Rating: 
Summary: Not up to par with Mr. Whites other Doc Ford novels
Review: A funny but disappointing Doc Ford book. The first I might add. Don't know where the author was going with this Doc Ford one, but it sure wasn't the caliber of his other Doc Fords. Maybe he should have invented another protagonist for this type story, something on the order of Carl Hiaasen's ridiculous story plots and characters in Florida. Couldn't even finish this one!
Rating: 
Summary: Mr. White to you
Review: Another Doc Ford Classic with Uncle Tucker to aggravate the good Dr. It reminds me of when I read an article in outside magazine around 20 years ago and I believe it was written by Randy I'm not sure, but it was about the obscure sport of "Ferret Legging" which is localized in small pubs in Northern England. Remember the Hemingway quote "There are only two sports, Bullfighting and Motor racing the rest are just games" I think Papa would agree that Ferret legging should be included in the Sport category.
Heres how its done (if memory serves) the participant is not allowed to be drunk or on drugs, he/she? is required to wear white baggy trousers with out underthings. They tie the pants at the cuffs and drop two ferrets down the front of sportsman's pants, he then cinch's his pants closed and then they time how long he can keep the ferrets in his trousers before giving into their clawing and biting, the white pants show blood well, a real crowd pleaser.
Well as I recall the record was below a minute for years until this old man came in and dropped the duo down his pants and stood there for over eight hours, the crowd grew bored and left otherwise he could have endured it longer. Apparently this gentleman would hunt with ferrets and this is how he transported them, he admitted that they really scratched and clawed him, why one time one latched onto one of his jewels and it swelled to the size of a coffee can!
I hope Randy wrote this story I lost the magazine years ago and quit subscribing when he and David Quamen dropped their columns.
As for the book anything he writes is worth the time ,buy it!
Rating: 
Summary: Good, but don't over-expect...
Review: As has been said countless times here, this is a different type of Doc Ford book. Perhaps I did somewhat of a disservice to myself---I started my love of (fictional) Randy Wayne White with "The Ten Thousand Islands." I then worked my way backwards to "The Mangrove Coast," "Captiva," and "North of Havana." I have yet to pick up "Sanibel Flats," but I plan to very soon. Each of those aforementioned books (with the exception of "Sanibel Flats" and the present review) is Doc Ford tales in the first person. This book is told from the third person. It is a somewhat difficult transition to make. The same is true for "Sanibel Flats"---I've discovered that from a cursory glance at it. Doc Ford works so brilliantly in the first person, it's hard to accept anything else. Perhaps it sounds a bit odd, but it causes a little alienation to arise between the reader and the character that is Doc Ford. In other words, the reader does not feel as "inside" the character. Presumably this is intentional, but it is difficult coming from the more recent Ford tales to the earlier ones. That aside, this isn't a typical Doc Ford novel either. It places a bigger spotlight on Tucker Gatrell (Ford's uncle) and his "friend" Joseph Egret. But it is a Ford adventure nonetheless, and it is a (...) good one at that. Randy Wayne White is an absolute master of this genre, and, as many reviewers state, is the definite heir apparent to the throne of John D. MacDonald/Travis McGee. Definitely pick this one up at some point. Start from the beginning and work your way forward rather than vice-versa. And, definitely pick up his non-fictional works as well. They are absolutely amazing. I can't wait until his new non-fiction work is released in January. Also, if you haven't already done so, look into anything by James Hall. I'll leave it up to you to find (come on, don't you want to find anything yourselves?!! j/k), but there is an absolutely fantastic Hall book that involves the very same subject matter of White's "Ten Thousand Islands." It is very good to read them back to back. Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: Good, but don't over-expect...
Review: As has been said countless times here, this is a different type of Doc Ford book. Perhaps I did somewhat of a disservice to myself---I started my love of (fictional) Randy Wayne White with "The Ten Thousand Islands." I then worked my way backwards to "The Mangrove Coast," "Captiva," and "North of Havana." I have yet to pick up "Sanibel Flats," but I plan to very soon. Each of those aforementioned books (with the exception of "Sanibel Flats" and the present review) is Doc Ford tales in the first person. This book is told from the third person. It is a somewhat difficult transition to make. The same is true for "Sanibel Flats"---I've discovered that from a cursory glance at it. Doc Ford works so brilliantly in the first person, it's hard to accept anything else. Perhaps it sounds a bit odd, but it causes a little alienation to arise between the reader and the character that is Doc Ford. In other words, the reader does not feel as "inside" the character. Presumably this is intentional, but it is difficult coming from the more recent Ford tales to the earlier ones. That aside, this isn't a typical Doc Ford novel either. It places a bigger spotlight on Tucker Gatrell (Ford's uncle) and his "friend" Joseph Egret. But it is a Ford adventure nonetheless, and it is a (...) good one at that. Randy Wayne White is an absolute master of this genre, and, as many reviewers state, is the definite heir apparent to the throne of John D. MacDonald/Travis McGee. Definitely pick this one up at some point. Start from the beginning and work your way forward rather than vice-versa. And, definitely pick up his non-fictional works as well. They are absolutely amazing. I can't wait until his new non-fiction work is released in January. Also, if you haven't already done so, look into anything by James Hall. I'll leave it up to you to find (come on, don't you want to find anything yourselves?!! j/k), but there is an absolutely fantastic Hall book that involves the very same subject matter of White's "Ten Thousand Islands." It is very good to read them back to back. Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: Not for Doc Ford Fans.
Review: Having just finished reading "The Heat islands", I was looking forward to tagging along with Doc Ford on another detective adventure. Well, even though the Doc starts out strong, he quickly fades to a secondary character. The book is funny, and is evocative of the "Florida lost" ala John D. MacDonald and Carl Hiaasen. I'm probably a little too critical because I was expecting a variation on a theme and didn't get it
Rating: 
Summary: Even an average Doc Ford story is better than most......
Review: I just completed this book, and basically enjoyed it. But I have to say that, of all the Randy Wayne White books I've read, this is probably his weakest effort. The truth is that the scenes with Doc Ford in them are still complete gems, and I think that's why I liked it. But the other characters, while funny at times, just weren't enough to hold my interest throughout the story. And Doc Ford just wasn't in the book all that much. Another thing that bothered me was the basic plot. Without giving too much away, the story is about Doc's uncle supposedly finding the Fountain of Youth. That part was fine, and made sense once the story worked to its conclusion. But there was also this whole sub-plot going on with 3 men missing (presumed dead). That storyline just didn't seem to really go anywhere, although there were some good scenes with them. It just didn't seem to tie together all that well, in my opinion. Yes, I did like the way Tucker Gattrell was working all the angles in order to keep his property, and I liked the ultimate resolution. The 'hint' of a plot twist (where you realize you might not know the whole story after all) at the very end was also very nice. Probably my favorite part of the book, in fact. Oh, and I also liked how they continued to develop the Tomlinson character in this one, as well as the mention at the end that Jeth was still doing okay in South America. Bottom line is that this was a decent story, but not quite up to par with something like 'The Heat Islands' that I read in about 6 hours. Now that was a great story. But ultimately, if you're into the Doc Ford series, you definitely don't want to miss this one. Because even an average book by Randy Wayne White is far superior to much of the garbage being put out today. And even a few pages of Doc Ford is worth quite a bit. Just start with Sanibel Island and work your way toward this one. That way, by the time you get here, you'll already be in love with the characters and the settings.
Rating:
Summary: Away From the Norm
Review: I've recently become a Randy White / Doc Ford fan. I'm reading the Ford series in chronological order and have just finished The Man Who Invented Florida. If you're expecting the 'typical' Doc Ford, don't. That being said, sit back and enjoy. Ford isn't as prominent in this book (although he obviously plays a key role)as the story revolves around his uncle, a native South Florida 'cracker'. Tuck and his comrades are enjoyable characters and their dialog had me laughing outloud more than once. Again, not a typical 'Ford' novel, but sit back and enjoy anyways.
Rating:
Summary: Away From the Norm
Review: I've recently become a Randy White / Doc Ford fan. I'm reading the Ford series in chronological order and have just finished The Man Who Invented Florida. If you're expecting the 'typical' Doc Ford, don't. That being said, sit back and enjoy. Ford isn't as prominent in this book (although he obviously plays a key role)as the story revolves around his uncle, a native South Florida 'cracker'. Tuck and his comrades are enjoyable characters and their dialog had me laughing outloud more than once. Again, not a typical 'Ford' novel, but sit back and enjoy anyways.
Rating:
Summary: A wonderful, quirky adventure in the swamps of Florida!
Review: It's amazing how Randy White seems to shift gears so
effertlessly in his wonderful series of adventures
of marine biologist and amature detective Doc Ford.
This book can hardly be called a mystery, but who cares,
because you'll soon get caught up in all the lunacy.
White's characters never fail to amuse, and they always
seem real. This story will have you laughing out loud
and quietly shedding a tear.
Rating:
Summary: Let's Be Fair
Review: My first experience with Doc Ford, but this book is about the residual of early 20th century pioneer life in the southwest Everglades, not Doc. Ford's uncle, Tucker Gatrell, is, at best, a composite of similar real life characters from that era, some of whom were still living at the time this book was published. This well-written novel has a decent plot and story line, and the author tantalizingly builds suspense by omission. However, and maybe I'm too picky here, the author is Short one acknowledgement. The author acknowledges that Ervin T. Rouse is a real person, and apologizes for his usage in the novel by saying that he knew Mr. Rouse and felt Mr. Rouse would enjoy such usage. However, he does not acknowledge that Henry Short is also a real person and his portrayal of Mr. Short is way off the mark and not very flattering. The author should have acknowledged Mr. Short's real life existence, or, better yet, made him into a composite character using a fictious name, as he did with Toch Brown, um, I mean Tucker Gatrell. My pickiness notwithstanding, a good read.
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