Rating: 
Summary: Thorn returns
Review: A revisit by an engaging hero and a meeting with characters from other books, mixed with straight ahead action, make this one enjoyable. Some notable holes in the plot will leave you wondering. What exploded and why in a crucial scene is never explained. But this was fun.
Rating: 
Summary: The Return of Thorn
Review: After taking some time off from his series character, James Hall has returned to writing about Thorn, a man who treasures his fierce independence only slightly less than his love of crusades. When last seen, Thorn was recovering from a mad doctor's unnecessary treatments, but now (without any real explanation) he is back to peak health and enjoying the mellow life of fishing, beer and beautiful women.In this story, his idyllic life is disrupted when a plane crashes while he is out at sea. It soon becomes apparent that this crash was not accidental, but is the result of a dysfunctional family and the nasty weapon they have developed. This also gets Thorn entangled with Alexandra Rafferty, the heroine of Hall's previous novel, Body Language. For Hall, one of the sharper writers in the field, this is not his best effort. Compared to past novels, his villains this time are only slightly warped and the chemistry between Thorn and Alex is relatively minimal. In addition, Thorn isn't as interesting as in the past, perhaps getting stuck in the rut of many series characters. Nonetheless, even weaker Hall is entertaining reading, and there is a lot of fun along the way. If you've never read Hall, you'd think this was pretty good crime fiction (and you'll be even happier when you read his other books). If you are a Hall fan, you should find this slightly disappointing, but still a worthwhile read.
Rating:
Summary: The Return of Thorn
Review: After taking some time off from his series character, James Hall has returned to writing about Thorn, a man who treasures his fierce independence only slightly less than his love of crusades. When last seen, Thorn was recovering from a mad doctor's unnecessary treatments, but now (without any real explanation) he is back to peak health and enjoying the mellow life of fishing, beer and beautiful women. In this story, his idyllic life is disrupted when a plane crashes while he is out at sea. It soon becomes apparent that this crash was not accidental, but is the result of a dysfunctional family and the nasty weapon they have developed. This also gets Thorn entangled with Alexandra Rafferty, the heroine of Hall's previous novel, Body Language. For Hall, one of the sharper writers in the field, this is not his best effort. Compared to past novels, his villains this time are only slightly warped and the chemistry between Thorn and Alex is relatively minimal. In addition, Thorn isn't as interesting as in the past, perhaps getting stuck in the rut of many series characters. Nonetheless, even weaker Hall is entertaining reading, and there is a lot of fun along the way. If you've never read Hall, you'd think this was pretty good crime fiction (and you'll be even happier when you read his other books). If you are a Hall fan, you should find this slightly disappointing, but still a worthwhile read.
Rating:
Summary: Too careless
Review: Beign my first Hall/Thorn book, wasn't sure what to expect. Felt that Thorn was too foolish to take seriously. No remorse shown when fellow he recruited was killed. Good college try, though.
Rating:
Summary: Too careless
Review: Beign my first Hall/Thorn book, wasn't sure what to expect. Felt that Thorn was too foolish to take seriously. No remorse shown when fellow he recruited was killed. Good college try, though.
Rating: 
Summary: This is the best
Review: Best novel I've read since Sick Puppy. How it is that Thorn is SO complex, uncomfortable in his own skin, ambivalent, his heart at war with his mind. This novel is perfect and it secures Hall's place as the most important NON-COMIC Florida novelist working today.
Rating:
Summary: Another solid Hall thriller
Review: Blackwater Sound brings together Thorn and Sugarman with police photographer Alex and her father from Body Language. As usual, Hall delivers an excellent thriller with superb pacing, interesting characters and a few explosions here and there. We hate the people that Thorn hates, but still feel the ambivalence for hating someone who deserves it. I was glad to see some more of Sugarman in this book, as he's a chracter who's intrigued me in other books. Bringing in Alex from his other series doesn't feel gimmicky at all -- it's a very natural weaving of two sets of characters that I already knew from having read all of the other Hall books. Starting with Blackwater Sound would deprive a reader of some fuller character understanding from the other books -- but would certainly motivate someone to go back and read all of the other books to learn more about them. Just a good, solid, enjoyable book.
Rating:
Summary: Thorn's Back, but ...
Review: Great book ... should make Carl Hiassen consider another profession. I suppose that this might be considered nitpicking, but now that Thorn's back ... when will Professor Hall resurface Michael Overbeck and the intrepid Roscoe ... those pivotal and memorable characters from Hard Aground?
Rating:
Summary: SOME UNANSWERED QUESTIONS
Review: I AGREE WITH AT LEAT ONE OTHER REVIEWER THAT YOU ARE LEFT WITH SOME QUESTIONS. I DID LIKE THE DESCRIPTION OF THE FISHING ESPECIALLY IN THE FIRST CHAPTER. BUT I WAS DISAPPOINTED THAT WITHIN THE FIRST 100 PAGES I HAD A PRETTY GOOD IDEA WHAT THE WHOLE STORY WAS ABOUT AND FINISHED THW BOOK TO SEE HOW IT CAME TOGETHER.thE BOOK DID HOLD MY ATTENTION AND WAS A PRETTY FAST READ. THERE ARE A FEW QUESTION I WOULD LIKED CLEARED UP BUT OH WELL. THIS BOOK HAS JUST ABOUT THE DEFINITION FOR DYSFUCTIONAL FAMILY
Rating:
Summary: The Old Man and the Thorn
Review: I am subject to a strange form of psychopathic dysfunction which compels me to read the last book in a series before going back and reading any of its predecessors. Or it feels that way, anyway. Usually the reason is that everyone is raving about a book and I am too impatient to read 10 books just so I can read the latest and bestest. Generally this theory works out; I like the latest book and go back and read all the rest of the series with the serene knowledge that, even if the author trips up a bit, it will work out in the end. James W. Hall is such a case in point. The story opens on a Braswell family fishing expedition, where the oldest son is pulled overboard and drowned in the process of tagging a giant marlin. After that short prequel, the scene shifts forward to the Florida Keys ten years later where Thorn, the hero of these mystery/adventure tales is boating with his (soon to be ex-) girlfriend. Technically, I believe she breaks up with him for being too interesting. In any case, this piece of business done, a commercial jet crashes right in front of him. Thorn goes to the rescue, and notices that another boat, which he later tracks to the Braswells, is not helping at all. This is the first tightening of a web that draws Thorn into direct conflict with the wealthy and powerful Braswells, their compulsions, and a weapon that can destroy electronic systems. The Braswells are the ultimate dysfunctional family. The are headed by A.J., who lives only to find Big Mother, the fish that killed his son Andy. Johnny, the youngest, is a bit of a psychotic space cadet who loves knives and gangster movies. Cleaning up after everyone else is Morgan, who runs the family company, keeps Johnny from becoming a serial killer, and has some very weird problems of her own. It is Morgan who has cooked up a scheme, using some of Andy's formula's and plans, to create a world class weapon of destruction. The Braswells have only one reaction to people who get in their way, and Thorn naturally moves to the top of the list. On Thorn's side are Alexandra Rafferty, a police photographer, and her father, the mostly wacky but sometimes wise Lawton Collins. His good friend Sugarman also plays a vital roll. The bill is filled out with countless other characters, some witty, some grim, and all well painted. While 'Blackwater Sound' is mostly action, Hall's ability to build character is outstanding, and has to be a large part of the reason that readers keep coming back. I am tempted to compare these stories to those of the dean of Florida mystery writers, John MacDonald, who is a long time favorite of mine. But the truth is that both of these writers are masters in their own right. Certainly, if you like one, you will no doubt like the other. By all means, read this novel. As I've indicated, there is no problem with starting at with this volume, or any other.
| 
