Edge of Danger

Rating:
Summary: Cartoon Arab-Scottish Villain
Review: I had the rare experience of giving up on a novel after only a couple of chapters when trying to read Edge of Danger recently, but Higgins managed to pen a book so lame that I refused to go any further. His bad guy is supposedly a Scottish-Arabian aristocrat but comes off as just another cartoon Arab terrorist with an implausible, pointless heritage. But, what do you expect from a middle-aged author who poses in bomber jacket and aviator glasses on the dust jacket.... depth?

Rating:
Summary: Formula Writing
Review: I have been a Higgins fan for many years, and have read and collected almost all of the books he has written. Some were great and full of suspense. But the last three he has written, including this one, "Edge of Danger", are very disappointing. He has resorted to producing 2 books a year, based on the formula of a superficial story line with no depth, predictable characters, and it seems that he now writes just to capitalize on his prior reputation as a good suspense writer.

Count the number of Marlboros smoked, the amount of Bushmills and champagne drank, (and in the midst he changes his champagne brand which makes one wonder whether he has received a better commission from one favorite to another), and you find a shallow book. I would save my money on this one, and buy it only if you collect Higgins First Editions, hoping to capitalize someday on the commercial side of selling all Higgins books to a collector.

Rating:
Summary: Edge of Boredom really.
Review: This is most probably my last Jack Higgins novel.

There was a time when I couldn't wait for the newest book from Jack Higgins to come out. Regrettably that time was the mid 1980's. I have increasingly become disenchanted with his storylines and two dimensional characters. It is perhaps time for Mr. Sean Dillon to retire from active service.

As other reviewers have said, there is very little (if any) true plot to "Edge of Danger". The entire Rashid family are thin and vacuous. Paul's motives most especially are questionable. This novel is a complete parody of Jack's earlier (and more entertaining) works.

A common thread of recent Jack Higgins novels has been the very formulaic writing style...for example... a cheesy villain arrives on the scene and does something to upset Ferguson and Dillon. Dillon takes on the job of figuring out the villain's plan. Ferguson berates Dillon for his cavalier attitude. Dillon has a Bushmill's. Villain and Dillon talk and talk and talk. Dillon somehow manages to save the day. All along the way re-reminding readers of Dillon's past with the IRA. You'd think after all this time Mr. Higgins would have assumed his fans know this fact.

Save your money on this one. I'd love to be able to recommend it, but simply cannot. It's a tiresome and insubstantial read.

Rating:
Summary: Can't believe the publisher had nerve to issue this book
Review: A terrible, childishly written book with absolutely NO redeeming value as literature. Higgins loves to "speak Irish" but even that gambit fails in this trite, poorly plotted, worthless endeavour by a writer who should remain retired if he can't do any better than such trashy writing.

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing and thin
Review: I purchased this book expecting very good things. I found the plot very thin and predictable. There was very little suspense. It almost seemed like an abridged version of a book where all the detail leading up was left out. Also there didn't seem to be any character building or background to explain why these individuals would have such singleminded, and on the surface stupid, behaviour.

Rating:
Summary: Can't believe I read the whole thing
Review: Given the lack of character development, or rather, simplistic and at times contradictory character development; the lack of any plot whatsoever; and poor visualizations; I can't believe I read the whole book. I guess I kept waiting for the action to start. It never did.

Rating:
Summary: Sean Dillon to the rescue again
Review: I would have to agree with the other reviewers that this wasn't the best of the Sean Dillon books, but I did like the fact that Dillon at least showed a trace more vulnerability in this novel, but maybe that's just because I'm a woman and don't read them just for the action/adventure aspects. I also like the Northern Ireland background since that is what I like to read and write about myself. Though, this wasn't a particularly memorable book and the characters were definitely stereotyped, I keep continuing to buy them. It was definitely too short and over way too soon. I was also bothered by the killing of the one brother on the boat, which seemed totally senseless and coldblooded.

Rating:
Summary: No Edge and No Danger!
Review: Deep in his latest novel, either by odd coincidence or deliberate design, Jack Higgins writes, "`Well, that explains a lot. You've been damaged enough. He wanted to keep you out of it. You see, a face-to-face confrontation with Rashid will probably be like a spaghetti western.'"

Unfortunately, a spaghetti western would have more character development and plot than this work. As in his last several novels, this one seems to read more like a Greek tragedy with limited character development and style. His formulaic style continues where the good guys do evil (at times) for the right cause and the bad guys are misguided and do evil for the wrong cause.

In this case, the Earl of Loch Dhu, Paul Rashid, leads the evil empire. Paul is of mixed blood involving the aristocracy in England and in the province of Hazar, in the Persian Gulf. "The two traditions flowed together in their blood, the medieval British and the Bedouin, producing a general fierceness that was remarked upon in Paul, . . ." In short, a powerful man that when crossed or defied can seek powerful vengeance.

And vengeance is the theme and motivator for all character actions in this simply plotted novel. Rashid and his two brothers and one sister, control a large empire of holdings in a variety of interests. The sultan of Hazar, bypasses their interests, to make an oil deal with the Americans and the Russians. If that wasn't enough, the ungrateful Sultan, is also apparently part of a plot to assassinate the Rashids. The plot is easily foiled with the assassins slain in the desert.

Of course, such an act demands vengeance on a local level as well as at the ultimate levels in the American and Russian governments. The people that lead these two nations must die so the world will know of their actions and resulting punishment. Enter General Ferguson, Sean Dillon and the usual suspects of the British Intelligence Service who plan to stop the attacks, one way or another.

This novel continues in the recent tradition of Jack Higgins. The writing is weak, the character development is exceedingly limited, the style is poor and the scenic descriptions are poor. The sameness of his recent novels continues and the reader is left with the sense that this has been read before, many times. It is unfortunate that he continues in the slide from the promise of his early novels to a writing style and effort that just seems to be going through the motions for a few sales. This author has talent and expertise that he simply is not using, for whatever reason, and that is a shame.

Rating:
Summary: Another disappointment from Higgins
Review: This novella (stretched to 271 pages by wide margins and double-spaced lines) reads like a screenplay treatment. There is very little character development, movie-like dialogue, and plenty of mindless action. The ending is wholly unsatisfying and I'm led to believe that this is simply a set-up for another book. An author with some integrity would have placed Edge of Danger as part 1 of a 2-part novel.

If you are dead-set on reading Edge of Danger, don't waste your money. The cover price of .....is an insult and the deeply discounted .......... price will still leave you feeling ripped-off. Go to your local library in the morning and you'll finish Edge of Danger in time for an early lunch. Just don't expect to have any appetite left.

Rating:
Summary: A bad book, poorly written.
Review: The plot is not believable, there is not a shred of character development, and there isn't even any descriptive atmosphere. It shocks me that Jack Higgins and the publishers actually make money off of this puerile drivel. I shall not buy any more of his efforts.