Final Target

Rating:
Summary: Shallow rambling yarn
Review: After reading a parade of female writers, top picks by Oprah's Book Club, it was heart wrenching to discover that my gender lacks the talent to write a decent book. Along comes Iris Johansen and I was thinking, this woman "can write", oh my God. Only I didn't expect much to begin with. In
Reap the Wind, the author puts her fictitious "historical treasure" Wind Dancer in line with national treasures like Mona Lisa, David, Night Watch. Her characters are somewhat shallow, Caitlin's has more strength, her mother is vain, her lover a scoundrel, who takes her from the romantic setting of lavender and roses called Vasaro in France into a quagmire of international gangsters. Compared to her mediocre and somewhat exhaustively boring novels Reap the Wind and Long after Midnight, this one has more zing. In Final Target, I found her female characters bratty, spoiled, hostile, and
feeble minded, always exposed to the bad boys for rescue or destruction. I will give this author another try, because of the entertaining quality of her books for those evenings when I am content with some shallow rambling yarn.

Rating:
Summary: Convoluted tale that wasn't overly believable
Review: Heard the taped version of Iris Johnansen's FINAL TARGET,
a somewhat convoluted tale about a kidnapped girl who just
happens to be the daughter of the President of the United
States . . . I just didn't find it believable, nor did I care for any
of the main characters . . . only the ending, which involved
a love story of sorts, managed to pique my interest . . . I also
found Carolyn McCormick's narration excellent; in fact, much
better than the book.

Rating:
Summary: Explosive!!
Review: I just completed one of the best suspense novels ever! Iris Johansen in her fourth Wind Dancer series has struck gold once again. Can this author tell a story or what?

The story begins with a kidnapping attempt on the President's daughter which was aborted by Michael Travis who seems to be a pretty shady underworld character. When 7 year old Cassie Andreas witnesses the murder of her bodyguards and nurse she withdraws from the world, leaving her in a catatonic state and the only emotions she emits are through her dreams. President Andreas enlists the aid of Dr. Jessica Riley, who has dealt with patients who have been traumatized and places Cassie in her care at her residence with around the clock agents. One of Jessica's patients was her younger sister Melissa who witnessed their parents' death and who also went through almost the same condition as Cassie. Somehow Melissa and Cassie's nightmares are linked so much so that Melissa leaves college to come home to her sister and now the stuff really hits the fan. There is just so much nonstop action going on here and this novel will keep wondering just who are the good guys. Don't miss out on this powerful novel as it will hold your attention til the very end.

Rating:
Summary: A 5 if it wasn't for the french pronounciation!!!!!
Review: I really liked the book but the french pronounciation was disgusting!! It ruined the entire story for me.

Rating:
Summary: Pedestrian combination of thriller and romance.
Review: Iris Johansen's "Final Target" is an action-adventure novel which combines intrigue and murder with passionate romance. Cassie Andreas is the seven-year-old daughter of the President of the United States. She has been traumatized by a violent encounter and she now stays in her bed, mute and unresponsive.

Dr. Jessica Riley has been hired to help bring Cassie back. Jessica's sister, Melissa, was brought back from a catatonic state by her sister years ago. Melissa feels a connection to Cassie, and she also tries to help the little girl.

The plot thickens as Michael Travis, hunky adventurer, smuggler, and thief, enters their lives. He had saved Cassie's life during the aforementioned traumatic episode and he, too, gets involved in helping to revive the girl.

To further complicate matters, Michael is involved in several illegal and dangerous schemes. His arch-enemy, Edward Deschamps, is out to kill him and to obtain a beautiful statue, "Wind Dancer," that is prized by the Andreas family. In addition, it turns out that several of the characters in the book have psychic powers that enable them to sense impending danger and even to communicate with one another telepathically.

Johansen does not bother too much with such niceties as character development and descriptive prose. The novel consists mostly of dialogue accompanied by a far-fetched plot. Although "Final Target" is little more than a fairy tale, it is fast-moving, and it may please lovers of escapist fare.

Rating:
Summary: Too Many Psychics in an Unbelievable Plot
Review: It's four hundred years or so later and the Wind Dancer has moved to a different continent, but sadly Iris Johansen didn't bring the reading pleasure along with the statue that I got from that trilogy she'd written and I'd read over a decade ago. She brought Sean Galen along from her last book, but even his capable presence doesn't quit pull this one off.

I did finish it in an evening, and that's a good sign, but I was constantly put off by the reuse of so many simple phrases and the unbelievable plot. No president is going to let his daughter go off with a guy as shady as our flawed hero, under any circumstances. Also there were too many psychics in the story. Unless your name is Kay Hooper you can't get away with more than one character with abnormal, paranormal, supernormal or any other kind of powers.

Sadly I liked the decade old, romantic Wind Dancer trilogy better than I did this one, though I'm still giving this book three stars, because I didn't put it down and even after all the off putting stuff I mentioned above, I didn't feel cheated.

Reviewed by Vesta Irene