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Summary: Another winner
Review: Dick Francis has done it again. Another book with interesting plotting, well developed characters and a marvelous theme. I found myself very drawn into the protagonists dilemma. For those of you who don't wish your authors to grow, develop or learn (and pass it on to the reader) I suggest you do go back and reread old works. As for me I'm more than ready to read and learn something new. Please Mr. Francis don't ever stop.
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Summary: Francis Takes On New Territory With Skill
Review: Second Wind is vintage Dick Francis if you are interested in character study and human frailty. This is not Sid Halley material. He only pays passing homage to the racing industry. However, he tackles the issue of an innocent meteorologist sucked into an international intrigue due to a desire to fly through a hurricane. The villains are not so much evil to the core, but opportunists, who are inept. The plot is full of convolutions and requires some thought, but is fully satisfying in the end. As for the romance, isn't it nice to find a couple that don't reveal all their bedroom secrets on the page?
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Summary: Francis disappoints, for one of the few times, in this effor
Review: Second Choice is one of the few time Francis disppoints. When he moves away from horses, he moves aways from the environment he knows best which forces him to focus on the technical information that he has learned which he wants to us as a background for his new novel. In Second Wind, he has studied hurricanes. He tries to create a story in which he can use his new found knowledge. We learn a lot about hurricanes, flying into hurricanes, and tracking hurricanes, but the story he attempts to create with hurricanes as a backdrop never seems creditable. These aren't the usual believable Francis characters, nor a tightly woven plot. The background became the foreground. Even the ending seems forced; i.e., how do I bring this thing to a conclusion.
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Summary: readable yet sub-par for Dick Francis
Review: As a Dick Francis fan you must get this book to complete your collection.However do not expect the usual Dick Francis style.The story was very disjointed and lacked the usual page turning engrossment that you get with a Dick Francis mystery.It also seemed at times that the main characters had knowledge of things that according to the story there was no way they could have been privy to.This is the only novel by Francis that I've not been completely thrilled with.Please forgive my honesty Mr.Francis.
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Summary: 5 Stars for Second Wind - A First Rate Book
Review: I adore Dick Francis and everything he's written. True there are some books I like more than others - my personal favorites are For Kicks, Enquiry and Decider to name some.Second Wind does get a bit complicated in using meteorology terms - but only during one section and not to any extreme. Mr. Francis has written a taut thriller that exposes human greed - with unpredictable villians and all too human heroes. I enjoyed it - but be prepared, it won't be everyone's cup of tea.
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Summary: A Flop for a normally Fantastic Author
Review: Francis is an all-time great mystery writer. His fascinating stories revolve around horse racing and another subject- always educating the reader on the subject of that particular book. Usually I describe his stories as riveting and intoxicating. I'd rather be reading one of his books than doing anything else! I'm afraid this book was the complete opposite of his others. I had to force myself to finish and at the end had to re-check the cover to make sure this was indeed a Dick Francis novel. I'm not giving up...I'm sure his next book won't be a flop!(If you haven't read The Danger, To the Hilt, or Hot Money...all are superb.)
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Summary: Dick Francis mailed this one in.
Review: As is the case with so many popular well-established authors, Mr. Francis seems to have run out of steam on this book. The formula is there, but there is almost no suspense and the characters are devoid of personality. There is very little here to hold one's interest. The author has painted his characters with broad, shallow brush strokes rather than the deep, rich tones we have come to expect. I suspect that he has become a victim of his own prodigious output, and simply put words together to satisfy his publisher's demands.
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Summary: What an unbelieveable plot
Review: I've been a Dick Francis fan for years and agree with several reviewers that recommend going back to his earlier books for good plots - you can drive a truck through the holes in this one, plus I've never met so many inept villains in a Francis thriller before! I'm not bothered by the de-emphasis on horses and racing, because whatever the field (in this case meterology) it's always well researched and presented. I was very intrigued by the characters (Perry's grandmother was a delight) and the interaction between Perry and Chris; but the bad plot spoiled this one for me.
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Summary: A disappointment for Dick Francis fans.
Review: As an old Dick Francis fan, I was disappointed in this one. The plot was thin and obviously contrived to support a novel idea (flying through a hurricane). Definitely not up to his usual standards.
Rating: 
Summary: A real bust from one of my favorite authors
Review: This book should never have made it to publication. It lacks everything that usually makes a Francis novel good - virtually no feeling to the characters, no suspense, no anything. The plot does not even make sense. Don't waste your time reading this one.
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