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(Unknown Binding)


3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)

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Product details

  • Unknown Binding
  • ISBN-10: 0007220847
  • ISBN-13: 978-0007220847
  • Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)

Product Description

Synopsis

There's a killer in all of us. The tense, suspense-packed follow up to the internationally bestselling thrillers "The Straw Men" and "The Lonely Dead". Ward Hopkins' past come backs to haunt him with a vengeance when an ex-CIA colleague tracks him down, desperate for help in solving a bizarre series of events. Meanwhile Ward's brother, the serial killer known as the Upright Man, has escaped from prison - where he was awaiting trial for murders beyond number. And Hopkins' erstwhile ally, former homicide cop John Zandt, is still on the trail of the organization which killed his daughter and Ward's parents. The further John investigates, the more extraordinary the secrets he uncovers. The shadows are gathering, and across America sinister forces are stirring. Only Ward, John and FBI agent Nina Baynam stand against this tide, and against the Upright Man - who now has a grudge against just about everyone in the world. It's only a question of where the next killings will start! and whether they will ever stop.

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Customer Reviews

10 Reviews
5 star:
 (4)
4 star:
 (2)
3 star:
 (3)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
3.9 out of 5 stars (10 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Not bad for a serial killer novel :-), 31 Mar 2006
By Mr. S. Crook "porkycat" (North of the M25) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Blood of Angels (Paperback)
Generally I give them I wide berth because they are usually derivative nonsense. However, there's enough conspiracy theory stuff in this and the earlier books to make them interesting and the serial killer is just part of the plot, not *the plot*. All three novels make heavy use of converging plotlines which may not be to all tastes, but I like them and these hang together quite nicely. The dialogue is sharp, and over the three books the characters are developed quite well. I didn't much like the pages of pontifcation the various main characters have on the meaning of life the universe and everything, but they're not too heavy and relatively short.

Personally, I think the criticism levelled by other reviewers is misguided. The characters and plot have been carefully developed and for me at least the various threads are sufficiently resolved even if they're not as tidy as some might like, and it's done without blocking off the possibility of more 'Straw Men' novels.

Don't read this book unless you've read the other two as there's a lot of backstory that will make this one a more enjoyable read, and although MM tries to fill in the essential details you're going to lose a lot if you start here.
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18 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Back on form......., 11 July 2005
By Andrew Ramsay (Bristol, UK) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Blood of Angels (Hardcover)
As a previous reviewer commented "if only Michael Marshall could produce a book a month....". I couldn't articulate it any better myself!

This book is everything the Lonely Dead should have been. The multiple stories that ultimately collide are brilliantly written and keep the reader engaged throughout. The secret of this book's success is that you care about what is happening. Whilst I enjoyed the Lonely Dead, the second story within it did not captivate me, hence I lost interest and focused upon the main thread - that of the trio's search for The Upright Man. Blood of Angels makes you want the best for the newly-introduced characters - although you always have a feeling that they will ultimately end up victims within the tangled web that surround the society known as the Straw Men.

Perhaps this is the attraction of Marshall's books. He is not afraid to introduce you to a character, develop their personality, pshyche etc then kill them off. A criticism often levelled at other writers is their characters become stale, predicatable even. Marshall has yet to be accused of this.

My only criticism of the book is its reliance upon previous knowledge of the other two books - The Straw Men and The Lonely Dead. Whilst it is not a bad thing to have read them, not everyone purchases books in the order they were written.

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13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Not as good as the old Michael Marshall, 4 Jan 2006
By Mr. A. M. Mcdonald "blaizemcleod" (Lancashire, United Kingdom) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: Blood of Angels (Paperback)
Previously, Michael Marshall was a sci-fi/horror writer, who has taken a brave step of switching genres with 'The Straw Men' Trilogy (of which Blood of Angels is the third) which is a straight out and out thriller.

Whilst Michael's writing is as good as ever, I can't help but feel that he struggled writing this third book; whilst the plot builds up nicely with interesting twists at the end of each chapter the ending simply falls flat and is horribly open-ended without providing much in the way of resolution. In my mind it's a 'answers provided in the next novel' type story and that's where the problem lies.

Writing as Michael Marshall Smith his stories (the fantastic Spares, the sublime One of Us and a brilliant short story collection) are wonderfully inventive and written with style and verve. With book three of The Straw Men Trilogy everything feels diluted and washed out, as though Michael wasn't sure what to do with it. The characters are nowhere near as strong as previous novels and have, in my mind, struggled to develop over the three books.

Despite that it is a good read, and as an English author I feel we should be supporting our guys.

Look forward to the next one, which I've heard will be a horror. Can't wait!

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding sequel from a true master of suspense.
I had read 'The Straw Men' some time ago, eagerly followed by 'The Lonely Dead'- the two prequels to this story by the same author. Read more
Published 3 months ago by R. Cooper

4.0 out of 5 stars Third Book in the Straw Men Series
Michael Marshall is a new author to me but apparently has been quite prolific in his writing of Sci-Fi books under the name of Michael Marshall Smith, which I assume is his real... Read more
Published 21 months ago by J. Chippindale

3.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyed but there is a warning
I think I must start off by saying that this book is rather good, but I didn't realise when I bought it that it was the last in a trilogy, there were times that during this... Read more
Published on 21 Mar 2006 by Gary Woodfine

2.0 out of 5 stars Awful Ending
This is as well written as the previous two, but the ending is terrible. He spends most of the book setting up the Lee John character as though he has some grand purpose, when in... Read more
Published on 14 Nov 2005 by A. Barnard

3.0 out of 5 stars The conspiracy grows
Having been gripped by the premise of The Straw Men, I have read both follow-ups with eagerness but trepidation, and rightly so. Read more
Published on 11 July 2005

5.0 out of 5 stars Practically unputdownable
If only Michael Marshall (Smith) could knock out a book every month or so...

Once I start reading one of his books, I can't seem to stop reading, and then it's all over before I... Read more

Published on 29 Jun 2005 by kateykinz

5.0 out of 5 stars Cracking Book
I read The Straw Men in a matter of days, taking it to work to read and stealing a look at it when ever I could - so addictive was it. Read more
Published on 6 Jun 2005 by ged42

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