Total Control

Rating:
Summary: It kept me going
Review: I liked the book. It wasn't as good as The Simple Truth in my eyes but it kept my interest. Good characters in Sidney,Jason, and Sawyer. If you like Balduccis other work you'll enjoy it. I also think if you like Sandford, Grisham, or Martini you should try to read it.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Book
Review: I found this book to be one of the best I have read. I started reading it and finished it in one day. I could not put it down, I just had to know what happened to certain characters and who was responsible for everything.

Rating:
Summary: Twists and Turns Worth Navigating
Review: Like earlier reviews, I do agree that Baldacci did go a tad overboard with the physical reactions of characters; however, I think the story line was engaging and just realistic enough to make you question the amount of power bestowed on the Federal Reserve. Well-developed characters and many thriller "hide-n-seek" scenarios kept my attention. A clever, fast-paced read.

Rating:
Summary: Lame, but never boring
Review: This novel is filled with technical inaccuracies (just about everything to do with computers is a "database"), implausible plot turns, and one-dimensional characters; but the pace is good and manages to hold your interest. The worst part is Baldacci's over-reliance on his characters' physical reactions to their circumstances...I got really tired of reading about Sidney's throat constricting, her heart palpitating, the waves of shock pounding her body, etc. as she suffers through the unbelievable machinations of Baldacci's plot.

Rating:
Summary: Very satisfying read
Review: This is the first Baldacci novel I have ever read and I have to say that I am most impressed. The story is very, very entertaining and the pace of this book is very consistent. Baldacci can make even the most minor character engaging, there are enough surprise involved to keep you into it, and the conclusion comes from nowhere. This book is worth the sleep you will miss trying to finish it.

Rating:
Summary: Total Control is a riveting page turner!
Review: Set against an advanced technological backdrop the story quickly unfolds to let the reader know that the real control belongs to those with the most money. So much money they can control people in positions of power like puppets on a string. Greed is the focal point of total control. There are those who will do anything because of it, which ulitmately leads to their demise. Contrasting these, are the "innocent" ones caught in a web of intrigue trying to put the many pieces of the puzzle together(this is a recurring theme found in The Winner, while not as dark a plot as Total Control, it is a suspenseful novel not to be missed) As one person said in Total Control (Sawyer, I think) "Money is the root of all evil, or rather the lack of it." This story leads us into the innermost recesses of the characters minds where we can see the motivation behind their actions, actions which lead to a downward spiral or soaring success. At times Total Control is touching and tragic, but always chilling and gripping. Read Total Control, it is a fast paced cleverly written story, one you won't soon forget.

Rating:
Summary: Suspension more important than style
Review: The first 100 pages made me cringe because of the bad style. Can't believe he got this past the editors. But after I got used to that, I started enjoying the multiple twists and relentless pace. It's a good, albeit not very believable story. The characters, mainly Sidney, Lee and the killer, I forgot his name, are about the same: Well drawn, but you wouldn't exactly expect them to be out there in the real world!

Rating:
Summary: Total Time Killer
Review: I enjoyed this book. Despite other reviewers' concerns about a lack of realism and poor characters, I thought the plot and characters were engaging and worth spending time with. There were points when too many story threads with lots of detail overlapped, but Sidney was a gutsy female protagonist who carried me through to the next moment of clarity. It was worth finishing, and I would recommend it as a vacation read, although it's not as polished as many other fictional thrillers.

Rating:
Summary: poor technique destroys an otherwise interesting plot
Review: Baldacci uses interesting words, phrases, and ideas-signs of a gifted wordsmith. But the technique (or lack of) is unforgivable. At times he overwrites which brings attention to his words and away from the story at hand. The plot is an intriguing one, but overly complex to the point of causing the reader frustration instead of suspense. And there are instances where a viewpoint-character suddenly has a startling revelation, but neglects to share it with the reader until several chapters later, at which point the reader has moved on and almost forgotten it. As in most thriller-type fiction, we are expected to suspend our belief for the enjoyment of the story. But many scenes are so illogic and far-fetched, especially the dialogue, that I was jolted out of my fictive mood. The reader must also wade through pages of FBI investigation which is void of suspense, because Baldacci shows the reader exactly what took place earlier in the book. The most jarring incidents to me came from roving point-of-views, or internal thoughts, going back and forth between different characters in the same scene. All of this says more about editor than author. The editor(s) should be ashamed.

Rating:
Summary: Very good read, but liked Absolute Power better
Review: Something about Baldacci's male leads keep me more interested. I found this to be a really good book, but I just didn't have the same interest in Sidney as I did in Simple Truth and Absolute Power characters. Great read, though - very fast paced.