The Camel Club (Camel Club, 1)

I have been a keen fan of the author for a very long time...I must have read every series he's written, and he's certainly written a few. So I started the Camel Club series with great anticipation. But oh dear...what a disappointment. At 38%, totally bored, I gave up. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would give up on a David Baldacci novel. This one has a confusing plot, confusing interaction between characters, and long tedious narratives. I tried..oh how I tried. I nearly gave up on several prior occasions but was determined to soldier on, in the hope that things would get better. But they didn't. If you enjoy, as I do, all the other Baldacci stories, don't be fooled into thinking that this one is as good. I'm afraid it's not.

This is a book of two parts. The first two thirds or so of the book are slow going, pretty dull and not a great deal happens. Of our four main characters in the Camel Club (a team of conspiracy theorists who act as a government watchdog), only one, Oliver Stone, is of any great interest. The other three, while having distinct character traits, aren't really developed and it took me most of the book to remember which one was which. The story follows them as they witness a murder, which is being investigated by Secret Service agent Alex Ford, a likeable and competent character. A few hundred pages in I was ready to give up on this as it just hadn't gripped me at all. Only my sense of determination kept me going, and I came to the conclusion that maybe I'd take a break from Baldacci, who until this book had been one of my all time favourite authors. Then literally on the next page it suddenly turned into an action packed high paced thriller with twists and turns, and the usual can't-put-it-down gripping action and drama that I love from Baldacci. I read the final third in a couple of evenings, whereas it had taken me a few weeks to get this far. I'm now tempted to look at the next in the series. I'm not sure why there was such a distinct change of pace, but I very nearly didn't make it to the good part, which just about made up for the hundreds of pages of drudgery. The first part of the book I'd give 1 star, the last part I'd give 5 stars, so I've averaged it out at 3 stars. The Camel Club characters aren't my favourite, but Stone at least has potential now we've finally found out who he is, so I probably will investigate book 2 at some point.

Much, much better than Divine Justice which I recently reviewed and was not that impressed, so I gave the series another go with this, Book One - The Camel Club. Great storyline and fast pacing especially in the middle third. The first third of the book was a tad slow for me but I'm glad I stuck with it. Baldacci still has this annoying trait of seeming to give his readers a history lesson in both politics and the history of Islam. It slows the story down unnecessarily because his treatise on either of those topics is exactly that: a treatise and not what I expect from a work of fiction. Yes, I did enjoy it but I'm unsure if I will go on to read any more in the series. This author is fine but he's nowhere near my favourite.

My Mother gave me her old Amos Decker books recently, and I enjoyed them so much I looked for another of Baldacci series to read. Based on some reader's recommendations, I found The Camel Club series, filled with really great characters and riveting, page-turner plots. I happily zoomed through all five of the Camel Club books and the novella in two weeks. These characters develop, evolve, disappear and re-appear in the course of the series, becoming more interesting with each new plot. That is not always the case with a series, but the Camel Club is special. I wish Baldacci had written more with this crew; I'll miss them. Highly recommended.

I am on the second book in the Camel series now because I truly enjoyed this book. I am also a writer (of business novels) and a former professor of English. This book scores on all levels. The four members of the Camel Club are unique and fascinating. The villains are almost as fascinating. The story moves quickly (but at a pace that allows the reader to savor all of the twists and characters). Baldacci has done quite a bit of research. I really enjoyed learning about the Islamic prayers, the yoga practices, and the background of "Hail to the Chief." The depth of these "lessons" is enough to keep one intrigued. He is great at making one see and understand both heroes and villains. The plot, though slightly outrageous, is still well within the bounds of exciting fiction. He's a prolific writer, so I plan to be entertained by him for the foreseeable future..