The Viking Funeral

Rating:
Summary: I didn't think it was possible for SJC to top himself!
Review: After reading THE TIN COLLECTORS, I didn't think it would be possible for Stephen J. Cannell to top himself, but he truly outdid himself with THE VIKING FUNERAL! Shane Scully, Chooch and Alexa are back and from the looks of THE VIKING FUNERAL, they are here to stay. First of all, the best thing about THE VIKING FUNERAL is you don't have to read THE TIN COLLECTORS to know what's going on in this new action-packed thriller (Although, you'd be doing yourself an injustice if you don't read TTC). Cannell does a great job of letting you know the major points of TTC with a few brushstrokes of his pen (Or should I say his famous Selectric typewriter?) without hitting you over the head with a lot of exposition.

From the very first page, you will be hooked, and I guarantee you will not be able to put it down. I have read all of Stephen J. Cannell's best sellers, and loved them, but this one is a true page-turner! There is not one lull in the entire book. You never get a chance to catch your breath. Each page is so exciting, you have no other choice but to turn the next page! This is one book you will never want to end. I can't want for the next Shane Scully novel!

Rating:
Summary: Another Adventurous Masterpiece From Stephen J. Cannell
Review: Although I probably haven't read a novel in the past year or so, I have to commend Stephen J. Cannell for bringing the joy of reading a thriller back to me.

Shane Scully is a cop on the verge of a nervous breakdown due to his childhood friend commiting suicide and his girlfriend getting all the recognition for his work on a huge case he just cracked showing corruption in the L.A. Police dept., when he's driving down the highway one day and sees his supposedly dead friend driving next to him. After doing some investigative work he discovers that there is a rogue group of cops that have all faked their suicides so they could work off the books. Shane decides to infiltrate the group and delve into the shaddy underground known as the parallel market. In a wonderfully spun web of intrigue and suspense written by Stephen J. Cannell the reader is taken on an adventure that you won't soon forget.

I found the book imposible to put down for the 2 heart pounding days that it took me to read it. The book is very well written and easy to read. 2 thumbs up for Stephen J. Cannell on writing this soon to be best seller!!

Rating:
Summary: Another Great Book By Cannell
Review: I have to disagree with the other reviewers; I enjoyed every page of this nail-biter. Cannell's unique writing style really brings the reader into the action. Two thumbs up and five stars for this one.

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: In THE VIKING FUNERAL, Stephen J. Cannell continues the story of Sergeant Shane Scully. In THE TIN COLLECTORS, Scully's first appearance, he brings down a group of corrupt cops, the Chief of Police and the mayor of California. The LAPD is in turmoil and now trying to come back from the ashes. Scully has a better relationship with his son and is happily dating Alexa Hamilton, an ally from the previous novel. His life drastically changes one day when he sees his 'dead' friend driving on the highway.

He learns that several policemen have faked their own deaths to form part of a team called the Vikings. Shane, Scully, and the new Chief of Police set up a plan to infiltrate the group. As the plan takes place, Scully is forced to kill Alexa and run for his life while working with the Vikings.

Once the reader learns the Vikings true mission, the novel starts to go downhill. The Vikings are involved in a complicated and bit convoluted money-laundering scheme. The principals of this caper are all caricatures and stereotypes who do not have any personality, just role in the play. It is hard to identify with the criminals and it gets to the point that one does not really care. There is no smooth flow in the reading and there were times that I had to reread specific chapters. I have read other Cannell novels that I enjoyed. I prefer that he continues writing stand-alone novels instead of continuing a series with Scully. I feel the sergeant lacked a focus in the novel.

Rating:
Summary: Shane's back
Review: Stephen J. Cannell brings back Shane Scully from his previous adventure in ‘The Tin Collectors’.

Scully lost his best friend and co-worker a couple years ago to an apparent suicide and it hit him pretty hard mentally. He is now suspended from the LAPD. While driving down the freeway, he has no doubt that who he sees is his dead best friend Jody Dean. Scully’s fiancée, Alexa, who happens to also be with the LAPD and is a recent Medal of Valor recipient, thinks Scully has lost his mind. Soon more evidence comes into play and it turns out that Scully was right. There is a group of rogue policemen, some of whom have faked there deaths, that are taking the law into there own hands, as well as making there own laws. Scully infiltrates this group. On the outside, Alexa is handling things.

Cannell takes you into the world of money laundering, drugs, and murder, while taking you into the deadly locales of South America. It was an entertaining and easy book to read. It’s not hard to picture a movie out of this story (obviously due to Cannell’s scriptwriting abilities). Good entertainment.

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