A truly excellent read - Rated 
Both an intelectual and entertaining read, Couldnt put it down and read the whole thing one saturday in about 8 hours, Highly reccomended
Engaging and thought-provoking - Rated 
A supernatural thriller that transcends the genre, "The Malice Box" combines compelling drama with well-rounded & likeable characters and thought-provoking discussions. There's also a superb feeling for setting (Manhattan, NYC and Cambridge, England) and the dialogue is often witty. Langfield spins a journey of discovery that operates on several levels: a murder-mystery tale; a series of intellectual puzzles; the protagonist's quest for truth about his friend, his wife and himself; and a growing realization that recent historical events, such as 9/11, have a significance beyond the headlines. All interwoven within a well-paced, forces-of-light-and-darkness narrative. A good read.
A poor book - Rated 
As with many correspondents i feel that this book is marketed in one way, but is in reality something quite different.
I expected a fast paced adrenaline inducing yarn rattling through the streets of Manhattan and instead i found a snooze inducing yawn plodding around a number of well known tourist sites.
The plot is complicated and has no continuity, the characters are poor, you just don't care about them and their motivations are contrived to say the least.
The marketing blurb highlights a series of trials, these trials are less trying than my attempts to build a 3 tier house of cards. All in all it just doesn't flow and i would recommend spending those precious hours of your life on something more rewarding.
I Really Enjoyed This One - Rated
This is one of the better book written on what is at the moment is a popular theme, solve a mysterious puzzle and save the world. That is a course an over simplification of the book and is in no way meant as a put down or cheap shot. In fact I enjoyed the book very much and was sorry when it ended.
Obviously, with this type of book to give a detailed synopsis of the plot is tantamount to giving the game away and spoiling it for the reader, but to give prospective buyers of the book a taste of the plot suffice it to say that the character Robert Reckless (yes it is an unusual name) is sent what appears to be a copper puzzle box. When he receives it he has no idea that his life is going to be changed dramatically. An aquaintance of his kills himself in mysterious circumstances and the following day an old friend of Robert's tells him of the existence of an arcane weapon that could wipe out the western world and that Robert now has the responsibility for hunting down this weapon, this Malice Box.
There are several twists and turns to the plot along the way and as long as the reader keeps in his mind that the book is a work of fiction, I am sure they will enjoy it. To tell any more would spoil the enjoyment of the reader.
so disappointing..... - Rated
i purchased this book on the hype and advertising that had been about, i was so excited as it had been compared with the Da Vinci Code which i thoroughly enjoyed, i was so disappointed !
The malice box is the only book i have ever not finished, the language is confusing, the book is long and drawn out, i really pushed myself to finish it as i make a point never to leave a book , this one in particular as i knew i would never go back to it but i just could not coax myself into reading the last 70 pages, i found myself not really caring about what happened to the characters as i felt no empathy with them ? i heard that a main character dies near the end but it dosent even bug me to find out who, i coudnt care less.
my one star is for the New York element as i recently got married there and was nice to hear the places i had been to, but even that couldnt make me finish the book. it just went all weird and more supernatural than thriller, particularly when terri came into it, i really did not like her character
overall Not a good read/ page turner/ edge of your seat thrller, as i was lead to believe, but the first book in my life that i couldnt be bothered to finish
Sorry but give me a Dan Brown thriller any day
|
