Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Stephen Hunter has long been one of my favorite writers but he is sorely trying my patience after his last two releases. His first book or two, back in the eighties, I'm thinking The Master Sniper, were OK, but then he wrote the first Bob Lee Swagger book, Point of Impact, and it, and everything that came after until 47th Samurai, was six star genius. In fact, Stephen Hunter became my favorite writer, even edging out James Lee Burke, and Hunter's novels Dirty White Boys and Pale Horse Coming are two of my favorite books ever. I bought half a dozen copies of Pale Horse Coming so I could give them as treasured presents to my brothers and friends. Then came 47th Samurai, a ridiculous excuse for a book in many ways, and ruined what had been a run of stupefyingly good books for many years. I'll forgive an author, particularly Hunter, for a bad book once, but with the release of Night of Thunder, I have to say I am officially ticked off and offended. This book would have been a three star book if it had been written by a new author, but for a talented veteran like Hunter, this is one or two star fare at best and I can't help but feel betrayed. Why are so many good writers releasing such sub-par books in the last two years? Where is the pride one should have in accomplishment? Is it just about money now? This feels a little like finding Shakespeare cranking out harlequin romances simply because it pays better. Shame on Stephen Hunter for foisting this pap on us. The man who writes Pale Horse Coming should have more pride than to publish a book like this. In Night of Thunder, Bob Lee's oldest daughter is forced from the road in attempted vehicular manslaughter in Tennessee and is in a coma. Bob goes to investigate and ultimately finds a clan of Arkansas criminals trying to commit a heist at a Nascar race. They tried to kill his daughter to keep the plan from coming out so Bob gets to shoot them all by the end of the book. So what is bad about this book? Everything. Bob Lee has gone from a three-dimensional complex and cunning character to a cartoon, the villains are also cartoonish and speak in some kind of argot which is supposed to be Southern but which isn't. They don't use contractions and speak long convoluted sentences beyond their intellectual capability. The plot is direct, simple and ultimately cartoonish too. So no character development, stupid unbelievable villains, lame plot. Can you tell I'm upset? I've purchased every Stephen Hunter novel the day it was released in hard cover for the last ten years. No more. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me. If you want a great "guy" reading experience go back to Point of Impact and start reading forward from there. Stop when you get to 47th Samurai and do not read it. It will ruin all the wonderful times you had up until then. Certainly do not bother with Night of Blunders. I think Hunter needs to stop writing about the Swaggers now and move on. I hope he writes a new novel that restores my faith in him, but I will wait for paperback for his next book and check the reviews before I even buy that. This book is strike two for Hunter, and if his next book is strike three then I am done.