Rating: 
Summary: The Beginning of Something Wonderful
Review: Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin remain the finest inventions of detective fiction; Chandler may have been a better writer, and Sayers may have been more properly literary, but Stout's books are the best as detective fiction. This is the first Nero Wolfe mystery--the characters aren't quite settled down into their comfortable places yet (and some of the members of the cast haven't appeared on stage yet--Lily Rowan doesn't appear until SOME BURIED CAESAR, perhaps my personal favorite of the series), and the mystery isn't Stout's best. However, Nero and Archie are there, and the sheer joy of listening to them and following Archie's narration are in full bloom. There is no particular reason to start with FER-DE-LANCE, but it's not a bad way to begin one of the most pleasureable creations (the series in full) of the 20th century.
Rating: 
Summary: First sighting of Wolfe
Review: Of course, a must read for Wolfe fans. Archie has yet to find his true voice, and there's no Cramer yet, but Wolfe starts as he means to go on. Stands the test of time better than any of the other early books before Some Buried Caesar. A good and original plot.
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Summary: Excellent!
Review: One of the best Rex Stout ever wrote. Very ingenious plot and interesting characters. A pleasure.
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Summary: Stout is a master
Review: Rex Stout is one of my favorite authors of all time. If you're new to his works, beware, you'll become addicted. But that isn't such a bad thing, he was a prolific writer and you'll not soon run out of material. Fer-De-Lance is the first Stout published about the now famous team of inspiring, albeit grumpy and slighly neurotic, genius detective Nero Wolfe and charming legman Archie Goodwin, who frequently purposely ruffles Nero's feathers. This book is definitely worth reading. Highly entertaining, with one caveat: if you have never read Wolfe before, begin with a different one as your very first. Try Some buried Caesar, or The Silent Speaker first to help you develop a feel for this incredible duo....then I think you'll appreciate Fer-De-Lance more. (You can also find Nero Wolfe on cable TV... a serious treat for any Wolfe fan) Enjoy!
Rating:
Summary: The Introduction to a Great Series
Review: Rex Stout was truly an amazing man. (A brief bio is included in the Bantam Crime Line series.) He published his very first Nero Wolfe novel at the age of 48, after having completed extraordinary careers as a warrant officer on Theodore Roosevelt's yacht, a sightseeing guide, a bookkeeper, and devising a banking system. (Whew!) While "Fer-De-Lance" is not the best Wolfe story, it is the first. I originally read all the novels as I found them and am now reading them in chronological order. It really doesn't matter what order you take them in. Just try one or two. For those who are unfamiliar with the Wolfe novels, Nero Wolfe is a New York private detective who detests work, spends four hours a day cultivating his orchids, drinks gallons of beer, and tolerates women only when absolutely necessary. His assistant, Archie Goodwin, does the legwork for Wolfe. Goodwin is a good looking, wise-cracking, milk-drinking foil for Wolfe. Other assorted characters appear from time to time who are just as colorful. The great thing about the Wolfe novels is the way that Stout brings each character to life. To be honest, you really don't care that much "whodunnit" because the characters and atmosphere are so entertaining. A great, great series. If you've never tried them, what are you waiting for?
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Summary: Stout is great, his reader is abominable
Review: Saul Rubinek, who reads many of Rex Stout's books on tape, is excellent. For my money, he's the best in the business. For that reason, it was with some reservation that I purchased Fer-De-Lance read by Michael Prichard. Would that I had listened to my reservations. Prichard can't read. He has a voice that could sell a lot of Buicks on tv ads between innings on a Sunday afternoon. He should be kept well away from actual prose. Long pauses in the middle of clauses, no awareness of the meaning of the words that come stumbling out of his mouth. My best guess is that Prichard is the result of a bizzare experiment in which he learned perfect English pronunciation but has absolutely no understanding of the meaning of any of the words in the English language, and he sees punctuation as unnecessary decoration.
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Summary: Lovin' Babe! What a great start!
Review: The first book in the series is a great deal of fun. Archie's narration is biting and funny, never more than when's he's describing Wolfe's finger wagging and cheek folding (his euphemism for Nero's smile). And the mystery itself is rich and involving. Every suspect's motive is clearly established and understandable. In fact, my only complaint about this book is that Archie and Wolfe have already been together for appox. seven years when it opens. I would have loved to have been there when they first met and work out their unique professional relationship. But I'm sure Wolfe would tell me that I'm quibbling.
Rating:
Summary: Great beginning for an outstanding series
Review: The Nero Wolfe series is absolutely outstanding, and this book serves as a good introduction for it. The plot concerns an Italian immigrant and a university president who have just been killed. Although there seems to be no link between the two, Wolfe discovers it and exploits it to expose a killer.
Don't expect an Agatha Christie or Sherlock Holmes plot for this novel--Stout wrote good mysteries, but his gems are in his characters. Wolfe, the overweight, orchid-loving, car-fearing gourmand, and his sidekick Archie, the epitome of the 1930's fast-talking, sarcastic detective, are lovable right from the beginning. Although Stout still has a few details to work out, the set-up is the same in this book as it is in the last. That isn't to say Stout didn't improve it--he didn't have to; it was perfect from the start. He achieved the rare find in the world of mystery--FOUR-dimensional characters in a plausible setting with a credible mystery.
Bottom Line: Serves as a good introduction, but don't expect a great mystery, just exemplary characters!! Make certain you get the Bantam Crime Line edition--it comes with an introduction and trivia about Nero Wolfe at the end of the novel--great for either the beginning reader or the long-time fan.
Rating:
Summary: Great beginning for an outstanding series
Review: The Nero Wolfe series is absolutely outstanding, and this book serves as a good introduction for it. The plot concerns an Italian immigrant and a university president who have just been killed. Although there seems to be no link between the two, Wolfe discovers it and exploits it to expose a killer.
Don't expect an Agatha Christie or Sherlock Holmes plot for this novel--Stout wrote good mysteries, but his gems are in his characters. Wolfe, the overweight, orchid-loving, car-fearing gourmand, and his sidekick Archie, the epitome of the 1930's fast-talking, sarcastic detective, are lovable right from the beginning. Although Stout still has a few details to work out, the set-up is the same in this book as it is in the last. That isn't to say Stout didn't improve it--he didn't have to; it was perfect from the start. He achieved the rare find in the world of mystery--FOUR-dimensional characters in a plausible setting with a credible mystery.
Bottom Line: Serves as a good introduction, but don't expect a great mystery, just exemplary characters!! Make certain you get the Bantam Crime Line edition--it comes with an introduction and trivia about Nero Wolfe at the end of the novel--great for either the beginning reader or the long-time fan.
Rating:
Summary: Rex , Nero and Archie at the beginning, also at their best
Review: The quality of Rex Stout's writing is unique in its blend of mystery and detective techiques whereas some mystery/detective authors use only one method. The stories of Nero Wolfe are entertaining, well written, and full of colorful, eccentric characters. This story is well written with the small details and descriptions fleshed out nicely. The story is about two murders, initially unconnected until Nero Wolfe sniffs out the truth. Read several of the Nero Wolfe stories and you will feel right at home in the Brownstone on 35th Street. Fer-De-Lance might be the first of the Nero Wolfe series, but it is a wonderful first book. The rotund Nero Wolfe does the thinking and Archie Goodwin does the 'legwork' with a sweet, sarcastic nature. I strongly recommend this story and many others in the Nero Wolfe series to all mystery and detective story lovers.
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