|
Product Details
Oliver Stone and his Camel Club are in a race to stop a man who is determined to auction off America to the highest bidder: Roger Seagraves is selling America to her enemies, one devastating secret at a time. On a local level, Annabelle Conroy, the most gifted con artist of her generation, is becoming a bit of a Robin Hood as she plots a monumental scam against one of the most ruthless businessmen on earth. As the killings on both fronts mount, the Camel Club fights the most deadly foes they've ever faced.
Product Reviews
 (1 stars) - Plot is flat; David Baldacci can and should do better!
I didn't enjoy this book. The plot is flat and stale. An `ok' read as the "wow" factor was missing from the book.
As usual, David Baldacci tries to weave different stories together to create one plausible story which fails to deliver the much needed bang at the end. The plot of "Collectors" was a typical pot-boiler thriller with nothing new to offer. This book is not very different than other spy-thrillers out there - well, the only new ingredient is that the Library of Congress is somehow involved!
Two stories woven together is an overstatement - the stories are not woven together but just one character is handpicked and pushed into the prime story and that makes you wonder if there was even a need of the second story or was David Baldacci trying to write few more chapters to reach some sort of a goal of writing `n' number of pages? There are loose ends to this book which keeps readers wondering (well, not in a good way though!). The language of the book reminded me of books which I used to read in 5th grade i.e. Famous Five, Secret Sever, Hardy Boys.
The prime plot begins with he Speaker of the House and a curator at the Library of Congress are both murdered; the second story is about bunch of ex-cons trying to con a casino. One character of the second story becomes part of the prime plot and the story goes from there to never ending misery.
The problem I had with this book was that there was no "higher plot" or a "mastermind plot" which rules over the sub-plots and which at times can jolt the reader senses. Being spy and selling secrets just doesn't' do it!
David Baldacci can do better!
Seriously, this book is worth your time - keep it down as fast as you can and get a James Patterson or John Grisham book.
 (5 stars) - Baldacci delivers again.
Synopsis
The assassination of the U.S. Speaker of the House has shaken the nation. And the Camel Club has found a chilling connection with another death: the body of the director of the Library of Congress's rare books room has been found in a locked vault.
The Camel Club's unofficial leader, a man who calls himself Oliver Stone, discovers that someone is selling America to its enemies one classified secret at a time. Then Annabelle Conroy, the greatest con artist of her generation, struts her way into the club and gives it a sexy new edge -- one it needs. Because the two murders are hurtling the Camel Club into a world of espionage that can bring America to its knees.
My Two Cents Worth
In this, the second installment of the Camel Club series, Baldacci raises the stakes on the rag-tag characters of the underdog whistle blowers. The spies are more devious and dangerous, the corruption more widespread, and the action is more suspenseful. The author takes behind the scenes of some ingenious con games and provides some incredible insight into the mind of Annabelle, who is a high-stakes gambler on a roll.
I particularly appreciate the character development in this series. It is rare I get such a clear and vivid picture of each character as I read that I "cast" each role from the Hollywood "A" list, but I would love to be the director and cast Tom Selleck as Stone, Sandra Bullock as Annabelle, David Hyde Pierce as Caleb, and Tommy Lee Jones as Seagraves.
The Collectors did not disappoint - the pace of the action was brisk and the suspense was palpable.
If you are looking for a book that is a no doubt, slam-dunk, satisfaction guaranteed, five-star winner, pick up a Baldacci. He delivers.
 (3 stars) - A Bit of a Thin Plot
Unfortunately this book is not Baldacci's best effort. The plot is not terribly well supported and is unbelievable.
Yawn.
(5 stars) - the camel club book 2
read the camel club 1st then read this one! (this is book 2 of the camel club series) There are 2 more camel club books by Baldacci. He does a wonderful job of developing believable characters and keeping them in character. I would recommend this series to anyone who likes contemporary mysteries. It takes in and around Washington DC... well worth the read!
 (4 stars) - A new member of the Club
The chief elements of this addition to the Camel Club series are the addition of an interesting new member and the obviously hanging ending which begs for a follow up book. That book already exists so newcomers to this series don't need to wait for the author to get a new idea, write it down or the publisher to get it into print.
In some ways, this book leaves a bit of a jagged edge to the old book tending to ignore main characters from the first in the series due to having to make room for a major new character. No fear, most of the old players return for volume three making the three initial books of this series more of a triptych or trilogy, if you will, than just three books with a similar set of actors.
Of the initial three, this book is probably the weakest relying on a rapid wrap up almost a deus de machina sort of finale than a well played out finale, yet it's not so far out (given the series is pretty far out there) that it makes for an eye roll.
The one jarring note for some must be that one of the main characters is a confidence player. Now in fiction for some reason, these are heroes but in real life they aren't. Here the only con is against a person who is portrayed as 'deserving it', but along the way, this supposed hero has cheated old folks and other vulnerable. Why the thief in fiction is so well regarded is, to me, a complete bafflement.
Popular Searches in Books compact disk love, book laser, significado de los suenos, skeleton key book anthony horowitz, manga comic books, medical assistant books, soft animal baby book, como hacer el amor, significado de los nombres, incest, greatest political science books, books, one minute monologues monologues for teens, fotos playboy, dragon books, harcourt math books, playboy fotos, book laser, met art, solutions manual, More |
