Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This is very good.
There's a part where a dude operates on his own eye, that part is SUPER ROUGH. I just skipped past it.
This is another very good crime thriller, I really like the main character and I had doubts about everyone else, which is what you want in a thriller.
No one is trustworthy and that's what I want in this. I hope there's more of this series, it's tough going and very dark, but it's very fun.
There's a part where a dude operates on his own eye, that part is SUPER ROUGH. I just skipped past it.
This is another very good crime thriller, I really like the main character and I had doubts about everyone else, which is what you want in a thriller.
No one is trustworthy and that's what I want in this. I hope there's more of this series, it's tough going and very dark, but it's very fun.
Three is being generous. The beginning was tedious. But I was compelled to plough through it as I was promised the plot gets better.
The plot does improve, but the cliches are very disappointing. The characters can be interesting and fun but please give them the unique edge the need for their next predicament. And less of how stuff works. We have Wikipedia and Google if we really need to know how satellite phones operate.
The plot does improve, but the cliches are very disappointing. The characters can be interesting and fun but please give them the unique edge the need for their next predicament. And less of how stuff works. We have Wikipedia and Google if we really need to know how satellite phones operate.
One of my first reads of the year was Vanishing Games by Roger Hobbs, which is the follow up to the incredible Ghostman, that I read quite a few years ago now.
Both of these books are excellent, but I had put off reading the second one for some time, mainly because the author, Roger Hobbs, passed away in 2016 while in the middle of writing book three. I’m not sure why, but it gave me a funny feeling to think about reading what turned out to be his last work, which does Vanishing Games a huge disservice, as it’s a gripping and original thriller, which I absolutely loved.
The first book was a spectacular debut novel, but this second book had a whole different feel to it, I guess because the first book was just about Jack – the Ghostman of the title – but in this book we meet Angela. She has history with Jack, but she is just as skilled and ruthless as he is, and taught him everything he knows. Having the two of them playing off each other while trying to avoid Triads and assassins , using their unique set of skills is a thrill to read.
Having said this, it’s sad to think what might have been coming in the third book in the series as the plots in the first two are clever, detailed and exhilarating.
Both of these books are excellent, but I had put off reading the second one for some time, mainly because the author, Roger Hobbs, passed away in 2016 while in the middle of writing book three. I’m not sure why, but it gave me a funny feeling to think about reading what turned out to be his last work, which does Vanishing Games a huge disservice, as it’s a gripping and original thriller, which I absolutely loved.
The first book was a spectacular debut novel, but this second book had a whole different feel to it, I guess because the first book was just about Jack – the Ghostman of the title – but in this book we meet Angela. She has history with Jack, but she is just as skilled and ruthless as he is, and taught him everything he knows. Having the two of them playing off each other while trying to avoid Triads and assassins , using their unique set of skills is a thrill to read.
Having said this, it’s sad to think what might have been coming in the third book in the series as the plots in the first two are clever, detailed and exhilarating.
In the second novel featuring "Ghostman" Jack, our criminal hero is called to the aid of the woman who mentored him and then abandoned him six years ago after a heist. Her plea for help takes him to Macau and right into the middle of Asian gang territory and a complex shell game that will hopefully deceive the other criminal elements long enough for Jack and Angela to get out of the game completely. Hobbs once again provides high-speed action peppered with Jack's explanations of the mechanics of crime, this time on an international scale. Jack's first adventure offered a simpler plot, more familiar surroundings, and a touch of humor, resulting in a more enjoyable read. Both books showcase Jack's character - a thief who remains likable by taking on criminal elements who are more violent and twisted than he is.
I have enjoyed both of the books in this series. They tend to be overly descriptive of technical issues, but that is also their charm.
adventurous
challenging
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was an ok story. A bit too far from any life I know to engage me. But the story trots along at a fast if slightly unbelievable pace. Too many things happen - the characters never sleep or eat! Not the best but entertaining enough.
http://www.teklakonyvei.hu/2018/09/roger-hobbs-ghostman-nyomtakarito.html
Sok krimi, horror és thriller után a Ghostman számomra azért is adott pluszt, mert ahhoz, hogy a problémát rendbe tegyék, gyakorlatilag minden ügylet illegálisan zajlik, és el tudom képzelni, hogy ezek megtörténhetnek a valóságban is, nem csak a könyv lapjain – lásd például, ha Hon Kongban szükséged van fegyverre, drogra, vagy bármi hasonlóra, akkor elég csak a megfelelő taxist leinteni, sok-sok pénzt az orra alá tolni, majd még több pénzzel az üzletet is nyélbe ütheted egy órán belül. Megsebesülsz, de nem mehetsz kórházba? Remek, erre is van lehetőséged, szintén megfelelő mennyiségű pénzzel házhoz jön a zugorvos (más néven hentes), aki összefoltoz, és gyógyszerekkel is ellát; a történések közben pedig a szereplőink nem a hivatalos szervektől féltek, hanem az alvilági ellenfelek előtti lebukástól.
Sok krimi, horror és thriller után a Ghostman számomra azért is adott pluszt, mert ahhoz, hogy a problémát rendbe tegyék, gyakorlatilag minden ügylet illegálisan zajlik, és el tudom képzelni, hogy ezek megtörténhetnek a valóságban is, nem csak a könyv lapjain – lásd például, ha Hon Kongban szükséged van fegyverre, drogra, vagy bármi hasonlóra, akkor elég csak a megfelelő taxist leinteni, sok-sok pénzt az orra alá tolni, majd még több pénzzel az üzletet is nyélbe ütheted egy órán belül. Megsebesülsz, de nem mehetsz kórházba? Remek, erre is van lehetőséged, szintén megfelelő mennyiségű pénzzel házhoz jön a zugorvos (más néven hentes), aki összefoltoz, és gyógyszerekkel is ellát; a történések közben pedig a szereplőink nem a hivatalos szervektől féltek, hanem az alvilági ellenfelek előtti lebukástól.
I've been going through something of a reading slump lately. I've started and then given up on four books in the last couple of weeks. I keep getting to the 80-100 page mark and losing interest. So I badly needed something that would hook me in quickly and hold my interest without demanding too much of me. Vanishing Games delivered perfectly.
This is the sequel to Roger Hobbs' debut novel, [b:Ghostman|18189462|Ghostman (Jack White, #1)|Roger Hobbs|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1402389051s/18189462.jpg|19258159], but you don't need to have read that book to make sense of this one. Although both feature the same protagonist, the storylines are only very slightly related. Our narrator, perhaps called Jack, is a "ghostman" - someone whose job it is to be forgettable, to disappear or to help other criminals disappear. He lost contact with a friend after a job that went wrong several years ago, but now she's in trouble and needs his help. Jack travels to Macau to find Angela and discovers that she has some very nasty people after her.
There are several things I really like about this book. Much like Tom Wood's excellent series about "Victor", Jack is a level headed professional. He's logical, he's not going to let his heart rule his head and he's calculated about the risks that he takes. You feel that you're getting an insight into how a character like this might operate and how he will establish connections in a strange environment. The locations are well drawn and vividly portrayed. The author has done his research and incorporates little snippets into the plot which make it feel credible.
The plot itself is not outstanding, but it's satisfying. It doesn't have the relentless readability that a Lee Child book has, but it's still an above average thriller that I really enjoyed.
This is the sequel to Roger Hobbs' debut novel, [b:Ghostman|18189462|Ghostman (Jack White, #1)|Roger Hobbs|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1402389051s/18189462.jpg|19258159], but you don't need to have read that book to make sense of this one. Although both feature the same protagonist, the storylines are only very slightly related. Our narrator, perhaps called Jack, is a "ghostman" - someone whose job it is to be forgettable, to disappear or to help other criminals disappear. He lost contact with a friend after a job that went wrong several years ago, but now she's in trouble and needs his help. Jack travels to Macau to find Angela and discovers that she has some very nasty people after her.
There are several things I really like about this book. Much like Tom Wood's excellent series about "Victor", Jack is a level headed professional. He's logical, he's not going to let his heart rule his head and he's calculated about the risks that he takes. You feel that you're getting an insight into how a character like this might operate and how he will establish connections in a strange environment. The locations are well drawn and vividly portrayed. The author has done his research and incorporates little snippets into the plot which make it feel credible.
The plot itself is not outstanding, but it's satisfying. It doesn't have the relentless readability that a Lee Child book has, but it's still an above average thriller that I really enjoyed.