Entertaining and quick reads, these are the perfect thrillers for a summer or vacation. The 1979 release, which was a sequel to a 1965 book, managed to maintain the charm of the character despite the passage of time. In fact, the character seemed to be just as likeable as ever. What's more, this sequel is less dated than the first one. It takes the reader behind the curtains of the racing and betting industry in England, offering a fascinating glimpse into a world that would be quite interesting even to a non-horsey person. Sid Halley is one of the two series written by Dick and later continued by Felix. Their novels were adapted into a six-episode television series. Produced by Yorkshire Television, the series aired between November 1979 and January 1980, captivating audiences with its thrilling storyline and engaging characters.
Community Reviews
His personality is like a multifaceted diamond, presenting a different aspect from every angle. At times, he can be tough and unyielding, yet at other moments, he shows signs of emotional repression. Is he cowardly or brave? The answer is both, as he displays qualities of both in different situations. He can be persistent to the point of being foolhardy, but that determination also drives him forward. The inside line on horses is, of course, a given in these books, but this particular one takes the reader on an exciting adventure that includes hot air ballooning as an added bonus. It's not just a story about horses and racing; it's a thrilling and engaging read that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Overall, this book is an entertaining and satisfying read, truly top-notch. It offers a unique blend of action, drama, and character development that will leave you eagerly anticipating the next installment in the series.
I dreamed that I was running in a race.
There was nothing strange about that. I had ridden in thousands.
It was an obstacle race. Before my eyes, in a rainbow of colors, horses, jockeys, and miles of green grass paraded. I crouched as I passed through stairs, in a wild gallop beside the crowded stands where the oval and flushed faces of people appeared as blurry pink spots.
Their mouths were open and, although I couldn't hear any sound, I knew they were shouting.
They were shouting my name to make me win.
Victory meant everything. Victory was my purpose. That's why I was there. That's what I wanted. That's why I was born.
In the dream, I won the race. The shouts turned into applause and the ovations lifted me on their wings, like a wave. But victory was everything; the losses didn't matter.
I woke up in the darkness, as often happened to me, at four in the morning.
It was quiet. No ovation. Just quiet.
I still felt the movements of the horse and the tremors of the two tense bodies joined into one whole. I still felt the stairs enveloping my soles, I still felt the clenching of my thighs, the balance of my body, my head glued to the horse's neck, stretched out, the tail that entered my mouth and my hands clenched on the reins.
At this point, the second awakening followed, the real one. It was the moment when I moved, opened my eyes, and remembered that I would never ride in any race again, ever. The pain returned so strongly, as if everything had just happened. The dream was a dream for people with whole bodies.
I dreamed it quite often.
A cursed and meaningless thing.
Life was, of course, something completely different. You get rid of dreams, you get dressed and do what you can with today.
The story follows ex-jockey, now detective Sid. He is determined to save his wife from going to jail and uncover the mystery behind why a particular trainer's horses all seem to perform lacklustre races when they are tipped as hot favourites. Additionally, he has to sort out a crooked syndication ring, try his hand (the only one he has left) at hot-air ballooning, and salvage his battered self-respect along the way. All of these storylines might or might not be part of the same pattern, which leads to some truly interesting situations.
We were initially set to sail home winning by several furlongs, but the ending was disappointingly lacklustre, to say the very least. After all of that buildup, Francis refused the last fence. I actually had to check to make sure my batteries hadn't run down because I simply couldn't believe that the last sentence was indeed the end. It was neither credible nor coherent with the "evil genius" characters that were created in the first part of the book.
The moral that seems to emerge from this is that all one has to do is keep that upper lip stiff and show no emotion at any time, and one will come out smelling like a rose. Or, as in the case of this book, more like organic fertilizer.
Simon Prebble's reading of the audiobook was excellent, as always. However, even his remarkable performance could not save that lacklustre ending.
About a week ago, I put up a status stating that from then on, I was going to work at reducing my TBR (To Be Read) list which had reached an astonishing 3000+. This is still the case, starting with my next book. However, this particular one was not on my TBR. It is my first Dick Francis read. I chose to read it because he was my Father's favorite author for a long time. Sadly, after a long and arduous battle with cancer, I lost my Father just a couple of weeks ago. Reading this book is my way of connecting my favorite pastime with him.
This book was an enjoyable read. In the context of today's thrillers, it may not be overly exciting, but it was a good, quick crime story. Most of you will know that Dick Francis was once a steeplechase jockey in England and later became the author of many crime novels centered around the racing industry. At least one of his books was related to my hometown when the story involved the Melbourne Cup in Australia.
This particular book is part of the Sid Halley series. Sid was a fictional champion jockey whose career was cut short after a devastating fall. His crushed left hand had to be replaced with bionics. However, his love for the racing field never waned, and when he became a private detective of sorts, he focused on crimes within the industry. In "Whip Hand," Sid is dealing with a suspicious case of horse nobbling. Three of a trainer's champion horses fail to perform in their big races, even though they were almost unbeatable favorites.
The storyline is not overly complex, and the scenes do move quickly from one to another, giving the impression that perhaps research was not Dick Francis's strong point. However, as I mentioned earlier, it was a fun and quick read, and I would read another one to break up some of my heavier reads. Unfortunately, the ending felt a bit rushed, as if Francis didn't know exactly how to conclude it. It also felt a little like downplaying Agatha Christie's work. Dick Francis will always be a prominent name in the crime writing genre, just like Agatha Christie. He wrote many books over a distinguished career, so perhaps this one wasn't the best one to start with. I'm sure to read another one and will probably approach it with different expectations of a fun read rather than a tightly plotted thriller.
R.I.P Dad 1948 - 2018.
I discovered this old Dick Francis novel within my Little Free Library and promptly snatched it up. The reason being that I don't possess this particular book, yet I have a sneaking suspicion that I might have perused it at some point in the past. Titled "Whip Hand", the story revolves around an ex-jockey who has now transitioned into the role of a detective. He had unfortunately lost his hand in a horse crash and, as a consequence, he sports a bionic hand. Throughout the reading, I was certain that at one moment he was going to swing his metal hand at some nefarious individual, and lo and behold, I was proven right. However, the physical state of the book is rather poor. It is literally falling apart, with numerous groups of pages completely detached from the spine. Additionally, the pages have turned a very yellow color, indicating its age and perhaps a lack of proper care.
