Second Wind

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: 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: 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.