Rating: 
Summary: Francis is over the hill
Review: Having read all the previous novels by Dick Francis I looked forward to his latest. What a disappointment! I'm afraid he was out of his element with meteorology. The only time horses and racing entered the story was as a place to 'exchange' information between the characters. Dick Francis knows horses and racing and should stick to that. But even the style of writing was not the same, boring and wandering.
Rating: 
Summary: Not impressive.........
Review: When my English Lit teacher suggested Dick Francis as a good mystery writer i expected an action packed, page-turning thriller. Well.... that's far from what I actually got. It was boring and quite confusing. The only reason this book got three stars was that a good plot line occasionally peeked through the otherwise drunkeness of the book.
Rating:
Summary: Nice quick read
Review: Having never read Francis before, I liked this book. It's fast paced, has interesting and unexpected twists, and is very entertaining.
Rating: 
Summary: This is a wonderful read, despite what some may say.
Review: I have read, heard, and listened to quite a few negatives regarding this novel. However, I feel that this is one of the best novels Mr.Francis has put out. Always a new twist, a new path taken, this time the worlds of meteorology, small aircraft piloting, and cultivated bovine diseases mesh with the world of horse racing. Perry Stuart is an intresting protagonist, different than most of this authors heros, as he has no first hand horse world experiance. This novel is populated by a world of dark characters, plot twists and complex emotions. Alternately a mystery novel, bio tech thriller, spy caper and more, this is one of the more intricately laced stories that Mr.Francis has ever written. Though a slight departure from his norm, a well thought out book that will appeal to many fans, if they are not off put be the seemingly unjust bias of critics everywhere. With the death of his wife, Mr.Francis has hinted at retirement, so to miss a master at work because of some bad press would be a travesty.
Rating:
Summary: Another good Francis book, but different!
Review: I have read every book written by Dick Francis, and having a close connection with the horseracing field, have always enjoyed his books. The twists and turns and well written mysteries are always in "Francis style", but he has managed to create differences in each of his books.I found Second Wind very good. I was pleased with the plot of the book, the variation of locations and the twists in the end.However, this book confused me with its general composition and written format. The story was Francis, but the writing style was not. Sentences going on forever and weaving on through entire paragraphs. I really wonder if a "ghost writer" had helped him put this story down on paper. It just didn't seem right.Dick Francis has been a consistently fabulous writer for many years and I recommend this book to his fans.I hope the death of his beloved wife this past year does not conclude his literary gifts to the world.....a fan
Rating:
Summary: Second Wind
Review: Disappointed is all I can say. Being a horse person, I was excited when I read my first Dick Francis book, "Hot Money". Here was a person who could write an intriguing mystery that involved horses. And he actually knew what he was talking about! The stories were very believable and the characters were people you thought you already knew. But with Second Wind, I'm wondering where the horses went?! I learned more about meterolgy and weather forcasting than I ever cared to. Perry Stuart is the typical Dick Francis hero, but the other characters leave me wanting. Halfway through the book, and the "mystery" is just starting to unfold. Three pages of "horsey' reference in the beginning do not make this a book he usually provides. I will continue to get his books as they come out. But for now I will reread the books that got me hooked on him in the first place.
Rating:
Summary: So disappointing!
Review: I have read Dick Fancis novels for 15 years and this is the first one my husband ever had to hear me complain about. I found much of the writing convoluted and overblown and often times the end of the sentences didn't match up with how they had started. Add to that characters who never really take hold (I felt like I should have a score card: Robin Darcy, round, bald, married to Evelyn, lives in Florida, mushroom and sod king)and plot lines that are confusing at best and this adds up to a real disappointment. I usually save Dick Francis novels for long plane trips as they make the time fly! If I had taken this on the plane, I would have thought I was traveling by old fashioned stage coach. Better luck next time, Mr. Francis!
Rating:
Summary: A mish-mash
Review: Very disappointing Dick Francis novel. The books that focus more surely on horse racing are his best in my opinion. This seemed to have several plots going, and I never did get why those cows were in the story. And why did Perry Stuart walk unarmed into Robin's house--what motivated that? To sum up: Too many characters; too many plot lines and lack of believable motivation in many instances spoiled the book.
Rating:
Summary: Not his best, but not bad either
Review: Although this book isn't as riveting as some of his other books, I still found it to be an enjoyable read. As usual with a Francis novel, the reader always learns a little something along the way. I've read the other reviews that pan this book. Even though it's not my all-time favorite Francis novel, it's still a far cry better than some of the other books on the market that are a total waste of time and paper.
Rating: 
Summary: Like one, Like all
Review: It always seems that once you've read one of his novels, you've read them all. The first-person, always male. Horses feature somewhat, sometimes a lot. A young, good-looking woman. Sometimes a little casual sex, sometimes a marriage at the end. The hero is beaten up or otherwise tortured. He perseveres. The villains are caught, end of story. Like a box of chocolates, though, all different but all tasty, each of Mr. Francis' books is a unique treat. About this one, so you know if you've read it or not: Perry Stuart is a meteorologist. He's dragged by his suicidal friend to fly through a hurricane. It turns out that the flight is a cover for going to a small island and taking photographs of something. The plane crashes over water, Dr. Stuart (yes, he's also a physics Ph.D.) survives. The villains deal in dangerous substances, ones that Dr. Stuart understands. A nice nurse who works for his grandmother is the woman (and he does marry her at the end). The villains are caught, a small twist at the end just so we don't feel too secure in our knowledge of the good and the bad. End of story, did I say?
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