Reckless Abandon (Stone Barrington, 10)

Rating:
Summary: Sex, (a really fine '78 Merlot) and Rock 'n Roll
Review: This could also be called, 'you get what you pay for,' 'whatdya expect?' or 'it's still the same old story, a fight for . . . hmmmmm and glory.'

Stone's just not the guy you want to leave alone with your daughter, your sister or your wife. The guy's just unbelievable!

I would discuss the plot now but really, is it any different than the preceding 9 plots? Huh? No.

Mr. Woods writes a compelling novel. The only other author who writes like this, predictably, repetitiously, same characters, is Parker, who churns out Spensers at the rate of one a year. I happen to prefer Spenser because I believe he is imbued with a code of sorts that he can't define but other men admire and seek to emulate. Spenser's an honorable man. Stone is really a good looking, wealthy guy that has the morals of a cat. An indescriminate cat if you will. Which is why Parker usually get a 5 and Woods usually gets a 4. I like Spenser more.

But I'll always read Woods. Like everything else, it's a matter of your mood. 4 stars. Larry Scantlebury

Rating:
Summary: time to stop
Review: This is Stuart Woods' most disappointing yet. After starting as a serious writer (Chiefs was brilliant) he moved on to light "beach reading" that I always enjoyed in the car on audiotape. The first few were fun and creative, with interesting characters. He has now destroyed his best two characters, Stone Barrington and Holly Barker, by making them charicatures of their former selves. Not even a sexual relationship involving these two formerly interesting characters can save this attempt to get money from former loyal readers. Woods may live well on the proceeds, but he has lost his audience. As a talented writer, he must now decide whether to continue to fall into disrepute or to suck it up and write something worth reading. I hope he has made enough money to do the latter, because if he has not he will never be able to keep us former fans buying.
On another note, the narrator on the audio version was horrible. He made the lame dialogue of the main characters completely implausible, and especially made the formerly interesting and strong character, Holly, a bimbo. This was a disappointment.

Rating:
Summary: Worst of the Stone Barrington series
Review: This is the lastest in the Stone Barrington series and the weakest entry from Woods. There is very little plot in this story; mostly talking heads. Credit Holly Barker for taking about three days to seduce Stone, though. Usually the females in the Barrington mysteries jump into bed with Stone in under 24 hours, which is another part of this series that I have never understood. The stories should be strong enough to not have to resort to the unbelievable sexcapades of Mr. Barrington, where women are all to eager to jump in the sack with him and are never sexually satisfied, leaving the poor sexually starved women trying to arouse Stone for yet another round.