Review by baudrillard_436 -- The Date Farm by Jack Winnick
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Review by baudrillard_436 -- The Date Farm by Jack Winnick
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Date Farm" by Jack Winnick.]
The Date Farm by Jack Winnick is a high-stakes thriller centering around married special agent duo Lara and Uri, as they team up once again to stop a new and insidious plot concocted by terrorists to strike at the United States, that is targeted at the U.S. gold supply, and it is up to Lara, Uri, and the best that American and Israeli intelligence have to offer to stop it. This book is a realistic, tense, and fast-paced look into what intelligence agencies do when faced with the ultimate threat: global terror.
The brevity of The Date Farm works to its advantage, as every turn of the page brings a new plot development that makes the story more exciting and intriguing. Winnick is a skilled author when it comes to writing complicated, yet emotional action signs that really emphasize the urgency of the point-of-view character’s tasks. The good editing of the story helps considerably, at the minimum making everything read smoothly, and compensating for the more trite or contrived moments.
However, The Date Farm is not without its flaws. For one, the messages of this story are incredibly obvious, for better or for worse. The characters in the intelligence agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Mossad are always in the right, and the terrorists are always Middle Eastern and scheming, not showing a single hint of remorse or justification for any of their actions. At many points in the story, the antagonists are often just describing how much they hate the United States and extolling the virtues of radical Islam. The book becomes rather predictable when one realizes that the antagonists don’t have any other specific goals besides wanton destruction and no reason to carry out such goals other than the hatred that is never delved into. Protagonists rarely show much doubt or internal conflict, much less disagreement with each other.
Additionally, this book has an occasional tendency to tell rather than show, often going on for a few lines about how skilled and intelligent a character is, rather than showing it through their actions. There is some lingo in the book that isn’t dumbed down into layman’s terms. While Winnick’s dedication to his craft is admirable, the book lacks awareness that people not immersed in espionage and counter-terror might want to read it as well.
The Date Farm is a thriller with plenty of action that could use a bit more charisma. While it does its job well, said job loses charm when one realizes that nuance and relatability matter just as much as the more technical aspects.
I rate this book 2 out of 4 stars.
******
The Date Farm
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
The Date Farm by Jack Winnick is a high-stakes thriller centering around married special agent duo Lara and Uri, as they team up once again to stop a new and insidious plot concocted by terrorists to strike at the United States, that is targeted at the U.S. gold supply, and it is up to Lara, Uri, and the best that American and Israeli intelligence have to offer to stop it. This book is a realistic, tense, and fast-paced look into what intelligence agencies do when faced with the ultimate threat: global terror.
The brevity of The Date Farm works to its advantage, as every turn of the page brings a new plot development that makes the story more exciting and intriguing. Winnick is a skilled author when it comes to writing complicated, yet emotional action signs that really emphasize the urgency of the point-of-view character’s tasks. The good editing of the story helps considerably, at the minimum making everything read smoothly, and compensating for the more trite or contrived moments.
However, The Date Farm is not without its flaws. For one, the messages of this story are incredibly obvious, for better or for worse. The characters in the intelligence agencies such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Mossad are always in the right, and the terrorists are always Middle Eastern and scheming, not showing a single hint of remorse or justification for any of their actions. At many points in the story, the antagonists are often just describing how much they hate the United States and extolling the virtues of radical Islam. The book becomes rather predictable when one realizes that the antagonists don’t have any other specific goals besides wanton destruction and no reason to carry out such goals other than the hatred that is never delved into. Protagonists rarely show much doubt or internal conflict, much less disagreement with each other.
Additionally, this book has an occasional tendency to tell rather than show, often going on for a few lines about how skilled and intelligent a character is, rather than showing it through their actions. There is some lingo in the book that isn’t dumbed down into layman’s terms. While Winnick’s dedication to his craft is admirable, the book lacks awareness that people not immersed in espionage and counter-terror might want to read it as well.
The Date Farm is a thriller with plenty of action that could use a bit more charisma. While it does its job well, said job loses charm when one realizes that nuance and relatability matter just as much as the more technical aspects.
I rate this book 2 out of 4 stars.
******
The Date Farm
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Art Fairy by Floras Athena
