The Foursome : A Novel

Rating:
Summary: A gem - highly recommended
Review: A departure from THE GREEN, which only makes sense. Every bit as exciting, fun and fascinating.

Rating:
Summary: A sure fire ACE!
Review: After reading The Green, I could not resist buying the book for all of my friends. Golfers and non-golfer alike - love this book! The Foursome was a title that lived up to my highest expectations. A must read - Eddie C is a great character and I hope there are many books to come!

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful on many levels
Review: Although I love stories of trial and redemption, I don't like the kind of saccharine-sweet, pseudo-spiritual, angel-based nonsense there seems to be so much of these days. Which is why I loved The Foursome. Profound in its own way, yet also very funny, exciting and suspenseful, with badly flawed but somehow lovably eccentric characters who seem to look an awful lot like my neighbors.

Rating:
Summary: On Par with The Green
Review: Another great one from Troon! Eddie Caminetti is a true hero in this novel about golf and, more importantly, character. The foursome in the book are recognizable folks we see every day - pompous, sneaky, timid, verbose, ... and their respective flaws are drawn out and exposed on the golf course. Whether or not you love golf, you'll thoroughly enjoy this tale. I've read both of McAllister's golf novels and recently bought the third (Scratch). I have found his writing to be so engrossing that it is almost a disappointment when you reach that last page. Read and enjoy!

Rating:
Summary: Top-notch all around
Review: Great story and characters, very skillful writing

Rating:
Summary: Loved every page
Review: I always thought golf was a stupid game, but now I have a greater appreciation for it and why people love it. Even so, most of that is irrelevant in reading The Foursome, which is a great book for which golf only acts like a kind device for getting these characters across. I recommend it very highly.

Rating:
Summary: Beautifully written, very absorbing
Review: I don't normally read sports books, but got this as a gift. Truly wonderful, and will now go read Green as well.

Rating:
Summary: An absorbing and funny tale of redemption
Review: I love the way McAllister takes us right down to the characters' level instead of looking at them from on high; great ability to dive inside people's heads. Profound, yet still an exciting and very funny page turner. I don't know the first thing about golf but that sport is just a metaphor here - could have been lawn darts or cricket.

Rating:
Summary: A Bogey This Time
Review: I loved "The Green", as you will note if you look at my review and I was really looking forward to reconnecting to some of the characters from that book and enjoying the writing of another humorous golf adventure. Unfortunately, just like no one "owns" a golf game, Troon McAllister demonstrates that no one "owns" the formula to writing a successful sequel. The story starts out promisingly enough as you learn some of the foibles and fables of those that make up this particular foresome who are about to take their annual golfing vacation. This year they are off to Swithen Bairn, the most exclusive golf resort in the world where if you don't think you have had the vacation of a lifetime, you don't pay. The cost for the week is on the order of $18,000, so the promotional come on is not given lightly. As the intrepid four begin their vacation they are drawn into a match with "the owners", one of whom is Eddie Camminetti of recent Ryder Cup fame from "The Green". As the week plays out the struggle between The Foursome against The Owners and with each other takes some twists and turns that are less than pleasant until you feel you are trapped in some horrendous Twi-Light Zone and that all is missing is the soothing voice of Rod Serling. What was fun and funny turns ugly and mean and the story, to my thinking rather loses its way until it is tied up at the end with an Epilogue that is not worthy of the author. The story had possibilities, but they got lost somewhere on the back nine of the second match and never recovered.

Rating:
Summary: A Bogey This Time
Review: I loved "The Green", as you will note if you look at my review and I was really looking forward to reconnecting to some of the characters from that book and enjoying the writing of another humorous golf adventure. Unfortunately, just like no one "owns" a golf game, Troon McAllister demonstrates that no one "owns" the formula to writing a successful sequel. The story starts out promisingly enough as you learn some of the foibles and fables of those that make up this particular foresome who are about to take their annual golfing vacation. This year they are off to Swithen Bairn, the most exclusive golf resort in the world where if you don't think you have had the vacation of a lifetime, you don't pay. The cost for the week is on the order of $18,000, so the promotional come on is not given lightly. As the intrepid four begin their vacation they are drawn into a match with "the owners", one of whom is Eddie Camminetti of recent Ryder Cup fame from "The Green". As the week plays out the struggle between The Foursome against The Owners and with each other takes some twists and turns that are less than pleasant until you feel you are trapped in some horrendous Twi-Light Zone and that all is missing is the soothing voice of Rod Serling. What was fun and funny turns ugly and mean and the story, to my thinking rather loses its way until it is tied up at the end with an Epilogue that is not worthy of the author. The story had possibilities, but they got lost somewhere on the back nine of the second match and never recovered.