The Northeast Kingdom

Rating:
Summary: The Northeast Kingdom
Review: Great plot. Average writing. The escape is made too simple. There are some interesting scenes with the townspeople and the people at the Inn. But otherwise the book has average written all over it. I was surprised when one of the other reviewers stated
that this book was actually written by Chuck Hogan. When I read this book I thought it was actually written by a woman.
Check out page 54 (paperback) "Rebecca noted that the sage-green floral wallpaper matched the fabric of the seat cushions, and the lien". Or page 57 "sitting in a quilt-backed rocking chair with a china cup of blackberry tea...." Does that sound like a male writer or does it sound like one of those cozy British mysteries.

Rating:
Summary: The Northeast Kingdom
Review: Great plot. Average writing. The escape is made too simple. There are some interesting scenes with the townspeople and the people at the Inn. But otherwise the book has average written all over it. I was surprised when one of the other reviewers stated
that this book was actually written by Chuck Hogan. When I read this book I thought it was actually written by a woman.
Check out page 54 (paperback) "Rebecca noted that the sage-green floral wallpaper matched the fabric of the seat cushions, and the lien". Or page 57 "sitting in a quilt-backed rocking chair with a china cup of blackberry tea...." Does that sound like a male writer or does it sound like one of those cozy British mysteries.

Rating:
Summary: Improbable, not compelling, a disappointment
Review: Really not much to recommned it. The plot line is completely unbelieveable and rests on one improbable after another. In addition the plot hangs on the crutch of a writer as the protagonist. Not compelling at all, not a page turner. At least the setting is somewhat nice. As noted by another reviewer, the central element of enticement, the jailbreak, is completely glossed over, an after thought, as if the writer decided he was not up to the effort. The book continues in this vein.

Rating:
Summary: Improbable, not compelling, a disappointment
Review: Really not much to recommned it. The plot line is completely unbelieveable and rests on one improbable after another. In addition the plot hangs on the crutch of a writer as the protagonist. Not compelling at all, not a page turner. At least the setting is somewhat nice. As noted by another reviewer, the central element of enticement, the jailbreak, is completely glossed over, an after thought, as if the writer decided he was not up to the effort. The book continues in this vein.

Rating:
Summary: Fast paced action
Review: The book was written in a easy to follow fast paced action novel. It's not complicated. It's just a fun read. The suspense is good, the action well packed. The concept of a prison break out of this extreme, is of course, fictional, but that is what a fictional book is all about. To entertain us. Not to convince us it could really happen. I really enjoyed this book and the simplistic writing style of Peter Collinson. I look forward to his next book.

Rating:
Summary: Fast paced action
Review: The book was written in a easy to follow fast paced action novel. It's not complicated. It's just a fun read. The suspense is good, the action well packed. The concept of a prison break out of this extreme, is of course, fictional, but that is what a fictional book is all about. To entertain us. Not to convince us it could really happen. I really enjoyed this book and the simplistic writing style of Peter Collinson. I look forward to his next book.

Rating:
Summary: first class suspense thriller
Review: The small town of Gilchrist in the green hills of Vermont was dying until the townsfolk invited the federal government to build a prison there. The 312 unit Administrative Maximum Penitentiary houses the most hardened prisoners men who have no hope of release, parole or escape. The revenues brought in by the existence of the prison allowed the town to grow and prosper.

After years of solitary confinement, the prisoners revolt and take control of the prison. With the help of loyal ex-cons, the prisoners escape and next take over the town, threatening to release a deadly toxin into two different communities if any counter offensive is attempted. It is up to the people trapped within the town to do what the federal government is helpless to do: seize back their community.

Peter Collinson, a pseudonym for famous thriller writer Chuck Hogan, has written a first class novel of suspense. The thrill of seeing ordinary men and women fight for their freedom will send a patriotic shiver up the spine of the audience. The Northeast kingdom is a top of the line reading experience.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: Movie Plot
Review: This book was released in paperback form from a screenplay draft by author Chuck Hogan (here under a pseudonym). Fans of his will recognize an early character tie-in to Hogan's "The Standoff" novel - one of my favorite books - and therefore allowing me to forgive the obvious shortcomings of this story, since it was never meant to be published in the first place. The basics are there, and a lot better than most trashy stories, but not in the A-Class as the other 3 Hogan books are.

Rating:
Summary: Quick and Entertaining
Review: While I don't think you should rush right out and pick up a copy of "Northeast Kingdom", you could do a lot worse than settling down on a snowy day to read this book. The story is very interesting, the characters, though sometimes unbelievable, are fun, and Collinson's writing style is very enjoyable. You should breeze right on through the book in 2 days at most. This isn't the type of book that will stick with you days or weeks after reading, and seeing another reviewer stating that this is actually a novelized movie script makes sense. It almost reads like a movie-of-the-week in book form. The too quick resolutions to certain problems, and lucky-coincidence, hero in the right place at the right time has Lifetime network written all over it. But if you enjoy a quick and entertaining read, a story that just kind of carries you along, then you will like this book.