June, April 2004, 6.99, 368 pp. ISBN: 0515136387 Only three people know about The Straw Men; two are on the run (Ward and John) while the third works as an agent for the FBI (Nina). The group believes they are the only ones not infected by a virus promoting social conscience which gives them the power to kill whomever they wish and are responsible for many of the atrocities that have happened throughout history. The members are wealthy, powerful and hold positions of authority in law enforcement & government and sometimes they work behind the series to further their agenda. Paul is the Upright Man, a serial killer in his own right who procures victims for the Straw Men to kill. He also is Ward's identical twin brother, the man responsible for killing Ward's parents and John's daughter. Nina gets pulled into a case that is of interest to the group and brings herself, John and Ward to their attention. The group decides it is time for the trio to die. Ward, John and Nina meet in a forest in the Pacific Northwest for a final showdown with THE UPRIGHT MAN and members of The Straw Men. There is nothing more frightening and none more dangerous than the sane person who believes he can kill with impunity because it is his or her right to do so. The antagonist and The Strawmen are evil, which make this a horror novel as frightening as that of King and Koontz because they wear the guise of humanity to hide their depravity. Harriet Klausner | ||
Plot & Themes Tone of story - suspenseful (sophisticated fear) Time/era of story: Spying/Terrorism Thriller Yes Cloak & Dagger Plotlets: Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book descript. of violence and chases - 30 % Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40 % Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 20 % How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10 % Who's the terrorist enemy here? Main Character Gender - Male Profession/status: Age: - 20's-30's Ethnicity/Race Main Adversary Identity: - Male Age: - 20's-30's Profession/status: Motive of antagonist - revenge How sensitive is this character? Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters Setting United States Yes Writing Style Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment Amount of dialog - significantly more dialog than descript |