The Whole Truth

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Customer Reviews:

I wish it was a better read.... [Posted on 2008-09-18]
I have previously greatly enjoyed a few other books by Baldacci and so I picked-up this one. Very few thrills here and a very simplistic and predictable read. Ho-hum. Where are the thrills in this "thriller"? I just could not find them. There area no shades of gray here either just a simple balck and white...aka: the good guys vs the bad guys. This author has and I'm confident will do better in the future.

A little too close to "the whole truth" for comfort [Posted on 2008-09-21]
Now that we all know how the White House "perception managed" us right into the Iraq War, Baldacci's story seems almost too plausible, too realistic, as if he's stolen his plot from newspaper clippings and recent history. Exchange "Ares" for "Haliburton," and it's not even fiction any longer.

I've never read Baldacci before, and I am pleasantly surprised by this book. His "hero" in this novel (A Shaw -- that "A" is not an initial, btw; the orphan had only his surname, so named himself "a Shaw") reminds me of one of my other favorite anti-heroes, Jack Reacher. Shaw's a bit more likable and, unlike Reacher, is actually able to make a connection with another human being; but they are both physically imposing, taciturn, intelligent men, both saving the world single-handedly, one-bad-guy-diverted, one-war-averted at a time. A note about Baldacci's characters in general: I'm listening to the audio version of this book on my commute. Perhaps the reader makes the characters come alive; unlike other reviewers, I find the main characters to be complicated and thoughtful. Even Nicholas Creel has his merits (he spends $80MM on a children's cancer hospital) and Katie, the alcoholic, intrepid, Pulitzer-prize-winning investigative reporter, is all too human as she sits facing a bottle of gin, a glass half-full of tonic and ice, and the dead Afghan child who haunts her.

I read a lot (which doesn't make me less picky) and this book had me hooked by the 2nd chapter. Hope A Shaw returns.

Another great read from Baldacci [Posted on 2008-09-26]
As usual David Baldacci does an excellent job of character development and making the plot understandable. Even though you know the good guys are going to come out ahead, there are enough twists and turns in the story to make some part of your brain doubt that and make you wonder what's going to happen next.

If you like Baldacci's previous books you're going to like this one.

Suspend disbelief and enjoy the ride [Posted on 2008-09-30]
The Whole Truth is a thriller about the head of a weapons manufacturing company (Nicolas Creel) who hires a perception management company to plant false information about Russian atrocities, with the aim of creating a Cold War between Russia and China that will cause all the world's superpowers to increase defense spending. At the same time, we are introduced to our hero Shaw, who works for an unnamed and mysterious international law enforcement agency. Shaw's fiancee, Anna, has suspicions about the false media reports and this will eventually lead to Shaw being pulled into a vendetta against Creel.

I read The Whole Truth while on holiday recently and after a slightly slow start, I thought it made an ideal fast-paced and mindless holiday read. Yes, the plot is fairly silly, but if you decide to just go with it, it's entertaining enough. I did get irritated by the cardboard characters throughout (one of whom never gets referred to as anything but "Miss Hottie") and the romance between Shaw and Anna never feels even remotely realistic.

My husband read this book after me, devoured it in a day and rated it more highly than I did. He also had far less problem with the characters than I did and was entirely comfortable with Shaw's mysterious occupation. While it sounds sexist, I do think this is a book than men will enjoy more than women. You can decide for yourself if that means that women are more discerning or perhaps that we are more innately critical. Having said that, the way that the book ends implies that there may be a sequel and if there is, I'd read it.

Political fiction [Posted on 2008-10-01]
This is a very interesting novel, intelligently written. The best I have read from this author. I highly recommend it. The plot is over political fiction that may one day convert into real if Russia continues its present aggressive posture

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