Rating: 
Summary: The Best of the Travis McGee Reincarnations
Review: I first became familiar with Charles Knief's work when we both appeared as authors on the same MEN OF MYSTERY program in Southern California. I began reading his John Caine adventures, and SILVERSWORD is the most impressive yet. John Caine is Travis McGee updated for our time. Caine is a former navy man, living in Hawaii. Many of the supporting characters could also have been lifted from the classic John D. series. SILVERSWORD opens with a shooting in San Francisco, and the plot moves swiftly from there. Caine is wounded in the shooting and finds himself threatened with homicide charges. The story later shifts home to Hawaii, and the I found the tale thoroughly enjoyable. SILVERSWORD is a fine work, and I recommend it highly.
Rating:
Summary: Another grandslam by Chuck Knief
Review: I have been waiting anxiously for this fourth episode of the exploits of P.I. John Caine. I received an advanced copy and read it in one sitting. I wasn't disappointed. This one starts out in Chinatown in San Francisco and after a gangland shooting the action moves to Honolulu, Hawaii. Caine is recovering from a gunshot wound and the plot has several twists and turns. I won't give away anymore of the plot other than to say this is a must read. A new Honolulu Police Detective described as a "rugged looking haole detective" is introduced in Chapter 39 by the name of Jim Husing. The author is a friend of mine and this is my 15 minutes of fame. I hope I am not killed off in future. Hope you are reading this Chuck.As always, Chuck's vivid descriptions of the Hawaiian locations are right on the money. Having been to many of the locations described I felt that I was once again in Hawaii while reading page after page. Chuck has been to all of the locations described and that is why the descriptions are picture perfect. As in the three previous Caine novels, this one has lots of beautiful girls, beautiful scenery, Hawaiian legends and history, and fast paced action. This book is a must for Caine/Knief fans. Don't delay in getting it. You won't be disappointed. Jim Husing That rugged-looking haole detective
Rating: 
Summary: Good but not great
Review: In one of the reviews of Silversword, it was noted that Mr. Knief took twice as long to write this John Caine adventure and it shows! The first 100 pages are a bit labored and the character's introduced are done in an obvious way, i.e., where are they going to fit into the story. Regardless, once the story finds its pace, it rolls along nicely. So give it some time and you will be well rewarded.
Rating:
Summary: Good but not great
Review: In one of the reviews of Silversword, it was noted that Mr. Knief took twice as long to write this John Caine adventure and it shows! The first 100 pages are a bit labored and the character's introduced are done in an obvious way, i.e., where are they going to fit into the story. Regardless, once the story finds its pace, it rolls along nicely. So give it some time and you will be well rewarded.
Rating: 
Summary: Twice as long, twice as slow
Review: Longer than usual, this entry has great action sequences but slows to a crawl at other times. Characters are introduced and then disappear for unexplained reasons. Not as good as the last entry and a long way to go before rivaling Travis McGee.
Rating:
Summary: This haole's work is never pau.
Review: Packing a knife, a gun, and a reputation for having killed eight people "in self defense," John Caine is certainly not a cerebral, Columbo-style private investigator. With a lust for action and sometimes a lust for lust, he is macho in the extreme, fiercely loyal to his friends, no matter which side of the police desk they may occupy and no matter how dangerous their friendship may be to his health. Though he is shot, stabbed, hit with martial arts sticks, sucker-punched, kicked, knocked unconscious, hospitalized for surgery, and thrown in jail for murder, just for starters, he's like an Energizer ape who just keeps going. Escape reading at its best, this is an old-fashioned murder mystery which makes no apologies for its machismo as Caine constantly comes to the rescue of damsels and others in distress, getting beaten and nearly killed on a regular basis. The Hawaiian setting is a welcome change from the usual urban wasteland of P. I. stories, the action never falters, and the plot, while intriguing, is not so complicated that you have trouble keeping all the characters straight. Local color is heightened by a police chief who is a descendant of famed surfer Duke Kahanamoku, by an archaeologist who has found the tomb of King Kamehameha I, on the Big Island's Kona coast, and by the goddess Pele, who brings the dormant shield volcano of Hualalai, long overdue for eruption, suddenly to life, threatening Kailua-Kona. Lovers of Hawaii will find this fun to read, as long as they don't get hung up on some proofreading problems--a few typos, misspellings, and several annoying references to Moana Kea and Moana Loa, instead of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa.
Rating:
Summary: This haole's work is never pau.
Review: Packing a knife, a gun, and a reputation for having killed eight people "in self defense," John Caine is certainly not a cerebral, Columbo-style private investigator. With a lust for action and sometimes a lust for lust, he is macho in the extreme, fiercely loyal to his friends, no matter which side of the police desk they may occupy and no matter how dangerous their friendship may be to his health. Though he is shot, stabbed, hit with martial arts sticks, sucker-punched, kicked, knocked unconscious, hospitalized for surgery, and thrown in jail for murder, just for starters, he's like an Energizer ape who just keeps going. Escape reading at its best, this is an old-fashioned murder mystery which makes no apologies for its machismo as Caine constantly comes to the rescue of damsels and others in distress, getting beaten and nearly killed on a regular basis. The Hawaiian setting is a welcome change from the usual urban wasteland of P. I. stories, the action never falters, and the plot, while intriguing, is not so complicated that you have trouble keeping all the characters straight. Local color is heightened by a police chief who is a descendant of famed surfer Duke Kahanamoku, by an archaeologist who has found the tomb of King Kamehameha I, on the Big Island's Kona coast, and by the goddess Pele, who brings the dormant shield volcano of Hualalai, long overdue for eruption, suddenly to life, threatening Kailua-Kona. Lovers of Hawaii will find this fun to read, as long as they don't get hung up on some proofreading problems--a few typos, misspellings, and several annoying references to Moana Kea and Moana Loa, instead of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa.
Rating:
Summary: Another great one
Review: This book shows that Knief truly is interested in writing a good story. After the first three, I had the suspicion that the Knief was headed down "The Executioner" track and would become just another "superhero confronts the bad guys" author with shallow plots and endless action. It appears from this book that he actually wants to inject some depth and breadth into his characters. Others have dissected the plot of this story in their reviews so I won't be redundant. If you want to see how an author grows with his character and how he changes when he wants to treat his audience with respect, read this series from the beginning. It will be time well spent. I hope that book 5 when it emerges will continue this trend.
Rating:
Summary: Caine is human after all
Review: This book shows that Knief truly is interested in writing a good story. After the first three, I had the suspicion that the Knief was headed down "The Executioner" track and would become just another "superhero confronts the bad guys" author with shallow plots and endless action. It appears from this book that he actually wants to inject some depth and breadth into his characters. Others have dissected the plot of this story in their reviews so I won't be redundant. If you want to see how an author grows with his character and how he changes when he wants to treat his audience with respect, read this series from the beginning. It will be time well spent. I hope that book 5 when it emerges will continue this trend.
Rating:
Summary: Fantastic Fun! OVERALL SCORE: (A+)
Review: This is a great mystery story, full of action, sex, and graphic violence, what more can you want. John Caine, a wonderful hero who has depth, likeability, sensibility, and charm, a modern knight righting wrongs and helping those in trouble.
Charles Knief, brings the beautiful Hawaiian islands to life in all of their brilliant color and majesty. The settings in this book and his others capture the real Hawaii that few really get to know.
OVERALL SCORE: (A+)
PLOT: (A+), CHARATERS: (A+), DIALOGUE: (B), SETTING: (A+), ACTION/COMBAT: (A-), ANTAGONISTS: (B+), ROMANCE: (A), SEX: (Adult Content), AGE LEVEL: (R)
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