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tomadavis53's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
rwarner's review against another edition
3.0
Fun read, but you just can't believe this stuff: protagonists who eat desserts, drink beer and wine, yet haven't an ounce of fat, move like cats, and never worry about making the rent payment or cleaning out the garbage disposal. A villain who is 100% evil, completely ruthless and unfeeling, yet integrates seamlessly into society--and who purposely gives his adversaries opportunities to escape or to kill him, instead of simply eliminating them. A hero whose fatal flaw is to be too self-sacrificing. Plot twists that depend on inside men being given the opportunity to save the day at the precise moment when all is lost. This is a guilty-pleasure page turner that can provide respite from serious reading.
cindypager's review against another edition
3.0
I found this second A. Shaw story a bit more gruesome than the first but that was due to the villain that was being pursued.
The most interesting aspect of the book, for me, was that Shaw wasn't the only one in pursuit. Another group, out of London, had different but equally strong reasons for pursuing this villain.
It's very touch and go as to who will dominate... the bad guy they're after knows no end to his cruelty.
Katie James, from book 1, resurfaces... in a very dangerous way.
The most interesting aspect of the book, for me, was that Shaw wasn't the only one in pursuit. Another group, out of London, had different but equally strong reasons for pursuing this villain.
It's very touch and go as to who will dominate... the bad guy they're after knows no end to his cruelty.
Katie James, from book 1, resurfaces... in a very dangerous way.
emp1234's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. Listened to this one right after #1 in the series. Ron McLarty read both and was very good. I like this one a little better than The Whole Truth.
raquelmozart_123's review against another edition
4.0
I don't know why the commotion of having some sexual topics, mild strong language, and very explicit violence scene is. I mean, the very first few chapters didn't aroused any feelings other than intrigue and it was clear as water that it wasn't erotica. Yes, one chapter in particular does have a strong and painful torture, but I guess that just enhances Evan's evilness. Personally, I think this book challenges the reader to think what is evil and why evil breeds in some of us. Not a lot of books can mentally challenge you to answer those questions while it entertains you. I must say that I never read about a character like Fedir Kuchin. He's charming, lethal, old, and strong. It's impossible to dislike him or to not fall for his ways. Yet, he's evil... yet, you see the reasons why he's evil. I recommend this book to any person that wants to be thrilled, see action, sparks of romance, and mystery all the way while you're challenged to understand evilness itself.
weaselweader's review against another edition
4.0
Extradition? We don't need no steenking extradition!
I doubt if anyone ever accused David Baldacci of writing literary masterpieces replete with symbolism, satire, social commentary, foreshadowing, onomatopoeia, allegory, alliteration, pathetic fallacy, subliminal moral messages or any of those things that our English teachers were wont to torture their students with. But if you're looking for a solid, entertaining thriller, a compelling plot line that is not only always innovative but can be counted on for an unexpected twist or three, and a series of educational, informative and always fascinating "info-dump" side bar essays that are used to further the plot without ever threatening to derail it or slow it down - then Baldacci's books are what you're looking for and DELIVER US FROM EVIL is no exception.
A. Shaw (Shaw contends that the A doesn't stand for anything at all!), a globetrotting undercover operative for a shadowy black ops quasi-government organization, delivers slippery bad guys to well-deserved justice anywhere in the world (Extradition? We don't need no steenking extradition!). This time around his target is Evan Waller, a wealthy Canadian businessman who has earned his pile human trafficking - selling Asian women into prostitution and sex slavery. When Waller stepped into the arena of international politics and terrorism by deciding to sell smuggled highly enriched uranium to a middle eastern terrorist cell, Shaw's controllers knew enough was enough and Waller became a takedown target. What Shaw doesn't know is that Waller is actually an alias for Fedir Kuchin, a savage, blood-thirsty, post WW II ex-KBG officer responsible for the deaths of thousands of Ukrainians in the period following WW II and Stalin's iron-fisted rule over Russia. As such, Kuchin aka Waller is the current target of a second undercover group whose mission is the termination of war criminals who have evaded justice and slipped through the world's cracks.
DELIVER US FROM EVIL tells a remarkable, hair-raising story of two undercover groups working unbeknownst to one another toward a similar end. And what they don't know about one another might be enough to allow a vicious, sadistic soldier who has obviously learned to survive against all odds to evade capture once again.
As you are relentlessly pulled through the story, take note of those side-bar essays - a brief history of a relatively unknown genocidal event, the Holodomor, the relentless "death by hunger" of thousands of Ukrainian dissidents and civilians; the technical details of the use of HEU (highly enriched uranium) versus plutonium in tactical nuclear weapons; the evolution of the bizarre artistry of the Spanish painter, Francisco Goy; a remarkable, vivid description of the bleak, semi-polar landscape of the coastal tundra of Labrador; and more.
It's worth observing that at the close of the novel, every last plot thread is tied up and closed out superbly. But there are a couple of open-ended ideas concerning the development of Baldacci's characters that would lead one to believe that Baldacci has a third novel in the series in mind. I'll look forward to that.
Highly recommended.
Paul Weiss
I doubt if anyone ever accused David Baldacci of writing literary masterpieces replete with symbolism, satire, social commentary, foreshadowing, onomatopoeia, allegory, alliteration, pathetic fallacy, subliminal moral messages or any of those things that our English teachers were wont to torture their students with. But if you're looking for a solid, entertaining thriller, a compelling plot line that is not only always innovative but can be counted on for an unexpected twist or three, and a series of educational, informative and always fascinating "info-dump" side bar essays that are used to further the plot without ever threatening to derail it or slow it down - then Baldacci's books are what you're looking for and DELIVER US FROM EVIL is no exception.
A. Shaw (Shaw contends that the A doesn't stand for anything at all!), a globetrotting undercover operative for a shadowy black ops quasi-government organization, delivers slippery bad guys to well-deserved justice anywhere in the world (Extradition? We don't need no steenking extradition!). This time around his target is Evan Waller, a wealthy Canadian businessman who has earned his pile human trafficking - selling Asian women into prostitution and sex slavery. When Waller stepped into the arena of international politics and terrorism by deciding to sell smuggled highly enriched uranium to a middle eastern terrorist cell, Shaw's controllers knew enough was enough and Waller became a takedown target. What Shaw doesn't know is that Waller is actually an alias for Fedir Kuchin, a savage, blood-thirsty, post WW II ex-KBG officer responsible for the deaths of thousands of Ukrainians in the period following WW II and Stalin's iron-fisted rule over Russia. As such, Kuchin aka Waller is the current target of a second undercover group whose mission is the termination of war criminals who have evaded justice and slipped through the world's cracks.
DELIVER US FROM EVIL tells a remarkable, hair-raising story of two undercover groups working unbeknownst to one another toward a similar end. And what they don't know about one another might be enough to allow a vicious, sadistic soldier who has obviously learned to survive against all odds to evade capture once again.
As you are relentlessly pulled through the story, take note of those side-bar essays - a brief history of a relatively unknown genocidal event, the Holodomor, the relentless "death by hunger" of thousands of Ukrainian dissidents and civilians; the technical details of the use of HEU (highly enriched uranium) versus plutonium in tactical nuclear weapons; the evolution of the bizarre artistry of the Spanish painter, Francisco Goy; a remarkable, vivid description of the bleak, semi-polar landscape of the coastal tundra of Labrador; and more.
It's worth observing that at the close of the novel, every last plot thread is tied up and closed out superbly. But there are a couple of open-ended ideas concerning the development of Baldacci's characters that would lead one to believe that Baldacci has a third novel in the series in mind. I'll look forward to that.
Highly recommended.
Paul Weiss
ellenanne101's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Would have been 5 stars if not for the God awful ending.
mrodgers's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.0
quiraang's review against another edition
3.0
Somewhat better than the first A. Shaw book, The Whole Truth. Better characterisation, and a decent plot, but not up to the standard of his other books. I wonder if there will be a third in the series?