Helpful Score: 4
Something different from Clive Cussler, which is a good thing - NUMA and Dirk were getting a bit repetitive. This book is slightly historical, and rail based - a very enjoyable read.
Helpful Score: 4
Woo-Hoo. If you take Dirk Pitt's character and add a generous swirl of John Wayne, you end up with Isaac Bell, the hero of Cussler's latest. Set in the early 1900's it's complete with traps for bad guys, outwitting, and mad train chases. Fast read, fast paced story line, cool characters.
Helpful Score: 3
As usual Cussler's writing grabs you.
Not like his usual sea faring tales but just as good if not better. I love the way you are put right into it, experiencing it all first hand.I had the wind blowing in my face during the Case in the locomobile!
I certainly would like to read more accounts on the adventures of Mr. Bell.
Not like his usual sea faring tales but just as good if not better. I love the way you are put right into it, experiencing it all first hand.I had the wind blowing in my face during the Case in the locomobile!
I certainly would like to read more accounts on the adventures of Mr. Bell.
Helpful Score: 3
Murder mystery, romance, history--this book has a little bit of everything. Cussler continues to entertain with his style and character development. This story will keep you hooked until the very end.
Helpful Score: 2
I loved this book. I hadn't read a good Western in years -- this book makes me want to read more. Definitely a change of pace for Cussler -- being set in the American west in 1906, but it still had all the action of a good Cussler story. Having grown up in Utah, this covered a lot of familiar territory from Arizona to San Francisco to Flathead Lake in Montana. The book also included many historical details and personages such as the San Francisco earthquake, Tesla and AC electricity, Jack London, etc. But the main attraction was the nonstop action in the pursuit of a vicious bank robber!
Helpful Score: 1
Although this wasn't a Dirk Pitt, Juan Cabrillo, or Kurt Austin book from Cussler, it still held my attention from start to finish. I enjoyed reading about Isaac Bell and his story. A book any Cussler fan should read.
Helpful Score: 1
Throughly enjoyed this book, very different from the Pitt series. Fast read.
Helpful Score: 1
Great book, typical of Cussler. Read it before or after 'The Wrecker'. I enjoyed it tremendously.
Helpful Score: 1
This book was truly entertaining to me. It was interesting and at times thrilling. I love the colorful characters who seemed so lively. I do have to say that there were parts of the book that were pretty slow but it wasn't so slow that it made the book not enjoyable.
Thoroughly enjoyed this novel. Love his style of writing.
Good reading, great story and alot of interesting historical details of how life was in the early 1900's. Features lots of information on the midwest towns, the beginning of the automobile, trains, how people lived and traveled during those times and the San Francisco earthquake. The main characters are a murdering bank robber that seems to evade capture by robbing banks throughout the country and murders all the witnesses, and the handsome hero detective's discovery of his idenity and the "chase" to persue him.
A unique Cussler book with a different type of story. I have read all of his books and this is one of the best.
I have read it years ago and loved it and gave it as a Christmas gift. He is enjoying it very much. Lots of action and it was not a book I could put down easily.
For Clive Cussler fans this is a slight departure. It is set in the early 1900s with a different hero. As usual, exciting, interesting, and historically acurate.
I've read quite a few of Clive Cusslers books and I have to say this was the best one! The story was wonderful. It was full of Cusslers exciting characters, action and adventure but what made it so wonderful was it's possibility. Reading it you could see how all of it could have happened, nothing was to far fetched or wild. With that believability it drew you in and carried you away. Wonderful simply wonderful!
Some of the technology accuracy seems to me to be suspect. However, he remains a great story teller. It's a good account of the great San Francisco earthquake as a plot turn in the story. Interesting, to say the least.
Not as action-packed as some of other Cussler books, but it was satisfying.
I picked up this book because I have liked most of Clive Cussler's Dirk Pitt series. I was a bit hesitant, since it is a period piece, and while I have enjoyed some westerns and some period pieces, they are usually not my cup of tea. The Chase, though was a thrill ride! I thoroughly enjoyed the Issac Bell character as well as the story. I couldn't put it down 'til I was finished.
This is a new character for Cussler and I really liked it. Full of adventure and action. Fast moving and exciting. Classic Cussler in many ways, but refreshing and new.
Another of Clive cusslers great books, with just the right amount of suspence and history. I really couldn't put it down until I had finished it.
It was a pleasure to read a book that kept my attention from page one. Lighthearted and written for the times it was worth the ride!!!
Another great story from Clive Cussler.
A must read for any Cussler fan. It is not a typical Cussler book but one filled with plenty of suspense thrills. I loved it.
Another great read by Cussler. Love Dirk Pitt
Great story with richly developed characters. History cleverly interwoven with fiction. Story and plot line work well together to maintain the readers interest. Four star rating awarded based on the fact that this is the first book in the series that I have been able to read. It is however not the actual first book of the series.
The book was good, but the ending was weak because most of the climax had already been revealed.
What a great read! I liked this adventure!
Again, Clive Cussler hits a home run with this novel. The descriptions of San Francisco's 1906 earthquake and afterwards was right on the mark. And the chase of the trains makes the reader feel like they are on the train. would highly recommend to readers interested in history with a good mystery should read this novel.
I really enjoyed this book. The story is woven into historical details making it very interesting. It was the first Clive Cussler book I've read. It's one of those books that starts with an unfinished view of the ending and leaves you wondering what that is all about. Then it takes you back 40 years to to when it all started. Someone is robbing banks and getting away without a trace because he kills any witnesses. He uses disguises and seems to magically disappear when it seems there is no way out of town that isn't being searched. Issac Bell is the keen eyed detective that is called in to catch the "butcher bandit".
This is the first Clive Cussler that book that I have read. It was recommended by my cousin.It was a great book. I enjoyed it immensely. I am afraid there are no more Isaac Bell books. I am looking for them.
K Hickman
K Hickman
I thoroughly enjoyed this story, a lot of action, intelligent premise and an easy read to boot. I've not read any of the Pitt books but, I will be from the beginning soon. Isaac Bell, the hero of this story, is believable and honorable and his opponent is just as intelligent but, purely and utterly evil. Another Isaac Bell story is coming out November '09, can't wait!
Good book.
Isaac Bell, the lead investigator for the Van Dorn Agency is hot on the trail of the Butcher Bandit, a notorious bank robber who seems to evaporate after each bank heist. This book includes wide ranging travels across the Western United States of 100 years ago, with a significant portion unfolding in turn of the century San Francisco.
This book is a detective story, a love story, includes major chases with automobile and steam locomotives, and much more. Isaac Bell is a confident man's man who takes his mistakes hard and works hard to make good for them.
I have received these stories in reverse order, having first reviewed "The Spy" which is Book 3 of the Isaac Bell series. While each book easily stands on its own, this book gives some background to things learned during The Spy.
Whether you are reading the novel or listening to the reading, you will find the story to move quickly in most sections, keeping you involved. Kudos to Clive Cussler and to Justin Scott for this volume in the series.
This book is a detective story, a love story, includes major chases with automobile and steam locomotives, and much more. Isaac Bell is a confident man's man who takes his mistakes hard and works hard to make good for them.
I have received these stories in reverse order, having first reviewed "The Spy" which is Book 3 of the Isaac Bell series. While each book easily stands on its own, this book gives some background to things learned during The Spy.
Whether you are reading the novel or listening to the reading, you will find the story to move quickly in most sections, keeping you involved. Kudos to Clive Cussler and to Justin Scott for this volume in the series.
very good book, goes back in time a bit which isn't my norm, but had trouble putting it down. recommended.
Non-stop action
What the author(s) do with this series: Clive Cussler and Justin Scott know how to write a book. This is part of the series called the Isaac Bell Adventures. This paragraph applies to all books in this series. Isaac is an investigator for a private firm whose motto is that the always get their man The books are set in the early 1900's and are based on the author's fascination with the leading technologies of the time â things like fast (by their standards) trains, automobiles and ships. New technologies are introduced like aeroplanes and talking pictures. Depending on the book, many of the social issues of the day are woven into the story such as strikes and strike breakers, gangs running businesses, stock speculators and manipulators as well as later in the series the storm clouds of what will become World War I. The author is skilled at bringing in the details of how society works in that era, such as how beef makes it to NYC, or how different strata of society operate in SFO
Do you need to read this series in order: Probably not, but I think you will miss out on the character development of the protagonist and his lady friend.
Triggers: there is an ample supply of violence in this book and the violence iss at a high level -- people die, from violence (fires, gun shots, bombs, crashes, knives, beatings, accidents). Some of the violence is directed at kids.
The Chase is about discovering who the âButcher Banditâ bank robber is and bringing him to justice, as the title alludes, it involves a massive chase.
What the author(s) do with this series: Clive Cussler and Justin Scott know how to write a book. This is part of the series called the Isaac Bell Adventures. This paragraph applies to all books in this series. Isaac is an investigator for a private firm whose motto is that the always get their man The books are set in the early 1900's and are based on the author's fascination with the leading technologies of the time â things like fast (by their standards) trains, automobiles and ships. New technologies are introduced like aeroplanes and talking pictures. Depending on the book, many of the social issues of the day are woven into the story such as strikes and strike breakers, gangs running businesses, stock speculators and manipulators as well as later in the series the storm clouds of what will become World War I. The author is skilled at bringing in the details of how society works in that era, such as how beef makes it to NYC, or how different strata of society operate in SFO
Do you need to read this series in order: Probably not, but I think you will miss out on the character development of the protagonist and his lady friend.
Triggers: there is an ample supply of violence in this book and the violence iss at a high level -- people die, from violence (fires, gun shots, bombs, crashes, knives, beatings, accidents). Some of the violence is directed at kids.
The Chase is about discovering who the âButcher Banditâ bank robber is and bringing him to justice, as the title alludes, it involves a massive chase.
If you expecting Dirk Pitt, wrong book.
Cussler classic - In April 1950, the rusting hulk of a steam locomotive is raised from a Montana lake. Inside are the remains of three men who died forty-four years before. In 1906 rhe Butcher Bandit has been robbing banks and cold-bloodedly murdering any and all witnesses and vanishing without a trace. Fed upu with the crimes, the US Government brings in the best man they can find - a tall, lean, no-nonsense detective named Isaac Bell. From Arizona to Colorado to the streets of San Francisco during its calamitous earthquake and fire, Bell pursues the sharpest and deadliest criminal he has ever encountered using science, deduction and intuition. It will take all of Bell's skills to not merely prevail, but to survive.
