The Collectors Review
I work in a public library and I see Mr. Baldacci's books come and go on a regular basis. I decided to take the plunge and read The Collectors. I'm pretty happy with my choice.
I don't have a lot of patience for books that fail to draw me in right away. In this book, the author delivers - big time. There are two stories running side by side in this non-stop thriller. The story lines are believable, enticing and educational as well.
I will admit to a certain bias as I am a book lover and that is central to one of the story lines in the book. With that said, I've tried to not color my opinion too much in this regard.
If you have not had the chance to read any of Baldacci's stuff then you are missing out on some great writing.
Get this book. I believe you will not be disappointed
The Collectors Overview
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.
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Customer Reviews
The Collectors - T. McGregor - Canberra, Australia
I love David Baldacci's books. This is the first "Camel Club" I've read. I will be looking for more.
Would love to find out how it ends - johnjet6 -
As with all David Baldacci stories this one does not disappoint. Unfortunately tape #4 is so warped it cannot be played. I had to surgically remove it from the player.
Fast Read, Entertaining, Totally Unbelievable - Claire McManus -
BOOK CLUB REVIEW
The Collectors
by David Baldacci
Our book club's book for May was THE COLLECTORS, by David Baldacci. We chose this book because we occasionally like to read books about books - the type of book in which books play a role. For example, we'd read THE THIRTEENTH TALE a couple of years ago, which is about a bookish young girl. A lot of us had read BOOKED TO DIE (by John Dunning), and liked it, so we thought we'd like a sort of thriller about books. We came up with THE COLLECTORS, which features the Bay Psalm Book, the first book ever printed in America. And one of the characters works in the rare book room at the Library of Congress, so we figured this had all the elements of a good read.
For the most part, we liked the book, even though it's pretty easy to pick holes in it. There is a cast of 4 who call themselves "the Camel Club." They live in the Washington, DC area and seek out truth. They're mostly misfits - former military types, conspiracy theorists, a geek or two. They actively seek what they call "the truth." Here they're trying to figure out who assassinated the U.S. Speaker of the House, and whether the death of an employee of the rare book room was natural or not. The plot also gets tied in with a "long con" run by a scam artist named Annabelle Conroy, who's seeking to take a homicidal casino owner for millions, as revenge for something he did in the past. Part of the fun of the book is trying to figure out how the plots are going to get tied together; and when it does happen, it's a pleasant and fun surprise that none of us had seen coming.
The pacing is fast. The book's good, entertaining reading, if a bit on the long side (not that you really notice, because the pages fly by so quickly). Our criticisms are really the result of the lack of characterization--some of the Camel Club members seem like overgrown teenagers. There are some action sequences that push all bounds of reality. And (this isn't a spoiler) the casino scam that makes up so much of the book isn't the least believable. Everything always goes exactly according to plan; "perils of Penelope" type situations are gotten out of with no harm to any hero or heroine; the bad guys chew a lot of scenery and make a lot of threats.
Still, the race to get to the bottom of the mysterious Bay Psalm Book, as well as some clever twists toward the end, kept us engaged and turning the pages. We don't necessarily think Baldacci is a master stylist, but we did think he's a better writer than Iris and Roy Johansen, whose book STORM CYCLE we'd read several months ago. I personally can see myself picking up a Baldacci for a long airplane or train ride, or as a beach book. You just have to sit back and go along for the ride, and not expect John Le Carre.
*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Sep 04, 2010 04:05:05
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