The Betrayal : A Novel

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Summary: Willett has courageous birds-eye view of high stakes games
Review: This is not an ordinary book. In it Sabin Willett courageously really gets his feet wet in the areas of Washington and international intrigue foul play. One loses sight immediately of the slim likelihood of the events in his book actually happening, because of the tremendously swift-moving plot into which you can really sink your teeth. All-in-all it's a great commentary on what could happen, and a very intimate inside peek into quite real actualities on Capitol Hill. Each of the characters is very real, also. It is refreshing to read something that puts into focus what we don't like about government and international politics in present times, as it seems most books on the subject lately merely obfuscate it further. As far as the actual writing is concerned, I was truly impressed by the writer's incredible vocabulary, and the strength, beauty and freedom of his ability to express himself. Part of the "fun" of reading it, if you weren't anxiously sweating out some of the intense suspense, was getting an insider's view of the activities in some of the cities that are shaping our future, with or without our knowledge and consent. It was interesting to learn that some of these activities are pretty intriguing when not downright seamy. Finally, perhaps a new word should be coined, poe-fiction, or fict-etry, or something, because so much of the writing in this piece of fiction brushes heavily on fine poetry. All-in-all I relished every moment I spent reading it, and would certainly recommend it to others.

Rating:
Summary: Remember how Grisham used to write?
Review: This was a great read. The characters were well developed, the plot was tight and the story kept the pages turning all the way through. I enjoyed Willett's last book, but he has really taken it up a notch with this one. Let's just hope that he doesn't get Grisham disease and start writing empty book jackets that are guaranteed best sellers.

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Summary: Reminiscent of Steve Martini's The List (which I also liked)
Review: Unlike The List (where the main character's situation tempts her into a situation that puts her and her daughter's lives into danger), The Betrayal is even more frightening because the main character and her daughter are placed in jeopardy through no fault of their own. What makes this book especially satisfying is that not only are the lead characters well-written and engaging but also that the supporting characters are richly written and interesting, as well. If you enjoyed Steve Martini's The List or John Grisham's Testament, I think you'll like this one. I enjoyed Willett's first book (The Deal), but this one is an even faster paced, more absorbing read.

Rating:
Summary: Entertaining...a nice sophmore effort
Review: Willett seems to be a completely different author with "The Betrayal" than with his previous work. The wording is elevated and many will appreciate his touches of humor. Eventhough the first person account of Isabel was a nice addition, there were points that seemed forced into her conversation (e.g., a kid describing headlights as something akin to "stabbing into the night" placed next to text of "like", "sure", "as if" or any other youthful colloquialisms. Overall, the story is original, conceived well, and delivered in an exciting fashion. There are many ways that Willett has advanced as a writer, that define a style for him...it will be interesting to see how his next corpus is received. "The Betrayal" is a fine read. Good work S.W.!