[Littlejohn]

I watched the movie last night, and I wasn't too impressed (I haven't read any of the books). It just didn't hold my interest until the last half-hour or so. In this case, I blame the script and the director, as I thought it was well cast (I almost always like Mark Harmon's work). The director has done some good work in the past, so I'm a bit surprised that this one fell so flat for me, particularly the dialogue. Maybe it's an argument for not letting directors do their own scripts.

Now I'm going to have to try the book to see if I like the source material any better. I generally do.

Mike

I would bet you'll like the book if you read it. As I mentioned earlier, I'd read the book first. And I think that, if I'd seen the movie first, I would have missed some key points of the story, which I was aware of, and didn't miss, when I watched the movie.

David

 

[Casper Parks]

Just finished reading, Sandford's "Bad Blood" part of the Virgil Flowers Series.

 

[Littlejohn]

Well I just finished reading Broken Prey, and enjoyed it a lot...about to buy, and begin, Invisible Prey...it got good writeups, will see what I think.  I don't thing the series is losing anything, so far...

David

 

[nmg222]

Well I just finished reading Broken Prey, and enjoyed it a lot...about to buy, and begin, Invisible Prey...it got good writeups, will see what I think. I don't thing the series is losing anything, so far...

David

Just finished Broken Prey myself. I thought it was one of the stronger in the series. Looking forward to Invisible Prey, and I believe, the introduction of the Virgil Flowers character. I have the first Flowers book and have been holding off until he was introduced in the Prey series.

 

[Littlejohn]

Just finished Broken Prey myself. I thought it was one of the stronger in the series. Looking forward to Invisible Prey, and I believe, the introduction of the Virgil Flowers character. I have the first Flowers book and have been holding off until he was introduced in the Prey series.

Well, as I've gotten sidetracked, if you get into Invisible Prey before I do, I'd like to get your thoughts, even if after only reading part of it...

David

 

[SidneyW]

I read some and listened to some on tape, cassette tape in fact. Goes back a while. I'm probably due to re-read some.

 

[Littlejohn]

Well, I finished Invisible Prey last night...I have to admit that I only finished it out of pure stubbornness, as I found it boring, boring, boring.  Oh, the first 15 percent was all right, and the last 10 percent, but most of the middle was too muddled or something.  But well, I'd paid ten bucks plus tax for it, so was determined to see it through.

I know this...no more Prey books for me, anytime soon.  Will have to find something else to read. 

David

 

[Sean Patrick Fox]

With the exception of book #11, Easy Prey, the Prey series is one of the most enjoyable mystery/cop series I've ever read. The writing is consistently good, the characters are likeable and mostly realistic, and the action is fast paced. My biggest gripe is that pretty soon Lucas Davenport is going to be too old to stop many bad guys!

I wish they'd make a movie or TV show out of the series (I'm not including the awful made-for-TV that they did make).

EDIT: Just read that they did make another movie, which I'll have to check out. Mark Harmon would not have been my first choice for Lucas (or even on the list, to be honest), but I'm still excited.

 

[Sean Patrick Fox]

I'm only twenty five minutes into the movie, and it's really bad. Casting and dialogue in particular are very poor. Will complain more fully after I finish 

 

[Littlejohn]

With the exception of book #11, Easy Prey, the Prey series is one of the most enjoyable mystery/cop series I've ever read. The writing is consistently good, the characters are likeable and mostly realistic, and the action is fast paced. My biggest gripe is that pretty soon Lucas Davenport is going to be too old to stop many bad guys!

I wish they'd make a movie or TV show out of the series (I'm not including the awful made-for-TV that they did make).

EDIT: Just read that they did make another movie, which I'll have to check out. Mark Harmon would not have been my first choice for Lucas (or even on the list, to be honest), but I'm still excited.

Well, different strokes for different folks, as they say. I just know that for me, no more Prey novels for a while.

David

 

[Sean Patrick Fox]

Well, different strokes for different folks, as they say. I just know that for me, no more Prey novels for a while.

David

Definitely. And it appears you're further along in the series than I am, so it might start to drag. Either way, I don't recommend the USA TV movie with Mark Harmon.

 

[Littlejohn]

Definitely. And it appears you're further along in the series than I am, so it might start to drag. Either way, I don't recommend the USA TV movie with Mark Harmon.

Well, I only know of one movie with Mark Harmon, saw it about a month ago. My reaction was that if I hadn't read the book first, which I had, that too many key points slipped by in the movie that would have been missed by someone who hadn't read the book. But still, being a HUGE Mark Harmon fan, I kinda enjoyed it....

David

 

[Littlejohn]

Well, in spite of what I said earlier, I did buy and read "Phantom Prey" and again, I had to force myself to finish it.  So, I wondered what had changed.  Went back and re-read the first Prey novel (Rules of Prey), and I was right.  Lucas Davenport was (at least for me) much better when he was single, no family, no 'family liabilities', and on his own.  I may re-read some of the earlier ones (Winter Prey is still my all-time favorite, but no more new ones for a while.  Too bad...where to look next?

David

 

[Sean Patrick Fox]

Well, in spite of what I said earlier, I did buy and read "Phantom Prey" and again, I had to force myself to finish it. So, I wondered what had changed. Went back and re-read the first Prey novel (Rules of Prey), and I was right. Lucas Davenport was (at least for me) much better when he was single, no family, no 'family liabilities', and on his own. I may re-read some of the earlier ones (Winter Prey is still my all-time favorite, but no more new ones for a while. Too bad...where to look next?

David

I'm not up to Phantom Prey yet, but I already agree with you. Lucas as a 50+ year old family man with a job that's more politics than law enforcement is not the character we were introduced to and fell in love with. I'll have to see how bad it is on #18 (Phantom Prey), but I got through #15 (Hidden Prey) pretty quickly. Not as good as the early books, but still enjoyable.

 

[Littlejohn]

I'm not up to Phantom Prey yet, but I already agree with you. Lucas as a 50+ year old family man with a job that's more politics than law enforcement is not the character we were introduced to and fell in love with. I'll have to see how bad it is on #18 (Phantom Prey), but I got through #15 (Hidden Prey) pretty quickly. Not as good as the early books, but still enjoyable.

Yep...and for me they just got worse as I went. Did really enjoy re-reading Rules of Prey, by the way.

But...the series has been so successful for John Sandford, I doubt there would be any way to convince him to 'go back in time. To bad...

David

 

[Andre Jute]

Yep...and for me they just got worse as I went. Did really enjoy re-reading Rules of Prey, by the way.

But...the series has been so successful for John Sandford, I doubt there would be any way to convince him to 'go back in time. To bad...

David

Speaking as a writer, I have to stand shoulder to shoulder with Sandford here: the quality starts suffering in a long series like that if the character doesn't develop; that's just the way literature works.

I've opened the Peter Temple thread for those who're finishing with Sandford...

 

[Littlejohn]

Speaking as a writer, I have to stand shoulder to shoulder with Sandford here: the quality starts suffering in a long series like that if the character doesn't develop; that's just the way literature works.

I've opened the Peter Temple thread for those who're finishing with Sandford...

Well, speaking also as a writer, I say it can be done. A character can mature while maintaining some things...For instance, Lee Child has taken his Jack Reacher character completely through the maturing process without bogging him down with a family, and all the responsibilities that go along with one...as did Robert B. Parker with his Spenser character. And those two writers have done quite well, I'd say.

David

 

[jaimee83]

I enjoyed the Prey Series...

Also, the new one "Virgil Flowers Series" a spin-off from the Prey Series. Have you read any of the Virgil Flowers stuff yet?

I've read them all over the years, really like Virgil Flowers, especially the latest book.

 

[Andre Jute]

Well, speaking also as a writer, I say it can be done. A character can mature while maintaining some things...For instance, Lee Child has taken his Jack Reacher character completely through the maturing process without bogging him down with a family, and all the responsibilities that go along with one...as did Robert B. Parker with his Spenser character. And those two writers have done quite well, I'd say.

David

Spenser in fact has a family, it's just not a wedded family, but it's roots, somewhere he can go and eat dinner, and who wouldn't want a BIG brother like Hawk to stand behind him - or to stand behind?

As for Reacher, I was sad when he became old and seedy, and we were offered his peers and subordinates in his Army days as comparisons of ex-soldiers who had adapted better to civilian life, in Bad Luck and Trouble. I thought that was unnecessary.

 

[Sean Patrick Fox]

I'd be interested to see Sandford do a prequel novel. A lot of times they don't turn out well, but I think he could pull it off. Something between the first five books, or before the series altogether.