Rating: 
Summary: Grafton in Hong Kong
Review: This book is not the best entry in the Jake Grafton series (I still hold out for the first, Flight of the Intruder) but it is a very good book, if you can put up with a couple of annoyances. The plot is rather simple. Grafton goes to Hong Kong at the behest of the government. His mission is to investigate whether the American consul there is getting involved in something he shouldn't be. The reason for sending Grafton is that a lifetime ago he flew missions in Viet Nam with the guy, and they're friends. So Jake goes to Hong Kong, and takes his wife along, because he met her in that city thirty years ago.When they arrive, things get hot pretty fast. In addition to Jake's old friend (now a dot-com billionaire) there are various spies of dubious loyalties, an even more doubtful smuggler, and the usual Communist monsters running things. Coonts' politics are rather apparent (the fictional Democrat President has been bought off by the Communist leadership, and the Communists themselves are scum) and may be offensive to some people, or at least a bit annoying. His action sequences are fun, though I will say that the bit with the combat robots was a bit much. Overall I enjoyed the book, though, and would recommend it.
Rating: 
Summary: Robots are too much.
Review: This book started out fairly well, but then those darn York robots started showing up. I was looking for a novel that included some spying and flying - instead I got science fiction and an old admiral who handles himself like a 30 year old CIA-trained killer. I normally love this guy's books, but this one was a disappointment.
Rating:
Summary: Fun, But There Are Far Better Novels of Hong Kong To Read
Review: This is a fun "airport novel", but when I lived in Hong Kong in the 90s there were several novels and nonfiction books available that gave me a much better understanding of Hong Kong, and tallied with the Hong Kong I was actually experiencing. Three fine literary novels about Hong Kong are *Kowloon Tong* by Paul Theroux, set at the Handover and dealing with British, Chinese and Americans; it effectively evokes the sleazy underbelly of the city - I felt I met or encountered many of the types described here during my 2 & 1/2 years living there. The story line is something like Graham Greene with a dash of Saul Bellow and Gore Vidal - this novel was banned in Mainland China for being a little too accurate. Timothy Mo's *The Monkey King* is about an eccentric Hong Kong Chinese family and gives a a whole host of recognizable Hong Kong attitudes - you will see and meet many of the types described in this book if you're domiciled there - it is also blisteringly funny. Somerset Maugham's *The Painted Veil* caused writs to be served in Hong Kong when it was first published in the 1920s - yet the mannerisms of some of the British characters in this book were still discernible in those of the Western community in the 1990s Hong Kong - especially the more foppish or boorish ones. Jan Morris's non-fiction *Hong Kong* gives an extremely absorbing account of the place - especially detailed on the tragic, sad history of the millions of Chinese refugees who fled China in the 1950s to the 70s to the safety of British rule in Hong Kong - these are the people who make up Hong Kong today. Great material on the British, too. Finally, Bo Yang's *The Ugly Chinaman* gives a lot of background on the unpleasant side of Hong Kong - the rude-pushy crowds, the unpleasant public behaviour, the shouting and spitting, those infamous Kowloon girlie bars the size of aircraft hangers - he traces it to the long history of oppression and inept rule by generations of Chinese leaders who kept the culture going but at the lowest common denominator for centuries - he calls the process "the putrid vat of soy sauce paste" and is at pains to let Westerners know it is the other side Chinese culture in addition to Confucius and the poetry of Li Po, say. Bo Yang argues that this process explains the insistancce on "Face" in Hong Kong, that is, the notion that good appearences - not losing face - are far more important than telling the truth about China's and Hong Kong's underbelly - fascinating read, and is also banned in China.
Rating:
Summary: Fun, But There Are Far Better Novels of Hong Kong To Read
Review: This is a fun "airport novel", but when I lived in Hong Kong in the 90s there were several novels and nonfiction books available that gave me a much better understanding of Hong Kong, and tallied with the Hong Kong I was actually experiencing. Three fine literary novels about Hong Kong are *Kowloon Tong* by Paul Theroux, set at the Handover and dealing with British, Chinese and Americans; it effectively evokes the sleazy underbelly of the city - I felt I met or encountered many of the types described here during my 2 & 1/2 years living there. The story line is something like Graham Greene with a dash of Saul Bellow and Gore Vidal - this novel was banned in Mainland China for being a little too accurate. Timothy Mo's *The Monkey King* is about an eccentric Hong Kong Chinese family and gives a a whole host of recognizable Hong Kong attitudes - you will see and meet many of the types described in this book if you're domiciled there - it is also blisteringly funny. Somerset Maugham's *The Painted Veil* caused writs to be served in Hong Kong when it was first published in the 1920s - yet the mannerisms of some of the British characters in this book were still discernible in those of the Western community in the 1990s Hong Kong - especially the more foppish or boorish ones. Jan Morris's non-fiction *Hong Kong* gives an extremely absorbing account of the place - especially detailed on the tragic, sad history of the millions of Chinese refugees who fled China in the 1950s to the 70s to the safety of British rule in Hong Kong - these are the people who make up Hong Kong today. Great material on the British, too. Finally, Bo Yang's *The Ugly Chinaman* gives a lot of background on the unpleasant side of Hong Kong - the rude-pushy crowds, the unpleasant public behaviour, the shouting and spitting, those infamous Kowloon girlie bars the size of aircraft hangers - he traces it to the long history of oppression and inept rule by generations of Chinese leaders who kept the culture going but at the lowest common denominator for centuries - he calls the process "the putrid vat of soy sauce paste" and is at pains to let Westerners know it is the other side Chinese culture in addition to Confucius and the poetry of Li Po, say. Bo Yang argues that this process explains the insistancce on "Face" in Hong Kong, that is, the notion that good appearences - not losing face - are far more important than telling the truth about China's and Hong Kong's underbelly - fascinating read, and is also banned in China.
Rating: 
Summary: Post-Colonial Hong Kong Never Looked So Good!!!!
Review: This is a truly visionary tale, well-told of what might happen if a popular uprising were able to topple the corrupt, vicious and venal Communist Chinese regime. A quick read, it is a mach 2 ride into the possiblities of the end of Communist rule in Hong Kong and perhaps, all of mainland China. The author, Stephen Coonts once again reprises Jake Grafton and his wife, Callie in this combination techno-political thriller that also resurrects Jake's bombardier/navigator Virgil 'Tiger' Cole from FLIGHT OF THE INTRUDER. All of the scene, style, atmosphere and pacing that readers familiar with Coonts' Jake Grafton novels expect is here. However, instead of jets roaring off the catapults of carriers, he puts Grafton and the intrigue and dangers he faces ashore. Without an F-14 or an A-6 under him, RADM Grafton must use all of his skill to determine if his old friend Tiger Cole is involved in revolutionary activities that pose a threat to American/Chinese relations. While Jake has not seen Tiger Cole in years, the reader finds out that Cole left the navy after he and Jake were rescued from the North Vietnamese jungle after their shoot-down. He went back to grad school and has become filthy rich in the hi-tech whirlwind of Silicon Valley. Over the years, his political donations paid off and a recent administration has appointed him Consul General at the American Consulate in Hong Kong. Coonts does yeoman's work portraying the corruption and tyranny of the Communist government that replaced the last British Colonial Administration. It is obvious where Mr. Coonts' own views are and yet, this does not interfere with his moving the story toward its conclusion. As one reads this book, it makes the reader stop and consider the fall of communism in China. After all, it happened in Russia and the corruption, cruelty, human rights violations, and other crimes all beg the case for the ruthless government in Beijing. It is also obvious that the good of the people is no longer the watchword of any communist government. Rather, it is conservation of the status quo and the maintenance of a dictatorship of an elite few in power. Coonts also does an outstanding job of describing the yearning of all people everywhere to be free. Just as Leonidas I and the 300 Spartans stood against Xerxes and his Persian horde at the pass at Thermopylae in defense of Greek freedom, so too do the residents of Hong Kong stand against the tyranny they face from Beijing. As Coonts so eloquently points out, Hong Kong was the first free area turned over to Communist rule by negotiation and without a shot being fired. It was a cowardly act and was accomplished without the consent of the people most affected by the transfer from a free capitalist system to a dictatorial totalitarian one. Read this book because it is a fast thrilling ride. But when you're done, sit back and contemplate the possibilities posed by the idea of the end of one of the world's most cruel and tyrannical systems. Thank you Mr. Coonts for another Mach 2 ride and for many hours of reading enjoyment. BZ!! Paul Connors
Rating: 
Summary: a novel that fails
Review: This is my first Coonts book and I probably will not read any of his book after Hong Kong. the editorial note interested me at once and I must say that the first bit of the story is quite good. then it quickly falls to a dreadful mess.
The story just isn't coherent at all. it seems that Coonts makes up numerous things that can't happen to support his story. Governor of Hong Kong sounds like that he has been in Beijing rather than in HK for his whole life. General Tang was created to be laughed at. Government workers seem a useless bunch. PLA on streets of HK killing HK residents? Also there are too many coincidence in this book to make it reads unconvincing. all major characters in the book are connected by one way or another, this is just unbelievable.
As if the book isn't bad enough, Coonts introduces the robots (or 6 small T. rex that can use weapons?) to ruin the story totally. Their invincibility reflected that Coonts have no other means of supporting this pathetic story. (becuase they are invincible, the revolution is bound to succeed any way.) It seems that Mr. Coonts have not done any good research before he wrote this book. he simply dreamed this up and go ahead to produce this book. By the way, Cantonese is not the language of Southern China as Mr. Coonts claimed. Virtually no one, except those in Guangdong speak cantonese in Southern China. Mandarin is the official language that is spoken in every part of China, although people in different provinces on limited occasions may also speak local dialects and cantonese is just one of them.
Rating: 
Summary: Fun easy read - but not a great book
Review: This is my first Coonts book, and I would disagree with some of the others who say you need to know who these people are for the story to make a lot of sense. At any rate, this was a good book because it held a level of suspense (who was the killer, how would the revolution turn out, when would it start, etc.) and the characters were interesting and likeable. In addition, the setting, current day Hong Kong, returned to Chinese control, is an extraordinarily interesting topic right now. This book provides a great fantasy to those who wouldn't mind seeing a revolution starting in Hong Kong. The downside to the book is this - the story is good, but the writing is sometimes a little simplistic. By this, I do not mean that it is necessarily written at a sixth grade level, I just mean that some aspects lack imagination and Coonts sometimes throws in metaphors and descriptions to cover a line here or there (not full pages like some authors might). The other thing I did not like was the fighting robots. The book had (some may differ on this one) a degree of realism in the story about the coming revolution, but then you get these robots, and they just seem too conveniently invincible and then you start feeling like you are reading a science fiction novel rather than a . . . I don't know what you call it, a 'hero novel' perhaps?. Also loved reading Coonts' portrayal of the local governor and army chief - too good pictures of intense tyrants. Overall, this was good beach book and I liked it, but I would not call it memorable. Read it if you have the time and want something lazy, but don't put anything else down to pick it up.
Rating:
Summary: A nice Interesting, eventful, and exciting book!
Review: This was actually my first Stephen Coonts novel I have read, and I loved it. There were so many changes in what was going on, and so many interesting characters to follow. I really liked the story line in this book, and I would reccommend it to anyone.
Rating:
Summary: A nice Interesting, eventful, and exciting book!
Review: This was actually my first Stephen Coonts novel I have read, and I loved it. There were so many changes in what was going on, and so many interesting characters to follow. I really liked the story line in this book, and I would reccommend it to anyone.
Rating:
Summary: Robots and mechanical flying bats???
Review: This was my first Grafton novel (and my first Coonts novel for that matter) so maybe I am not versed in this author style of storytelling. Everything was going great until I got to the part about the fighting robots and mechanical flying bats. It just seemed like the easy way out to give the upperhand to the rebels. Furthermore, the ending sucked. The reason I bought the book was because the premise intrigued me: a Chinese revolution started in Hong Kong by conspiring Americans and Chinese dissidents. This topic should be taken up by another author of this genre, but this time make it believable (i.e. leaving the robots out).
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