A Risk Worth Taking

Rating:
Summary: Very disappointing
Review: A Risk worth Taking follows the adventures of Dan Porter, unemployed, unsuccessful house husband of career-driven wife, and father of three. Dan impulsively goes to Scotland, gets himself involved with a woman running a mail-order business, and changes his life completely.

Trouble is that Dan and the other characters are entirely two-dimensional, the plot dreadfully contrived, and the whole tale boringly predictable. All Robin Pilcher's male characters are somewhat similar - selfish, irresponsible and foolish. The women are all sex objects, with the occasional career thrown in to make it PC. The kids are cardboard cut-outs from a "choose your own problem child" handbook. Throw in the odd Type A, B, or C businessman/politician, etc., and there you have it.

This level of writing and story-telling is acceptable if you want something like a "Woman's Own" story. If you want something a little more creative and challenging, more of a meal than a gooey doughnut with your cup of tea, look elsewhere.

Rating:
Summary: Third Time's the Charm
Review: After two false starts, Robin Pilcher has come into his own with his newest novel, "A Risk Worth Taking."

This is the story of Londoner Dan Porter, a dot-com wunderkind whose entire fairytale life falls apart on 9/11, when he loses several close and dear friends in New York, and is subsequently laid off (made redundant, as the Brits say) due to the crash of the dot-com industry. As the book opens, Dan is a house husband, dealing with his three surly teenagers and his equally surly wife Jackie, a high-powered executive in her own right who has no patience or sympathy with her husband's jobless condition.

Dan is going in circles, both emotionally and professionally, when, on pure whim (unlike him completely), he suddenly decides to invest in a Scottish clothing company he has read about in a magazine. Dan's trip to Scotland, his subsequent reawakening, the friends he makes, and the unexpected turns he experiences, both in his own life, and that of his three children, change him, his marriage, his view of life, and his very soul forever.

I could not turn the pages fast enough to finish this wonderful book, and I am thrilled that Robin Pilcher has finally found his way, free of his mother's formidible reputation and finally able, like Dan Porter, to stand on his own. Bravo, Robin! Well done indeed.

Rating:
Summary: Almost a Blue Plate Special
Review: After two false starts, Robin Pilcher has come into his own with his newest novel, "A Risk Worth Taking."

This is the story of Londoner Dan Porter, a dot-com wunderkind whose entire fairytale life falls apart on 9/11, when he loses several close and dear friends in New York, and is subsequently laid off (made redundant, as the Brits say) due to the crash of the dot-com industry. As the book opens, Dan is a house husband, dealing with his three surly teenagers and his equally surly wife Jackie, a high-powered executive in her own right who has no patience or sympathy with her husband's jobless condition.

Dan is going in circles, both emotionally and professionally, when, on pure whim (unlike him completely), he suddenly decides to invest in a Scottish clothing company he has read about in a magazine. Dan's trip to Scotland, his subsequent reawakening, the friends he makes, and the unexpected turns he experiences, both in his own life, and that of his three children, change him, his marriage, his view of life, and his very soul forever.

I could not turn the pages fast enough to finish this wonderful book, and I am thrilled that Robin Pilcher has finally found his way, free of his mother's formidible reputation and finally able, like Dan Porter, to stand on his own. Bravo, Robin! Well done indeed.

Rating:
Summary: engaging character study
Review: Dan Porter believes his life is near perfect as he has a wonderful job with a dot com firm, married to a loving wife for twenty years, and three precocious children. However, when his company hits bad times, the policy of last in first out leaves Dan unemployed. Meanwhile his wife Jackie is managing director of Rebecca Talworth Design Limited, but makes little money as profits are returned to the company.

Dan fails to get a new job, which leads to a tear in his relationship with Jackie because she feels he has become complacent while their lifestyle slips. When he reads an article in Women's Weekly about a small Scottish firm Vagabonds needing help to expand, he races north while Jackie is on the continent on business. Though the makers of the popular "Vaggas" is not what Dan expected, he finds his life changes perhaps even more than when he lost his dot com job, but Jackie's resentment grows.

This is an engaging character study of a person who once was riding the crest, but since has lost his self esteem. He begins to regain his confidence with his trip to Scotland, but the cost may prove too high. The cast is a delightful ensemble, especially Dan, his family, and the Turnbows (owners of Vagabonds). Robin Pilcher provides a deep look at what really counts as Dan reassess his values and how he has lived.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: engaging character study
Review: Dan Porter believes his life is near perfect as he has a wonderful job with a dot com firm, married to a loving wife for twenty years, and three precocious children. However, when his company hits bad times, the policy of last in first out leaves Dan unemployed. Meanwhile his wife Jackie is managing director of Rebecca Talworth Design Limited, but makes little money as profits are returned to the company.

Dan fails to get a new job, which leads to a tear in his relationship with Jackie because she feels he has become complacent while their lifestyle slips. When he reads an article in Women's Weekly about a small Scottish firm Vagabonds needing help to expand, he races north while Jackie is on the continent on business. Though the makers of the popular "Vaggas" is not what Dan expected, he finds his life changes perhaps even more than when he lost his dot com job, but Jackie's resentment grows.

This is an engaging character study of a person who once was riding the crest, but since has lost his self esteem. He begins to regain his confidence with his trip to Scotland, but the cost may prove too high. The cast is a delightful ensemble, especially Dan, his family, and the Turnbows (owners of Vagabonds). Robin Pilcher provides a deep look at what really counts as Dan reassess his values and how he has lived.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: Almost a Blue Plate Special
Review: I've read both of his previous efforts, loved "An Ocean Apart" frowned over "Starting Over". This book I enjoyed for the development of its principal character. The motivations and decisions that Dan Porter made were clear to me. I could only give it three stars as I felt some of the characters were superficially developed. His wife Jackie for example, I had no sense how she felt about her children, what motivated her to not consider custody of them, what was so attractive about Stephen. And Kate, the pivotal action she took was out of the blue, Maxwell Borthwick was a flat caricature. All of this aside, Pilcher has a lovely way with words, an adept, preceptive and warm manner in his presentation of children and adolescents, and wins me over every time portraying friendships of kindred spirits. I have to admit to taking him as he came, I haven't read any of Rosamund Pilcher's books, if having that name before him enhanced his being published, I am glad for it.

Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable, entertaining book
Review: Mr. Pilcher puts together a fine story focusing on relationships and personal transformation. His characters are believable though not too deep or complex. The story moves along and is interesting.

I listened to the cd of the book, and the narrator does an exceptional job reading the book and speaking for the characters' accents. You will thoroughly enjoy listening to him. I found myself sitting in the parked car to continue to listen--it is the audio equivalent of a page turner.

I think this is well-written and fluid and explores some of the dynamics in today's family that has two working parents trying to fulfill themselves in careers and family.

Rating:
Summary: Son of Pollyanna
Review: NOT very believable. The problems Dan and family faced do not "fix" themselves just by wishful thinking as Pilcher would have us believe.
A lay-about Dad goes to remote Scotland and "finds himself" within days; his lay-about son follows Dad and "finds himself" within days; two spoiled-brat teenage daughters go to visit Dad and brother and "find themselves" within HOURS. Poor wifie-Jackie--stays home and "loses herself." Only a total misogynist could create a woman as shallow and unredeeming as that. The best and only redeeming feature of the "book" was listening to the audio-CD version's wonderful Scottish accent of the narrator.