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Summary: A Travis McGee novel.
Review: The Travis McGee series is a very extensive (21 books) series by John D. MacDonald; the main character is a delightful personality, something of a cross between a standard hero and a con man antihero, and the books are all well-written and enjoyable, something of a cross between action-adventure and detective-mystery. There are certain similarities between the plots of the books, but there are generally enough differences to keep them from being truly formulaic.The books are all capable of standing on their own; a new reader can start with any one of them without feeling that he is missing anything, and this book is a perfectly good place to start, although it is the seventh written. The stories were set in the contemporary world, and are thus a bit dated now as they were written in the sixties and seventies, but this book is less jarringly so than some of the others.
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Summary: My first; definitely not my last Travis McGee
Review: This was my first Travis McGee novel, and I'm hooked. The plot was just twisted enough to make it interesting, and the writing was clean. The main character (and probably the author) was a little more misogynistic than I'd like, but that may reflect the time it was written (1966). Overall, this was a great read with lots of promise for the other couple dozen Travis McGee's that McDonald's written.
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Summary: The ocean as a metaphor for life
Review: Travis & Meyer are midnight fishing aspart of a recreational cruise on the Busted Flush. They witness an attempted murder, and effect a rescue. The title refers to the rescuee, a girl whose eyes, as McGee notes, are "darker than amber"; McDonald leaves the reader to discover that her soul is considerably darker than amber, too. After her recovery, she decides to reclaim money earned with her former associates; her greed allows her old cohorts to silence her permanently. MCGee & Meyer had learned the girl was part of an elaborate lonely heart sting, baiting well-to-do men, reeling in their money, and throwing their bodiesinto the sea. McGee metes out justicein the name of selfdefense & in memory of the numerous men murdered aspart of this scam. Until the vividly recorded rescue, the story moves quickly, almost likethe tide coming in. After the rescue,the McDonald philosophy on the dark side of life is woven into the slowly unraveling plot. The writing is full of local color, witty dialogue, McGee/Meyer pranks, and numerous observations on the human condition, machinations, and motiviations. Thebad guys get what is coming to them, and there is financial recompense for the murdered victims families, and forMcGee & Meyer. As a reader, I felt McDonald had kicked me hard in the stomach, and while I was doubled over,rubbed my face innto the evil that men can do. Like cGee, I can return to mylife, but a part of this story clings to my memory months after I have read it, like a fictional metaphor to remind me of the darker than amber colors in the real world.
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Summary: Stronger and stronger...
Review: Travis McGee is at it again in John D. MacDonald's 7th book in the McGee series, Darker Than Amber. McGee and his sidekick, Meyer, are minding their own business when a case is pretty much dropped in their laps. As the two men are fishing while tied up to a bridge, a woman is thrown off the bridge and sinks right in front of them like a stone. McGee dives overboard and is able to rescue the woman-despite the fact that her feet are wired to a cement block. The woman, Vangie, turns out to be a high-priced prostitute who was involved in a scam gone bad. It takes sometime, but McGee and Meyer are finally able to get the gist of Vangie's story, and they of course decide to help.
MacDonald does his usual job of providing a great tale of mystery, murder and intrigue. But one of the things I most enjoyed about Darker than Amber is that after having several cameo appearances in earlier books, we finally get to meet a fleshed-out Meyer. McGee and Meyer perform a good Dr. Watson/Sherlock Holmes routine, and their camaraderie rivals many of the other detective-sidekick combinations including Spenser and Hawk, and Poirot and Captain Hastings.
I am now 1/3 of the way through this 21 book series, and I have not been disappointed in a one. In fact, MacDonald just gets stronger and stronger with each subsequent book. It won't be long until I finish the entire series.
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Summary: Fantastic Read
Review: Unlike some of the other books in this series that ease into the action, "Darker Than Amber" starts with the first line--and it's one of my favorites: "We were about to give up and call it a night when somebody dropped the girl off the bridge." The novel starts from that point and keeps building as McGee pits himself against sociopaths in a murder/prostitution ring. This is an extremely satisfying book cover-to-cover. MacDonald's writing is incredible. Mcgee is likeable and interesting. It is fun spending time in his world. If you're new to the series this is a great place to start.
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Summary: Love that Travis!
Review: While I still find "Flash of Green" to be my favorite MacDonald book, there's something so appealing about the Travis McGee series that keeps me coming back to them. And "Darker than Amber" has such a quick pace, that you cannot put this mystery down. And Travis, well, he's just Travis--you gotta love this guy! I just hope that MacDonald continues to gain in popularity, as I feel he is horribly overlooked.
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Summary: Love that Travis!
Review: While I still find "Flash of Green" to be my favorite MacDonald book, there's something so appealing about the Travis McGee series that keeps me coming back to them. And "Darker than Amber" has such a quick pace, that you cannot put this mystery down. And Travis, well, he's just Travis--you gotta love this guy! I just hope that MacDonald continues to gain in popularity, as I feel he is horribly overlooked.
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