10 Lb. Penalty

Rating:
Summary: STILL GREAT
Review: I did not read the reviews before reading the latest DF book. I might have been discourage if I had. For all those DF fans who have panned the book, I grant that this is not a Sid Halley story. There are not any major eruptions that one typically finds in a DF story. THIS ONE IS DIFFERENT. It deals much more with people than with events and the suspense and story are found in relationships and, of course, in politics. While the emphasis has changed and the suspense is more subtle, it still bears the unmistakable Dick Francis style when it comes to dealing with people. DF is at his best when writing about people's relationships, their wants, desires, hates, loves, fears, etc. This book showcases that ability more than most. This book is a slight departure from the DF norm, but it is a GREAT READ!

Rating:
Summary: If this book were a race horse it would have pulled up lame.
Review: I have been an avid fan of this author's work, but I am sorry to say this is nowhere near his best. I thought his sketch of the wise, heroic seventen year old protagonist would have been more appropriate for juvenile literature. This fired jockey shifts career gears instantly to become the expert bodyguard for his father? His father rises quickly and without a single misstep to become prime minister? Better spend your money on almost any other Francis book.

Rating:
Summary: Long live Mr. Francis...
Review: I have just finished reading some of the reviews written by other Francis fans. I have only one comment for all you whiners complaining about the "decline" in Francis' works- are you nuts?!??? Give me a Francis novel any day. This book, like all of this fine gentleman's book, was a joy to read. It was predictable in the sense that the good guys win and the bad guys go to jail. I can live with that kind of predictability. But what touched me most about 10 LB. PENALTY is the wonderful descriptions of the joy in life. The enduring relationships of parent and child and the "stuff"- different for every individual- that adds color to our lives. Mr. Francis, once again, has taken this reader for an enjoyable ride. By the way, if an author does not change or evolve after writing so many wonderful novels, his pulse ought to be checked.

Rating:
Summary: A big disappointment. This is his ppoorest novel
Review: I read over 100 novels each year and have read all the Francis books. I was disappointed in this book. Weak characters and poor plot.

Rating:
Summary: an evening's pleasant read
Review: I wondered as I read 10 lb Penatly why so many of the reviewers (all admitted DF fans) panned this book. While 10 lb Penatly will never be my favorite, I certainly don't feel I wasted my money on this story. I think part of the problem, if there is one, is that the protagonist is so young (he ages from 17 to his early 20's). And, although the title is a racing term, the story in 10 lb Pentaly does not revolve around the racing world that readers have come to know and love from Mr. Francis' work. So, if you like Dick Fancis, I'd say give this one a try.

Rating:
Summary: Not so much a mystery, but a good read still
Review: I've noticed a lot of people here complaining about this one.... why? Although it doesn't have quite so much the mystery elements that other have, it has two fascinating (and despite what some have said, fully fleshed out) characters and a surprisingly complex relationship between them. Much better than most of the junk I've read this year.

Rating:
Summary: Always a reliable author, not always spectacular
Review: I've read all of Dick Francis's books which are consistently readable and interesting. Some of them of great, especially his earlier, grittier works. However, I've noticed a tendency in his more recent books for him to focus on the problems of the wealthy. Maybe this betrays a little boredom with his work, or fatigue. Having a wealthy protagonist of course makes a lot of problems easier to solve, but it also makes the novel's problems not very interesting. This is true of 10 Lb. Penalty, a pleasant read, but hardly his best work.

Rating:
Summary: An also ran
Review: I've read and re-read all of the Francis books for many years. I did not like the one about the train ride in Canada and I did not think much of this one. For one thing, it is physically not much of a book-triple space pages and still short. It is predictable and dull. I only give it a five rating because I'm such a fan of Mr. Francis(I just finished re-reading Whiphand, a great book). Maybe next time. Cheers JJ

Rating:
Summary: Dependably a good read...
Review: I've read most of Dick Francis' books and I always enjoy the qualities he give his main characters. He makes his characters honorable (even though they may not appear to be so on the surface) and I always put down the book with the feeling that I should strive to be more honorable myself. I found this to be true in 10 lb. Penalty. The story is different from most of his books, but the characters are unmistakably Francis. I enjoyed the relationship between Benedict and his father and although the plot may be predictable, it's still a very entertaining read.

Rating:
Summary: A major, major Dick Francis Disappointment!
Review: If you're thinking of buying this book, save your money! I have every book written by dick Francis and have been one of his biggest fans! but "To the Hilt" was only so-so; this one is a complete flop! The characters are not believable, the dialogue is just awful. Gee whiz, what were the editors thinking? Francis seems to be on a twice-a-year kick, never mind quality!