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Here are comments from our group of Advance Readers about Raelynn Hillhouse's RIFT ZONE.
AZNikkiD@aol.com
What other suspense/thriller writers do you read?
Some of the other suspense/thriller/mystery writers that I read are: Dick Francis, Dorothy Gilman, John Grisham, Tom Clancy, Mary Higgins Clark and Michael Crichton.
What did you think of RIFT ZONE?
I liked RIFT ZONE a lot! It is set in a part of the world I know very little about, and the inside view given by Raelynn Hillhouse is fascinating. I especially liked Faith, the expert smuggler and protagonist of the book. Keeping track of all the different MfS and KGB agents with their differing agendas and aliases was a little confusing at times, but Hillhouse did a great job of keeping me moving through the story. A great added touch were the quotes from Khrushchev, Stalin, Marx and Gorbachev at the beginning of many of the chapters --- and the epilogue. I highly recommend this book to suspense/thriller readers!
Would you ever read a future title by Raelynn Hillhouse?
Yes, definitely!
bbernard@weather.com
What other suspense/thriller writers do you read?
My favorites are Alan Furst, Robert Wilson and Nelson DeMille. Also: John
LeCarre, Frederick Forsyth, Harlan Coben and Brad Meltzer.
What did you think of RIFT ZONE?
Thanks for letting me read RIFT ZONE.
Overall, I'd give it a C+. I found the Part 2 much more compelling than Part 1. I found the tension in Part 1 a bit uneven (not maintained), but the action in Part 2 kept me reading... on several nights, past the time when I should have turned off my lamp and packed off to dreamland. Bottom line: C for Part 1; B for Part 2.
Ms. Hillhouse did a very good job with her descriptions of the Cold War East Berlin and Moscow environments. Her dialogue was well written: lively, at times clever and humorous.
The biggest problem I had with the book was Faith's character. I felt neutral toward her. I didn't really get to know her or learn what motivated her. Why was it so important for her to find her long-lost father? Why did she risk her life to be a double agent? (She apparently was apolitical.) Why didn't she just go back to the West? There are lots of things a risk-taker/smuggler could have done rather than play high-stakes games with the Stasi and KGB.
Following up on the problem with Faith, I found many of the secondary characters to be more caricatures than characters. (But maybe I've read too much Alan Furst).
I also felt some of the circumstances for our heroes near the end of the book were perhaps a bit too fortuitous (e.g., boxes of anti-personnel mines in the room in which they were hiding, Zara's bird-watching night-vision equipment) but, as I said, Part 2 was a good read. Give my congratulations to Ms. Hillhouse --- I know how tough it is to get a debut novel published --- and tell her to keep writing.
Booksbyslwkayne@aol.com
What other suspense/thriller writers do you read?
What other suspense/thriller writers do you read?
My current favorites include Tami Hoag, Dean Koontz, Daniel Silva and M. J. Rose
What did you think of RIFT ZONE?
I thought RIFT ZONE was terrific. The subtle twists and turns of her writing are absolutely delicious. I constantly heard myself squealing with delight, "Oh, that is so good!" Hillhouse is proficient at "show, don't tell." The reader is engulfed in her world and moves right along with all of the action.
Would you ever read a future title by Raelynn Hillhouse?
I'd like to read every title Raelynn Hillhouse ever turns out.
kerin0874@yahoo.com
What other suspense/thriller writers do you read?
I read a variety of different genres but this is the first "spy thriller" that I have ever read.
What did you think of RIFT ZONE?
I was very impressed with this novel! I was drawn in right from the beginning and the book held my attention until the very end. What I would recommend to anyone who is planning on reading this novel is to read an interview with the author (such as the one on this site) first. Knowing the author's own story and how similar her own experiences are to the main character's makes the book so much more exciting.
Would you ever read a future title by Raelynn Hillhouse?
Yes, I definitely would!
Anonymous
What other suspense/thriller writers do you read?
James Patterson, John Grisham, Patricia Cornwell, Mary Higgins Clark.
What did you think of RIFT ZONE?
RIFT ZONE is a suspenseful spy novel with turns and twists on every page with just the right amount of romance added to it. I couldn't put it down. The book moves along at a fast pace, and there is never a dull moment. There are some surprises that you never see coming. I thought it was the best book I have read in a while.
Would you ever read a future title by Raelynn Hillhouse?
YES, Definitely!
MRJ1234@aol.com
What other suspense/thriller writers do you read?
Kathy Reichs, John Sanford, Ridley Pearson, Nelson DeMille, Stephen J. Cannell and Jeffery Deaver.
What did you think of RIFT ZONE?
I enjoyed the book very much. I liked the character development and I always like books that hop back and forth between two or more plot lines. I also have missed good stories about the cold war. Finally many writers now days write well but have no idea how to end their stories. No problem here.
Would you ever read a future title by Raelynn Hillhouse?
Without question.
quzy@mac.com
What other suspense/thriller writers do you read?
The top of my list right now is Tess Gerritsen and her Homicide cop Jane Rizzoli series. I also like Daniel Silva, and Dan Brown. I have read all of Patricia Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta mysteries too!
What did you think of RIFT ZONE?
Circumstances sometimes create change. And that is what happens to Faith Whitney --- first as a child born to a Bible smuggler who after a devastating experience decides that there are more important things to smuggle into Moscow than Bibles, thus setting into motion a life long profession for Faith --- then as a young smuggler herself who is coerced into smuggling for the East German's. But the package the East German's want her to smuggle is much different than the small antiquities she usually smuggles --- this package must be delivered within forty-eight hours or Faith will be killed. The only real persuasion she needs to do this is the promise of information about where to find her long lost
father. And so the game begins.
I found RIFT ZONE to be quite a page turner! I love the way Raelynn writes --- she held my attention throughout the book and it wasn't dry! I have found with spy thrillers that some writers can really get bogged down with extraneous details that can put you to sleep --- not with RIFT ZONE! I particularly liked the strong female characters Faith Whitney and Zara Bogdanov. They were portrayed with tough exteriors because of the world they worked in, but still remained feminine in their personal dealings.
Would you ever read a future title by Raelynn Hillhouse?
I would definitely read another book by Raelynn Hillhouse!
sbr@mysreader.com
What other suspense/thriller writers do you read?
I also read and/or have read Gayle Lynds, Robert Ludlum, Francine Mathews, Alan Furst, John Le Carre, Daniel Silva, and many more I can't think of at the moment.
What did you think of RIFT ZONE?
RIFT ZONE is a Cold War spy thriller filled with suspense, danger, and sexual tension. The plotting is complex, with enough twists and turns to keep the reader guessing and the pages turning. I found it fascinating to learn how the different intelligence agencies and agents interact with each other.
Would you ever read a future title by Raelynn Hillhouse?
Yes, I would definitely read more by Raelynn Hillhouse.
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