The Hostage (Presidential Agent Novels)
by W.E.B. Griffin
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Book Summary Information
Author: W.E.B. GriffinEdition: Mass Market Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2006-12-26
ISBN: 0515142409
Number of pages: 768
Publisher: Jove
Product features:
- ISBN13: 9780515142402
- Condition: New
- Notes: BRAND NEW FROM PUBLISHER! 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. Tracking provided on most orders. Buy with Confidence! Millions of books sold!
Book Reviews of The Hostage (Presidential Agent Novels)
Book Review: Not great, but had some potential. Just not sure if it delivered.
Summary: 3 Stars
I have to admit this is my first W.E.B. Griffin thriller, although I have had several people suggest that I would like his writing style. So when loaned this book, I gave it a chance and found that I am torn about how I really feel about it. I guess although I am not new to thrillers, this kind of political thriller was a first. I am not sure if it was the length of the book, several references to things that I really didn't care about or the lengthy explanations about things that I didn't really think were important that made me keep putting this book down. Eventually I did finish it, but......I am not sure if I would read another Griffin novel.
Major Charlie Castillo, sharpshooter turned political mover-and-shaker/go to man, who has the ears of not only the Secretary of State and Homeland Security, but the President of the United States (who also has unwavering faith in Charlie's abilities to solve difficult challenges, like stealing a plane back from the enemy), has been given the duty (by the President no less) to go to Buenos Aires, discover how a diplomat's wife was kidnapped, and later how that same diplomat (Jack "the Stack" Masterson) was murdered. [This is one of the problems that I had with the story, while Griffin was attempting to give some other explanation about the possible kidnapping, I thought that it was kind of silly how they kept mentioning how Masterson was a promising basketball star when he was hit by a beer truck, suing and given several million dollars as a settlement. Therefore, providing a potential motive for the crimes, but it was said so many times, you knew that it couldn't be the real motive for the crime, merely a diversion.] While interviewing people concerning the incident, there are a series of misadventures (like a promising young officer getting killed and Castillo's love interest being shot) that eventually led to the real motive for the crimes. In the meantime, there are continuous references made to Castillo's background and wealth that I didn't think really added to the story, but added fluff to an already lengthy tale. And it definitely would have been better had Griffin not introduced a love interest who ended up being injured and disappeared for most of the novel, with only vague references made to her condition while he "solved" the mystery of "what is going on in Buenos Aires"?
Anyway, as the plot unfolds, you soon discover that the series of events are the direct result of the "Oil for Food" scandal, the Iraq conflict, corruption, terrorism, gas and oil (all issues that our government is dealing with today). The entire thing end ups boiling down to the age old theme of greed, and a desire for wealth and privilege.
What then merits a "3"? Well, I will break it down into positives and negatives. Positives about the book: It was interesting to learn some of the political stuff that goes on behind the scenes. The interactions between the different governmental agencies (Secret Service, CIA, FBI, Homeland Security) and their attempts to work with and against each other seems to be a realistic view of how things in politics and government works. Negatives about the book: I thought it was a little too long and some of the focus should not have been on Masterson's failed basketball attempt, Castillo's attempt at romance seemed a little forced. He was declaring his undying and unwavering love for Betty Snyder (the agent who was injured during an assassination attempt) after one night of passion (although maybe this romance was explained in the first book that I never read). I also thought the continuous discussions about his "great wealth" (living and staying at expensive hotels, etc.) was irrelevant. And some of the build up to Castillo's epiphany concerning who and what was really responsible for the death of Masterson also seemed a little forced (i.e., visiting his uncle, talking to people who acted like they didn't trust him, but spilled their guts easily concerning what they knew) and the truth was not the result of good investigative work, but deductive reasoning and listening. I also feel that the beginning of the book seemed totally different from the middle and the end. While the first portion appeared to be setting the stage for the kidnapping of Masterson's wife, the next thing you know, she is acting squirrelly and not telling the truth about the death of her husband, and although the rest of the novel was about that, it moved in another direction. And while I don't mind an author meandering around the plot, keeping it stupid simple is always best. Either way, although I am not sure if I would read another Griffin novel, I will give this one a "3". It wasn't great, but it wasn't horrible either. It just could have been streamlined!
Summary of The Hostage (Presidential Agent Novels)
The second novel in W.E.B. Griffin's new bestselling series finds Presidential Agent Charley Castillo investigating the death of an American diplomat in Argentina, the kidnapping of the diplomat's wife, and a scandal tying the United Nations to Iraq.
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