Comments on: REVIEW: Up Close and Dangerous by Linda Howard

By: Mary

Mary — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 19:18:48 +0000

I thought that the last two books by LH were written by someone else!
There is little story development. No build up of a relationship, and does not follow through very well. They read like a $4.99 romances! I’ve collected all of her books and think we should be reimbursed for the last two! I’ll definitely wait until the next one comes out in paperback before I even consider buying it!

By: Letha manous

Letha manous — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 16:25:55 +0000

Linda Howard is still the best–her books are the only ones that I come back to time and time again–though I did have to read Up Close and Dangerous x2 before I fell in love with it. Absolutely the only one of her books I’ve not read 5-12 times is Cry no More–it was too heartwrenching. As for the methodical beat in her books–that is what makes them all so interesting for me–this is not really a change for this excellent author. Please go back and read Dream Man or Shades of Twilight again–these also have the same technique. The ease of detecting this may come about because so many men now read her stories–and men are famous for wanting the “how” to be delineated. I only hope she continues to write–I’d hate to have to commit her stuff to memory if nothing new comes out!

By: Casee

Casee — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 13:57:52 +0000

As a resident of Boise, Idaho, I have to say if I ever go hiking in the Idaho wilderness, I’ll probably take this book w/ me. Lots of tips for surviving out there. LOL

By: dila

dila — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 16:07:58 +0000

is it dat bad? jeez, somehow, it’s expected isnt it?
comparing the few last books she wrote and the old favorites like after the nite, shades of twilight and the mackenzies, it seems like somebody else is writing her stories.
i collect almost all of LH books and had love all of them except books starting from killing time.. but i still buy them.. and cmg frm malaysia, books are not as cheap as in the states where u can get them for less than 10bucks.. up close and dangerous just came out in hardcover and its over 100 malaysian ringgit, the paperback is probably coming in next year. but if this is the review, then cover of night is going to be the last of my LH collection.

By: Rosario

Rosario — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 15:08:18 +0000

Each survival technique was chronicled so carefully that I almost thought it read like a guide to wilderness survival.

I started noticing that kind of methodicalness in her writing in Cry No More, and though I loved the book itself, I didn’t like the direction her writing is taking. It’s become worse in past books.

By: Laura

Laura — Sun, 22 Jul 2007 03:12:51 +0000

I’m a huge LH fangirl, and this was a big disappointment. The h/h never established a relationship before they were in survival mode, so there was never a chance for any tension to develop between them. For a large portion of the book, the hero was either unconcious or badly injured, so he was almost a non-entity for a significant amount of time.

The heroine’s backstory and stepchildren are right out of a soap opera, and the “mystery” is conveniently wrapped up in the last few pages of the book.

I used to rejoice on a LH release date. But I think I’ll pass on her hardbacks from now on, they’ve become real hit or misses for me. And like a lot of others, I miss the sensuality that used to be Linda Howard’s trademark. Sigh.

By: Jackie L.

Jackie L. — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 23:15:37 +0000

Oh,yeah, Lady of the West. Squick. Blocked that one out.

By: Miki

Miki — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 23:13:04 +0000

There’s an “almost-rape” in Mackenzie’s Mountain, and the “re-enactment” that always squicked me out, no matter how much I loved that book overall.

On the other hand, I actually loved Up Close and Dangerous. I loved the humor in it - and I really liked both the hero and heroine. Yes, it went from disdain to attraction fairly quickly - isn’t that par for the course with romance novels? The timelines are almost always too short for full believability IMO. But this worked for me because I could imagine how the heroine’s true nature came out in this setting. He got to see “behind the curtain” and was attracted. She was a little slower in acknowledging her attraction to him. And I got a kick out of his “19 dates” theory!

Quite of a few of the “reviews” on Amazon made a big deal about the survival techniques getting too much “airtime”, but that really didn’t bother me. I found them interesting, and I liked how it showed the heroine’s real ingenuity. She definitely thinks on her feet! (Maybe I found this so appealing because I’m not - I’m the sort that has to stew over something for awhile, and then suddenly the solution will just click).

Yes, I miss the sensuality of her romances. I guess I’ve just come to accept she’s not writing romances any more. I actually thought this book was really more about the romance than the mystery, and I find myself wondering - if she has male readers for her suspense novels - how well they’ll take this book. So I enjoyed the strong romance “feel” of it, despite it’s not being as sexy as it could have been.

By: Robin

Robin — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 21:30:55 +0000

Could it be An Independent Wife? Or Lady of the West? I don’t know since I haven’t read them — I only remember someone’s warning, so I can’t guarantee anything — heck I can’t even remember the book title against which I was warned!

By: Jackie L.

Jackie L. — Sat, 21 Jul 2007 21:20:01 +0000

Pretty sure I’ve read everything LH except the sheik one (gotta draw the line somewhere), and I don’t recall a rape, Robin. Loved the Mackenzies, but they’re a bit dated now, not even Wyoming is THAT bad. What I liked about Up Close was that it was almost completely about the relationship, since the scope of the book was so limited. But, yeah, not my favorite. So glad to see Jane doesn’t share the prejudices of the SB’s!