Was thinking of buying myself some Jeffrey Deaver novels in preparation for next years's Project X and was wondering what Deaver novels you'd recommend buying. Greatly appreciate any recommendations given, thanks.
Deaver Recommendations.
Started by
Gogol Pushkin
, Jul 20 2010 10:15 PM
3 replies to this topic
#1
Gogol Pushkin
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Posted 20 July 2010 - 10:15 PM
#2
terminus
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Posted 20 July 2010 - 10:35 PM
Was thinking of buying myself some Jeffrey Deaver novels in preparation for next years's Project X and was wondering what Deaver novels you'd recommend buying. Greatly appreciate any recommendations given, thanks.
You should join in the Deaver Reading Club - we're just coming up on finishing our first 'assignment' of Garden of Beasts which was reportedly the book that got Deaver the job of writing Project X. And we're going to move onto The Sleeping Doll next, which is the first in the Kathryn Dance series (altho she appears in a Lincoln Rhyme novel).
I'd recommend checking out the first reading club thread for some thoughts on GoB - but it's definitely a book I recommend.
#3
Gogol Pushkin
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Posted 20 July 2010 - 11:22 PM
Was thinking of buying myself some Jeffrey Deaver novels in preparation for next years's Project X and was wondering what Deaver novels you'd recommend buying. Greatly appreciate any recommendations given, thanks.
You should join in the Deaver Reading Club - we're just coming up on finishing our first 'assignment' of Garden of Beasts which was reportedly the book that got Deaver the job of writing Project X. And we're going to move onto The Sleeping Doll next, which is the first in the Kathryn Dance series (altho she appears in a Lincoln Rhyme novel).
I'd recommend checking out the first reading club thread for some thoughts on GoB - but it's definitely a book I recommend.
Thanks for that Terminus, definitely look into them as well as the Reading Club.
#4
dlb007
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Posted 26 April 2011 - 02:40 PM
I can honestly say I don't think I'd recommend anything I've read by Deaver (The Bone Collector and Garden of Beasts). I thought "TBC" was bargain bin fiction. The characters were awful. The plot was ridiculous. It was painfully obvious from the very beginning who the killer was. It was a standard airport thriller.
With Garden of Beasts I was more hopeful. I typically enjoy fiction with a historical context; most of my experience being with Ken Follet novels, which I enjoy much more than anything Deaver has written. The main question I was left asking myself after GOB was: why? Why would the Army bother asking a hit-man to kill a Nazi? Certainly, soldiers are trained to do that very thing. Why would someone who is careful enough to pick up shell casings start a fight with guards out in the street? Why would a hit-man who is supposed to lurk in the shadows decide to go out on a date?
I must say that I am not impressed with Deaver. Having said that, I think he will be much better than Benson (who was in over his head) and Faulks (who simply didn't give a damn about the project). If the publishers manage to keep Deaver under a certain page count I think we're okay. He tends to write sprawling novels which then lead to plot points and additional characters that need not be included.
Of course, I hope I'm wrong with my assessment of Deaver thus far. Like most of you I hope to be blown away by a great novel . . . but I won't hold my breath.
With Garden of Beasts I was more hopeful. I typically enjoy fiction with a historical context; most of my experience being with Ken Follet novels, which I enjoy much more than anything Deaver has written. The main question I was left asking myself after GOB was: why? Why would the Army bother asking a hit-man to kill a Nazi? Certainly, soldiers are trained to do that very thing. Why would someone who is careful enough to pick up shell casings start a fight with guards out in the street? Why would a hit-man who is supposed to lurk in the shadows decide to go out on a date?
I must say that I am not impressed with Deaver. Having said that, I think he will be much better than Benson (who was in over his head) and Faulks (who simply didn't give a damn about the project). If the publishers manage to keep Deaver under a certain page count I think we're okay. He tends to write sprawling novels which then lead to plot points and additional characters that need not be included.
Of course, I hope I'm wrong with my assessment of Deaver thus far. Like most of you I hope to be blown away by a great novel . . . but I won't hold my breath.