The Sum of All Fears

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Once again, Tom Clancy manages to add new twists to the alternate U.S. history he initiated in The Hunt for Red October. In The Sum of All Fears, the center of conflict is the perpetual hot spot the Mideast, where a nuclear weapon falls into the hands of terrorists just as peace seems possible. Clancy realistically paints an almost unthinkable scenario--the bomb is planted on American soil in the midst of an escalation in tension with the Soviet Union; the terrorists hope to rekindle cold war animosity and prevent reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians.

Despite such a dramatic story line, Clancy doesn't neglect the individuals who drive his tale. Jack Ryan's problems are as much domestic as they are part of the international crisis that is the ostensible narrative: National Security Director Elizabeth Elliot has the president's ear, and she has convinced him that Ryan's ethics are questionable. She hints at marital infidelity and an insider-trading scandal. Of course, both accusations are false, but her arguments have enough evidence behind them (e.g. some photographs of an innocent embrace with a friend) to cause a strain in the Ryans' marriage and a flurry of media attention. While "Mr. Clark" tracks the terrorists, he also provides some needed intelligence to heal the Ryan family.

The Sum of All Fears is the stuff of nightmares but contains enough verisimilitude to terrify sober minds. Ryan has matured into a complex protagonist as Clancy's writing, too, has matured. Ryan is plagued by stress and self-doubts that test even his dauntless moral compass and make him a more interesting subject for readers' attention. Those fascinated by military hardware, from nuclear submarines to atomic weapons, will find almost enough here to start their own army. And Clancy's understanding of international politics seems chillingly correct. --Patrick O'Kelley

Book Description

A NEW WORLD ORDER...ON THE BRINK OF DESTRUCTION

Peace may finally be at hand in the Middle East -- as Jack Ryan lays the groundwork for a plan that could end centuries of conflict. But ruthless terrorists have a final, desperate card to play; with one terrible act, distrust mounts,forces collide, and the floundering U.S. president seems unable to copewith the crisis.

With the world on the verge of nuclear disaster, Ryan must frantically seek a solution -- before the chiefs of state lose control of themselves and the world.

Customer Reviews:

Movie not so hot!.......2007-08-26

I could not get into Ben Affleck playing the role of Jack Ryan. I thought the movie was mediocre and just didn't do it for me. In my mind stick with the novel and pass up the movie.

If you like Harrisson Ford as Jack Ryan then Ben Affleck is surely going to disappoint in my mind. Doesn't live up to Ford's persona on the big screen.

Couldn't Finish This Trash.......2007-04-16

Once again, Clancy has proven he cares more about trash than truth. This book is full of meaningless profanity and disrespect for Christianity (with a strange love for Islam.) The book also speaks quite disrespectfully of America in general, especially it's government. To top it all off, I read a review somewhere that this book had mature sexual themes in it too. So what's one to do? I quit this book... and I advise anyone who cares about their purity and soul do the same.

The B-story was the best part........2007-03-24

Before I write reviews, I try to read what has been said before, starting with the lowest rated because that's where all the criticisms are (the gush is useless to me).

Many people thought the whole "submarine" part was frivolous. But branching out into different parts of the Clancyverse has long been a Clancy tradition. Hunt for Red October branched out into superpower politics. Red Storm Rising were several nearly separate stories roughly blended into a WWIII motif. Like it or hate it, but this is nothing new.

This round's B-story is definitely the sub-parable. And it shines because of Captain Harry Ricks and the log. The tree log is symbolic of the detail of the Clancyverse - a small, insignificant event becoming a critical one due to the Butterfly effect. It has never been topped in Clancyverse or AFAIK anywhere.

As for Captain Harry Ricks. He's possibly the most 3D one-book character that Clancy ever written. He is basically a good guy but is flawed, partially due to the Philosophy of the US Navy. That's a very rarely seen combination in a Clancy novel, who tends to portray everything in the US Armed Forces as the Holy Grail itself.

Another interesting part is the role of interpretation in submarining. Both sides tried to pull off psychological victories (or more secret intelligence victories) in the Cold War. The USN public and demi-public (those submariners who blab supposedly secret stories of their victories in places like Blind Man's Bluff without getting arrested by Naval Security) face says it has pretty much all victories and few defeats, but how can one be sure he really won underwater? This issue is discussed here, as well as how American arrogance led to a false negative judgment in an ambiguous situation (if we can't follow Ohios, the Russians don't stand a whisker of a chance), furthering the myth of American Ohio invulnerability and all that. This should lead to some profound thought.

So the B-story is basically a parable consisting of a two-part critique of the US submarine mafia. Coming as it did from Clancy, the real problem must have been quite severe. It is maybe the only chance you'd really see Clancy criticizing his own, and it is done quite well.

For the rest of the story, read the other reviews (there are like 200 of them). It is typical Clancy fare, so you either like it or you don't. But be warned that this will be about the last Clancy book chronologically before the American military obtains the Invulnerability Artifact (last half of Debt of Honor, SSN, Executive Orders, Bear and the Dragon). Such intellectual rigor as can be seen in the sub story and to a lesser extent in other places will not be repeated. Clancy fans might want to stop reading from here on to preserve their good impression of Clancy.

Yamabushi's mini reviews XXIII.......2007-02-09

The worst, and last Clancy book I've read. Too much politics, too little action. This monstrous book bored me to no end. I can see why Clancy went back to a young Jack Ryan in Red Rabbit.

Clancy Never Fails To Deliver.......2007-01-05

The undisputed master of the technothriller continues the "Jack Ryan" storyline in this, the tale of nuclear terrorism. A splinter middle-East group with deep pockets has acquired the knowledge and materials to develop and produce a powerful nuclear weapon, which they are planning to smuggle to the US and detonate during the Super Bowl. The preparation and research that Clancy puts into his stories are obvious here, and the level of technical detail is unprecedented. Unfortunately that is one of the things that sometimes turns off newcomers to Clancy. But if you're like me and love the technical and military detail, this will be right up your alley. Spectacular read.

Tom Clancy (Three #1 Bestsellers in One Collection: The Cardinal Of The Kremlin, Clear and Present Danger, The Sum Of All Fears)

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Abridged, but great for newbies
One of the Best Collections Out There Today!

Tom Clancy (Three #1 Bestsellers in One Collection: The Cardinal Of The Kremlin, Clear and Present Danger, The Sum Of All Fears)
Tom Clancy
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster Audio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 0743506979

Book Description

CARDINAL OF THE KREMLIN

Mikhail Filitov is a war hero and Red Army Colonel, but his CIA code name is "Cardinal." The U.S. and U.S.S.R. are negotiating a treaty while their espionage armies are locked in the ultimate struggle. What the Cardinal knows could change the course of history. what a maverick CIA man named Ryan must do is out-duel the KGB -- and bring the Cardinal out alive!

CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER

The U.S. ambassador to Colombia has been murdered by druglords. Enemy covert agents filter into the jungles of Central America, which ready to explode. CIA man Jack Ryan is the eye of a storm -- and for the U.S., the stakes have never been higher.

THE SUM OF ALL FEARS

Peace may finally be at hand in the Middle East -- as Jack Ryan lays the groundwork for a plan that could end centuries of conflict. But ruthless terrorists have a final, desperate card to play; with one terrible act, distrust mounts, forces collide, and the floundering U.S. president seems unable to cope with the crisis.

Customer Reviews:

Abridged, but great for newbies.......2003-12-29

These three novels by Clancy were all excellent stories. If you are a true fan of Tom Clancy, do not let these take the place of reading the novels. However, I still enjoyed listening to the abridged version after reading his novels.

Those new to Tom Clancy should enjoy this series of stories, as all of them are intriguing. My introduction to Tom Clancy was through an audibook, and now I've read thousands of his printed pages. See for yourself.

One of the Best Collections Out There Today!.......2001-06-10

If your a Tom Clancy fan, This collection is for you. Included in this collection are The Sum Of All Fears, Clear And Present Danger, and The Cardinal Of The Cremlin. Believe me, this is one of the best collections of Clancy's works out there today! Definitely worth the money!

Three Complete Novels: Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger, The Sum of All Fears

Average customer rating:

If you saw the movies this is your chance to read the books
3-of Clancy's best, BAR NONE, a truly worthwhile buy
Great Books, Great Value
Great
Outstanding

Three Complete Novels: Patriot Games, Clear and Present Danger, The Sum of All Fears
Tom Clancy
Manufacturer: Putnam Adult
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0399139354

Customer Reviews:

If you saw the movies this is your chance to read the books.......2004-08-01

There certainly seems to be neither rhyme nor reason to how they throw together Tom Clancy novels together in these collections. Here we have the 3rd, 5th and 6th of Clancy's novels, which are the 2nd, 4th and 5th of the Jack Ryan novels (except that while "Patriot Games" was written 2nd it actually takes place before the "1st" Jack Ryan novel, "The Hunt for Red October"--are you taking notes?). However, the two common denominators are that of the first six Clancy novels these three are the three better ones and that all three books have been turned into films.

"Patriot Games" explains why the English keep calling Ryan "Sir John" in "The Hunt for Red October." I always fancied that Clancy had written this novel first (or, at least had the idea for the story first), but that having Prince Charles and Queen Elizabeth be characters in a fictional novel was frowned upon; however, I consider the relationship between the Ryans and the Royals to be one of the most compelling aspects of the novel. Certainly "Patriot Games" shows a great leap forward in Clancy's writing style. The novel literally begins with a bang as Ryan thwarts an attack by a I.R.A. splinter group. What happens afterwards brings him into the fold of the C.I.A. The ending of the novel, decidedly different from that of the film version, refutes the idea that Clancy is a reactionary conservative.

"Clear and Present Danger" presents a scenario that remains one of the most attractive as a real world solution to a continuing problem, namely the use of the U.S. military to put the Columbian drug cartels out of business. The problem, of course, is that the President decides to make this a covert mission, which provides ample opportunity for things to go too far. This is the novel that introduces Ding Chavez to John Clark, and Clark to Ryan for that matter. In terms of the characters in the Jack Ryan novels, "Clear and Present Danger" is the one that probably has the most resonance with the rest of the series. Much is made of the way Clancy incorporates cutting edge technology into his narratives, but his strength has always been his characters. There is no better example of this aspect than in the beginning of "Clear and Present Danger," when Clancy introduces us to the character of Red Wegener with such wonderful detail that we are surprised to discover he ends up being a minor character in the novel.

"The Sum of All Fears" is one of Clancy's novels where you certainly hope that he is not prescient. Middle Eastern terrorists get a hold of a nuclear weapon and decide to detonate it at the Super Bowl. However, this is not a simple act of terrorism but part of a larger game that seeks to have the United States and the Soviet Union skip over a return to the Cold War and go right for a nuclear exchange. Meanwhile, Jack Ryan is caught in the switches as a new president comes into office and his National Security Advisor wants our hero's head on a platter. When the bomb detonates events escelate beyond the speed of those on both sides to process the information and make decisions than hurtle the world towards oblivion.

As always, you are urged to read all of Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan novels in order even though what we have here qualifies as the essence of the first part of the Jack Ryan saga. After this point, following an interlude with the first John Clark novel, we move from Jack Ryan the CIA years to Jack Ryan the White House years. Although his recent novels have seen like they were written by rote, these three novels will more than evidence why Clancy has a devote following who love to consume his massive tomes as soon as they come out in hardback.

3-of Clancy's best, BAR NONE, a truly worthwhile buy.......2001-04-11

For sentimental reasons only, I view 'Hunt For Red October' as Clancy's best book, but these 3 cannot be far behind, especially 'Clear & Present Danger' and 'The Sum Of All Fears'. Absolutely riviting novels that prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that Clancy truly has his finger squarely on the pulse of what is going on in the world -- or what COULD go on.

'Patriot Games' is a phenomenal story of revenge from an IRA Terrorist who's plot to assassinate Charles & Di is thwarted by Jack Ryan, who is completely unaware of the horrific consequences of his actions. GREAT read.

'Clear & Present Danger' is a VERY complicated story of the war on drugs and a few people in high places making some pretty rash decisions that creates a completely incredible situation and Clancy ties it all together in one of his all-time best stories. Highly recommended.

'The Sum Of All Fears' is another Clancy rocket-of-a-novel with many plots and sub-plots, all of which are tied neatly together in the end revolving around a few middle-eastern bad guys who get their dirty fingers on an actual Israeli atomic bomb, converting it into a thermo-nuclear device, and their plans of actually using it on American soil. A true Clancy masterpiece.

All three of these books are worth buying, but if you can manage to grab this particular book with ALL of them, do NOT hesitate, just DO IT! Any Clancy fan worth his/her salt cannot call their collection complete without this. Just hours and hours of absolute thrilling reading.

Great Books, Great Value.......2000-12-22

This product contains three of the most action packed novels by Tom Clancy: Patriot Games, a book about Irish terrorists bent on killing Jack Ryan, which is far superior to the movie; Clear and Present Danger, which is deeper than the movie, but slower moving, and The Sum of All Fears, which is destined to the theater, has a plot of peace in the Middle East and an excellent ending. Well worth the price.

Great.......2000-04-25

This book has three excellent titles in one. A must buy and a great price too.

Outstanding.......1999-03-11

Great. Clancy's three best books in one. Impossible to put down as you never know what is going to happen next.

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The Sum of All Fears
Tom Clancy
Manufacturer: Putnam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Similar Items:

ASIN: B000GR9C1U

Tom Clancy-9 Book Set (Clear and Present Danger, The Sum of all Fears, Patriot Games, Op-Center Mirror Image, Red Storm Rising, Raninbow Six, Net Force Night Moves, Op-Center Games of States, The Hunt for Red October)

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Tom Clancy-9 Book Set (Clear and Present Danger, The Sum of all Fears, Patriot Games, Op-Center Mirror Image, Red Storm Rising, Raninbow Six, Net Force Night Moves, Op-Center Games of States, The Hunt for Red October)
Tom Clancy
Manufacturer: Berkley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000O0PZ8I

King of Bombs: A Novel About Nuclear Terrorism

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Conspirarcy and Apocalypse in Stunning Techno-Thriller "King of Bombs"
Sensational Terrorism Thriller
Dramatizing the Danger of Nuclear Terrorism
Chilling and Riveting
King of Bombs. A terrifying novel of nuclear terrorism by Sheldon Filger

King of Bombs: A Novel About Nuclear Terrorism
Sheldon Filger
Manufacturer: AuthorHouse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1420860550

Book Description

King of Bombs is the story of a plot by a fanatical Islamist terrorist cell linked to Al-Qaeda, in alliance with North Korea and Iran, to bring about the downfall of America through a single, apocalyptic terrorist event.

Customer Reviews:

Conspirarcy and Apocalypse in Stunning Techno-Thriller "King of Bombs".......2006-05-22

A bizarre murder in Northern Ontario leads intelligence agents on a path that unveils a conspiracy that may lead to the worst terrorism nightmare since 9/11. "King of Bombs" compares with Dan Brown and "The Da Vinci Code" in its meticulous research, dark and chilling plot and suspenseful turns and twists. It is almost prophetic in its description of a presidential administration based on George W. Bush and Dick Cheney that is dysfunctional and massively incompetent in responding to growing evidence that Al-Qaeda is planning a nuclear version of 9/11 in its next attack on America. "King of Bombs" is not only an entertaining techno-thriller and espionage novel, it is also a disturbingly realistic insight into what could actually happen-unless we all take the threat of nuclear terrorism far more seriously.

Sensational Terrorism Thriller.......2006-05-03

Nuclear terrorism is a subject that keeps many awake at night. Filger's terrific novel, "King of Bombs," will not put any minds at ease. But it is a very intelligent, insightful, as well as entertaining thriller about the worst possible scenario for terrorism. The novel pits Al-Qaeda and its allies, Iran and North Korea, in a sinister yet ingenius scheme to destroy the United States as a world power, against an incompetent administration in Washington. The author has many twists and turns in the novel, keeping the reader guessing as to the final outcome. For anyone concerned about the direction of world events and the safety of America in the post-9/11 world, "King of Bombs" should be required reading.

Dramatizing the Danger of Nuclear Terrorism .......2006-05-02

Sheldon Filger's novel, "King of Bombs," provides the reader with an understanding of how real the threat of nuclear terrorism actually is. His characters are well constructed, the book fast-paced, with a plot loaded with intrigue, suspense and surprises. Some readers may object to the thinly-veiled George W. Bush as the U.S. President versus Osama bin Laden and Al-Qaeda, however, I thought this added much realism to this terrifying novel, and the book certainly makes one realize that nuclear terrorism is not a pipe dream, but something that could really happen. "King of Bombs" is an outstanding read, which I highly recommend to anyone worried about the direction of the war on terrorism and nuclear proliferation.

Chilling and Riveting.......2006-05-02

"King of Bombs" is a terrifying novel about nuclear terrorism. The author has clearly done extensive research on the subject. As the plot builds with suspense, Iran and North Korea conspire with Al-Qaeda in a scenario that is both frightening yet also highly plausible. You won't be able to put down this excellent novel. The ending has a shocking surprise. Well written with an amazing plot, "King of Bombs" brings home the threat of nuclear terrorism in a manner that is simply bone-chilling.

King of Bombs. A terrifying novel of nuclear terrorism by Sheldon Filger .......2006-03-06

King of Bombs is a first time novel by Sheldon Filger about nuclear terrorism. Filger is a native of New York City and, like all New Yorkers, the attack on the Twin Towers changed the way Filger looked at the world.

He began to wonder if a nuclear terrorist attack was feasible, and if feasible, exactly how could it be carried out.

On the jacket of the book Filger prints the following quote from Suleiman Abu Gheith, "We have the right to kill four million Americans - 2 million of them children."

And "If a bomb was dropped on them that would annihilate 10 million and burn their lands...this is permissible." -Sheikh Nasir bin Hamid al-Fahd, prominent Saudi cleric close to Al-Qaeda.

Chilling fiction? No. Those two quotes are chilling fact. They are accurate quotes from people close to or members of Al-Qaeda. Filger takes those pronouncements and weaves them into a chilling novel about nuclear terrorism.

The novel is not perfect. It is self-published and would have benefited from the attention of a skilled editor with a red pen. But that is not to say that the book is not a good read. Far from it. This book is a very good read.

It is gripping and the research Filger has obviously painstakingly undertaken is interwoven with the story to very good effect. There really was a Russian nuclear device called The Tsar Bomba ("King of Bombs") and the idea of terrorists obtaining nuclear material from a crashed USAAF bomber in Canada was told in such a way that it seemed plausible, as is the method they used to obtain the designs for the bomb.

The book, although written by an American rather intriguingly has the Canadian government and the Canadian Secret Service as the heroes attempting to track the terrorist bomb which is due to explode in New York. Aided by a renegade CIA agent who realises that his own government are too stupid to see that the terrorists do not propose to use a simple dirty bomb but a 100% accurate copy of the King of Bombs.

The novel does not pull any punches. The good guys use a South American torture expert to rip information from a Pakistani scientist, and the Canadian Secret Service operate illegally in America because the US government is too stupid to see the risk of the King of Bombs being detonated.

Of course, the good guys win through in the end. Well, they DO don't they? You will need to read the book to find out. But there is one hell of a twist to this novel, which I, for one, did not see coming.

It is published by Authorhouse and the ISBN is 1-4208-6055-0. It is available form Amazon UK at £14.49 for paperback and £25.49 hardback.

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The Sum of All Fears
Tom Clancy
Manufacturer: G.P. Putnam's Sons
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NY6O8U

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THE SUM OF ALL FEARS
TOM CLANCY
Manufacturer: Berkley Books, New York
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000IWRBZC

10 Book Collection of Tom Clancy: Red Storm Rising/The Cardinal of the Kremlin, Clear and Present Danger,The Sum of All Fears, Debt of Honor, Executive Orders, Rainbow Six, The Bear and the Dragon,The Red Rabbit,The Teeth of the Tiger, Into the Storm

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10 Book Collection of Tom Clancy: Red Storm Rising/The Cardinal of the Kremlin, Clear and Present Danger,The Sum of All Fears, Debt of Honor, Executive Orders, Rainbow Six, The Bear and the Dragon,The Red Rabbit,The Teeth of the Tiger, Into the Storm
Tom Clancy
Manufacturer: Putnam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000UGM1WY

Product Description

Red Storm Rising/The Cardinal of the Kremlin, Clear and Present Danger, The Sum of All Fears, Debt of Honor, Executive Orders, Rainbow Six, The Bear and the Dragon, The Red Rabbit, The Teeth of the Tiger and Into the Storm: A Study in Command

Set 12 Jack Ryan - Patriot Games Clear and Present Danger The Hunt For Red October The Cardinal and the Kremlin The Sum of All Fears Debt of Honor Executive Orders Without Remorse Rainbow Six The Bear and the Dragon Red Rabbit The Teeth of the Tiger

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Set 12 Jack Ryan - Patriot Games Clear and Present Danger The Hunt For Red October The Cardinal and the Kremlin The Sum of All Fears Debt of Honor Executive Orders Without Remorse Rainbow Six The Bear and the Dragon Red Rabbit The Teeth of the Tiger
Tom Clancy
Manufacturer: Berkley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000HYMUB6

Product Description

Customer Reviews:

Wolfe out on the range.......2002-03-06

It was delightful to encounter NW out and about, wearing a poncho, sitting on a rock, cooling his beer in a stream. And it was interesting to witness NW and AG interacting, at least for a brief time, as equals instead of employer and employee. But the story itself was nonsense. I hate it when there is no way for the readers (or in this case, even the detectives) to figure out who the culprit is with the means at hand. If you're looking for another fun adventure with Archie and Mr. Wolfe, pick this book up. But if you want to read a conventional, challenging whodunit, pass it by.

Nero Wolfe plays better at home than away.......2000-04-26

The review below describes the characters and I will not repeat it. In this book Nero Wolfe leaves his brownstone and established routine and goes to Montana to assist Archie. I had read the Rex Stout series some thirty years ago when I was in a hospital in Staten Island and the medicos were trying to stick a lymphoma diagnosis on me. (They were wrong.)It is fun to go back and spend time with my former friends Archie Goodwin and Nero Wolfe. Objectively, this novel is not as good as some others. The Montana characters are not very well defined and the plot is not what I would call a pageturner. However, it is enjoyable to read how Archie adjusts to and copes with the tyrannical and ultra-opinionated Wolfe. Also you will want to eat a Montana trout deal.

Orchids, logorrhea, and key-hole peeping.......2000-04-20

A quarter century ago while I was getting edified in college in Houston, I picked up a Nero Wolfe novel, on the recommendation of some journalist. Being rather methodical in such things, I found out that Mr. Stout had written quite a few novels, that the first Wolfe one was "Fer de Lance," and so I bought it. Start at the beginning; I was studying math after all. I liked the book, which I had gotten at The Book Den on Rice Boulevard, an establishment long gone in the yuppification of the Village and the John, the owner, no doubt gone too of age, had taken a shine to me and had ordered for all of the Wolfe novels, which I went through like a bureaucrat through your paycheck. Not a week goes by that I don't have a warm thought about this dead man. Some of my teachers and professors should be so lucky. Mrs. Schmidt, are you listening?

Wolfe is a hugely fat private detective in New York. He is Montenegrin, which features in the series, and which has given some piquancy to the (ever-constant) Balkan fighting exploding in the last few years. His amanuensis-and I think that I learned that word in this book-is Archie Goodwin, a controlled rakehell from Ohio. Wolfe is a genius and Archie is his legman. The other full-time occupant of the New York brownstone house is Fritz Brenner, the Swiss chef and house keeper. Wolfe grows 10,000 or 20,000 or 40,000 orchids-one of the few slight inconsistencies in Stout's own Wolfiana-on the roof of his brownstone in New York. He fights the police, hates to work, loves to eat, and is generally difficult.

But my God can he talk. Roll in the vocabulary; pluck out the recondite verbs and carpe dem nouns. I damned near wore out Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary-I have found a better dictionary since-looking up such as "demirep" and enjoying the words it's made of. (A denizen of the demimonde, or half-world +a reprobate.) Wolfe is a godsend if you're playing the dictionary game.

A word of warning. Wolfe is what I can best describe as High Tory, and Archie follows, not that I myself mind. Archie is much like a very proud tom cat: perfectly mannered, but on his terms. Utterly trustworthy, like my best friend Ron, but mannered like a good tom cat. Measure up to standards which he sets for everyone, including himself, and he is your ally. Miss Manners would like him, I think.

Had this book come out now, about 2/3 of a century later, people would no doubt have sniggered about "homoeroticism," which in this case means that three men live together in a house and that the emotional relationships are amazingly intense. But very well controlled.

Every Wolfe novel or short novel ends in a confrontation in the office, with Archie setting the stage, arranging seating, providing a bar, and mostly steering people to the chairs that he wanted. He was a control freak before the term was invented. As I said, a cat. Wolfe makes a dramatic entrance, the tableau set, and using nothing but the power of his brain, solves the case, often with so little to go on that it is a true cliffhanger, if you really care. Me, I like the atmosphere.

The series was continued by his daughters' permission by a Mr. Robert Goldsmith, who is pretty good with the details of that particular brownstone universe, but whose essential meanness has revealed his politics. Archie never once said something to wound unless he felt that propriety was lacking. And then he snubbed; he did not want to injure. Mr. Goldsmith's Archie does.

I hope that you enjoy the Wolfe as much as I have. They sit decomposing on the shelf behind me, just as I sit decomposing in front of you.

But I warn you: the gastronomy is seductive. The cooking is of French standards of a hundred years ago but it is intriguing, and set me off. Time to cook a French garlic sausage I made over the weekend. Thank you Mr. Wolfe.

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Stout, Later

The huckleberry murder

One of my favorites
Death of a Dude
Rex Stout
Manufacturer: Bantam
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
Stout, Rex | ( S ) | Authors, A-Z | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
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The Father Hunt

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ASIN: 0553762958
Release Date: 1995-01-02

Customer Reviews:

Stout, Later.......2005-10-18

This is almost the end of the line for Rex Stout and Nero Wolfe. By this time (1969) Stout has become an institution and, sadly, a little out of the mainstream. He'd resolved that his characters would never age, and they don't. However, the world around them has changed so much...

So it makes great sense for Rex to become Tex, and send Nero and Archie out to the wild, wild west. Things don't change here. Men are men, and women know their place.

It's a little similar to "Too Many Cooks," where Wolfe has to curb his irritations and be deferential to a host, whether or not he perceives himself to be a jewel resting on a cushion of hospitality. He's out west, and his pride does not allow him to show his discomfort.

Wolfe winding down...it's sad to see fewer witty and memorable lines, but always great to see Archie and Wolfe working as only they can...

The huckleberry murder.......2002-06-26

Despite the title, this story has (slightly) more to do with _The Father Hunt_ than with _Death of a Doxy_; the research compiled by Amy Denovo on Lily Rowan's father is now being turned into a book. One of Archie's fellow guests during his vacation at Lily's ranch in Montana (the Bar JR) is Wade Worthy, the biographer who's working on James Rowan.

However, the dude of the title was Philip Brodell, who had returned to the area after seducing Alma Greve the year before - Brodell was found dead from a shot in the back on a huckleberry-picking expedition. Alma's father Harvey is now in jail, charged with murder, but Lily and Archie are convinced he's innocent, since they've both known him for years (see "The Rodeo Murder" in _Three at Wolfe's Door_). Archie takes an unpaid leave of absence from Wolfe until the case is finished. Wolfe, of course, isn't prepared to have Archie gone for an open-ended length of time, so after pulling a few strings to find out exactly what the case against Harvey is, he appears unannounced at the Bar JR soon after receiving Archie's letter, and he and Archie get to work on the investigation.

It's cool to see Wolfe loosen up a little; as a guest in someone else's domain, he'd be violating his personal standards if he took his eccentricity too far. (Archie, after watching him a little, says it's obvious Wolfe promised himself not to complain about the food no matter what.) Archie, for his part, has made friends over years of vacation visits to Lily out here: to name two, Woody, who runs what he calls the Hall of Culture (the dance hall and cinema pieces of it support him) and can hold his own in dinner conversation with Wolfe, and Carol, the wife of the accused and an ex-rodeo performer herself, who doesn't have a bible in the house to swear on, so she uses a saddle she won at the height of her career.

Some other neat touches include, but are by no means limited to: the guests at the dude ranch where the victim was staying; checking up on the alibi of Brodell's would-be rival for Alma Greve's affections, involving a history teacher, some chickens, and a roofing company; and a hilarious little passage wherein Archie takes time out to discuss censoring one of the wranglers' commentary on Brodell, a deserving victim if ever there was one.

One of my favorites.......1998-11-26

A later Nero that holds up very well. For dialogue between Wolfe and Archie it is one of the best and could be the funniest of them all. I have reread it several times and it is always fun.

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Death of a Dude
Rex Stout
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Death of A Dude
Rex Stout
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Death of a Dude
Rex STOUT
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Death of a Dude

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Death of a Dude
Rex Stout
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Death of a Dude
Rex STOUT
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Death of a Dude

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Death of a Dude
Rex Stout
Manufacturer: Viking
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