OnlineBookClub.org

Karina Nowak wrote: ↑23 Dec 2019, 16:53

AntonelaMaria wrote: ↑18 Dec 2019, 17:23 I read in one of these topics about this book, I can't remember which one, how someone described this book as simple and light reading. I'm leaning towards that opinion too. I think all your points have merit. But maybe we are trying to look too much into it. Maybe we expect too much from this book.

I was going to say exactly this. Not every book needs to have an answer for every question. And there are readers that will appreciate it just the way it is. The author probably should label it differently though, as crime and mystery fans will be disappointed. Too many dead ends that lead nowhere.

[Danielle] wrote: ↑25 Dec 2019, 12:48 The part that bothered me the most was how many of the characters we were introduced to at the beginning (and whom I found very interesting) were almost removed from the story entirely after more of Team USA were introduced. I wanted more from Dr. Kinney, the Koreans that resisted, Soujinn, another T.V. segment... It felt like the author forgot about those threads of the story.

Katie Canedy wrote: ↑26 Dec 2019, 15:23 Honestly, I do feel that many threads fizzled out. I do feel that the genre of this book didn't seem to fit very well. Mystery seems to work much better than romance does. True, there are romantic elements involved, but I felt that there was much more mystery to this book than anything else.

esp1975 wrote:
Sadly, I have not been impressed with any of this author's work, and the fact that she writes these threads and then just leaves them dangling is one of the reasons.

Cotwani wrote: ↑17 Dec 2019, 08:06 I couldn’t help wondering ‘what was that about’ in some sections of the plot. The author would give something a lot of attention, then just stop building on it. For example, Kelly’s ominous premonition when the team had to break into the terrorist’s shop, prepared me for something unforeseen happening. Even after their successful operation, it looked like she was getting sick or something. But no, that was the end of the matter! I wondered the same about Dr. Kinney's interview and Kim Jung Lo’s (chief scientist) sabotage and subsequent discovery.

Did you come across situations you couldn’t place in the overall plot, or was everything relevant for effective suspense-building?

esp1975 wrote: ↑25 Dec 2019, 14:53

Karina Nowak wrote: ↑23 Dec 2019, 16:53

AntonelaMaria wrote: ↑18 Dec 2019, 17:23 I read in one of these topics about this book, I can't remember which one, how someone described this book as simple and light reading. I'm leaning towards that opinion too. I think all your points have merit. But maybe we are trying to look too much into it. Maybe we expect too much from this book.

I was going to say exactly this. Not every book needs to have an answer for every question. And there are readers that will appreciate it just the way it is. The author probably should label it differently though, as crime and mystery fans will be disappointed. Too many dead ends that lead nowhere.

I disagree. A book needs to answer every question it has raised. Books are not real life. (It's one of the reasons so many of us like reading them.) If a book raises a question, the book needs to answer that question satisfactorily for the readers, or somehow make it explicit that it is not answering the question for purposes of sequel or (on philosophical matters) for the purpose of making the reader think about those questions and answer them for themselves.

Sadly, I have not been impressed with any of this author's work, and the fact that she writes these threads and then just leaves them dangling is one of the reasons.

[Danielle] wrote: ↑25 Dec 2019, 12:48 The part that bothered me the most was how many of the characters we were introduced to at the beginning (and whom I found very interesting) were almost removed from the story entirely after more of Team USA were introduced. I wanted more from Dr. Kinney, the Koreans that resisted, Soujinn, another T.V. segment... It felt like the author forgot about those threads of the story.

AntonelaMaria wrote: ↑18 Dec 2019, 17:23 I read in one of these topics about this book, I can't remember which one, how someone described this book as simple and light reading. I'm leaning towards that opinion too. I think all your points have merit. But maybe we are trying to look too much into it. Maybe we expect too much from this book.

nicole-adrianne wrote: ↑01 Jan 2020, 14:10

AntonelaMaria wrote: ↑18 Dec 2019, 17:23 I read in one of these topics about this book, I can't remember which one, how someone described this book as simple and light reading. I'm leaning towards that opinion too. I think all your points have merit. But maybe we are trying to look too much into it. Maybe we expect too much from this book.

I agree with you completely: many of us expected too much from this book. However, if we're not supposed to have high expectations for it, then a book should not be voted BOTM. The glowing reviews on this website and BOTM achievement really gave me high hopes, and those expectations were disappointed.

B Creech wrote: ↑17 Dec 2019, 19:10 I couldn't help but wonder about Kelly. When she showed such hesitation to go into the computer lab to break into the computers, and then afterward she was having an anxiety attack or something. She sits in a chair and Sharon gets her some water and covers her with a blanket and she falls asleep while the others are gathered around the computer all involved with getting more information about the terrorists. It is like they forgot about her. I expected her to wake up needing emergency care, or screaming from dreaming about the danger of what they had done, or something! But you're right, there was nothing more about it! That one definitely fizzled out!

Kaylee123 wrote: ↑03 Jan 2020, 14:56

B Creech wrote: ↑17 Dec 2019, 19:10 I couldn't help but wonder about Kelly. When she showed such hesitation to go into the computer lab to break into the computers, and then afterward she was having an anxiety attack or something. She sits in a chair and Sharon gets her some water and covers her with a blanket and she falls asleep while the others are gathered around the computer all involved with getting more information about the terrorists. It is like they forgot about her. I expected her to wake up needing emergency care, or screaming from dreaming about the danger of what they had done, or something! But you're right, there was nothing more about it! That one definitely fizzled out!

I think Kelly's reaction was due to the fact she was just a "normal" person. The others all had more intense crime backgrounds.

Cotwani wrote: ↑17 Dec 2019, 08:06 I couldn’t help wondering ‘what was that about’ in some sections of the plot. The author would give something a lot of attention, then just stop building on it. For example, Kelly’s ominous premonition when the team had to break into the terrorist’s shop, prepared me for something unforeseen happening. Even after their successful operation, it looked like she was getting sick or something. But no, that was the end of the matter! I wondered the same about Dr. Kinney's interview and Kim Jung Lo’s (chief scientist) sabotage and subsequent discovery.

Did you come across situations you couldn’t place in the overall plot, or was everything relevant for effective suspense-building?