Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Gee, I almost feel like a traitor writing this. I'm a Preston/Child completist (individual novels included). I've been active on their Facebook page, where -- unlike other authors -- they've made it a point to read and respond to as many questions and comments as possible. So I feel a more personal connection to Doug & Linc than I do with any other authors. I wanted so much to love this new character and series. Alas, "Gideon's Sword" is easily the weakest effort of their careers. The whole thing feels "short." Short on substance and, especially, character development. Doug & Linc usually excel at breathing life and depth into their characters. Not here. The CIA agent is the most egregious example. But even Gideon, who benefits from a lengthy back-story which (somewhat awkwardly) opens the novel, just doesn't seem "real" to me. Any novel in this genre requires some Suspension Of (dis)Belief. But this story's "SOB" quotient is off the charts. There's plenty of page-turning action, but the overall experience is unsatisfying. If you're just discovering Preston & Child, DON'T start here. They're much better than this. Here's hoping "Gideon's Sword" is merely an example of the growing pains associated with stepping a bit out of your comfort zone and creating a brand new character and series. I'll sure be rooting like hell that that's the case! P.S. Please IGNORE any of the reviewer comments about the Kindle edition being a "short story." The Kindle edition contains the entire, 352-page novel. It also has a Q&A with the authors followed by a bonus novel from Brad Meltzer. That's why the Kindle says "38% complete" when you get to the end of the novel. It is NOT a "rip-off" by any means. As I mentioned above, "Gideon" FEELS short, but that's a subjective opinion based on content, not actual length.