Sleep No More

Rating:
Summary: Impossible
Review: Sometimes I wonder why I keep reading a book to the end and this is one of them. I've never read a tale with so much indiscriminate and unprotected sex. Shame on them. If any of this could really happen it should surely cool the desire for sex in these 2 men. A man's worst nightmare his old girlfriend and his frigid wife all rolled into one.

Skip this one.

Rating:
Summary: Iles Outdoes Koontz
Review: "Sleep No More" was my 6th Iles book I've read. It was also my favorite. This is a rollercoaster ride so fasten your seatbelt.

This book is like a Stephen King book on steroids. Iles is an extremely talented writer/psychologist who really knows not only how to tell a great story but also develops highly interesting characters with intriguing interrelationships.

This is the first book I've read by Iles that crosses over into the paranormal, but he really outdoes Dean Koontz by a mile. The plot moves quickly with unpredictable twists and turns. I loved it!

Rating:
Summary: Couldn't put it down!
Review: I really liked Spandau Pheonix and Black Cross, but Sleep No More was a trip! I read the entire book in three days which probably sets a record for me. The paranormal made me think of King and Koontz but it all seemed so real, so normal, so POSSIBLE. This is the best book about infidelity I have ever read. As Faulkner was quoted in the book, "The past is never dead; it's not even past."

Rating:
Summary: Predictable drivel
Review: Sleep No More is one of the most predictable books I have ever read. Every character is a stereotype that required no creative thought. The poor married man whose wife is not interested in sex and is forced to have sex with another woman. The wife is a whimp who is drugged so she can her deal with her life and so easily forgives her husband for cheating on her. Greg Iles owes me $7.99!

Rating:
Summary: Sleep No More
Review: As I was reading it I gave it a 5 star reveiw. I could not put it down. The ending I felt, robbed me, it was the biggest anti climax I have every had. I think the author thought of the plot but couldn'y explain it away without resorting to fanatasy/science fiction. I wanted to read a thriller, that was plausable, this just wasn't for me. Unless you are in to fantasy/science fiction and all things that can not be explained forget this book. I was desperate to get to the end where I thought all would become clear. This did not happen. When I got to the end of the book I slammed the book shut and swore.

Rating:
Summary: Bizarre
Review: Greg Iles is an extraordinarily talented writer, who understands the essence of story telling. SLEEP NO MORE is a book you will either love or hate. I don't think there will be many in the middle.

The plot revolves around John Waters and his long dead love Mallory Chandler (or maybe she isn't as dead as she is supposed to be) or (maybe his best friend and wife are conspiring to drive him nuts) or (maybe there isn't a rational explanation).

This is a hard book to categorize: thriller, ghost story, horror - all of those elements exist in SLEEP No MORE, and Iles keeps stringing you along. Just when you think you've settled on a course towards the final pages, a new horrifying wrinkle comes along.

I found myself muttering, "Oh-oh" as John Waters gets sucked deeper and deeper into his nightmare.

Rating:
Summary: The best of Iles
Review: Go ahead and read other Iles. This is by far the one that tells it all. If you have lost a lover/been a lover/you're probably going to relate. Who wouldn't want their dead in the ground lover to reincarnate...and I read plenty of paranormal. But Greg takes it to the moon and beyond. Brilliant insight. In fact I copied his quote from "The Bladerunner" as a possible headstone piece on my just late husband's grave....sad no? No he was very young and he was a bright flame. The question is, where does Greg get all this insight? I bought every one of his books thereafter. Try the audio. Dick Hill who does his audio is amazing. The southern accent is seething..ooh very real. You will enjoy this.

Rating:
Summary: Glad I didn't read this one FIRST of Iles' work
Review: I "discovered" Greg Iles last summer with his captivating and most creative "24 Hours" and could hardly wait to read more of his work. Soon found "The Quiet Game" and was captivated by it as well. When I found that "Sleep No More" was also set in Natchez, I eagerly pounced on it. I was pleased with the set-up and the rather wierd and offbeat plot line; was initially titillated and then only slightly put off by some of the lurid sexual content; and was actually anticipating a slam-bang of a finish. Wow, what a super disappointment! It looked to me like Greg realized that he had only 20 pages left and had to wrap things up and had little or no imagination left. Sometimes I find myself giving a book a "standing ovation" when I finish it - - - darn it, I wanted to throw this one over the backyard fence after finishing it. I won't give up on Greg Iles though. I am glad that this wasn't my FIRST novel by him - - otherwise I would likely read him no more.

Rating:
Summary: Sleep No More - Excellent!!!
Review: This is the first Greg Iles book I read. Since reading this book, I have purchased two additional Greg Iles books.

After reading the story line on the back cover, it sounded really good. Well, I was presently surprised that is was great and was unable to put the book down. I have recommended it to many people and my mother is currently reading it. A must read.

Rating:
Summary: His First Flop
Review: This book is by far and away, Iles' worst effort. The corner stone of his other books: Strong plot, strong characterization, rapid pace, meaningful themes are missing here to some extent. I really like Iles work, so I really wanted to like this, as I have his other books (especially Black Cross) so the negativity of this review is biased toward Iles...anybody else and it would have been 1 star.

The characters are hackneyed and boring, the plot is paper thin, the premise is stupid (Leave this to Stephen King...he does it soooo much better). And the ending is REALLY trite (as in the epilogue and the explanation of the results of a DNA test). Even the locale: Natchez is very glossed over. Read likes a C_grade Hollywood movie with no ambiance.

I really can't see why Iles wrote this book. It is so far beneath him. Everybody has to fail once...so I guess this is Iles' first flop. Okay.

Seriously...it's an easy but unrewarding read. It could have been so much better if the supernatural premise had been explored in a less corny and obvious way. And the death of one of the major characters could have been a real page turner if the investigation had featured more along with the character's past. But moving cardboard caricatures around an obvious stage doesn't make for very gripping drama, hence that lack of that here. I think Iles tried to avoid the typical but in the end failed because he succombed to it because the story wasn't working any other way. Tried to resurrect it...when it should have stayed dead (pun intended).