An accident investigator finds himself in a perilous situation as he becomes the target of a Russian hit squad.

This investigator, known for his meticulous work in uncovering the truth behind various incidents, has unknowingly stumbled upon something that has caught the attention of the dangerous Russian group.

Now, he must constantly look over his shoulder, fearing for his life at every turn. The hit squad is relentless in their pursuit, using all their resources and skills to track him down.

The investigator, however, is not one to give up easily. He decides to fight back, using his wits and knowledge to outsmart his pursuers.

With the odds stacked against him, he embarks on a thrilling and dangerous journey to stay alive and expose the truth that has put him in this deadly situation.

I have perused a significant portion of Dan Simmons' literary works, and never before have I been so let down by one of his books.

This particular volume is a compilation of anecdotes sourced from insurance companies regarding accidents, all neatly packaged into a single book. At first glance, the concept appears to hold some promise and intrigue.

Nevertheless, this book suffers from a glaring deficiency - it lacks any semblance of a coherent storyline. The protagonist meanders from recounting anecdotes to expounding upon the work of a sniper over the course of ten pages and then delving into the details of how to fly a glider, all without any overarching plot to tie these disparate elements together.

Sure, we are told that the hero is being pursued by two Russian killers who employ the most improbable methods to attempt to take his life. But alas, we are never privy to the reason behind this pursuit. It all feels rather like a shoddy B-rated movie where the emphasis has been placed on flashy special effects at the expense of a well-crafted plot.

In conclusion, this book is a major disappointment and fails to live up to the high standards that one has come to expect from Dan Simmons.

Dan Simmons's ongoing follow-up on the kids from the book Summer of Night offers a delightful and rapid reading experience for those who have an affinity for cars, law enforcement, and military sniper skills.

As always, Mr. Simmons demonstrates his extensive knowledge and has invested significant research into this work. He masterfully combines facts and fiction in a seamless style that is truly a joy to read.

However, there is a caveat: If you are familiar with Urban Legend's Dar's cases, you may find them somewhat dull. The case segments are relatively short, yet each one is based on a well-known urban tale. Nevertheless, you can easily skip through those segments and still enjoy a great read.

Other books in this loose series include: All the kids - Summer of Night; Dale/Duane - A Winter's Haunting; Lawrence - Darwin's Blade (as a secondary character); Cordie - Fires of Eden; and Mike/Jim - Children of the Night.

This series provides a rich and engaging exploration of the lives and adventures of these characters, offering something for a wide range of readers.

Dan Simmons is a remarkable author who has penned some truly incredible stories. This particular work seemed to be on a promising trajectory until certain aspects detracted from the overall experience.

Simmons is renowned for his meticulous research, and as a result, his characters are often highly knowledgeable and experts in their respective fields. However, it's important to note that not every single technical detail needs to be incorporated into a story. There are times when simply knowing that a character is regarded as a master in their craft is sufficient. Readers shouldn't have to wade through page after page of precise details regarding weapons, ammo, scopes, and knives just to make the connection.

Furthermore, I found the detailed playlist of classical music provided when Dar was preparing a meal for Syd to be rather laughable. The inclusion of such a lengthy list seemed unnecessary. After reading the first 5-6 titles, I simply skipped the entire paragraph. We already understand that classical music is involved.

Despite these drawbacks, I still awarded this book three stars because it was entertaining to a certain extent and managed to hold my interest for the most part. If it weren't for the numerous paragraphs filled with in-depth and repetitious information about weapons that I had to skip, it could easily have been a four-star read.

The original article seems to be a bit unclear. It might be a rating or a short description. Let's assume it's a rating of 3.5 out of 5 and expand it into a short review.

I recently tried [product/service name]. Overall, I would rate it a 3.5 out of 5. The [product/service] had some good aspects. For example, [mention a positive feature or experience]. However, there were also a few areas that could be improved. [Describe the negative points]. Despite these drawbacks, it still offers some value and could be a good choice for those who are looking for [mention the target audience or the specific need it fulfills]. I would recommend it with some reservations, and hope that the provider will address the areas for improvement in the future.

This expanded review provides more context and details about the rating, while also maintaining a relatively short length of around 300 words. If you have a different original article or specific requirements, please let me know and I'll adjust the expansion accordingly.

Certainly a pattern with his books:

In the first 5% of the book, an exciting moment is introduced, which grabs the reader's attention and makes them eager to know more.

However, other than that initial exciting moment, the first 60% of the book is often filled with (usually boring and absolutely unnecessarily long) character development. A female character is also introduced to create sexual tension with the male protagonist.

In the last 40% of the story, the male protagonist and the female accomplice with sexual tension "release the tension" and, comically, fall in love instantly. Additionally, more character development is mixed in with the actual plot and interesting passages. The final 8% is the climax, which is usually quite fun.

Throughout the story, references to classical poets, authors, and philosophers are sprinkled in, adding a touch of intellectualism.

All told, you end up with roughly 12% of the pages being interesting, pertinent, and necessary.

He is such a wordy storyteller. Sometimes it works, but this time, I just couldn't wait to finish the book.

An interesting premise indeed relates to time travel and the exciting potential of a new tourist industry. The story effectively bounces between two locations in the present and one location in the past. The interactions between the past and the present are extremely well handled and are virtually seamless. It's truly remarkable how Crichton has once again done an outstanding job of researching science. He has masterfully drawn together the science of the present, the fascinating possibilities of tomorrow, and a well-thought-out story all into one cohesive whole. This combination makes for a captivating read that keeps the reader engaged from start to finish. Crichton's ability to blend science and fiction in such a seamless manner is a testament to his writing prowess.

This is an astonishingly terrible novel, one that reeks of the mercantile stench of fulfilling a contractual obligation, courtesy of Dan Simmons. Simmons has penned some truly remarkable and jaw-droppingly accomplished works in his other volumes. So, it comes as a genuine shock to witness him writing without any semblance of craft or purpose.

The plot, if one can even call it that, involves Darwin Minor, a Vietnam vet turned accident investigator, delving into a series of car crashes. Does he have anything profound or insightful to offer? Alas, no. Instead, he spouts a plethora of stupid and blatantly obvious remarks like "I'm old. My eyes are old. I use glasses now when I read for long periods." There is a clumsy and hamfisted attempt to link these crashes to a criminal ring, but it is极其 generic and lacks any spark of imagination.

It seems that Simmons has lost his mind (and not in a good way) following the writing of the two Endymion novels. And sandwiched between this derivative piece of garbage and the shaky novel that preceded it (THE CROOK FACTORY), it is evident that this is a man in a state of imaginative burnout. Reading this is both saddening and infuriating. Because we all know just how great Dan Simmons is capable of being! And here I was all set to reserve my wrath for FLASHBACK, the book that more or less obliterated all the good will Dan Simmons had amassed over the decades.

This book is a truly enjoyable and fast-paced read.

It is an exciting thriller that, while perhaps not as refined as some of Simmons' other works in terms of pure literary merit (it has a bit more of a screenplay-like feel to it), still manages to be highly appealing and entertaining.

The protagonist is fascinating, with a unique perspective and voice that makes him an engaging character to follow. Spending time with him is a pleasure, although his investigator's penchant for detail sometimes gives the scenes a more reportorial tone rather than a fully representational one.

There isn't a great deal of mystery in the book as the reader is essentially privy to the entire story from the outset. However, the process of resolving it allows Simmons to tell some hilarious and captivating tales.

Overall, it's a lighthearted and enjoyable read that doesn't take itself too seriously but still manages to keep the reader entertained from start to finish.

This book does possess certain redeeming qualities.

It can be regarded as the prototype of the Simmons style that would follow. Here, he essentially engages in copious amounts of info dumps regarding a particular subject while simultaneously having a story to hold everything together. This is similar to works like "The Terror", "Black Hills", "The Abominable", "The Fifth Heart", and so on. Moreover, the action within the book is rather exciting.

However, there are also significant drawbacks. The info dumps are scattered haphazardly and do not integrate well. For instance, planes, cars, guns, and even physics in general are expounded upon at great length on multiple occasions. The prose in this book is the most lackluster and uninspired compared to any of his other works. Additionally, the main character, the Darwin of the title, is the least interesting among all of Simmons' characters. He is essentially just a superman, lacking in depth and complexity.

Overall, while the book has its moments, it also has several flaws that prevent it from being a truly outstanding work.

This is a truly captivating and suspenseful noir-ish thriller. The story revolves around an accident investigator who finds himself embroiled in a web of insurance fraud.

As the plot thickens, he crosses paths with a beautiful FBI agent, and before long, they become romantically involved. The movie is filled with some really fast-paced action scenes that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

The dialog is delightfully clever, adding an extra layer of depth to the story. In addition to the thrilling action and romance, there is also a touch of engaging humor that lightens the mood.

While it may not be a movie that will completely rock your world, it is definitely a fun and captivating diversion that is well worth watching.

Too many digressions from the plot

Simmons has been one of my favorite writers ever since I read his first work. However, this particular piece is his worst. He spends an inordinate amount of time discussing old wrecks and conducting analyses, while devoting very little time to the actual plot. As a result, the story loses its momentum and fails to engage the reader. I found myself constantly losing interest and having to force myself to keep reading. Eventually, I just had to give up. It's a real shame, as I had high expectations for this book. But perhaps Simmons should focus more on the main storyline in his future works and less on these unnecessary digressions.