Rating: 
Summary: Grass Roots Remembered
Review: I vaguely remember Will Lee as being a man of moral virtue in Grass Roots (my favorite Stuart Woods book). He now returns as a man running for President. Unusual circumstances cause him to run before he is ready. Lee maintains his integrity throughout the campaign. There are many plot twists, assassination attempts, and a past love encounter to hold one's interest. Woods includes characters from some of his other books, but he does not feel the need to characterize them in depth. Surprises abound. They made this a good read.
Rating: 
Summary: Lions in the Political Arena
Review: With 2000 being a presidential election year, Stuart Woods chose a timely topic in "The Run", which focuses on one man's year-long, arduous campaign to reach the White House.Will Lee, a popular democratic Senator from Georgia (and straight arrow), has presidential ambitions but on his own timetable. His schedule changes, however, when making the run is proposed by his stalwart political friend, the Vice-President, who has just made some drastic changes in his own career plans. Enticed, Lee agrees, with the support of his wife (an Assoc. Director at the CIA) and political allies. Thus begins an intimate portrait of Senator Lee, Presidential Candidate. Nearly a fictional docudrama, this book traces and examines the campaign, from its inception (including planning, strategy and staff hierarchy), through the Democratic national convention, to the first Tuesday in November. The most interesting element of this story is its daily, in-depth description of the election process from the perspective of a daunted candidate. It is a study (almost academic) of two characters: of Will Lee individually, and also of the election itself, from a single campaign and its participants, to the nation-wide influence of the process. But if a reader/listener seeks this book expecting and wanting standard Stuart Woods fare (mysteries, with murder, mayhem and seduction, starring Stone Barrington), he or she should heed this warning to look elsewhere. Although I was interested in and educated by the analysis of the political process (particularly at the convention, with the delegate polling, etc.), the book's advance press has been misleading. The jacket speaks of Will Lee being the target of "clandestine forces" with "money and influence", who put him on the run - not for the White House - but for his life. I wish that description had been accurate, in the same way I wish I had found the promised "suspense and roller-coaster plot twists". I was looking for such drama from the Vice-President, from the former lover/movie star, and/or from the militia, but it never materialized, except as missed opportunities. The singular tension involved Will Lee's otherwise predictable campaign and election. Although some familiar names are dropped (such as Vance Colter and Centurion Studios), this story only made me long for the plots presented when those names are center-stage. Simply, although the character-study is interesting, if you are getting too much of the 2000 election in real life, then this fictional version will only be tedious and too realistic.
Rating: 
Summary: Still waiting for him to recover his form....
Review: ( ) A friend who first introduced me to this author with thebook "Chief's" wrote to say that "The Run" wasvery good. Our dogs bought it for my wife for Mother's Day and she enjoyed it. I had the opportunity to meet Mr. Woods in Arizona this winter and he seemed hopeful that the book would be well received. I therefore sat down with it holding high hopes for what awaited, especially since he had returned to his very successful character, Will Lee. As I read through it, I kept waiting, as we do when a plane is rolling down the runway with you in it, for it to leave the ground and go soaring into the sky. I finished the book a few weeks ago. I'm still waiting for lift off. The fairly negative reviews that are in here by others echo my thoughts. There are annoying factual errors and a fairly superficial treatment of a story line which had some promise, but was never dealt with seriously. Mr. Woods has developed into a very entertaining speaker these days. However, his writing continues to suffer and until the sales figures of his books begin to concern his publishers, he probably will continue to crank out these disappointing novels. END
Rating:
Summary: Not Up to Snuff
Review: Once again Stuart Woods has given us eminently readable book using characters from past novels. Unfortunately this one is nowhere near as good as some of his earlier works. The characters here seem very one-dimensional and a few of the plot twists are unbelievable if not downright ridiculous. An earlier reviewer mentioned this was the first book by Stuart Woods that he has read and he wasn't impressed. May I respectfully suggest reading "Chiefs", "Run Before the Wind", or "L.A.Times" to see Woods at his finest.
Rating: 
Summary: a huge snore
Review: Sometimes it is useful to pick up a sample of what passes for suspense fiction these days to see just how bad contemporary thriller writing can be. "The Run" (the only novel of Stuart Woods I have read) shows that things are much worse than I feared. The characters are cardboard. Not once did I get a clear visual picture of one, nor was I able to "see" where the action was taking place, with the possible exception of the Georgia prison. The story zips along very quickly (a requirement for best-sellerdom, I guess), and why shouldn't it? There is not one descriptive passage worth re-reading. Good Fiction should linger with you, and make you think and feel and wonder and get mad and a host of other things, but garbage like this only forces you (me, anyway) to pry your eyes open in order to finish it. The tragedy is that millions of people seek out stuff like this. A quick read, you don't have to think too deeply, and it passes the time while you're waiting for the clothes to dry or the kids to get home from school, and you can set it down at any time with no hurry to return -- and when you do pick up the story again you don't have to think too much about where you are in the plot, because it doesn't matter. You've been here before. A waste of trees.
Rating: 
Summary: another winner from woods
Review: Mr. woods as written another entertaining and engrossing novel. The best thing about Wooods is you never know where he is going to take you. In this book he brings back the Chacters from "Grassroots" Will Lee is now a Senator running for president and on the run from a right wing Militia Group that wants to see him dead! My politics lean to the right but I still enjoyed this book. I also recomend: "A Tourist in the Yucatan" excellent thriller!
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Summary: This was my first Stuart Woods book.
Review: I totally enjoyed this book, and intend to go pick up another book by the author as soon as I can. I love they way he writes. I for one also enjoyed the Paula Jones references! He has quite a sense of humor! Too bad he can't send her a copy. I have seen her on talk shows...no sense of humor there! Read this book it's worth your time and money! Me? I'm off to find my next Woods book.
Rating:
Summary: Thriller? NOT!
Review: While the book moves along at a good pace and is a very easy read....it is NOT a thriller, nor did I find much in the way of suspense. (Read Konrad's review - it hits the nail right on the head]. I'm a big fan of Mr. Woods. His previous books (Dirt, Swimming to Catalina, Choke, Dead in the Water, Worst Fears Realized] were great fun, lots of twists and turns. All were Five Stars! This book however is NOT thrilling --- anyone that said so either wants to sell you the book or finds mowing the lawn thrilling! If you are a "Woods" fan and must read it....save your $$ and buy it in paperback.
Rating:
Summary: Another Good One
Review: Mr Woods delivers another good one. His writing style seems so effortless. Even all the attention to details does not slow it down. I finished the book in a day and a half. He never disappoints like some other authors who give us a good one and then fumble on the next. He just keeps them coming.
Rating:
Summary: Stuart Woods holds your attention from start to finish.
Review: Stuart Woods is such a good story teller that he can even make a Goldwater Republican like me cheer for the very liberal Democrat Will Lee as he runs for President. This is the third book featuring Will Lee, so his character is fully developed, and those surrounding him (family, friends and professional associates) are equally well defined. Of the three books I liked "Grassroots" the best. In "The Run", those trying to prevent Will Lee from being elected come from within his own party, the Republicans and an ultra right wing paramilitary organization attempting to assassinate him. An unlikely ally resides in a maximum security prison for treason-like activities. Mr. Woods' novels all move at a speedy pace and "The Run" is no exception. Some suspension of disbelief is necessary, but that does nothing to detract from the book's enjoyment. I guess that's why they call it fiction. Will Lee is that rare politico with no skeletons that can lead to his downfall. But, you do get to experience the backroom deals, the ugly back stabbing of Washington politics and the D.C. intrigue. "The Run" is a fun, quick and timely weekend read that is sure to keep you turning pages, caring for the characters and cheering for Will Lee.
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