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Summary: An offbeat, intriguing crime novel.
Review: What an intriguing, original and awesomely offbeat crime comedy Out of Sight is! I really enjoyed reading this book and it was quite hard to put it down. Sure, the movie is better but this still remains a sassy story with guns, sex, robbery, escape and action. All of these genres are timed impeccably well and we get into the story straight away. The main characters unfortunately aren't described very well in terms of appearance, but we can sort of picture them out ourselves using Leonard's great description of the characters actions, what they're like and what they feel. The humour in this book is black and devious, just the way I like it. The best parts of this book are when the two main characters, Karen and Jack, are together. The writing in these chapters is really relaxed, cool and really easy to get into. You actually want to find out what happens to them. I think the ending came a bit too fast, but I still really enjoyed reading it. The memorable characters, original story, meaty chapters and offbeat brilliance make this book really worth the while.
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Summary: Waste of time
Review: After reading so many positibve things about Leonard, I was expecting a great crime novel. I was very disappointed. I found the plot cheesy and unbelievable. The story lacked suspense, and there was nothing special about Leonard's writing. I would suggest readrs looking for interesting crimne fiction to check out Elroy instead.
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Summary: A Cops and Robbers Romance Born in a Prison Break
Review: Stories about criminals trying to escape from prison have always fascinated me. They have much of the same appeal as a locked room mystery. And they also have the possibility of a good tale covering the chase after the prison is left behind. In Out of Sight, Elmore Leonard has created the most unique prison escape story that I have ever read. Here's the situation. Jack Foley, a career bank robber, has thought of a way to use a planned escape by some other convicts to help him get out. Everything goes smoothly until . . . the way out ends up being covered by a deputy U.S. marshal carrying a shotgun who's visiting the prison to serve a subpoena. What now? Sound interesting? Then, Mr. Leonard throws in a role reversal. The deputy is an attractive 28 year-old woman wearing designer clothes. I think that many of the best novels are those that propose a totally unique situation, and then let the characters deal with the situation. That seems to be how this book was written, and it's fascinating. She doesn't shoot. He ends up taking her along, and riding in the trunk with her. They start talking . . . and discover they are interested in each other. What if they had met in some other way? She escapes. Foley's on the run, and she's after him. What will happen to them? As usual, the dialogue reflects Mr. Leonard's almost-perfect ear for spoken language. Mr. Leonard's famous wit concerning the foibles of criminals is in evidence in almost every paragraph. If you are ready for lots of laughs from a crime novel, this book may well appeal to you. In fact, the book will remind you a lot of the romantic comedies that the two main characters find that they both adore. Don't be surprised if you are asked to suspend your disbelief from time to time. On the other hand, there are some truly nasty criminals in the story who do despicable things. If such events disturb or annoy you, this book's darkness should cause you to prefer another source of romantic comedy. You will see this book as a two or three star effort. I graded the book down one star for needless violence. After you have read the book or thought about the situation that kicks off the plot, think about where you may be missing opportunities to get to know others whom you would like. For example, I have just read a book by Stephen Ambrose in which he describes the pleasure that enemy commanders who have fought against each other find in their post-war friendships. Speak up or act . . . or forever miss your opportunity to connect!
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Summary: Great Book Made Into a Good Movie!
Review: I own the movie 'Out of Sight' and I wanted to read the book to see how well it was adapted for the screen. To my relief, the movie did not deviate far from the original plot. Great story with interesting characters that I could read in one afternoon. And a great movie with George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez playing the main characters that was acclaimed by critics, but missed by an unappreciative movie audience. I hope after reading this review people will read the book and see what they've missed on video. I can't wait to read 'Get Shorty' now as well as its sequel 'Be Cool'.
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Summary: A SHOT TO THE GUT.
Review: An absolute winner. Leonard is the master.
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Summary: Liked it a lot...read it in a day!
Review: This is the 2nd Elmore Leonard book I've read & also the 2nd I've finished the same day I started it. It's a quick read and as several comments below indicate it reads like a screenplay and is well suited for plane rides (or subway rides to Yankee games, like me). The story is funny, quick-moving, and not too serious. I do plan to read the rest of his novels after getting off to a quick start with this and "Get Shorty".
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Summary: From the Leonard Reviews: Can't escape the cliches
Review: "Out of Sight" starts so strongly--with the escape of legendary con Jack Foley from prison and his whimsical "kidnapping" of federal marshal Karen Cisco--that it's a shame that it runs out of steam so quickly. While Foley is a charming old-world criminal, and Cisco one of Leonard's strongest female characters--a complex mix of Rambo and Daddy's girl--that it's a shame how Leonard manufactures a series of threadbare plot devices to bring them together: stakeouts and near-misses; minor characters who fill up pages but amount to nothing; lots of south Florida "atmosphere." It's almost a textbook example of the Master running on autopilot--or on auto-Hollywood. Yes, it's worth reading, as almost all decent Leonard books are, but certainly not worth owning.
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Summary: A good suspense book for a long plane ride!
Review: I am NOT a reader of bestsellers, thrillers or suspense books normally. I picked this one up on the recommendation of a friend, for a long plane ride.
Well, this book sure beats the inflight movie! In fact, I haven't seen the film made from it, but the book does read just like a film. The plot is fairly simple; a jail break, and a fatal attraction between a cop and a suave criminal. This book is particularly fun to read in light of the recent jailbreak in Tennessee, where the criminals ended up on the lam for weeks. These criminals are cut of a different cloth and the anti-hero is totally fictional; too intelligent and gentle to be real. But the characters are excellently drawn, the pace swift, and the book is diverting enough to keep you happy on any cramped flight. One of Elmore Leonard's better books, in my opinion and very enjoyable.
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Summary: another winner from leonard!
Review: another great book from the master of crime novels.out of sight is about a bank robber named jack foley who escapes from jail and kidnaps a u.s. marshall named karen cisco.he puts her in the trunk of a car with him and he cant help but feel attracted to her.i dont want to give anything away so ill just say that its a great crime thriller that satisfies every elmore leonard fan or new reader of his work.a great fast read!
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Summary: Leonard's Usual High Quality
Review: I simply can't agree with those reviewers who said that the book pales in comparison to the movie. Sure, George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez were fine, but the book is much more believable. As I recall, the ending of the movie was rather different, much more Hollywood and unlikely, but it fit the traditional happy ending formula regardless of however implausible it was given the characters. Leonard doesn't fall for that, and the book is so much the better for it. Instead of a total change of life for the two leads, the book follows them through an impulse. They act on it but ultimately remain true to their overall ideals, upbringing, and personalities. Leonard is very good at writing quirky, interesting characters and situations, and Out of Sight is the equal of his best works. It is extremely gratifying to find an author in this genre who doesn't get fixated on a single series, repeating the same characters and situations endlessly, and it is similarly gratifying to read an author not caught up in the "500 page book syndrome"--finally someone who doesn't need an angry editor unafraid to wield a large eraser unsparingly and unstintingly, as I do in this sentence. I've just finished reading Snake Eyes by Richard Hoyt, an equally talented but lesser known writer than Elmore Leonard--if you like Leonard, I'd strongly recommend giving Hoyt a chance.
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