Rating: 
Summary: Reckless Writing
Review: After reading Blood Orchid, Holly Barker's last caper before she joined up with Stone Barrington, I held out some hope that she would continue as a half-way decent series character. In Reckless Abandon, all hope of that is abandoned as Stuart Woods has turned her into a cartoon in one of the silliest books I have read in a long time.
The characters, the dialogue, the situations portrayed, are all disappointments, the more so because Woods was once a great writer. I have credited Woods with getting the characterization of federal agents right but this time he went so far overboard that the story line was totally implausible.
As usual, Woods puts together a plot with great potential. Then he peoples it with characters who are familiar. But they have also over the years become silly and irrelevant. He tosses in mindless dialogue, much of it taking place in his favorite restaurants. The use of sex and violence is routine for these books but this time it a bit too much. Especially with Daisy the Rottweiler on the bed with Holly and Stone.
There are just too many good books and good writers to waste any more time with Stuart Woods. I have to admit that his next one, The Prince of Beverly HIlls, looks interesting. But what will Woods do with that plot? I shudder to think.
Rating:
Summary: Who are you and what have you done with Holly?
Review: After the last Stone Barrington novel, I swore I would never read another book in the series again. However, when I saw that he'd teamed Stone up with Holly Barker, I decided to give it a final shot. Big mistake.
Holly had always come across as a smart, no-nonsense cop. In this book she came across as just another of Stone's bimbos. She wants to nail some guy for murder, and we're really not sure why she's so hung up on this. She and Stone get kidnapped out of their car and almost killed until, as usual, Stone tosses out a few words of wisdom and stops a professional killer from putting bullets in their heads...after the obligatory sex romp in the cellar with the killer listening in.
Stone has been deteriorating for awhile now, but I was really disappointed that Holly was portrayed as a stupid reckless bimbo who never stopped to think through her actions or take appropriate cautions, but rather seemed intent on two things -- killing her perp and getting into Stone's pants.
I still wonder how much Elaine is paying to get her name mentioned in every book. And how is it that Dino can eat in this restaurant with Stone and his floozy-of-the-week so often while he has a wife and baby at home?
Basically, this is the same garbage Stuart Woods has been churning out for Stone for awhile now, only this week's bimbo was given the name Holly Barker to try to hold onto his dwindling audience. I feel cheated and deceived, and I will never read another thing from this author. I only wish I had the ability to give it negative stars.
Rating:
Summary: One star is more than generous
Review: It's a shame this author continues to even try to write, while riding on his former reputation and talent. Or is he even trying? But who can blame him-- as poorly written as they are, his books still climb to the bestseller charts. It's hard to believe Stuart Woods was once capable of writing such good books years ago. By continuing to buy his newer books, we are only encouraging him to write such pathetic dribble.
Rating: 
Summary: The weakest Woods so far but still entertaining
Review: My father-in-law turned me on to Stuart Woods about 2 years ago. Since then I have devoured every one of his books. He is such a great and prolific author. When I am reading one of his books I am totally in a trance until I finish it - I am really an addict!
This book had so much promise but it just didn't work. It wasn't BAD, but all his others are so much better...
I still eagerly await the next Stuart Woods. Maybe Stone and Holly just need a little break.....
Rating:
Summary: Reckless is the right word!!!
Review: My wife and I have always loved the Stone Barrington novels. However, not this one. My wife read the book, and I listened to the unabridged audio CDs. She thought Woods brought too many of his previous characters together to do too many unrealistic things. HOW MANY TIMES CAN YOU TALK SOMEONE OUT OF KILLING YOU? I agreed with her, but I have to add more. The reader, Tony Roberts, is terrible. He sounds like he is 100 years old, and makes all the male characters sound the same. Except for Dino, who he makes sound like a cartoon character. Holly sounds like a dumb bimbo, and not the sharp minded law enforcement officer we have come to know and love. This guy, Roberts is horrible, and I will never purchase a book read by him ever again.
Rating:
Summary: The Descent of a Good Writer Continues...
Review: Stuart Woods in his early novels was as good as it gets in popular contemporary fiction. Unfortunately, in order to keep his bank account on the plus side, he has now resorted to wiriting formula trash and not very good trash at that. It is a disappointment to see this, but better that the reader be forewarned than to simply ignore one of the more disappointing career implosions that I have had to witness. I have abandoned hope that this will change.
Rating: 
Summary: Stone and Holly together! Awesome!
Review: Stuart Woods' characters Stone Barrington and Holly Barker are amazing forces to be reckoned with independently, but when meshed together in another riveting novel in the Barrington series, they just unglue the seems of sizzle... I mean, awesome! I love these characters together, and I was hoping for this ever since the Stone cameo appearance in Barker series. Way to go, Stuart Woods!
Rating: 
Summary: Good read, but somewhat disappointing
Review: The meshing of two series characters is always a difficult task, and as Stuart Woods' attempt to bring Holly Barker and Stone Barrington together and give them an interesting case to solve falls short of the usual Woods fare. The plot just doesn't inspire much tension or danger. The characters seem even less invested than the reader is led to believe. I got the feeling that Woods couldn't decide which series to write this time out, so he gave in to a misguided idea to give his fans a twofer. Setting up a new job for Holly Barker seems to be the most significant plot point, and even that isn't decided for certain by the end. Stone was simply a tool for Holly's "reckless abandon", also an effort that seemed less than imperative and more just a gimmick to get her to New York. As I read I kept expecting some huge revelation that would tie everything together, but in the end there are more unanswered questions than answered.
Rating:
Summary: pulls in alot of elements from alot of books
Review: There's definetly a lot going on in this book. As a stand alone story, it's good but I think it's better understood by a long time reader as it pulls in elements not only from the barrington series, but the holly barker series as well. Elements of Orchid Blues, Blood Orchid, Dirty Work, The Short Forever are all melded into this book.
I like that Holly Barker and Stone Barrington were together in this book as i like both of the characters. I'm not sure about how holly was written in this one. She's been written a little different than when she's in her stand alone books. I think to tailor her more to the barrington type of atmosphere.
Anyway, good quick paced read.
Rating:
Summary: Reminds me of a Movie Chapter Plays from the 1940's!
Review: This book takes Stone and Holly into non-believable situtations. You sometimes feel Clark Kent and Lois Lane are the main characters as in a Superman comic book. Mr. Woods is simply cashing in on an awful piece of work. The book is so bad compare to his earlier "Chiefs" book that you would think it was written by two different authors. Mr. Woods in recent years has clearly sacrificed quality for quantity. Not only do I not recommend this book but suggest you remove Stuart Woods from your must buy author list. He has crossed the line from, "literature to put my name on it and they will buy it."
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