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Total Control
Sidney Archer has the world. A husband she loves. A job at which she excels, and a cherished young daughter. Then, as a plane plummets into the Virginia countryside, everything changes. And suddenly there is no one whom Sidney Archer can trust.
Jason Archer is a rising young executive at Triton Global, the world's leading technology conglomerate. Determined to give his family the best of everything, Archer has secretly entered into a deadly game of cat and mouse. He is about to disappear - leaving behind a wife who must sort out his lies from his truths, an aircrash investigation team that wants to know why the plane he was ticketed on suddenly fell from the sky, and a veteran FBI agent who wants to know it all.
From Seattle to Washington, D.C., from New Orleans to Maine, the hunt for Jason Archer follows a trail as complex as the world he lived and worked in - a world of enormously powerful computers, a multimillion-dollar takeover deal, titanic financial standoffs, artificial intelligence, and the Internet. With brilliant minds colliding, ruthless men waging battles of intimidation, rainmakers going toe-to-toe with killers, and security specialists making a fortune trying to plug the holes, the startling truth behind Jason Archer's disappearance explodes into a sinister plot with the murder of the country's single most powerful individual. And soon Archer's wife, Sidney, aided by the relentless and sharp-eyed FBI agent Lee Sawyer, will plunge straight into the violence that is leaving behind a trail of dead bodies and shocking, exposed secrets...
Jason Archer is a rising young executive at Triton Global, the world's leading technology conglomerate. Determined to give his family the best of everything, Archer has secretly entered into a deadly game of cat and mouse. He is about to disappear - leaving behind a wife who must sort out his lies from his truths, an aircrash investigation team that wants to know why the plane he was ticketed on suddenly fell from the sky, and a veteran FBI agent who wants to know it all.
From Seattle to Washington, D.C., from New Orleans to Maine, the hunt for Jason Archer follows a trail as complex as the world he lived and worked in - a world of enormously powerful computers, a multimillion-dollar takeover deal, titanic financial standoffs, artificial intelligence, and the Internet. With brilliant minds colliding, ruthless men waging battles of intimidation, rainmakers going toe-to-toe with killers, and security specialists making a fortune trying to plug the holes, the startling truth behind Jason Archer's disappearance explodes into a sinister plot with the murder of the country's single most powerful individual. And soon Archer's wife, Sidney, aided by the relentless and sharp-eyed FBI agent Lee Sawyer, will plunge straight into the violence that is leaving behind a trail of dead bodies and shocking, exposed secrets...
720 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
8673 people are currently reading
14685 people want to read
About the author
David Baldacci
244 books123k followersDavid Baldacci has been writing since childhood, when his mother gave him a lined notebook in which to write down his stories. (Much later, when David thanked her for being the spark that ignited his writing career, she revealed that she’d given him the notebook to keep him quiet, "because every mom needs a break now and then.”)
David published his first novel, Absolute Power, in 1996; the feature film adaptation followed, with Clint Eastwood as its director and star. In total, David has published 52 novels for adults; all have been national and international bestsellers, and several have been adapted for film and television. David has also published seven novels for younger readers. His books are published in over 45 languages and in more than 80 countries, with over 200 million copies sold worldwide.
In addition to being a prolific writer, David is a devoted philanthropist, and his greatest efforts are dedicated to his family’s Wish You Well Foundation®. Established by David and his wife, Michelle, the Wish You Well Foundation supports family and adult literacy programs in the United States.
A lifelong Virginian, David is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of Virginia School of Law.
David published his first novel, Absolute Power, in 1996; the feature film adaptation followed, with Clint Eastwood as its director and star. In total, David has published 52 novels for adults; all have been national and international bestsellers, and several have been adapted for film and television. David has also published seven novels for younger readers. His books are published in over 45 languages and in more than 80 countries, with over 200 million copies sold worldwide.
In addition to being a prolific writer, David is a devoted philanthropist, and his greatest efforts are dedicated to his family’s Wish You Well Foundation®. Established by David and his wife, Michelle, the Wish You Well Foundation supports family and adult literacy programs in the United States.
A lifelong Virginian, David is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of Virginia School of Law.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,505 reviews
July 4, 2010
Long wait til suspenseful ending, rather preposterous plot...
Maybe our expectations were set a little high after reading the author's great thriller "Absolute Power" and his almost as good "Simple Truth". Unlike those stories where at least we cared about the protagonists and the plot had some cohesion, "Control" takes a awful long time to plod toward a thrilling finale. Unfortunately the events that unfold to get us there are extremely far-fetched, with the allegedly intelligent leading lady super-lawyer, Sidney Archer, little more than a gun-totin' housewife with hardly a clue throughout the whole tale.
The plot sounds like movie pabulum: a zillionaire tycoon has merged with a techno-geek's dream-works, and now they're in a competition to take over another firm of great internet marvel. Sidney, and hubby Jason, a technocrat putting together a lot of details to support the deal, get caught up in the struggle, and soon a plane crash leads the players (but not us readers, who know he's up to something seemingly sinister) to believe Jason was among the fatalities. What follows is an almost endless "chase" between all variety of petty thugs, hired killers, ex-FBI and FBI type hotdogs, with a wealth of dead bodies strewn about by book's end. Flying planes and driving cars in snowstorms too severe to shut the airports and roads pose no problem for our stars, typical of the silly suspensions of reality we must endure to get through this.
We know Baldacci can do better from his other novels. This book looks like something written on contract: it had to get out; it had to be 700 chilling pages; it had to have non-stop action no matter how preposterous. Oh, and don't waste time fleshing out the characters to make them seem real - after all, this is a fantasy. When it takes us two weeks to get through a "thriller", we know something's wrong.
Maybe our expectations were set a little high after reading the author's great thriller "Absolute Power" and his almost as good "Simple Truth". Unlike those stories where at least we cared about the protagonists and the plot had some cohesion, "Control" takes a awful long time to plod toward a thrilling finale. Unfortunately the events that unfold to get us there are extremely far-fetched, with the allegedly intelligent leading lady super-lawyer, Sidney Archer, little more than a gun-totin' housewife with hardly a clue throughout the whole tale.
The plot sounds like movie pabulum: a zillionaire tycoon has merged with a techno-geek's dream-works, and now they're in a competition to take over another firm of great internet marvel. Sidney, and hubby Jason, a technocrat putting together a lot of details to support the deal, get caught up in the struggle, and soon a plane crash leads the players (but not us readers, who know he's up to something seemingly sinister) to believe Jason was among the fatalities. What follows is an almost endless "chase" between all variety of petty thugs, hired killers, ex-FBI and FBI type hotdogs, with a wealth of dead bodies strewn about by book's end. Flying planes and driving cars in snowstorms too severe to shut the airports and roads pose no problem for our stars, typical of the silly suspensions of reality we must endure to get through this.
We know Baldacci can do better from his other novels. This book looks like something written on contract: it had to get out; it had to be 700 chilling pages; it had to have non-stop action no matter how preposterous. Oh, and don't waste time fleshing out the characters to make them seem real - after all, this is a fantasy. When it takes us two weeks to get through a "thriller", we know something's wrong.
July 23, 2025
Sometimes I am surprised when I discover I haven’t read a Baldacci. And, then I am even more surprised when it is a stand-alone, like this one.
And, what makes this one so interesting, it is an older novel, written just a year after Baldacci gained notice with his first novel, “Absolute Power” which spent about 4 months on the New York Times best-seller list, at the time.
This one, in true Baldacci fashion only takes 5 pages before the action is clearly set with a plane crash that kills everyone on board. It doesn’t take long for readers to meet our main protagonist, lawyer, Sidney Archer, whose life will be inevitably changed because of it.
And, what did her husband have to do with this plane crash? And, why are their more dead bodies being dropped amongst the pages of this story?
Will teaming up with FBI Agent Lee Sawyer help to uncover the truth?
This story will feel like a roller coaster ride through dangerous people and secrets. There are some places within the story where readers will need to suspend disbelief, but other than that (which may be a big ask at times), it feels like we are watching an action movie in which Baldacci is in charge – or should I say, total control, every step of the way. Just let yourself go with it. If, willing.
And, what makes this one so interesting, it is an older novel, written just a year after Baldacci gained notice with his first novel, “Absolute Power” which spent about 4 months on the New York Times best-seller list, at the time.
This one, in true Baldacci fashion only takes 5 pages before the action is clearly set with a plane crash that kills everyone on board. It doesn’t take long for readers to meet our main protagonist, lawyer, Sidney Archer, whose life will be inevitably changed because of it.
And, what did her husband have to do with this plane crash? And, why are their more dead bodies being dropped amongst the pages of this story?
Will teaming up with FBI Agent Lee Sawyer help to uncover the truth?
This story will feel like a roller coaster ride through dangerous people and secrets. There are some places within the story where readers will need to suspend disbelief, but other than that (which may be a big ask at times), it feels like we are watching an action movie in which Baldacci is in charge – or should I say, total control, every step of the way. Just let yourself go with it. If, willing.
August 7, 2024
¡Pero qué bien me lo he pasado! 🙂
Enganche total desde el minuto uno. Trama fascinante y ritmo frenético. Pasa páginas total.
Siendo cabal, pondría 4 estrellas, pues hay algunas fantasmadas de película. Pero me lo he pasado tan bien, que tengo que poner 5 estrellas.
Dice la sinopsis:
Cuando Sidney Archer despidió a su marido, el cual iba a tomar un avión rumbo a Los Ángeles, no podía sospechar que para ella comenzaba una nueva vida.
En primer lugar, el avión se estrelló; las investigaciones posteriores revelaron que había sido víctima de un sabotaje; después descubrió que su marido había supuestamente robado secretos de la empresa en la que trabajaba para venderlos a la competencia.
Pero con todo ello, apenas si habían comenzado sus tribulaciones: las múltiples sospechas que recaen sobre su marido colocan a Sidney en el punto de mira del FBI, que la considera cómplice de él. Pero además, la convierten en objetivo de una cacería implacable, un acoso en el que todos los caminos que llevan a ella están sembrados de cadáveres. El trofeo: controlar las redes de información del siglo XXI."
No puedo añadir mucho más a lo que se dice en la sinopsis, para no destripar la historia.
Lo que sí puedo decir es que la trama se va liando cada vez más. Intervienen muchos personajes: desde abogados, altos directivos, FBI, altos funcionarios, ex agentes, matones, hasta vecinos, amigos, familia, etc. Con varios escenarios. Los personajes están muy conseguidos. Como he dicho antes, hay alguna que otra fantasmada, como por ejemplo lo listos que son Sydney Archer y Lee Sawyer, pero que se asimila muy bien.
Entretenimiento puro 👌
Enganche total desde el minuto uno. Trama fascinante y ritmo frenético. Pasa páginas total.
Siendo cabal, pondría 4 estrellas, pues hay algunas fantasmadas de película. Pero me lo he pasado tan bien, que tengo que poner 5 estrellas.
Dice la sinopsis:
Cuando Sidney Archer despidió a su marido, el cual iba a tomar un avión rumbo a Los Ángeles, no podía sospechar que para ella comenzaba una nueva vida.
En primer lugar, el avión se estrelló; las investigaciones posteriores revelaron que había sido víctima de un sabotaje; después descubrió que su marido había supuestamente robado secretos de la empresa en la que trabajaba para venderlos a la competencia.
Pero con todo ello, apenas si habían comenzado sus tribulaciones: las múltiples sospechas que recaen sobre su marido colocan a Sidney en el punto de mira del FBI, que la considera cómplice de él. Pero además, la convierten en objetivo de una cacería implacable, un acoso en el que todos los caminos que llevan a ella están sembrados de cadáveres. El trofeo: controlar las redes de información del siglo XXI."
No puedo añadir mucho más a lo que se dice en la sinopsis, para no destripar la historia.
Lo que sí puedo decir es que la trama se va liando cada vez más. Intervienen muchos personajes: desde abogados, altos directivos, FBI, altos funcionarios, ex agentes, matones, hasta vecinos, amigos, familia, etc. Con varios escenarios. Los personajes están muy conseguidos. Como he dicho antes, hay alguna que otra fantasmada, como por ejemplo lo listos que son Sydney Archer y Lee Sawyer, pero que se asimila muy bien.
Entretenimiento puro 👌
February 26, 2021
A large, intricate plot and a lot of suspenseful scenes. Also had a lot of technical detail and was well researched. I felt it was a bit too long, but it was still good.
March 12, 2020
This was the second book I've read by Baldacci in the last two months and I must say I love this author. He is one of my favorites. I have probably read more books by him than any other one author. But then there's a but. This book was just like the last one I read, although they were different in that the last one was part of a series and this one was a stand alone. Too many acronyms, too many characters to keep up with and too many long chapters. But I will still give the book 4 stars because I do enjoy his stories and this was one with all kinds of legal and corporate tie ins with the story and of course the FBI.
December 21, 2018
This should be rated 4.5 stars. Book deals with corporate espionage concerning computers and that was the only detraction. Baldacci keeps the plot at a fast pace throughout and the finish is in doubt up to the last minute. Highly recommended, especially to Baldacci fans.
July 10, 2008
This is my one and only review of a recently behind the curtain reading of this WAY overrated pop suspense writer. I thought the characters were incredibly shallow; one dimensional, and not one elicited any empathy and/or sympathy on my part. Fine, it's a successful lawyer mom and a successful company executive dad who finds himself involved is some nefarious secretive hush hush fiasco in a corporation, a cover up, and a phony death. Okay you're not holding my interest; in fact, you're boring me to death. A great writing faux pas: DO NOT TELL ME; SHOW ME! And that's another problem with this, uh, book? Baldacci tells because he seems unable to show through the characters themselves. This isn't third rate or a fourth rate book; it just isn't entitled to be rated. It make a temporary leg support to your coffee table perhaps; however, paperbacks can only hold up under the worst circumstances--this one doesn't!
YUCK!
YUCK!
April 24, 2017
This was a fast paced, action packed thriller that kept my attention until the end. Actually, I thought this could have been a good movie.
Sometimes, I lost track of the characters, however, there was enough places within the plot where the characters and plots are summarized and it brought me back on track again.
I liked both they characters Sydney and Lee. Sydney, although vulnerable, has a very strong personality which probably comes from her legal background.
Lee is an exceptional agent with an open mind and does not give in to the pressure of solving the case as quickly as possible. He truly is looking for the truth. But....he is attracted to Sydney and I believe he is working hard to deny it.
The underlying themes within the book are computers, cyber security, Federal Reserve and our country's economic sensitivity. All very interesting subjects and since this book was published in 1997, I am reminded how far we have come in our computerized world.
It's been a while since I have read a Baldacci. After reading this book, I am reminded how good of an author he is.
Sometimes, I lost track of the characters, however, there was enough places within the plot where the characters and plots are summarized and it brought me back on track again.
I liked both they characters Sydney and Lee. Sydney, although vulnerable, has a very strong personality which probably comes from her legal background.
Lee is an exceptional agent with an open mind and does not give in to the pressure of solving the case as quickly as possible. He truly is looking for the truth. But....he is attracted to Sydney and I believe he is working hard to deny it.
The underlying themes within the book are computers, cyber security, Federal Reserve and our country's economic sensitivity. All very interesting subjects and since this book was published in 1997, I am reminded how far we have come in our computerized world.
It's been a while since I have read a Baldacci. After reading this book, I am reminded how good of an author he is.
August 24, 2013
PROTAGONIST: Sidney Archer, attorney; Lee Sawyer, FBI
RATING: 4.0
WHY: Jason Archer works for a huge technology firm, whose secrets he may or may not have stolen. He's taking a secret trip to LA, which he's lied about to his attorney wife, Sidney, and switches to a Seattle flight at the last minute. The LA flight is sabotaged, and all aboard die. Sidney tries to sort out the truth of the situation and is eventually aided by an FBI agent, Lee Sawyer. Although the book was over 500 pages, it held my attention throughout. The main negative for me was the action-packed conclusion which felt like an out of control western shoot-em-up. And I could have used a lot fewer tears along the way.
RATING: 4.0
WHY: Jason Archer works for a huge technology firm, whose secrets he may or may not have stolen. He's taking a secret trip to LA, which he's lied about to his attorney wife, Sidney, and switches to a Seattle flight at the last minute. The LA flight is sabotaged, and all aboard die. Sidney tries to sort out the truth of the situation and is eventually aided by an FBI agent, Lee Sawyer. Although the book was over 500 pages, it held my attention throughout. The main negative for me was the action-packed conclusion which felt like an out of control western shoot-em-up. And I could have used a lot fewer tears along the way.
May 14, 2015
A very thrilling novel, the plot keeps thickening until the very end, many twists and turns. I found some parts of the story to be kind of confusing and hard to follow but it all comes together in the end. The book was a little longer than necessary I thought some parts were kinda slow but it was still a good book.
Highly recommended to Baldacci fan's.
Highly recommended to Baldacci fan's.
February 23, 2018
A great premise that is undermined by fantastical plot twists that defy belief.
There is such a thing as too much. Total Control, much like sugar, will cause a tooth ache of the brain.
The "are you being being serious" question repeats like a sledgehammer when all you want is contemplation.
There is such a thing as too much. Total Control, much like sugar, will cause a tooth ache of the brain.
The "are you being being serious" question repeats like a sledgehammer when all you want is contemplation.
July 6, 2017
Really liked this thriller-- my favorite Baldacci yet. The two protagonists, Sidney Archer and Lee Sawyer prove to be very good partners despite the fact that they often seem to be on opposing sides. I especially enjoyed how resourceful Sidney was and the ways she finds to survive the search to find out what has happened to her missing husband. Is he dead or isn't he?
There are many characters in this books and many twists and turns, but it is written clearly enough that when you find out how all the threads come together you can see how the plot thickened. j
Great book to listen to on a summer road trip!
There are many characters in this books and many twists and turns, but it is written clearly enough that when you find out how all the threads come together you can see how the plot thickened. j
Great book to listen to on a summer road trip!
January 31, 2009
I am not sure now how I happened to have this book, but it was one on my 'clearance' shelf. At over 700 pages, it was too long. The story became tedious after a while - I just wanted to get to the end and be done with it. I was hoping for a real page-turner, but it wasn't. I was expecting better.
February 22, 2017
If all of David Baldacci's novels are as riveting as the first two, I will have to expand my reading time. The twists and turns of good guys and bad keeps your eyes on who else will fall from grace or become a real hero. This guy can write.
January 8, 2012
Jason Archer is upto something, but you don't know what. The plane he is supposed to be on mysteriously falls from the sky killing everyone on board. The authorities and his employers soon start to blame Jason for sabotaging the aeroplane. His wife Sydney is left to try and pick up the pieces and figure out what's going on.[return][return]Overall, I loved this book. It was a first rate thriller that pushes the right buttons, the pace is fast but not too fast that you get whiplash, and you actually care about what happens to the characters. Combine the realistic American setting and the power plays between the rich and powerful, and you have all the makings of a first rate thriller. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes a good thriller.
December 23, 2017
I don't care if the plot lines were far-fetched, it was a page turner for me until the end. Escapism reading, which is what I needed right now. Many characters and twists & turns kept one guessing about who were the bad guys
December 7, 2018
This is so good, it is hard to put it down! David Baldacci knows how to keep the reader up in the air and wanting more. So many twists and turns. Didn't know who did the deed until the very end.
August 1, 2020
Οικονομικά εγκλήματα, βιομηχανική κατασκοπία, εκβιασμοί, φόνοι... Στο στοιχείο μου με λίγα λόγια! 😁
Αργεί να πάρει μπρος, αλλά η συνέχεια σε αποζημιώνει.
Αργεί να πάρει μπρος, αλλά η συνέχεια σε αποζημιώνει.
October 2, 2009
The book is a typical David Baldacci thriller with just the right amount of suspense and emotions. I won't explain the plot here, it would be too complicated and long. I won't tell you that this novel enabled me to see shades of Ludlum, Mary Higgins Clark and Patterson - all at the same time.
What I will tell you is that I'm writing the review of this 720 page paperback as the timer on my computer screen says 04:41 hours and that I'd started reading it from my bookmarked page 325 at 00:35 hours. This is what Baldacci will do to you, no matter how hard you try to resist it.
What I will tell you is that I'm writing the review of this 720 page paperback as the timer on my computer screen says 04:41 hours and that I'd started reading it from my bookmarked page 325 at 00:35 hours. This is what Baldacci will do to you, no matter how hard you try to resist it.
May 28, 2013
This is the first David Baldacci book I have read and I plan to read more. The story, characters and writing are first class and kept my attention the whole way through. It appears this is the only book with Lee Sawyer as the lead investigator or to feature Sydney Archer. Will move on to the other stand alone books.
July 6, 2022
3,5/5⭐
Una novela de la primera época de Baldacci. No es tan buena como La Ganadora o como Poder Absoluto, pero tiene todos los ingredientes de este autor, la intriga, la acción, los giros y un buen desenlace. Muy entretenida.
Una novela de la primera época de Baldacci. No es tan buena como La Ganadora o como Poder Absoluto, pero tiene todos los ingredientes de este autor, la intriga, la acción, los giros y un buen desenlace. Muy entretenida.
September 5, 2024
3.5. A little dated but still holds up.
November 7, 2017
Sr. FBI field agent Lee Sawyer is called out to a crash site of flight 3223 bound for LA from Dulles National Airport. The passenger plane with 176 people aboard plus a flight crew of 7 takes a nose dive from 35,000 ft. shortly after takeoff, crashing in the Virginia countryside, killing everyone aboard. One of the passengers, Arthur Lieberman, the Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board happened to be one of those unfortunate souls on board. George Kaplan, lead investigator from the NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) is assigned to investigate the crash. Finding the right wing of the plane a few miles from the crash site, Kaplan calls his old friend at the FBI, Agent Sawyer. It appears now the crash could be construed as a terrorist act to kill Lieberman.
The same morning Jason Archer informs his wife Sidney, he must leave on an unexpected trip to LA, while she's on her way to NY to negotiate the purchase of a high tech company for Jason's employer. Hearing of the crash, Sidney rushes home to see Jason's valise on TV, pulled from the wreckage. Distraught, she heads to the crash site and ends up knocking Agent Sawyer down in her hurry to find her dead husband's belongings.
The stage set, Total Control is about the world of high tech espionage and intrigue. Baldacci in his masterful way, weaves the story and plots in such away that it's hard to set this book down.
Sidney, a beautiful blonde badass attorney finds out her husband lied and was not on the flight to LA but ends up in Seattle where a video shows him handing over a briefcase of information to some mysterious men in black topcoats and sunglasses in a dark warehouse.
Agent Sawyer ends up working both cases and in the process interviews Sidney and immediately is caught up in her beauty and pain. The companies involved in the espionage try to pin everything on Sidney's husband and eventually implicates her as well.
The story starts slow but quickly picks up speed and by halfway through I'm totally out of control. A great story and a thriller to the end. Another Baldacci success story.
The same morning Jason Archer informs his wife Sidney, he must leave on an unexpected trip to LA, while she's on her way to NY to negotiate the purchase of a high tech company for Jason's employer. Hearing of the crash, Sidney rushes home to see Jason's valise on TV, pulled from the wreckage. Distraught, she heads to the crash site and ends up knocking Agent Sawyer down in her hurry to find her dead husband's belongings.
The stage set, Total Control is about the world of high tech espionage and intrigue. Baldacci in his masterful way, weaves the story and plots in such away that it's hard to set this book down.
Sidney, a beautiful blonde badass attorney finds out her husband lied and was not on the flight to LA but ends up in Seattle where a video shows him handing over a briefcase of information to some mysterious men in black topcoats and sunglasses in a dark warehouse.
Agent Sawyer ends up working both cases and in the process interviews Sidney and immediately is caught up in her beauty and pain. The companies involved in the espionage try to pin everything on Sidney's husband and eventually implicates her as well.
The story starts slow but quickly picks up speed and by halfway through I'm totally out of control. A great story and a thriller to the end. Another Baldacci success story.
October 30, 2020
You absolutely cannot go wrong with a book by David Baldacci. I read audio books while I walk and couldn't wait for my morning walk to see what was happening in this fabulous and exciting book about Jason Archer who works in the tech industry and tells his wife Sidney he is heading to a job interview in L.A. She soon learns that the flight he told her he would be on has crashed and everyone has died.
The FBI finds out that the crash was intentional and the person who made it happen has been murdered. Was the plane crashed because the Fed chairman was onboard or was it due to something related to a tech take-over that Jason's firm had been working on? And had Jason been selling the firms secrets?
As always, the book is page-turning suspense and not very much is as it seems to be. The writing is brilliant. The character development is fantastic. The dialogue, detail, intrigue, cleverly built solutions to the puzzle pieces are fabulous.
The FBI finds out that the crash was intentional and the person who made it happen has been murdered. Was the plane crashed because the Fed chairman was onboard or was it due to something related to a tech take-over that Jason's firm had been working on? And had Jason been selling the firms secrets?
As always, the book is page-turning suspense and not very much is as it seems to be. The writing is brilliant. The character development is fantastic. The dialogue, detail, intrigue, cleverly built solutions to the puzzle pieces are fabulous.
September 24, 2018
I'm certain that almost all of us, at some point, have watched the generic, insipid, action popcorn flick which seems so far-fetched to the point we question if the movie should've been categorised as fantasy. This is the literary version of that.
I'm not gonna lie and say that this book bored me because it didn't. What it did was to make me feel stupid for kind of wanting to keep reading it instead of throwing it away. I don't know whether I would've liked this more if I read this when it was released; back in the 90s. What I do know is that I didn't like the book —eventhough I really wanted to read it all and get to the end and that Baldacci could've done better. In fact, he has done better.
This felt forced, far-fetched, insipid and tasteless.
Would have been a one star, but is a two star because regardless of all the negatives, I wanted to keep reading.
I'm not gonna lie and say that this book bored me because it didn't. What it did was to make me feel stupid for kind of wanting to keep reading it instead of throwing it away. I don't know whether I would've liked this more if I read this when it was released; back in the 90s. What I do know is that I didn't like the book —eventhough I really wanted to read it all and get to the end and that Baldacci could've done better. In fact, he has done better.
This felt forced, far-fetched, insipid and tasteless.
Would have been a one star, but is a two star because regardless of all the negatives, I wanted to keep reading.
February 9, 2013
I think this novel is too long and loses steam because of it. 6 of 10 stars
December 9, 2016
REVIEW OF AUDIOBOOK; DECEMBER 9, 2016
Narrator: George Guidall
This was a bit of a convoluted mess at times yet I came very close to giving it 5 stars (!!!). I didn't, in the end, because it went on too long, had too many characters, and was hard to follow even though the main premise was simple. I enjoy corporate espionage and intrigue but not when the developments are too complex to keep up with. In this case, as I said, the main plot is simple - Jason Archer is supposedly selling his company's confidential info (pertaining to their proposed buyout of another firm) to a rival. That's it in a nutshell, but Baldacci adds in murder, mercenaries, closeted businessmen and the Federal Reserve. To really keep one's interest, you'd have to (pun intended) know a little about interest rates and the central banking system. Just a teeny bit to appreciate the second mystery thread. So yes, Jason Archer's corporate treachery is just one thread. The two are connected but it took me a LONG time to unravel and fit things together.
This was one book where the reader is as clueless as the FBI since, very often, we can already guess who the bad guy is and the motive for the bad deed, be it murder or selling secrets. Apart from this rather major negative (the convoluted telling) it's a solid FBI investigation and the star of the show isn't Jason Archer but Lee Sawyer, the tortured FBI special agent, tormented not just by his broken family life but by his attraction to Archer's wife, Sidney (Sawyer's attraction is kept well in control and does not intrude in the story, in case you're wondering).
A little reminder: this book was published in 1997 so one has to bear with the explanations about email backups and pixels, etc, stuff back then we were just starting to get to know.
Ohh, Sidney. She's not just a smart lawyer but Rambo-in-heels. Who would've guessed? Normally, I would have found her type easy to dislike but not here. I did like Sidney, her unflagging devotion to her husband and her kickassiness.
I found Total Control unputdownable and carried my cellphone and bluetooth earphones with me even to the toilet throughout the two days and nights it took me to finish this 18-hour-plus audiobook. I did get rather irritated about having to use my Back Button several times simply because I couldn't follow the revelation, or some significant comment. I have not had to do that this many times for other audiobooks, ever. Any other book, I would have, undoubtedly, aborted. That I stuck firmly to Total Control is impressive to me. Still, much as I enjoyed this one, I'm going to have to listen to something much more straightforward to give my brain a rest.
PS: the romance-lover in me can't help but imagine Lee Sawyer and Sidney Archer getting together one day, when she's ready. For now I am satisfied Sawyer was a little less tortured at the close of the story.
Narrator: George Guidall
This was a bit of a convoluted mess at times yet I came very close to giving it 5 stars (!!!). I didn't, in the end, because it went on too long, had too many characters, and was hard to follow even though the main premise was simple. I enjoy corporate espionage and intrigue but not when the developments are too complex to keep up with. In this case, as I said, the main plot is simple - Jason Archer is supposedly selling his company's confidential info (pertaining to their proposed buyout of another firm) to a rival. That's it in a nutshell, but Baldacci adds in murder, mercenaries, closeted businessmen and the Federal Reserve. To really keep one's interest, you'd have to (pun intended) know a little about interest rates and the central banking system. Just a teeny bit to appreciate the second mystery thread. So yes, Jason Archer's corporate treachery is just one thread. The two are connected but it took me a LONG time to unravel and fit things together.
This was one book where the reader is as clueless as the FBI since, very often, we can already guess who the bad guy is and the motive for the bad deed, be it murder or selling secrets. Apart from this rather major negative (the convoluted telling) it's a solid FBI investigation and the star of the show isn't Jason Archer but Lee Sawyer, the tortured FBI special agent, tormented not just by his broken family life but by his attraction to Archer's wife, Sidney (Sawyer's attraction is kept well in control and does not intrude in the story, in case you're wondering).
A little reminder: this book was published in 1997 so one has to bear with the explanations about email backups and pixels, etc, stuff back then we were just starting to get to know.
Ohh, Sidney. She's not just a smart lawyer but Rambo-in-heels. Who would've guessed? Normally, I would have found her type easy to dislike but not here. I did like Sidney, her unflagging devotion to her husband and her kickassiness.
I found Total Control unputdownable and carried my cellphone and bluetooth earphones with me even to the toilet throughout the two days and nights it took me to finish this 18-hour-plus audiobook. I did get rather irritated about having to use my Back Button several times simply because I couldn't follow the revelation, or some significant comment. I have not had to do that this many times for other audiobooks, ever. Any other book, I would have, undoubtedly, aborted. That I stuck firmly to Total Control is impressive to me. Still, much as I enjoyed this one, I'm going to have to listen to something much more straightforward to give my brain a rest.
PS: the romance-lover in me can't help but imagine Lee Sawyer and Sidney Archer getting together one day, when she's ready. For now I am satisfied Sawyer was a little less tortured at the close of the story.
May 18, 2020
I couldn't get through this book (and I've already read it before!)
Yep, that's right. I've read this book once, I picked it up to read it again, and I barely survived.
I first read this book about two decades ago, right after I'd finished Absolute Power and I remember being completely blown away by both these books. I re-read Absolute Power a few years ago, and I still find it to be among the best thrillers I've read.
But this book? Oh God! I don't know what had changed this time around, but I found it a drag to get through. I plodded on painfully through the storyline, turning page after page of descriptions that simply did not add any value to the story.
How many times do you have to tell us that Sidney Archer is a looker?
Or that her husband was completely devoted to his family?
Or that the lead detective was a no-nonsense, upstanding fellow who didn't tolerate any BS?
Or that one of the characters is a power-hungry typical billionaire asshole who thinks you through enough money at someone and they can be bought.
About 1/3 of the novel is filled with elaborate descriptions on this, that and every other thing in the world. The gun, the table, the office, the restaurant, the people, the houses ... at one point, I actually felt like I was going through an instruction manual about a plane for the amount of content the writer had shared with me. :-/
As a reader, I understand that descriptions are important, but I start taking offence when a book makes me feel like I am sitting in a science lecture. The narrative definitely picked up in the second half and yes, it is an interesting story. But I am going to go ahead and remove it from the 'best thrillers I've read' list.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll go and pick up a real thriller and lose myself in it! :-)
Yep, that's right. I've read this book once, I picked it up to read it again, and I barely survived.
I first read this book about two decades ago, right after I'd finished Absolute Power and I remember being completely blown away by both these books. I re-read Absolute Power a few years ago, and I still find it to be among the best thrillers I've read.
But this book? Oh God! I don't know what had changed this time around, but I found it a drag to get through. I plodded on painfully through the storyline, turning page after page of descriptions that simply did not add any value to the story.
How many times do you have to tell us that Sidney Archer is a looker?
Or that her husband was completely devoted to his family?
Or that the lead detective was a no-nonsense, upstanding fellow who didn't tolerate any BS?
Or that one of the characters is a power-hungry typical billionaire asshole who thinks you through enough money at someone and they can be bought.
About 1/3 of the novel is filled with elaborate descriptions on this, that and every other thing in the world. The gun, the table, the office, the restaurant, the people, the houses ... at one point, I actually felt like I was going through an instruction manual about a plane for the amount of content the writer had shared with me. :-/
As a reader, I understand that descriptions are important, but I start taking offence when a book makes me feel like I am sitting in a science lecture. The narrative definitely picked up in the second half and yes, it is an interesting story. But I am going to go ahead and remove it from the 'best thrillers I've read' list.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll go and pick up a real thriller and lose myself in it! :-)
May 26, 2016
Thriller - Sidney Archer has the world. A husband she loves. A job at which she excels, and a cherished young daughter. Then, as a plane plummets into the Virginia countryside, everything changes. And suddenly there is no one whom Sidney Archer can trust. Jason Archer is a rising young executive at Triton Global, the world's leading technology conglomerate. Determined to give his family the best of everything, Archer has secretly entered into a deadly game of cat and mouse. He is about to disappear - leaving behind a wife who must sort out his lies from his truths, an aircrash investigation team that wants to know why the plane he was ticketed on suddenly fell from the sky, and a veteran FBI agent who wants to know it all. The hunt for Jason Archer follows a trail as complex as the world he lived and worked in - a world of enormously powerful computers, a multimillion-dollar takeover deal, titanic financial standoffs, artificial intelligence, and the Internet. Soon Archer's wife, Sidney, aided by the relentless and sharp-eyed FBI agent Lee Sawyer, will plunge straight into the violence.
May 12, 2018
Total Control is one book with too many stories. While it’s not difficult to follow, it seems completely preposterous that all of these stories would even occur to begin with...much less be linked.
The main character is Sidney Archer. She’s beautiful, intelligent, a successful attorney and mother. Her husband makes some poor choices with bad people and she ends up in big trouble. Despite her great intelligence, she repeatedly makes very poor decisions landing herself in more and more trouble. Don’t worry though! She can handle a gun, outwit the bad guys just in time, fight off the bad guys too (again just in time!), and the bad guys will also let her go free sometimes. There’s also a plane crash, several murders, and a lot of bad dudes. Note: if you suspect someone is a bad dude, he is.
I had a hard time keeping up with the characters. I had to go back a couple times to remind myself who someone was. Also, the book went on far too long and was poorly edited.
As an aside, reading this book so many years after its original publication made the story much less intense. The references to floppy disks and America Online were funny to see.
The main character is Sidney Archer. She’s beautiful, intelligent, a successful attorney and mother. Her husband makes some poor choices with bad people and she ends up in big trouble. Despite her great intelligence, she repeatedly makes very poor decisions landing herself in more and more trouble. Don’t worry though! She can handle a gun, outwit the bad guys just in time, fight off the bad guys too (again just in time!), and the bad guys will also let her go free sometimes. There’s also a plane crash, several murders, and a lot of bad dudes. Note: if you suspect someone is a bad dude, he is.
I had a hard time keeping up with the characters. I had to go back a couple times to remind myself who someone was. Also, the book went on far too long and was poorly edited.
As an aside, reading this book so many years after its original publication made the story much less intense. The references to floppy disks and America Online were funny to see.
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