Rating: 
Summary: Hostage
Review: I would have given this novel a 5 star rating because I thought it was Crais at his best. The characters were believable as was the situation, and the suspense kept me reading long into the night.
The 4 stars is because I thought the novel was leaning more toward a screen play. Don't get me wrong I think it will make good movie, and I still think Crais is a topnotch crime novelist. It is just that I feel Hostage fell a little short of L A Requim.
Rating: 
Summary: Another cookie cutter
Review: Robert Crais' latest novel, "Hostage," continues in the same disappointing vein as its predecessor, "Demolition Angel." Once a master of the smart-aleck remark and cool plot twist, Crais now just seems to be going through the motions with this clichefest about a burned-out hostage negotiator turned small town police chief who finds himself embroiled in--surprise!--a hostage situation. This is a "90/10" book--you'll know 90 percent of what's going to happen within the first hundred pages and will be able to guess the other ten percent. The whole book screams "future Jerry Bruckheimer big-budget special effects blockbuster," which isn't necessarily a good thing. There's nothing in "Hostage" that hasn't been done before; it's almost as if Crais was lifting scenes from other novels, changing the names, and doing a little verbal stitchery to tie it all together. It's not necessarily the fact that "Hostage" isn't an Elvis Cole book that makes it bad--to be honest, I was disappointed in the last Elvis outing "L.A. Requiem" for much the same reasons--but the fact that Crais doesn't seem to be putting in the same effort now that he's a "bestseller." Take a rest, Bob, then come back and show us what you've got!
Rating: 
Summary: Please bring Elvis back
Review: This is a fine book in the genre of a thriller. If you want a page turner it's fine. The reason I bought the book was because of what Robert Crais had brought to the Elvis Cole series. In that series the author found time for humor and, while exciting, did not force me to read more than I wanted - I'm good for a chapter before bed, I don't need to be up all night. So please bring back Elvis with his Pinnocio clock that has eyes that go back and forth and his friend Joe with his answering machine that just beeps because the message "speak" was too verbose. Let them sit in silence outside a house for 6 hours. I would like that far better than this action packed tale with its split second timing.
Rating: 
Summary: DYNAMITE!
Review: This was my first book by Crais. If you are like me, and tend to get pulled into a story and identify with the main character, in a sense become the main character, you are in for a roller-coaster ride. The tension is thick enough to cut with a knife and Crais is able to maintain it for an almost unendurably long time. The book is well written, the characters come to life, and you are never sure where you are going and how you will get there. But the ride is dynamite. A page turner and highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Look out, Lee Child
Review: Crais's L.A. REQUIEM was well-received, though I had reservations about his decision to show a side of Joe Pike which ultimately weakened his force as Elvis' nearly invincible, shadowy partner, a character I call the avenging angel and compare with figures such as Parker's Hawk and Lehane's Bubba.Since then Crais has written two freestanding novels, DEMOLITION ANGEL (which had a huge movie sale and of which we're likely to hear more) and HOSTAGE. HOSTAGE is pure power plot. The elements are thrown into the cauldron (SWAT burnout, vulnerable family, drifter defectives, the mob) and the relentless chemical reaction follows. HOSTAGE gives new meaning to the term 'page-turner'; it's a page ripper. Its only competition is every book by Lee Child. I would give Child the nod at this point, since HOSTAGE is so light on character and setting. The dramatis personae are all very familiar and there is relatively little narrative texture to impede (but also enrich) the plot. Child is the master of this form and Jack Reacher is a more interesting and unusual (without being weird) character than Jeff Talley. He also takes us to a host of interesting places. But thank the lord; you can read both of these skilled writers, each of whom is at the top of his game.
Rating:
Summary: don't plan ANYTHING until you're done reading!
Review: I didn't know what to expect of the new book by Robert Crais. I had read Demolition Angel last year and thought it was okay. I had read a few Elvis Cole books and thought that they were fun, but not exciting. Then I read Hostage. Hostage had me hooked on page 1 and had me flipping pages until I reached page 373. I have been reading it before going to work, at lunch, and every spare minute at home. It is a wonderful book that will not disappoint you. If they make it into a movie, it has the potential to keep all of the adrenaline rush. Pick up Hostage and hang on tight. It's a great ride.
Rating:
Summary: Superb!
Review: Robert Crais at his absolute best. This is my second time reading a Robert Crais novel, first being Demolition Angel, and each time I was riveted. I could not put this book down and ended up reading it in one day. My heart was racing. Police procedurals are my favorite and this one did not disappoint. Mr Crais is an excellent writer. I'd love to read another novel featuring Chief Talley. I highly recommend this novel. Be prepared to finish quick.
Rating:
Summary: Spellbinding
Review: I recieved this book as a christmas gift and couldn't put it down! It was spellbinding the plot will grab you! I finshed the book before the new year arrived. As a former law enforcement officer I could understand the main characters responses and motivations! A must read !
Rating: 
Summary: Deaver did it better
Review: An opening murder, psychos take hostages, parental figures incapacitated, gasoline traps, brave children fighting the odds, law enforcement not what it seems, burned-out negotiator...A Maiden's Grave is a terrific thriller; unfortunately Crais's halfhearted recycling of these elements in Hostage is not. Where is the imagination of the creator of Elvis Cole?
Rating:
Summary: Absolute adrenaline
Review: Wow. I just finished the novel in a huff, the last 100 pages barrelling down towards you like a bullet fired from its chamber. The sheer action, suspense and plot lines that converge and empty themselves into one of the most satisfying climaxes I've experienced in a while just leaves one breathless. It's not high art. It's not meaningful writing. If you're looking for that, go read Cold Mountain. This is a crime pop novel that tries to do nothing but entertain and it does that in spades. I picked this book up at the bookstore, looking for something light and I love crime novels so it looked like a good choice. But it's more than a "good choice." It's a fantastic read that will blow through you like the wind through the trees, and I'll be damned if I haven't found my new favorite crime fiction writer since Elmore Leonard.
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