Sleep No More

Rating:
Summary: One of my favorite books!
Review: I read this book in under a week simply because I couldn't put it down. It keeps you guessing the whole way. It was twisted and wild!! I didn't want to finish it because it was so good. It was different than anything else I've ever read. Definitely read this book :)

Rating:
Summary: this one's a little different
Review: Greg Iles has shown he can produce complex plots, fascinating characters, and wild suspense. Sleep No More starts on that path but cannot sustain it. The pieces are there with the Southern setting, the complex characters (including a supporting return by Penn Cage from The Quiet Game), and the suspense; however, this one goes a bit too far with the eroticism and a bit off the deep end with the believability. The basis is spirit possession, and it does not make for Iles' best work. It is similar to 24 Hours in that way - it just does not deliver what Iles is capable of providing his reader. Most of his books are good enough I would consider rereading - not so with Sleep No More.

Rating:
Summary: How do I love thee . . hmmmmm . . two ways . . .three?
Review: Greg Iles is a very gifted writer and I think it was for that reason I stayed with him for a looooong allegro before the entire orchestra kicked in. And then I felt the hackles on the back of my neck stand up.

Most of us, I guess we're either lucky or stupid, have loved "the wrong person" or been loved by "the wrong person." So comes John Waters, repeatedly drawn into a painful past by the magnetic memories of the lovely but imbalanced Mallory Candler, his imaginative, enthusiastic, however insanely possessive lover of his college years.

Years earlier, Mallory dies a violent death, raped and murdered by a passerby. But currently, things are unsettled in Waters' life. His wife won't have relations with him, herself rudderless after two heartbreaking miscarriages. His best friend and partner seems to be stealing from him. His little girl is in a grade school where a pedophile has just been arrested. And strangely enough, after years of fidelity and near celibacy, John is attracted to Eve Sumner, a somewhat loose realtor.

And then, just as you're starting to get bored by the tortured introspection that frankly keeps this book from a five and makes it a four, Mallory, certainly dead for years, starts speaking through the throat of Eve Sumner.

Caught me dozing. Mr. Iles hung that third strike right past me and caught me looking. Very exciting after that. He really keeps you guessing. Not his best stuff but the last 1/2 is brilliant. The three way conversations are masterfully done. Recommended.

Rating:
Summary: A fast and exciting read!
Review: Mr. Iles grabs the reader from the beginning and takes you on a roller coaster ride with all of his face-paced turns. Just when you think you've figured what will happen next....you're wrong! I gave this read to my husband, who is usually a slow reader, however he read it in one day! He, too, loved it! Bring on more Mr. Iles! You've got two permanent fans! Much better than many of your famous counterparts!

Rating:
Summary: Well written but . . .
Review: I've just finished "Sleep No More" and have mixed feelings about this book. I'm a huge Greg Iles fan and am particularly impressed by the skill with which he covers varied and disparate subjects. That's one of the things I love about his books - the subject matter, style and genre change from book to book so I never have that feeling of deja vue. "Sleep No More" is beautifully written, taut, tense and gripping. The way Iles captures that intangible Southern quality is amazing. I could barely put it down. And yet ... in the end, the book did not satisfy me. This is not what I've come to expect from Greg Iles. I'm not adverse to supernatural or spiritual subject matter, or to graphic sexual content. On the contrary, I'm a fan of Anita Blake, enjoy the works of Orson Scott Card ("The Lost Boys" and "Homebody"), and liked Marion Zimmer Bradley's Witchlight series. Much like the afterlife scenes in "The Lovely Bones" I found the paranormal aspects of this book jarring, gratuitous and ridiculous. I'd have much preferred a "Gaslight" approach, trite as that might be. The theory behind Iles' concept is interesting enough to make this worth a look, and the book has stuck with me, but there were a couple of moments when I nearly laughed out loud at the impossibility, particularly during a late 'save the day' passage. Maybe it was simply timing, or something about my mood that kept me from suspending disbelief long enough to enjoy the story, but I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone looking for what they've found with Iles in the past.

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: I did not enjoy this book very much. It starts out somewhat interesting, but never really takes off. There seems to be a lot of building up to something big which never happens. The idea of the story isn't bad, and the characters and settings are interesting, but the events which take place are very anticlimatic. Even the sexiest parts leave you a little "unsatisfied." I kept hoping with each chapter that it would explode and have a powerful ending. Unfortunately, it was a very weak ending - kind of like a dud firecracker on the 4th of July!

Rating:
Summary: Fastest Read Ever
Review: I've read many books. But this one was perhaps the fastest I've read. I haven't encountered many books where I could honestly say, "I couldn't put it down." The pace is breakneck from the start; the mystery is intense. The characters are real--especially the hero, who is transformed before our eyes. Iles is a master of expression (i.e. he stops every time to tell what his character is feeling, surprise, anger or just mild irritation. In short, you'll enjoy this work, but it'll pass by so fast, you'll feel like you've just seen a Ferrari flash by.

Rating:
Summary: pure garbage
Review: I am one of those people who always finish a book when I start it. I had been looking forward to this one because I have ewnjoyed the author's previous books, particularly the early ones. I have rarely come accross such a piece of nonsense and am heartily sorry that this book might because the author has had many prior successes. What a sell-out!

Rating:
Summary: Sci-Fi or Fantasy
Review: It was a bit interesting, but only as escapism. Premise of the book is unconvincing. Not to be recommended except to someone who has absolutely nothing else to read.

Rating:
Summary: Not Greg Iles' Best Book
Review: I absolutely love Greg Iles' books. I've read all of his books except for two, and this one is NOT one I would recommend for a first time reader. The premise made me nervous from the get-go because I had the sense it would not be a 'sturdy' plot and would have silly loopholes as well as a non-gratifying ending. I guess he took a walk on the wild side, but I hope he stays away from this type of thing in the future!