racing, he has delved into an amazing range of knowledge, including in this case, weather knowledge and hurricanes. He's also deeply wise about relationships, inner motivation, and life. I've never been to a horse race but I'd walk a mile for a Dick Francis book.
Rating: 
Summary: second wind finishes last
Review: I, like many others, have read and derived great enjoyment from Mr. Francis' novels. Until SECOND WIND. If you are a reader of Dick Francis please take my advice and avoid this book. If you have never read Dick Francis before please do yourself two favors. First, do read his books. Second, NEVER read this one. It doesn't do justice to an otherwise outstanding author.
Rating:
Summary: The master disappoints
Review: I have read almost all of Dick Francis's books. I usually find his mysteries to be well plotted and exciting in a somewhat overcivilized British way. I can also usually count on learning something, usually about the horse racing world, but other things as well. Unfortunately, this is not the case with Second Wind. My main objection is that the main character is so dim that he constantly puts himself in harm's way for the most incredible reasons. This man is supposed to be a physicist and meteorologist, but isn't smart enough to come in out of the rain. The plot strains credulity, and the connection to Francis's usual horse racing milieu is about as tenuous as could be. All in all, a very disappointing outing for a normally reliable author.
Rating:
Summary: Weak for Francis, Not a good representation
Review: This book is certainly not indicative of Francis's style or the caliber of his books. I read several reviews that say that Francis has lost it, and I would say that is far too harsh. Prior to this book, nearly all of his novels centered more around horse racing than this one does here. That is not to say that the books are racing books themselves, but it plays a key role in the backdrop of the story. Furthermore, Francis normally gives a character we can relate to put in extenuating circumstances and we feel more of a connection with the story. In this book, Francis has strayed significantly from the norm. "Second Wind" plays more like a espionage novel rather than a mystery. The book in of itself really isn't that bad, but it definitely falls short of what Francis is capable of and doesn't capture his strength as a writer. So what can you take from this. If you have already read the book and hated it, don't give up, Francis is an excellent story teller. If you loved it, then you should really like what else he has to offer. For those of you considering this book, I offer the following opinion. a. If you are new to Dick Francis read "Whip Hand", "The Danger", "In the Frame", or "Bloodsport". You will appreciate him as a writer more. b. If you are a big Francis fan, be prepared -- this story is definitely different and you shouldn't expect the same type of tale you normally get. By itself the story isn't bad, it's just not what you expect from him.
Rating:
Summary: Big Disappointment!
Review: I have read most of Mr. Francis' books and have thoroughly enjoyed every one of them until Second Wind. I kept thinking, Dick Francis did NOT write this book! I found this to be one of a handful of books, in my lifetime, that I quit reading before the book ended. Toward the end of this book, I was so confused about what was happening that I could barely follow the story. I also had lost all interest in the characters and didn't give a hoot what happened to them! My initial excitement about a new Dick Francis novel quickly turned to disappointment. Go back to the old tried-and-true formula, Mr. Francis, and don't ever use a "ghost writer" again!
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