Black Market

Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable, but not his best
Review: A re-pub of a previous work, the adventure that Arch Carroll takes us on is thrilling and fast, but not nearly has engaging as Alex Cross's feats. I wasn't sure who I wanted to success here because I didn't have a good understanding of what motivated the characters. I attribute the lack of character development to very short chapters (some fewer than 3 pages) and the need to focus on getting everyone into the sack as soon as possible. If you are a Patterson fan, then by all means purchase this book. If not, then you would be better off choosing one of his later works.

Rating:
Summary: Read many books, this is definitely one of THE best!
Review: After seeing the movie Capricorn One, many years ago, I have come to the belief that a lot of what we think of as reality in fact is not real. Since then, I have had several life experiences that have proven that fact. Black Market takes that philosophy/perception to the ultimate limit. It is everything we have all kept in the back of our minds and have been too afraid to bring out, this book makes us face how we truly feel about things in life and really LOOK at what IS real or not. Of every book I have read, some that have been great thrillers with dissapointining endings, this is one book that keeps you at the edge of your seat all of the way, only to give you the most rewarding ending of all books I have ever read! I have to applaud James Patterson, he has finally gained my respect over and above John Grisham! Black Market blows away The Firm!

Rating:
Summary: One of his best, my favorite
Review: Black Market, was in my opion one of Paterson's best books. The NYPD and NYFBI details were semi-authantic, I worked for both, but it was very good. The main character was multi demensional and complex. The subplots were inter woven to the main plot and it moved at patterson's traditional pace. Truly a a great read and worth your money.

Rating:
Summary: The plot occasionally flows, occasionally stumbles.
Review: First things first - if you are at all familiar with the American economy, you'll have to suspend your sense of disbelief throughout the book. The premise has American terrorists bombing Wall Street and stealing 2 billion dollars worth of stock certificates in order to destroy the American economy and take down the entire free market system throughout the world. Now, it takes place in the 80s but still, even in the 80s, 2 billion dollars was just a drop in the bucket. It wouldn't make a bit of difference, especially since it was spread out over 20-30 giant conglomerates.

What makes the story work is the appealing main character, Arch Carrol. He is hardcore but still human and likeable. This is definitely not one of Patterson's best works, but it is not totally bad either.

Rating:
Summary: A book that deserves a standing ovation!!
Review: I know others out there may feel to disagree with me but having reading this book after the events of Spetember 11, it was totally shocking realizing that this book was written in 1986. There were terrorist activies back then & still America never saw the warning signs. I think this book try to display of what can happen and strongly enough, it did, in a totally different aspect. If I read this book before the events of September 11, I would of thought nothing like this can happen and this can be made into an entertaining made for TV or Hollywood movie. Now the events in this book seem terrifying because alot of lives were lost because of terrorist acts cause by a militia group called the Green Band. The main character Arch Carroll, I felt was well portrayed & totally fit the book. Instead of your mister nice guy do gooder, you had your rough around the edges detective. I feel this book is strongly entertaining!! The end caught me by surprise because it was totally unexpected. For those who were affected due to the events of September 11, I wouldn't recommened this book.

Rating:
Summary: Don't even steal this book. Pathetic
Review: No research, No knowledge of economics or the stock market.
Not a clue about anything but the names of weapons. Other than the fact that guns go bang, he knows nothing about them.

What color is the beret worn by the Army Special Forces? Is it blood red? The author thinks it is.

All seeing enemies with perfect knowledge. Henchmen who do this stuff for what reason? This stuff went out with the yellow peril in the thirties.

The main villian, who can plan this so called perfect crime, does a Robin Hood which would never get by the worst IRS auditor in the world.

This thing reads like the plot of a really bad third rate action thriller movie. You know the kind, with the star who is famous for 15 minutes for some other activity, like some ex jock.

The plot looks like someone found this book and decided that with a lot more work and some actual knowledge they could make a Die Hard movie.

Rating:
Summary: History proves the not-so-impossible...
Review: On September 10th, 2001, I would have thought this story to be a completely impossible thing to happen and given it an extremely high rating mostly for its action content or an extremely low rating because of its improbability. But somehow my opinion has been jaded by the events of our recent history.

The city of New York has come under the attack of terrorists. They have managed to nearly cripple the financial epicenter of our economy, Wall Street. Brokerage houses are destroyed, lives are lost and that economic basis not directly maimed by firebombs was annihilated by an economic shockwave of uncertainty as investor confidence spiraled downward and business on The Street plummeted in record numbers... all in the name of a few Vietnam Veterans who felt they didn't get a fair shake after the war.

Patterson finds that desperate pace of action from the very beginning of the story and never stops. Although dear reader is certain that he, himself could have written this same story with both eyes shut, most all of the pages have turned when he's taken completely by surprise.

Rating:
Summary: Black Market is "early" James Patterson
Review: There are few books by James Patterson that I would give fewer than 5 stars. He always blows my mind. Black Market is good, but it takes time for even a great writer like Patterson to become a true master. This book was published in 1986. Patterson fans, like me, who love his books because he pulls absolutely no punches may be somewhat frustrated when he pulls the punches a little here. Also, Arch Carroll is an interesting and sympathetic character, but I don't feel the reader gets to get inside of him like you do with Alex Cross. I kept wanting to know this guy better; I even wanted to know the bad guy better, even if I wound up hating him, like Gary Soneji. In Black Market, the admittedly fascinating plot is king. In a world full of plot-masters, I love Patterson's books because the plots are great, but character is king. Black Market is certainly a book to read for Patterson fans, as long as they understand that it feels like at this point in his career he may have been still developing the fabulous style that makes him absolutely tops today.