Rating: 
Summary: Entertaining Gripper
Review: Hougan combines a smart, entertaining style with suspenseful, fast moving plotting to produce an extremely enjoyable contribution to the spy genre. It's not the usual Clancy-Patrick Robinson-Di Mercurio "rah rah" America type (and I happen to love the Clancy et al. "rah rah" America type)...this is more in the vein of Le Carre, except it moves much faster, has an unusual point of view on the spy business, and is cleverer, in my opinion. Give this one a go....
Rating: 
Summary: Promising plot ... poorly executed.
Review: I had high hopes for this book when I had heard about its theme, based as it supposedly is on the books "Holy Blood, Holy Grail" and "The Messianic Legacy" by Henry Lincoln, Michael Bagient, and Richard Leigh. Sadly, those hopes were dashed as I plowed through the book. The main point of contention: Leo Schidlof (a figure used in the book) was a historical figure and he died in 1966. Yet here he was in 1988 with no explanation whatsoever. And he was not a professor at all in real life, rather he was a dealer in miniatures. So the whole premise of the book was pretty much shot for me right away - at least as far as history goes.The writing style is very poor and is stilted in a lot of cases, particularly in some of the dialogue scenes. The characters are mainly stereotypes, albeit some are a little more fleshed out. (For you writers out there, the book is mainly populated with flat characters rather than round ones.) This was a prime example of stilted dialogue and, for me, made the book very hard to read as compared to others of the genre. I found myself reading to the end just to figure out what the actual mystery was (even though I was pretty sure I knew) and was not really enjoying myself along the way. One thing I will say, however: I liked the main character, Jack Dunphy, in several ways. He seemed very real to me. He constantly screwed things up and did other things right - just like a real person would do. You really did get the feel that he was caught up in events that he was doing his absolute best to figure out. The problem, for me, was the plotting was just not consistent with this characterization. The other problem was the settings. Sometimes it seemed that the setting descriptions were overshadowing anything else in the book. Instead of giving the book atmosphere I kept finding myself whisked to new countries or small towns and I could not stop to catch my breath. (Granted, the protagonist was on the run in the novel but I still felt as if I was getting a whirlwind tour of Europe that was sacrificing the story.) If you are thinking that you will enjoy this book because you enjoyed dynastic bloodline that was proposed in the book "Holy Blood, Holy Grail" or the secret society proposed in "The Messianic Legacy" you should perhaps think again. However, if you are just looking for a conspiracy theory story, you might actually like this one. The use of the Jungian-type psychological concepts (like universal archetypes) did seem to fit in well with the story, although sometimes it was a little stretched. All in all, however, I had to leave this with two stars. I moderately liked the basic premise but thought it was handled poorly and I am not sure that someone a little well-versed in the subject of a royalist plot (like that which is assumed for the Merovingians) would get the point of the book or enjoy it as much as someone who has studied that story.
Rating:
Summary: A Super, Five Star, Going on Six, Read!
Review: I saw the reviews and thought, Any book that pulls down five stars from John Kelly and Ben Sidran has to be a great read. And I was right! Don't wait for the movie, which is sure to follow-- Read it now and find out.
Rating: 
Summary: Recommendation
Review: If you like this, you should read John Case's works, which according to a possible rumor, may be Jim Hougan's penname. I wouldn't be surprised, as the tempo and themes are strikingly similar.
Rating:
Summary: Don't expect too much - An entertaining no-brainer
Review: If you're looking for a top notch conspiracy thriller then don't expect too much from "Kingdom come" The book is an enjoyable read taking elements from the X-Files and the traditional spy thriller genre but it suffers from author Jim Hougan's flat prose and lazy plotting. The hero, Jack Dunphy, and other supporting characters are sketchy at best and I find it unbelievable that the hero's girlfriend happily accepts that he is a CIA agent even after she has only known him for three months under another name! Far too often do the conspiracy tracking couple escape from trouble "with a single bound" ,they dodge bullets, pick up passports and millions of dollars in cash with alarming ease. The finale, when it arrives is a let down, Hougan hints at a massive global conspiarcy but never pulls it off satisfactorily, we are left with a lot of loose ends and the possibility of a sequel...I can only hope Jim Hougan smartens his style for the next book. If you want a very pacey and thoughtful conspiracy thriller try Noah Hawleys "A Conspiracy of Tall Men".
Rating:
Summary: Excellent conspiracy thriller
Review: Jack Dunphy gets thrown out from the CIA after a professor he's watching gets killed. He wants to know why and starts his own investigation. What he finds is a global conspiracy which ties in with every strange event that ever took place. Every step he takes reveals a new secret being tied in to this conspiracy. Great action, characters and overall writting.
Rating:
Summary: Everything but the kitchen sink
Review: Jack Dunphy makes for a good hero in "Kingdom Come" because he, unlike Bond, is flawed. Jack is relatable. He's not the perfect super-spy and not everything he does goes off without a hitch. This is very refreshing in this sort of novel. Secret organizations within secret organizations. CIA cover-ups. Black helicopters. Cattle mutilations. Men in black. Border hopping in the modern age. Nail-gun torture. This novel has everything but the kitchen sink thrown into it. The interesting thing to observe is that somehow it all works. In the hands of another writer this wouldn't have been nearly as entertaining. My only regret is that the character of Clementine was so one dimensional. She is never totally developed and used to her fullest potential. She's along for the ride with Jack and that's about it. More thought was given to the secondary and tertiary characters than our hero's love interest and that's a shame. I'll admit that "Kingdom Come" does end somewhat abruptly and cryptically. But that's a minor issue. Overall this was a great read. As the cover states:Admit nothing. Deny everything. Spare no one.... Add to that.... Read this novel. It's a lot of fun.
Rating:
Summary: Everything but the kitchen sink
Review: Jack Dunphy makes for a good hero in "Kingdom Come" because he, unlike Bond, is flawed. Jack is relatable. He's not the perfect super-spy and not everything he does goes off without a hitch. This is very refreshing in this sort of novel. Secret organizations within secret organizations. CIA cover-ups. Black helicopters. Cattle mutilations. Men in black. Border hopping in the modern age. Nail-gun torture. This novel has everything but the kitchen sink thrown into it. The interesting thing to observe is that somehow it all works. In the hands of another writer this wouldn't have been nearly as entertaining. My only regret is that the character of Clementine was so one dimensional. She is never totally developed and used to her fullest potential. She's along for the ride with Jack and that's about it. More thought was given to the secondary and tertiary characters than our hero's love interest and that's a shame. I'll admit that "Kingdom Come" does end somewhat abruptly and cryptically. But that's a minor issue. Overall this was a great read. As the cover states:Admit nothing. Deny everything. Spare no one.... Add to that.... Read this novel. It's a lot of fun.
Rating:
Summary: Kingdom Come has arrived
Review: Jim Hougan has morphed from hard-hitting investigative journalist to brilliant novelist -- a rare event in Washington, D.C. where the transition is seldom successful. Hougan's background in chasing real-life spooks informs and drives his novel with provocative ideas through his suspenseful tapestry of characters ranging from uber-shrink Carl Jung to superspy Allen Dulles. The effect is both unnerving and riveting. If you liked Holy Blood, Holy Grail, you'll love Kingdom Come. Definitely 5 stars!
Rating:
Summary: A Dream Within A Dream
Review: Jim Hougan has that rare ability to blur our convictions about what is truth and what is fiction. He creates a universe in "Kingdon Come" that is so real and evocative that at times one closes the book wondering how much of our so-called ordinary life is in fact just a diversion from a much more sinister reality. This book is more than a nail-biter; it's a completely devouring tale that grows in size and perspective with each turning page. A game of boxes, with the largest container being of unimaginable proportion, "Kingdom Come" is scary on a whole new level. One turns the last page with the feeling that one finally understands what's been happening all along in our own century, and the feeling is quite unsettling. A book that's designed to let the theater of the mind run wild.
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