Rating: 
Summary: Shocking, and I don't shock easily...
Review: Wow. This book was really good. I wasn't expecting much...but it was excellent. It shocked me in a way that not many books have ever been able to. It's really grim and gritty. It's unpredictable, too. You can't forsee a plot twist before your right on top of it. It didn't turn out at all as I expected it would. A GREAT read.I picked up an Anne Rice book after I finished this one. It seems so contrived and phony after reading Colin's frank conversation.
Rating: 
Summary: Slow to start, fast to finish
Review: I enjoyed reading this book; it has three or four fairly brutal passages that describe torture, but it's not gratuitous. Characters are not well developed, but it's the story that matters, and it's a good story. Good summer reading. I think men would like this book, on average, much more than women would.
Rating:
Summary: Clever, Well-Written Thriller
Review: Colin Harrison's Afterburn is a very well-written, very clever thriller--it's one of those books that, while long, is so engaging that you will fly through it very quickly. The plot is sharp and original--but be warned--this book is not written for the faint of heart--there is a fair amount of violence and profanity. I found this book to be quite enjoyable and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good thriller. Put this one in your carry-on bag for you next flight. You'll find yourself deplaning in no time.
Rating: 
Summary: I hope I don't ruin it for you
Review: I thought this book started off slowly -- I had trouble connecting with the characters, but I kept reading, not in any way forseeing the horrible torture scenes (even worse than Stephen King's "Misery") that seemed to have little relevance to the story -- okay, there were some gangsters -- but I was expecting a bullet in the head, maybe, not graphic dismemberment. I had to start skipping those scenes -- too gruesome. I also think that Colin Harrison must feel insecure in his masculinity -- why else would he have two of his male characters perform two-hour sex marathons that leave their partners (who include a female twosome and a nymphomaniac) begging for more? (No I'm not making this up -- pretty pathetic, huh?) Maybe this is a guy type of "thriller" -- I don't think I'll be reading this author again.
Rating:
Summary: Depressingly Brilliant
Review: As a (thus far) unpublished writer of thrillers myself, I found this book - my first by Colin Harrison - depressing...because it is just so damned well written. The sheer artistry and depth of Harrison's writing is compellingly good. So good, in fact, that, after reading "Afterburn" I almost felt like abandoning my own aspirations to professional writing. His style and prose transcend the thriller genre, rendering this book a novel in the classic sense. The characters are drawn into, rather than from, life, and it is difficult to resist momentarily identifying with most (not all!) of them and all their ignoble and nasty traits, as Harrison crafts this tale of greed, guts and intrigue. And a tense and gripping, if at times harrowing, tale it is; the best I have read for a long time. Disturbing, too, for its realism. I am a law enforcement veteran of nearly forty years; I have have been "on the streets" in two continents, and yet the clinical calousness of "Morris" in the way he tortures his subjects with surgical precision left me feeling queasy and, yes, a little unnerved. You see, I know such people really exist out there. In "Afterburn", Colin Harrison has captured a slice of underworld life in a literary jar. Read it!
Rating:
Summary: an experience
Review: I differ with most of the readers who have reviews here. I found the book to be engrossing and thought provoking. In my little Midwestern world, I often find myself shaking my head at the lives and choices of others. This novel gave some glimpses into what might be the driving forces behind some of the horrfic news items of our times. I like to think humanity is not depraved, when obviously it is, sometimes. There are human beings who torture and kill others. Reading "over the top" stories like this one are educative. I am glad I read the book. Wonder what Vets think of it?
Rating:
Summary: Intriguing Characters Treated Badly
Review: Harrison is a writer of considerable ability who, in Afterburn, has drawn interesting characters with great potential. But reader beware, its unlikely you will be satisfied with the direction the story takes them. Even jaded as I am, I was deeply disturbed by the action described. As some books are a 'good read', this is a 'bad read', not due to poor writing but because of the unpleasant events depicted. I compare this book to the awful 'Hannibal' in the graphic torture described, and although Afterburn is the far better crafted book, I'm still sorry I read it and cannot recommend.
Rating: 
Summary: My first review. Driven by disappointment.
Review: I have never taken the time to review a book on Amazon before, but felt compelled to save another reader from this boring read. While ninetey percent of the book is spent on character development, I never felt a connection with, nor sensed realism in any of the characters. All of this lead to a whimper of an ending. Save your money, and your time.
Rating:
Summary: Why Did I Waste My Money On This Book?
Review: I always read the back cover blurb and usually am not disappointed.. Boy was I fooled with this book. My impression of Colin Harrison's writing is that one either likes him alot or the exact opposite... I am in the latter category.
I am sure Mr. Harrison is an excellent writer, and it is a challenge to write about a bunch of totally worthless characters.
In Afterburn there are 3 main characters Charlie, Rick, and Christina... They are a greedy bunch. Of these two die and one lives -- if you want to know, read it and find out. The one who lived did not deserve too, as the other two died to protect this unworthy person...
I seldom dislike a book so much that I was to slam against the wall, but this one did the trick for me and I wanted to do it again and again.... On the back cover of the book, some fine print tells to go to a non-existent website to find out more information about this author...If he had had a website I would not have written this here.
Well I hope he does better with his next effort, even though I won't be reading it.
Rating: 
Summary: Depressing and ultimately pointless
Review: I wish I could say that I liked this book. Harrison is obviously a talented writer and his characterizations are excellent. This story however was unsatisfying and ultimately pointless, not to mention depressing. The violence was pointless and did not seem to add tot he plot such as it was. The sex scenes seemed overly graphic for this type of book - it is supposed to be a thriller.
I enjoyed many of the character developments as well as the basic premise, but the book seemed to ramble too long before getting to the critical story elements.
The ending was a total downer and blew away any expectations I had. The author madfe such a strong point about Charlies toughness and ability to survive, yet......
Sorry I cannot recommend this book. I found myself wishing this was a DVD and had an "alternate ending" in the bonus material.
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