Saturday, June 21, 2014

FaceOff

Faceoff
Edited by Michael Baldacci
Simon & Schuster
June 3, 2014

Idgie Says:
This is a fun and interesting idea for a book - take some of the most well known fictional characters and combine them into short stories together.  How many times have you thought things like, "Repairman Jack could kick Dirk Pitt's butt."  We'll here's a chance to see it happen.  

Due to time constraints, I reviewed 2 stories instead of the entire book - but I definitely plan to go back and finish the entire compilation when I have a few extra moments in my day.   I grabbed the characters that I very much enjoy reading - Pendergast and Repairman Jack.  One story was very satisfactory and one I do have to admit I found lacking. 


·Heather Graham’s Michael Quinn vs. F. Paul Wilson’s Repairman Jack:
 This had a nice combination of the characters mixed into the storyline and as both are fairly likable it was fun to "watch" them interact with each other.  I could see them teaming up in the future for longer stories and mysteries.... hint, hint.  :)
 

·R.L. Stine’s Slappy the Ventriloquist Dummy vs. Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child’s Aloysius Pendergast:
Now I realize that Slappy is a doll and that could rather limit his character growth and such, but this story was a Pendergast story all the way - with many of the characters from his book, while poor Slappy appeared in two scenes only, and basically did nothing.  Now mind you, I love me some Pendergast and could read him all day, but I didn't really feel this was a "Faceoff" of opposing characters. A decent short story - but truly just one-sided in nature.  

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The writers of FACEOFF will be featured authors at Thriller Fest 2014. You can find more information on the Thriller Fest website:  http://thrillerfest.com/
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Book Description:
Edited by #1 New York Times bestselling author David Baldacci and including stories by Michael Connelly, Lee Child, Jeffery Deaver, and more, this one-of-a-kind anthology pulls together the most beloved characters from the best and most popular thriller series today. Worlds collide!

Ever wonder who would win in a fight if the most popular thriller characters were paired against their most worthy opponents? Would you bet on Lee Child’s Jack Reacher or Joseph Finder’s Nick Heller, or even Dennis Lehane’s Patrick Kenzie over Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch?


For the first time ever, fans will know who comes out victorious in FACEOFF (Simon & Schuster; June 3, 2014; $26.99), an eleven-story anthology curated by the International Thriller Writers. But just when you think you know what happens, FACEOFF will keep you guessing throughout these eleven electrifying stories. FACEOFF is star-studded and is sure to be a fan favorite.
  
·Dennis Lehane’s Patrick Kenzie vs. Michael Connelly’s Harry Bosch
·Ian Rankin’s John Rebus vs. Peter James’s Roy Grace
·R.L. Stine’s Slappy the Ventriloquist Dummy vs. Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child’s Aloysius Pendergast
·M.J. Rose’s Malachai Samuels vs. Lisa Gardner’s D.D. Warren
·Steve Martini’s Paul Madriani vs. Linda Fairstein’s Alexandra Cooper
·Jeffery Deaver’s Lincoln Rhyme vs. John Sandford’s Lucas Davenport
·Heather Graham’s Michael Quinn vs. F. Paul Wilson’s Repairman Jack
·Raymond Khoury’s Sean Reilly vs. Linwood Barclay’s Glen Garber
·John Lescroart’s Wyatt Hunt vs. T. Jefferson Parker’s Joe Trona
·Steve Berry’s Cotton Malone vs. James Rollins’s Gray Pierce
·Lee Child’s Jack Reacher vs. Joseph Finder’s Nick Heller



FaceOff

Edited By: David Baldacci

  • customer reviews
Edited by #1 New York Times bestselling author David Baldacci and including stories by Michael Connelly, Lee Child, Jeffery Deaver, and more, this one-of-a-kind anthology pulls together the most beloved characters from the best and most popular thriller series today. Worlds collide!

In an unprecedented collaboration, twenty-three of the world’s bestselling and critically acclaimed thriller writers have paired their series characters—such as Harry Bosch, Jack Reacher, and Lincoln Rhyme—in an eleven-story anthology curated by the International Thriller Writers (ITW). All of the contributors to FaceOff are ITW members and the stories feature these dynamic duos:

· Patrick Kenzie vs. Harry Bosch in “Red Eye,” by Dennis Lehane and Michael Connelly
· John Rebus vs. Roy Grace in “In the Nick of Time,” by Ian Rankin and Peter James
· Slappy the Ventriloquist Dummy vs. Aloysius Pendergast in “Gaslighted,” by R.L. Stine, Douglas Preston, and Lincoln Child
· Malachai Samuels vs. D.D. Warren in “The Laughing Buddha,” by M.J. Rose and Lisa Gardner
· Paul Madriani vs. Alexandra Cooper in “Surfing the Panther,” by Steve Martini and Linda Fairstein
· Lincoln Rhyme vs. Lucas Davenport in “Rhymes With Prey,” by Jeffery Deaver and John Sandford
· Michael Quinn vs. Repairman Jack in “Infernal Night,” by Heather Graham and F. Paul Wilson
· Sean Reilly vs. Glen Garber in “Pit Stop,” by Raymond Khoury and Linwood Barclay
· Wyatt Hunt vs. Joe Trona in “Silent Hunt,” by John Lescroart and T. Jefferson Parker
· Cotton Malone vs. Gray Pierce in “The Devil’s Bones,” by Steve Berry and James Rollins
· Jack Reacher vs. Nick Heller in “Good and Valuable Consideration,” by Lee Child and Joseph Finder

So sit back and prepare for a rollicking ride as your favorite characters go head-to-head with some worthy opponents in FaceOff—it’s a thrill-a-minute read.
- See more at: http://books.simonandschuster.com/FaceOff/Lee-Child/9781476762067?cp_type=end&rmid=20140604_Faceoff_ThrillerMystery&rrid=6217238#sthash.51B0sRYQ.dpuf