The Gelwick Faxes: An Eyewitness Account of the Senate Hostage Crisis

Rating:
Summary: Brillaint
Review: A brillaint book with some loose ends some great characters some not so good .
All in all a real great book.A Must Read .

Rating:
Summary: An exciting thriller
Review: I must confess that when I heard about a book with a story line composed exclusively of faxes and e-mails, I had my doubts about it. After reading it, however, I must confess that the author has hit upon a unique manner of presenting his tale. Of course, this type of scenario won't work in a lot of situations, but this work concerns a hostage crisis, so the fax idea is perfect. The suspense and excitement builds throughout the book, until the somewhat unexpected climax. Once or twice I found some faxes which were not necessary to advance the story (they were, in fact, distracting), but on the whole this is a work, short as it is, well worth reading.

Rating:
Summary: Avid political fiction and historical reader
Review: The Gelwick Faxes was a compelling page turner. I found myself reading it in one sitting, far past the bedtime I had intended. The unique storytelling idea of faxing to interested parties outside of an ongoing hostage situation was innovative. The faxes to obscure parties made this story more realistic and gave the main character many layers. I found myself recognizing characters, trying to guess their next move, and then being surprised by the next plot twist. The author has some very insightful observations that can be frightening if one thinks this fiction probably has a ring of truth to it.

Rating:
Summary: Original and Well-Researched
Review: With a format that reminds of Bram Stocker's milestone, The Gelwick Faxes is, to some extent, an updated version of the classic, as Jonathan Harker's sense of dread once again takes center stage, now in the form of journalist in the wrong (or right) place, Allan Gelwick.

Though at first giving the impression of a screenplay, the payoff comes swiftly, heralded by the sense that you are really there during this hotel ballrom siege. As well, one of the terrorists, "The Colonel," a female, has a thing or two to say about the DC culture.

You know a writer has done something right when he expeditiously exctracts Stockholm Syndrome-like feelings from the male reader regarding said Colonel.

In the end, we are left with a great thriller, and an interesting tour of Washington. Recommended.