Rating: 
Summary: Spencerville
Review: A great story, but the details and prolonged dialogue wear me out.
Rating:
Summary: A love story for guys
Review: A story you might read in a Harliquin romance novel, but with a guy twist and DeMille witty sense of humor. Not my favorite DeMille book but certainly better than a number of books by other authors that I have struggle to get through.
Rating: 
Summary: Not up to snuff
Review: Is it just me or are all of Demille's books about 200 pages too long? Speed read through the extraneous dialog and maybe you can get through this one. The plot is hard to swallow. Why would the hero return to Ohio and with his vast credentials why can't he handle a small town police chief? As often happens in a Demille book the ending leaves you wanting more and there are some unnecessary and gratuitous areas of spousal abuse. Try Charm School or the Gold Coast, the writing is better and so are the plots.
Rating: 
Summary: Loved it.
Review: My very first Nelson Demille book. Loved it. It prompted me to go back and read everything he has written.
Rating: 
Summary: When Does the Story Start?
Review: I just can't finish this book. I'm probably two thirds the way through it and the story still hasn't kicked in. I guess there's this man who moves back to his hometown for reasons that are not at all believeable who gets in something of a confrontation with the local police chief who's married to his high school sweetheart. That's the premise and perhaps not an irretrievably bad one, but when does the story begin? Perhaps unfairly, I couldn't help comparing the story to Elmore Leonard's "Valdez is Coming." There's a story of vengeance between a strong man and the town's local kingpin bully. Valdez not only stands up to the town's boss, but also steals his woman. It's perfectly paced and well told; the action scenes are very cool and macho; and at no time is at unbelievable. In short, it's everything that Spencerville is not.
Rating:
Summary: Violence Against Women?
Review: I'd read a number of DeMille's books, including Gold Coast and Talbot Oddessy, before hearing someone complain about his gratuitous use of violence against women. I thought back to Gold Coast -- which I'd loved -- and realized that, yes, it had some questionable scenes. Then I read Spencerville, and I don't think I'll ever read another one of his novels. Every criticism of the book is accurate -- it's trite, the characters are cliche, etc. However, the graphic husband-wife rape scene is simply over the edge. I realized that every DeMille book I've ready includes not just horribly graphic violence, usually intensely graphic sexual violence against women. I then saw the film of The General's Daughter. Is this for real? A woman's reaction to her rape is to have herself tied up, spread-eagle, and naked? Please. I don't think there's any reason to encourage this crap. DeMille is a great author, I wish he'd grow up a little.
Rating:
Summary: Pleasant Read For Demille Fans
Review: Having read with great enthusiasm Demille's By The Rivers of Babylon, The General's Daughter, Charm School, and Plum Island, I eagerly jumped into Spencerville expecting an exciting story of intrigue and espionage mixed with sardonic comedy, with vivid character development and great use of dialogue (Demille's greatest writing asset). Three hundred pages into the book I decided that what I had found was a pleasant walk through the woods with just a bit of intrigue, not much espionage, not much humor, fair character development, and less than great dialogue (yet, still better than many books of greater popularity). Unlike other Demille books, the reader does not know whether to cheer for the hero or question his motives and tactics. Nevertheless, a satisfying read for Demille devotees.
Rating:
Summary: Don't go there
Review: Like others, I thought Plum Island, Gold Coast and The General's Daughter were good fare, but Spencerville? This novel could have lost 100 pages of pillow talk and been a bit more interesting to read. Add to that, 50 pages of sarcasm and you've got yourself a bonafide DeMille classic.
Rating:
Summary: One Of My Top Ten Books Of All Time
Review: A retired CIA agent returns to his hometown to find his sweetheart has married the Police Chief. He also discovers the Chief is abusing her. Now he must decide if it is o.k. to use all his "tricks of the trade" to get rid of the Chief, and get his girl back, or allow the beatings to go on and loose her forever. Nelson DeMille is the best author in the United States. He has written a wonderful tale well worth reading.
Rating:
Summary: Stay away from Spencerville
Review: After reading, Charm School, Lion's Game and Plum Island, I found Spencerville to be a bit of a disappointment. Nelson Demille writes in a beat you over the head and leave you wanting more style. I found that the events leading up to the finale were too much to bear and the ending was not all I had hoped for. If you are sensitive to unusual physical and sexual punishment, stay away from this book. For a first time Demille reader, I recommend Charm School. If you have read Demille before, you probably have an idea of what to expect. Despite all the emotional let-downs, it is still a great love story. Just hold on for a long ride.
|
