The Collectors
by David Baldacci
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Book Summary Information
Author: David BaldacciEdition: Mass Market Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2007-09-01
ISBN: 0446615633
Number of pages: 544
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Book Reviews of The Collectors
Book Review: Good for what it is; horribly unsatisfying ending
Summary: 3 Stars
This book is pretty good for what it is: Pure entertainment; literary fluff. The characters are not even remotely realistic -- the most believable one is referred to as "a walking caricature of a casino chieftain in a bad mob film." Indeed, all of the characters are cinematic (think "made for TV" or "straight to video"), which is fine if you're interested in reading the male equivalent of a Harlequin romance novel. And if you're never in the mood for such a thing, you're not much fun!
One thing is for sure: The book kept me interested, and I eagerly read every page until it was finished. Many times I would marvel at the ingeniousness of the author in conniving intricate-but-plausible plot devices and schemes. But nearly as often, I was incredibly dissatisfied by unexplainable, unrealistic segues and events. For example: A character is abducted and tortured, and upon waking up back at his home, he and his friend are almost entirely unconcerned about it and, instead, are more worried about showing up to an event on time. "Oh, you were tortured? That's too bad. Hey, we better get going if we want to get popcorn before the movies!" (I'm exaggerating here, but only slightly). Elsewhere, a bomb is set off during the National Book Fair / March on Poverty, but it does nothing but cause a very mild diversion -- in post-9/11 D.C.!? They then have a gun fight on the train -- as if there would even BE a train running after a bomb was set off in the capital! -- and the passengers on the train seem to barely notice!
But the ending truly took the cake. With nowhere to go, the author invokes a deus ex machina -- an "honorary member of the Camel Club" (which is like the Baby Sitters Club for sixty-year-old men) who works for the Secret Service. What ensues is entirely unbelievable, even given the precedent set elsewhere throughout the book. And finally, the plot is foiled when the Scobbie Squad pull a fake beard off one of the bad guys, and he spills the entire story over the course of several pages. It should also be noted that the villains went to the Dr. Evil school of killing their enemies -- if they're main characters, make sure you tie them up and wait for them to die in some elaborate manner (so they can escape), rather than, say, shooting them in the face.
The worst part of the book was that a parallel storyline involving the aforementioned casino chieftain (again, the most plausible character presented in the book) does not resolve itself at all, but instead, merely sets up a future book for Mr. Baldacci. I felt positively cheated by this!
This is the first Baldacci novel I've read, and I did so upon the recommendation of a fellow Ron Paul supporter. It was nice to read a spy-type novel in which the protagonists are skeptical of state power and are against the military-industrial complex (but I should be honest and admit what really hooked me is that I share my last name with the arch-bad guy). I DID enjoy this book, despite my criticisms, and I do think that Mr. Baldacci is a talented writer. However, like many of those whose trade paperbacks find their way to supermarket book racks, Baldacci's primary concern is churning out titles in assembly-line fashion. If he ever went a few years between releases, I'm sure he could put together a truly remarkable novel. Until then, I'll pass on his future efforts.
Summary of The Collectors
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.Literature & Fiction Books
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