Colin Forbes Message Board
neil cameron posts on 6/23/2005 1:05:32 PM
I have just read a book by Forbes purporting to have been written in 1997 called The Cauldron.
I can only add my disbelief that Mr Forbes gets books published when the characters and plot are just so poor.
But my reason for searching the web about Forbes was to see if anyone had exposed this book as having been written in either the late 70's or early 80's. The technologies and language used in the book was certainly not of the 90's. I cannot believe it was written in the nineties.
Mike posts on 6/17/2005 8:07:36 PM
I've just finished reading this novel and quite frankly, I wonder why Colin Forbes bothers. If it had been written by a new author it would be rejected out of hand by publishers. The plot is silly, the dialogue stilted and completely unrealistic, and the characters one-dimensional and stereotypic. The Americans are mostly of the stupid, arrorant and thuggish type (and we know they aren't all like that, don't we!).
Forbes' knowledge of firearms seems to have slipped, he names pistols (always old-fashioned ones) but not longarms. Everyone seems to be armed with "machine pistols" which is old terminology. The only rifle he knows seems to be the Armalite which is also rarely used these days.
The use of technology is odd, too. Tweed allegedly mistrusts mobile phones and yet ends up using them throughout the book after Beck lends him some..the final action, where the British defeat the Americans (and Seals, no less) utterly, sees Tweed controlling his forces using mobiles! No "out of area" for him. Ludicrous and stupid.
The whole book is a waste of time in the reading and a waste of print and paper. Forbes should stick to travelogues, he obviously enjoys the travel and that is the one plus in this novel, the descriptions of European towns and cities.
S M posts on 5/10/2005 8:06:27 AM
I enjoyed reading Blood Storm, it wasn't as good as The Greek Key, The Sisterhood, or Cross of Fire, (which was quite a scary book, i.e. Jean Marie le Pen anyone? Need I say more). However Blood Storm did send a message about the execuitve trying to taking overthe freedom of this country. What I would love to see in the next book is the expansion of the team, more of their personal lives and Paula getting off with one of the team. (I know it sounds vulgar, but she hasn't had a relationship since 1985, in real time she would've lost her good looks, and Tweed would've retired, and will he ever admit his true feelings for Paula or is he scared of Bob?) Blood Storm didn't venture into that territory, and it was a shame.
BJ Davidson posts on 5/3/2005 4:05:05 AM
A local bookseller recommended Colin Forbes and I bought this book as a result. I'm 70 pages in and I will not finish it. The style is infantile - is this a children's book? The dialogue is completely unbelievable - and each character insists on explaining everything they say. Does this man not have any other tools to provide background? He should study Len Deighton if he wishes to know how to build strong characters with realistic dialogue The plot is ludicrous. Details are inconsistent (e.g. Amos is in a Ford, then Citroen, then Ford all on the one page). He builds no suspense. I'll be dropping the book off into the nearest Salvo's bin tonight.
Derek Vander Laan posts a strong attack on 3/20/2005 8:40:27 PM
I have to agree with you, John West, when I first read the book I also thought it was written by somebody else.
Derek Vander Laan posts a bold assertion on 3/20/2005 8:37:42 PM
I have to agree with you, John West, when I first read the book I also thought it was written by somebody else.
Leanne posts on 3/19/2005 8:42:58 PM
I have just completed reading Blood Storm and I quite enjoyed this book. I think it is good to see that Colin Forbes seems to be expandng on the characters lives outside of the SIS plotlines. I think it adds interest and more reality.
So many of the recent books have followed such a rigid format that I have found them quite boring and this is the first Colin Forbes book in a number of years which I have enjoyed.
Having read some of the earlier posts I do agree that there seems to be a inconsistency in details. Perhaps given his age there is a possibility that he provides the general plot and others flesh out the story.
I would also like to see an expansion of the storyline with Paula and the male members of the team.
I look forward to the next book with interest.
John West posts on 3/19/2005 1:13:57 PM
Without doubt this is the worst Colin Forbes novel I have read. It is very disjointed and the time lines keep changing. Is he losing his grip? Was it written by someone else?
keith posts on 3/18/2005 8:22:56 AM
I have read blood storm and do not feel it is pure colin forbes. It is almost as if the plot of the story has been laid out and completed by another.
sofi posts on 2/22/2005 12:02:41 PM
Don't give up on Blood stoem. it's a good book once you think about it. I still can't wait for this years one.
Tweed, was Military Intelligence, then Police Officer, then SIS agent. With a life like that, where woud a wife fit in.
Paula is a widow, which surprised a little. tweed killed her husband but if she know he killed her, who knows? it's so obviously that there is a love square between, Paula, Tweed, Newman, and Pete (if you need clarification for Pete and Paula read The cauldron, flirting, Shockwave, she's a bit too pleased to see him, and This United State, she almost blushes when he compliments her, (and the somehow end up living together at the end of Blood storm which woulf get on Newman nerves no end). It all makes sense) just how its resolved, I don't know. (correct me if I'm woring but there must've been some sexual tension between Paula and philip in Blood Storm.)
Marler, is far to gay for my liking. He seems like the guy who'll spend too long admiring himself inthe mirror.
Harry was a Scotsman from Edinburgh in Cover story, so hw come he speaks wiht a cockney accent.
For the next book, I would like to see Tweed's attractive neighbour back in, there was no point putting her in there if she didn't provide any love interest, and for more sexual tension, between Puala and the four men, and for Monica to have a life. that would really spice things up.
Click Here for Messages:
1 - 10
11 - 20
21 - 30
31 - 40
41 - 50
51 - 60
61 - 70
71 - 80
Note: the views expressed here are only those of the posters.
