Comments on: Book Review: John Verdon’s THINK OF A NUMBER

By: Bastiaan

Bastiaan — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 18:34:40 +0000

Is it just me? I love thrillers, I love books like this. I can’t put them down. Then just before the end, I felt that I had to close to book and not read any further. My reason? Well, the profanity. Why write: Jesus f… Christ? Is that really necessary, John Verdon and his Publisher? Does that add value to the book? John, would you write: f… Mohammed? or f… Buddha? Surely not. You go way down in my esteem John, despite your fantastic plot in your book. Am I alone? Yes, I am a Christian, but even if I was not! Bastiaan, South Africa.

By: Lisa Munley

Lisa Munley — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 03:14:57 +0000

Interesting review, and what a great conversation it ignited! Thanks so much for being on this tour. We really appreciate all the time that went into reading/reviewing Think of a Number!

By: Pop Culture Nerd

Pop Culture Nerd — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 00:56:58 +0000

Hooray! I'm so glad you liked it and completely understand your skimming the really nasty bits. They were so difficult for me to stomach. I think you'll like Fire even more. And check out the Tattoo movie which is out on DVD!

By: Shell Sherree

Shell Sherree — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 00:55:54 +0000

I LOVED ...the Dragon Tattoo ~ aside from a couple of sickening bits that I guess were crucial to the story but really got to me. Once I hung in there through the first chapter or so {I had to skim some of it in hopes the general gist would stand me in good enough stead as things progressed}, I couldn't bear to put it down. I'm heading to the library later this week to pick up The Girl Who Played With Fire.

By: LolosLetters

LolosLetters — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 21:29:01 +0000

I didn’t change ANYTHING. This site is possessed. But so long as you don’t tell me the number I’m thinking of, I think I’ll be able to get past it. 🙂

By: Pop Culture Nerd

Pop Culture Nerd — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 21:00:45 +0000

I originally wrote Lolo but after submitting my comment saw you’d written Lauren so I changed it. I like to address people by whichever name they use here.

Update: You’ve now changed it back to LolosLetters so perhaps I shall just address you as L.

By: LolosLetters

LolosLetters — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 20:50:55 +0000

Your review doesn’t need balancing! As I mentioned in our other discussion, and as Jen mentioned, I think Verdon has a little trouble fleshing out secondary characters. Hence his tendency to gloss over them and call them Tom Cruise or Sigourney Weaver or some other generalized characterization of what a cop looks like.

In this particular instance that didn’t bother me as it did you, because the plot and Dave and the writing in general was enough to keep me interested. Had that not been the case, I would have been more in your camp, I’m sure. And I’m a very internal person like Dave (just ask my husband), so I do relate to him with those issues. And as I said, that red herring might ruin the whole thing for me, we’ll see. Either way I didn’t like it.

As an aside, I found it weird that in the email alert sent to me I was referenced as Lolo, but in the comment here it says Lauren. Weird?

By: Pop Culture Nerd

Pop Culture Nerd — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 20:28:40 +0000

Jen and Lauren---I'm glad you're here to balance out my review. Thank you. Novelwhore---Why are you walking alone at night?? Please tell me you have pepper spray and brass knuckles in your purse. Shell---I'm still waiting to hear your thoughts on The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo!

By: Shell Sherree

Shell Sherree — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 00:30:54 +0000

That habit of the folks at crime scenes reminding fellow professionals not to mess up the evidence, or “bag that, please,” to someone holding up a bloody knife bobs up a lot in TV shows as well, and bugs me. That aside, it sounds somewhat intriguing, but I still have a To Read list I can’t jump over so I’ll probably shelve this one. Thanks for the helpful review, PCN!

By: Jen Forbus

Jen Forbus — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 15:20:52 +0000

Oops,just realized I left out a didn’t…the other characters didn’t come across stupid to me. Sorry about that.