Rating: 
Summary: Light, Flawed, But Still Fun
Review: Lincoln Child, co-author of "Relic," and "The Cabinet of Curiosities," sets his first solo novel at a state-of-the-art theme park in the midst of the canyons of Nevada. When a series of robotic accidents occurs, struggling artificial intelligence researcher, Dr. Andrew Warne is summoned back to Utopia to dismantle his creation, Metanet, the brain which controls all of Utopia's countless robots. He soon discovers that the Metanet has not been malfunctioning, but that someone tampered with it, turning the robots into lethal weapons. As the terrorists' plan unfolds, Dr. Warne becomes the one person capable of saving Utopia. As in many thrillers, characterization in Utopia, is minimal. What matters most is the action of the plot. In order for the story to be interesting, it must be about characters that feel as if they are real, with all the depth and complexity of your best friend. Dr. Andrew Warne is tugged in different directions as the plot demanded. For instance, the fact that terrorists are holding the park hostage is conveniently kept from Warne until after his daughter is sent out alone to play. To make it more thrilling, Warne behaves irrationally, climbing through the backstage structure to pluck his daughter off the ride, even though there is no indication that this ride is going to be the target of a terrorist attack. hen the ride does suffer a terrorist attack, just as Warne finds his little girl, it is a disappointment because it feels contrived. The intricate plot, though, is the focus of "Utopia." The events of the story are told with a refreshing exuberance. This exuberant rush, however, also weakens the plot. For instance, when John Doe makes his specific demands and gives his vague threats, the administration of Utopia chooses to give Mr. Doe what he wants. This is a pleasant surprise to see people behaving in what appears to be a rational fashion and not doing some sort of Rambo-esque, half-crazed cowboy stunt to defy the terrorists. Still, in our post September 11th world, it is odd that there was not more outrage to express the frustration at feeling helpless and the desire to prevent the terrorists from getting their way. The characters were also constantly finding excuses to take the most outrageous actions. For example, one out of shape security chief decides to climb several flights of scaffolding on a whim to check something out, instead of sending one of the subordinates. By going himself, he wasted valuable time but the plot demanded that he be the one to carry out this particular search. Despite these weaknesses, the second half of the book becomes a page-turner. When John Doe raises the stakes, and the scope of his plan is revealed, tension quickly mounts. However, the pacing is uneven, particularly when the ruthless John Doe decides to wait a few crucial minutes for one of his co-conspirators before making the getaway, which allows the heroes to set up one last defense. As the end comes in a rush, all the subplots are neatly wrapped up. All in all, this is a light, enjoyable novel. The easiest way to describe "Utopia" is to call it "Die Hard" in a theme park. Terrorists take over Utopia, demanding a copy of the software used in creating and controlling their holograms. Dr. Andrew Warne becomes the fly in the ointment when he uncovers the depth of the terrorist activity. Lincoln Child's light thriller is a nice diversion for a rainy day.
Rating: 
Summary: Not another day in the park.
Review: Utopia is a high-tech theme park filled with cutting edge holograms, AI managed robotics, costumed entertainers and the odd terrorist or two. Mister Child borrows a page from Die Hard as he leads the reader down a trail of technology theft as the only motivation, but then there is all that cold hard cash on level C. The character development is exceptionally strong for Andrew Warne, his daughter Georgia and his ex-lover Sarah as they are entangled in several different triangles through out the story. These are likable people thrust into an extraordinary circumstance. The terrorists are called John Doe, Water Buffalo, Candyman and so forth. They are all specialists, mostly ex military out to hit a home run (and they don't care how many people they kill). The theme park has four worlds ranging from Camelot to turn of century England to the space age Callisto. There are chills, thrills and blobs of C-4 plastique all through the park. Finally, Mister Child understands the technology he is describing (whether it is the bits and bytes or a M24 sniper rifle). Overall, this was a very satisfying read.
Rating:
Summary: A Must Thrill Ride!
Review: I happened upon 'Utopia' while meandering my local book store and, having seen the picture of a roller coaster on the cover, I was immediately intrigued. After reading the inside leaflet and learning a little of what the book had in store for its readers, I decided to give it a chance and took it home. This purchase lived up to my expectations and was a very enjoyable read. Lincoln Child never gets too involved with all the technical jargon that goes into all the workings of an amusement park. He keeps the reader on the alert for a swift change of mind at a moments notice, keeping the pace fresh and urgent. It's a fun, sometimes dizzying read, keeping small but intricate plot twists well mapped throughout the story. This is a great book for anyone on their summer vacation, needing a little extra escapism and thrills without having to spend a fortune at the nearest amusement park.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining solo outing from Lincoln Child
Review: I found this book highly entertaining. The descriptions of Utopia were fascinating, and I found myself wishing that such a place actually existed so I could visit and enjoy it myself! While parts of the novel were indeed predictable, these parts did not make the novel as a whole any less entertaining. I didn't want to put the book down! Great first solo novel from Lincoln Child.
Rating:
Summary: Kiddie Ride
Review: Mr. Child has an amazing visual imagination. He should indeed be employed by a theme park developing fabulous new rides, attractions, and lands. But he needs a co-author when attempting to write books about such things. As a previous reviewer mentioned, the characters needed work and just about everything was predictable. If the reader expects to find anything to put them on the edge of their seat - forget it. I am willing to suspend my disbelief regarding stupid behavior of terrorists, park employees, the board of directors, etc. I am willing to overlook contrived situations such as a meeting between park administrator and head terrorist in a Hall of Mirrors. But I cannot possibly rationalize - for the sake of escapism entertainment - the flagrantly incorrect passage of time that is marked at the beginning of each chapter. The amount of stuff that happens between 8:00 and 5:00 would take at least five days. If this book is made into a movie (as it was obviously written for that single reason) - let's hope the studio hires a different writer for the adaptation.
Rating: 
Summary: MEET JOHN DOE
Review: In his first solo thriller, Lincoln Childs carries his previous Douglas Preston collaborations into a theme parked called "Utopia." As in his other novels, Childs packs in the plots, subplots, and hidden agendas, although without Preston, they don't seem quite as "tight." Granted, when things cook, they really cook and I can see a cinematic version in the wings. However, Andrew Warne is such a complacent hero, he doesn't carry the novel as well as previous Child creations. His split from Sarah seems trivial and his pending romance with Terri subliminally unerotic. Add the typical teenage daughter (why can't these novels gives us a childless hero just once?), and villains that are as obvious as they are banal. Who is John Doe? He even says near the end of the book that the people wouldn't believe who he REALLY is. Guess not...Childs never solves that interesting little tidbit. The "mole" is pretty obvious if you just use your mind a little. I will give Childs credit for the character of Angus Poole, the tourist who becomes a pivotal part of the plot and its resolution. Overall, it's a fun book, it just bogs down a little and the lack of telling us who John Doe really is leaves a little sour taste. But, what the heck..you could do worse!
RECOMMENDED.
Rating:
Summary: Gripping and Fun, All in One.
Review: As with many of the others who have already left their reviews, I am a fan of the Child/Preston team. I was not at all disappointed in this solo effort.
Several of other readers before me left excellent and detailed reviews of the story, so I wont try to just repeat it now. I simply wanted to add an additional voice to those praising this novel.
Utopia is a theme park that is without question patterned after Disney World, so everyone familiar with the Disney parks will have that extra bit of connection and familiarity. And with this in mind, it is really easy to visualize everything being described, as well as feel the anxiety building as things begin to go awry.
The only minor complaint I had about the book was that before I got even halfway through, I found it obvious who the insider 'bad-guy' was. But that did not take away any of the enjoyment of the read.
Go get this book. It's an E-ticket ride.
Rating: 
Summary: Very Disappointing!
Review: Having read all of the books Lincoln Child coauthored with Douglas Preston, I was looking forward to reading Child's first solo effort. However, while the concept on which the book is based is interesting, I was very disappointed in Utopia, and would not recommend it. Overall, the plot was much too simplistic and predictable. The characters were not credible or well-developed,and were very stereotypical. And the action tended to sputter along. As another reviewer stated it, "Imagine yourself on a roller coaster. You're all hyped up because it's about to start. When it does, you get all excited. Then the ride stops. Then starts again. Then stops. Then starts again". That's exactly how I, too, felt while reading Utopia. If Child had spent more time on plot and character development and less on computers, robotics and modern technology, Utopia could have been a very good book. Well, hopefully, when Child pairs up again with Preston, he will redeem himself for this well-conceived but rather poorly executed techno thriller.
Rating:
Summary: AMAZING STORY - REAL PAGE TURNER
Review: Lincoln Child does not dissapoint with this solo novel. I loved reading this book and wasn't able to put it down! The story grabs your attention right from the beginning and keeps you in a strangle hold until the end. The characters and park are described in such lush detail that they seem to jump right off the pages. If you've enjoyed reading the Child/Preston books this one will be right up your alley. Highly recommended read.
Rating:
Summary: Very good but can do better
Review: Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child together write the best techno-thrillers in the world and this solo effort by Child is a great example of what the pair are capable of but unlike their joint works this does seem to have a touch of "been done before" about it. It's a great read, the characters are fine and the technology aspects are, as usual, outstanding and one of the highlights but whilst reading the story it does bring to mind quite a few other books and films which can never be a great thing. I really recommend this book but I wouldn't swap it for any of my Preston-Child collaborations and I can't wait for the new one in the summer.
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