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Summary: Intense Action but where's the Fun and Twists?
Review: As fast paced thriller...I loved this 'summer' book. All the stops are pulled from this former marine, West, as he wraps a cool Clancy plot into adventur writing. I was very surprised how much i liked this book. Some characters are flaky...but the action is unbeleiveable and the main characters i want to follow into the next ten books!
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Summary: Great Action Thriller
Review: Could't put it down. Aesome summer read, great characters, fascinating story, SUPER action sequences. The best read of Summer 2003!
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Summary: This books sucks
Review: Do not waste your time with this book. You will be terribly disappointed by the ending. I suggest you take a 2 hour nap instead of reading this book!
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Summary: It must be summer when books like this arrive
Review: FOUR DAYS TO VERA CRUZ
Owen WestYou know summer is here when the Beach Books start arriving. All Beach Books have certain traits in common: (1) One-dimensional characters, each with an odd quirk or two so we can tell them apart.
(2) Normal citizens facing powerful forces�usually corrupt bureaucrats in league with criminals�and impossible odds.
(3) Numerous sub-plots, casually tossed aside when they become inconvenient.
(4) A miracle windup enabling the good guys to triumph and love to conquer all.
(5) A blending of the above that can produce a book that you will totally forget five days after you read it. Four Days To Vera Cruz is a Beach Book. Darren Phillips and Kate North are honeymooners who just happen to be among the best Eco-Challenge racers in the world (see #1 above). How convenient, since they end up fleeing across Mexico on foot, one step ahead of the world�s deadliest drug cartel and the corrupt Mexican Federales (see #2) who are out to kill them. The cartel killers disappear without explanation after a hundred pages or so (see #3) and the Federales are joined by corrupt American bureaucrats who, for reasons that are never explained, also want to kill them. Our heroes somehow turn out to be expert killers as well as racers and kill a few dozen people, shoot down a helicopter, and, inexplicably, a dozen dogs and horses (what's up with that?), but before long they are backed up to the edge of a cliff, exhausted, injured, out of food and ammo, being tracked by every American and Mexican government agency known to man, and face-to-face with Mexico�s deadliest mass murderer. How does it end up? See #4 and #5. Hey, what can I say? It�s a Beach Book.
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Summary: It must be summer when books like this arrive
Review: FOUR DAYS TO VERA CRUZ
Owen West You know summer is here when the Beach Books start arriving. All Beach Books have certain traits in common: (1)One-dimensional characters, each with an odd quirk or two so we can tell them apart.
(2)Normal citizens facing powerful forces'usually corrupt bureaucrats in league with criminals'and impossible odds.
(3)Numerous sub-plots, casually tossed aside when they become inconvenient.
(4)A miracle windup enabling the good guys to triumph and love to conquer all.
(5)A blending of the above that can produce a book that you will totally forget five days after you read it. Four Days To Vera Cruz is a Beach Book. Darren Phillips and Kate North are honeymooners who just happen to be among the best Eco-Challenge racers in the world (see #1 above). How convenient, since they end up fleeing across Mexico on foot, one step ahead of the world's deadliest drug cartel and the corrupt Mexican Federales (see #2) who are out to kill them. The cartel killers disappear without explanation after a hundred pages or so (see #3) and the Federales are joined by corrupt American bureaucrats who, for reasons that are never explained, also want to kill them. Our heroes somehow turn out to be expert killers as well as racers and kill a few dozen people, shoot down a helicopter, and, inexplicably, a dozen dogs and horses (what's up with that?), but before long they are backed up to the edge of a cliff, exhausted, injured, out of food and ammo, being tracked by every American and Mexican government agency known to man, and face-to-face with Mexico's deadliest mass murderer. How does it end up? See #4 and #5. Hey, what can I say? It's a Beach Book.
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Summary: Thunderstriking book!
Review: I read 4 or 5 thrillers on vacation each year and this was the best I've read since Hannibal. Wow...I must say this is like "Pulp Fiction" or something. Violent but well-written. Just ZERO letup in this book.
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Summary: Thunderstriking book!
Review: I read 4 or 5 thrillers on vacation each year and this was the best I've read since Hannibal. Wow...I must say this is like "Pulp Fiction" or something. Violent but well-written. Just ZERO letup in this book.
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Summary: Fantastic Adventure Book...Wow!
Review: I read West's first book, Sharkman Six, and have been waiting for his second. Wow. I have to say this is the best book I have read this year and one of the fastest-paced thrillers I have ever read. I read it in two sittings overnight. The plotline is just superb...and the chapters just keep rolling and rolling. If you don't like violence, that's one thing I'd caution you on. But if you want a terrific summer read that isn't dumbed down, read Veracruz. This should be a movie. I sent it to my son, who is in the Marines and currently in Iraq. Top recommendation from someone who reads two books per month.
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Summary: Fantastic!
Review: See storyline above. When I started this book I had no idea what I was getting into. The pacing was relentless. The shear action and drama throughout made you want to marathon read to the end. Sure the protagonists seemed to be able to take a lot of pain and punishment, that which would kill the normal man, but the writing was so vivid it made for great escapist fiction. Highly recommended.
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Summary: A Vacation from Hell
Review: The author is a Marine, as are most of the "good" characters. So am I, so forgive a bit of prejudice. The main characters are husband and wife: a Marine and an eco-challenge racer (tough couple!) The book is one huge chase of the Marine/eco-runner couple through Mexico by Mexican drug lords, with minor bit parts by their Marine friends. Actually pretty stimulating. This is an excellent, if bloody, adventure on the order of Richard Hannay in 39 Steps. Lots of suspense, clever manuevering by the characters.
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