Customer Reviews

Tiger Reef

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The title above describes well Mckinna's writing style. Some authors are known for innovative or flashy writing styles that are as much a part of the story as the characters inhabiting the pages. But not here. Here Mckinna cuts to the chase, shoots from the hip, I could probaby think of a couple more cliches to describe his "to the point" style of narration. I guess you could say his lack of style is a style unto itself. It also lends itself to telling a story that needs no embellishment. He wisely lets the story drive itself along, and it does...without question. Instead, Mckinna spends his time developing characters which either endear themselves to you, or repluse you. As far as action adventure stories go, he does well putting characters you like, Ben and Sass, into a set of events that hook and drag you along. And the villian, he was as disgusting a character I've ever encountered in a novel and was fascinating as much as he was repulsive. Mckinna gets an A plus for character development here. The fact that he seems to know well what he is writing about, mainly the diving aspect, keeps you interested as well. I imagine many people picked up the book the first time for the same reason I did, and that was the dive related story line. I imagine a lot of Cussler fans read this one. Though not as much an international espionage story as Crash Dive, actually it wasn't at all, it stands up well as a character driven adventure. One word of caution, if you are squeemish, don't give this one a try. Mckinna plays hard ball, and pulls no punches when it comes to his villian. Ok, two more cliches there. The followup book Shark Lake was more in the same line as this, more character driven than plot jumbled. Which is good. Though it is a good effort to immitate Clancy's work, I believe the character centered stories that the series has developed into, will keep a loyal group of readers returning to the book isle at wal-mart, looking for the next installment in the series.

I'm back with another Ben Gannon review 'cause I like the author's style. I'm reviewing Tiger Reef as I read it (can you do that? I'm doing it.) So far so good. Another very appealing high adventure read, with intriguing characters and a big role for my favorite tough chick, Sass. That's heroic tough guy diver Ben Gannon's lady, in case you don't know. This book looks like it would be a good vehicle for a strong Demi Moore kind of actress. Warning: a particularly digusting bad guy in this novel. Just gross. No kissing desired. But the book's a winner. I recommend it.

I love a really good adventure, and Tiger Reef is one of those. A lot of fun to read. Likeable good guys and awful bad guys. This is part of a series so I'll be looking for more. Yippee! A new writer I can get into!

Holy Breath-Hold, Batman, what a great story!

I was on diving vacation in the Florida Keys when I found this book. This is simply the best action-adventure book I've read in a decade. My wife started it first in the hotel room and I practically had to rip it out of her hands. She finished it, then started to read it all over again! I got so into McKinna's story, the characters and the action, I stayed up until four sipping rum and reading. Tiger Reef is unputdownable. And the guy can write up a storm. There isn't a flat moment in the whole thing. This story's crying to be made into a movie. I'm hooked for life on this guy's stuff. What a great read.

Got this book for Christmas and read it in one shot. An updated old-fashioned adventure story on and in the South Seas, complete with AK-toting Sumatran pirates, killer squid, and really BAAAAD guys. Author McKinna keeps things moving quickly, the action fast and furious, not to mention funny. Like dark humor? This has it in spades. Good deep diving scenes too. You can tell the writer's a former pro. Now I gotta get the first book in the series, Crash Dive. This stuff would make a GREAT movie! Maybe Russell Crowe or George Clooney as Ben Gannon (the working class hero). This book is a real winner. Loved it.

Being a diver myself, I was looking for a good diving novel, this isn't one. The Hero is too perfect, very 2 dimensional as are all the characters... either very good or very evil and I found it difficult at times to even remember who was who. The plot is good and enjoyable but the 90% of storyline doesn't deal with the diving. Not a book I would recommend.

"Tiger Reef" is an okay read from the standpoint of adventure books, but I found the characters relatively shallow (no pun intended) and the ending to be predictable. At times it has the feel of a cheap movie. At other times it has a genuine urgency of adventure.

I really should have given this riveting read a 5 star but I just want to hold out because this new author is just getting better. CRASH DIVE was a really great, fun read - but TIGER REEF in some ways was better. For one reason is that Sasha was in this one more, and she is a cool character, beautiful but one tough cookie! I like that in a woman. Ben Gannon and her have a real good relationship and really help balance out the storylines. The story begins with them on a long voyage taking off right where it left off in CRASH DIVE. But its not long when they run into trouble with pirates and poachers, and the story just explodes off the page with this wonderful new writers charisma for storytelling that just is never slow or boring. Each chapter just builds up characters good and bad, and the action and adventure never stops. This is not a man's book either, women would love the love, action, adventure, and exotic locales which all blend together beautifully in this great series. My wife usually does not care to read this type of book but even she loved it. This is the kind of stuff that hollywood movies should be made of. Does anybody out there in movieland here me - this guys got sequels! A must read, and take it from me, a man who has read just about all genres for over 30 years, and a writer myself, this McKinna guy is great. His best is yet to come, watch out for him, I know I will.

As a longtime lover of underwater stories I must say that this one was very entertaining. The dialogue, though sometimes kind of corny was effective. Mckinna's straight-forward narrative style helps keep the reader interested, as do his fairly taut underwater scenes. The diving scenes in particular kept me turning page after page. As with all good books this one was a quick, easy and fun read. Highly recommended for travellers who want to lose themselves in an adventurous romp on a long flight!