Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I've been an avid reader for over 60 years now, collecting thousands of (primarily) hard cover books written by authors who have impressed me with their story-telling skills, their intelligent plots and sub-plots, their cast of (usually unique) supporting characters, their ability to paint vivid pictures to help immerse me in their stories, their artful presentation of surprising (and sometimes shocking) twists and turns that cause me to reassess and reorganize my thoughts, and the clever use of words and phrases that can cause me to laugh out loud or shed an occasional tear. And it should be easy to see from my first long sentence that my use of "run on" sentences will always prevent me from being a writer. There are actually very few authors whom I have read (and collected) each and every one of their books. Greg Iles is one of them, along with Dennis Lehane, Stephen King, and James Lee Burke. I have enjoyed the works of several other authors over the years and then stopped reading/collecting them because they kept repeating the same formula (which became stale), their characters remained stagnant and failed to grow, or the impact they were once able to shock and surprise you with had disappeared from their writing. It was obvious in a few cases that "ghost writers" had stepped in and continued with their story lines when they were no longer able to write, which simply affirmed the use of formula writing. Greg Iles doesn't stand still. He continues to provide intelligent and well-researched stories that are grounded in the history of the Deep South. He doesn't paint a pretty picture with southern ladies and gentlemen, antebellum mansions, garden parties, and good-old-boy politicians. Instead Mr.Iles talks about the problems of the Deep South; the history of slavery, the Ku Klux Klan, the inequality of races, miscegenation, and various hold-outs of people who keep a grip on the old ways even today. His writing is gritty and realistic, impressive and depressing at the same time, and allows his readers to really understand what has happened over the past 150 years. He presents these historic events with passion and insight, excusing few for their actions and holding many accountable for perpetuating barbaric practices. After having passed through many generations, it is surprising that so many people continue to discriminate against those who were granted freedom from their owners so long ago. Mr. Iles writing periodically points out the places where water fountains had signs on them stating "Whites Only", back doors to stores had empty spaces on them where signs once read "Colored Entrance", and inhumane prisons often held minor offenders for the rest of their lives. It is not a pretty picture but instead points out the realities of racism that others would just as soon forget. It is ugly, it is brutal, and it is amazing that so few managed to take advantage of so many for such a long time. This particular book is not for the faint of heart. No punches are pulled, no words are minced, no stone goes unturned. Be prepared, be warned, and expect to learn some historical truths without any sugar-coating. , This is easily a stand-alone novel not requiring the reading of the previous two books in the trilogy. HOWEVER, you will miss two powerful novels that set the stage for the end of this book -- and I wouldn't want you to miss any of its impact.