Rating: 
Summary: Martini Scores Another Hit
Review: I was first attracted to Martini's work in the legal thriller genre, but this Clancy-esque suspense didn't disappoint. The varied storylines merged nicely and lead to a not-so-predictable climax. The premise of the story--nuclear weapons falling into the wrong hands--is almost too scary to think about, but, unfortunately, all too plausible. My only quibble with this fast read is that the characters are pretty much two dimensional--very little time spent on their development. Still, a very nice "aiplane novel."
Rating:
Summary: Best book I've read this year
Review: Tom Clancy take note - this is the ideal length for a novel. The story line moves along at a nice pace, its interesting and well executed. Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: I couldn't put it down!
Review: Steve Martini has crafted a credible, timely, intricate plot. I couldn't put the book down and read it in one day. Normally, I don't appreciate thrillers, but this was so well-done!
Rating: 
Summary: Adventure story rather than mystery
Review: Rather than writing another excellent mystery novel like his previous now, Mr. Martini has chosen to write a "Tom Clancy" type of adventure story. It is an excellent novel, but not for what I expected or hoped.
Rating:
Summary: NAIL BITERS BEWARE!
Review: It's sometimes frustrating to see how some reviewers sometimes spend so much time worrying about some of the technical accuracies in a book. Just sit back and enjoy the ride. Martini is in fine form in this nail-biting thriller. The characters of Joselyn Cole and Gideon Van Ry, in particular, are easily identifiable and likeable. Dean Biedel/Thorn is also an irreprehensible villain. Even though one can identify with Scott Taggart's overwhelming sense of loss, and agree with him on the ineffectiveness of our government, it does not condone his actions in killing innocent people. Written not long after the Oklahoma/McVeigh incident, CRITICAL MASS feeds on our fears of terrorism, that have even been more prominent since 9/11.
I liked this book a lot; it's ending is somewhat sad, but in light of all that goes on, appropriate. Mr. Martini has left us with a possible sequel; will it happen, oh great one?
Rating:
Summary: It could happen, and in this book, you believe it.
Review: This is a real "can't put it down" book. Often, one hasn't the time to read straight through, but I had to do it on Martini's "Critical Mass." Martini's characters are real people, and his pace is breathtaking and frightening. No spoilers here, but as you read, you become aware of how real this situation is and/or could be. Martini's "take" on the conditions of government and the Law are indigenous to the U.S. but could be any government, anywhere.
Rating:
Summary: Read after 911
Review: I cannot express how happy I was to find and read CRITICAL MASS. The last two novels I started to read were so disappointing, I was unable to complete them. CRITICAL MASS was incredibly intense; I could not stop reading it. In fact, I read it to and from Dulles Airport (Washington, DC). If you ever travel to and from Dulles after 911, you'll have a greater appreciation for CRITICAL MASS.There are several comments I can make about CRITICAL MASS that will help one decide whether to the read this book. First, I want to note that most the book reviews of CRITICAL MASS were written prior to 911. Americans had a reality check since that dreadful day. If you read the other reviews, you'll note that some commented on the unbelievable elements with the storyline. After 911, CRITICAL MASS seems VERY believable! Thus, I think CRITICAL MASS becomes much more meaningful after the events of 911. Second, the author's writing is vivid. His writing transports me to become a witness of the events leading to this horrific terrorist attack. For me, reading CRITICAL MASS was more like watching a movie than reading a book. The skills involved in writing to this degree of vividness requires the author to be a master of the English language. His brilliance and command of written word is admirable! The bottomline is, CRITICAL MASS is a wonderfully composed work of art. The author's skill will enable your mind to leave your body and transport it to an adventure filled with intrigue and danger.
Rating:
Summary: Gripping
Review: This should be a training manual for the FBI on the possibility of dealing with nuclear terrorism. It is scary, to say the least. The action was gripping. I was hooked as soon as Belden had his trip to visit the grand jury. From there on, it was non stop thrills. I think Hollywood will latch onto this story. How does a lawyer like Martini learn so many details about nuclear weapons? I only hope some of the technical details were fiction.
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