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Lincoln Rhyme #4
The Stone Monkey
A New York Times BestsellerFamed criminologist Lincoln Rhyme and his beautiful protege, Amelia Sachs, have been recruited by the FBI and the INS to help perform the nearly impossible: track down a cargo ship carrying two dozen illegal Chinese immigrants and the notorious human smuggler and killer known as the Ghost.
657 pages, Paperback
First published March 12, 2002
About the author
Jeffery Deaver
374 books10.8k followers#1 international bestselling author of over thirty novels and three collections of short stories. His books are sold in 150 countries and translated into 25 languages. His first novel featuring Lincoln Rhyme, The Bone Collector, was made into a major motion picture starring Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie. He's received or been shortlisted for a number of awards around the world.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 837 reviews
November 7, 2017
Damn. Fred Dellray (FBI) is back. He had a brief appearance in the previous novel - towards the end, but it looks like he's back full-time, now. He's still talking in his lingo. Then again, even when he's speaking in proper English - I still don't know what he's on about.
Rhyme'' and the team are trying to apprehend the Ghost (Snakehead) - who is a part of a human smuggling ring - conveying Chinese illegal immigrants to New York via a ship: the Fuzhou Dragon.
The 'Evan Brigant' has twenty five sailors on-board - with twin fifties and an 80 mm cannon - and is on course to intercept the Fuzhou Dragon, though nothing goes to plan.
Rhymes' living room is now the laboratory - and Thom (his aide) is designated the job of Scribe; adding annotations to the whiteboard, when new information about the Ghost and his motives are known. At first, it's perplexing, as to why Kwan Ang (Ghost) - does some of things he does; especially as it puts him at risk of being captured. Although, it makes sense in the end.
Sach's is still walking 'the grid' collecting samples of trace evidence and putting herself in the mind of the killer, so she can better understand, how the scene played out.
In summation: I'm still enjoying the series. A few new characters join the team. Sonny Li was my favourite. He was quite funny; especially when around Sachs' whilst she was working the crime scenes. He was lucky, she didn't shoot him.
Rhyme'' and the team are trying to apprehend the Ghost (Snakehead) - who is a part of a human smuggling ring - conveying Chinese illegal immigrants to New York via a ship: the Fuzhou Dragon.
The 'Evan Brigant' has twenty five sailors on-board - with twin fifties and an 80 mm cannon - and is on course to intercept the Fuzhou Dragon, though nothing goes to plan.
Rhymes' living room is now the laboratory - and Thom (his aide) is designated the job of Scribe; adding annotations to the whiteboard, when new information about the Ghost and his motives are known. At first, it's perplexing, as to why Kwan Ang (Ghost) - does some of things he does; especially as it puts him at risk of being captured. Although, it makes sense in the end.
Sach's is still walking 'the grid' collecting samples of trace evidence and putting herself in the mind of the killer, so she can better understand, how the scene played out.
In summation: I'm still enjoying the series. A few new characters join the team. Sonny Li was my favourite. He was quite funny; especially when around Sachs' whilst she was working the crime scenes. He was lucky, she didn't shoot him.
March 29, 2023
“Why don’t you people just stay at home? Fix your problems there.”
Deaver put this ugly question into the mouth of a racist INS agent, interrogating an illegal Chinese immigrant. But we all know it could just as easily have come from Donald Trump’s maniacal berating of former Mexican president, Vicente Fox, in support of the construction of his hated border wall. THE STONE MONKEY, a tale of a psychopathic human trafficker and the cultural difficulties of large scale immigration, ostensibly illegal, by refugees from Communist China, was written twenty years ago but right-wing anti-immigrant sentiment in the USA today has made it more timely now than when Deaver first put the tale to paper.
Forensic scientist extraordinaire, Lincoln Rhyme, and his partner, Amelia Sachs, have partnered up with the FBI and the Coast Guard on a sting operation to capture “the Ghost”, a homicidal human smuggler who has earned that moniker with his uncanny ability to move immigrants and himself and vanish into thin air. As the trap is set to close on a certain capture, the Ghost does the gruesome unthinkable. He explodes a bomb and scuttles the ship in a cruel, pathological attempt to murder the ship’s captain, its crew and the entire cargo of immigrants. When the Ghost melts into New York City’s China town, Deaver and Sachs are embroiled in a desperate race to track him down before he murders the remaining survivors and disappears once again into the criminal ether.
Aside from being a typically brilliant Lincoln Rhyme thriller with the usual string of extraordinary deductions from the most unassuming tidbits of forensic evidence, THE STONE MONKEY is also an informative commentary on the Chinese culture. We see policing from a Chinese police officer’s perspective which, aside from the main plot, is fascinating in its own right. We also see the struggles of Chinese dissidents to leave Communist China and to assimilate into our entirely foreign western culture.
And, of course, we see racism, hatred and xenophobia. And what was the hopeful immigrant’s answer to the INS agent’s bigoted and spiteful query? Well, here it is … a devastating mic-drop take down of US jingoism and self-congratulation:
“Not our fault … Coming here not our fault!”
Amused, the INS agent asked, “Not your fault? Who do you want to blame?”
“You country!”
“How do you figure that?”
“You not see? Look around! All you money and richnesses, you advertising, you computers, you Nikes and Levis, cars, hair spray … You Leonardo DiCaprio, you beautiful women. You pills for everything, you makeup, you television! You tell whole world you got fuck everything here! [You] all money, all freedom, all safe. You tell us everybody how good is here. You take our money, but you say to us mei-you, go away! You tell us our human rights terrible, but when we try come here you say mei-you!”
And THAT from Jeffrey Deaver (bravo!), an author it must be remembered from the USA!
Paul Weiss
Deaver put this ugly question into the mouth of a racist INS agent, interrogating an illegal Chinese immigrant. But we all know it could just as easily have come from Donald Trump’s maniacal berating of former Mexican president, Vicente Fox, in support of the construction of his hated border wall. THE STONE MONKEY, a tale of a psychopathic human trafficker and the cultural difficulties of large scale immigration, ostensibly illegal, by refugees from Communist China, was written twenty years ago but right-wing anti-immigrant sentiment in the USA today has made it more timely now than when Deaver first put the tale to paper.
Forensic scientist extraordinaire, Lincoln Rhyme, and his partner, Amelia Sachs, have partnered up with the FBI and the Coast Guard on a sting operation to capture “the Ghost”, a homicidal human smuggler who has earned that moniker with his uncanny ability to move immigrants and himself and vanish into thin air. As the trap is set to close on a certain capture, the Ghost does the gruesome unthinkable. He explodes a bomb and scuttles the ship in a cruel, pathological attempt to murder the ship’s captain, its crew and the entire cargo of immigrants. When the Ghost melts into New York City’s China town, Deaver and Sachs are embroiled in a desperate race to track him down before he murders the remaining survivors and disappears once again into the criminal ether.
Aside from being a typically brilliant Lincoln Rhyme thriller with the usual string of extraordinary deductions from the most unassuming tidbits of forensic evidence, THE STONE MONKEY is also an informative commentary on the Chinese culture. We see policing from a Chinese police officer’s perspective which, aside from the main plot, is fascinating in its own right. We also see the struggles of Chinese dissidents to leave Communist China and to assimilate into our entirely foreign western culture.
And, of course, we see racism, hatred and xenophobia. And what was the hopeful immigrant’s answer to the INS agent’s bigoted and spiteful query? Well, here it is … a devastating mic-drop take down of US jingoism and self-congratulation:
“Not our fault … Coming here not our fault!”
Amused, the INS agent asked, “Not your fault? Who do you want to blame?”
“You country!”
“How do you figure that?”
“You not see? Look around! All you money and richnesses, you advertising, you computers, you Nikes and Levis, cars, hair spray … You Leonardo DiCaprio, you beautiful women. You pills for everything, you makeup, you television! You tell whole world you got fuck everything here! [You] all money, all freedom, all safe. You tell us everybody how good is here. You take our money, but you say to us mei-you, go away! You tell us our human rights terrible, but when we try come here you say mei-you!”
And THAT from Jeffrey Deaver (bravo!), an author it must be remembered from the USA!
Paul Weiss
February 12, 2024
Before reading The Stone Monkey, I watched The Bone Collector movie. So, for me, Denzel Washington was Lincoln Rhyme, and Angelina Jolie was Amelia Sachs. That worked out just fine. Highly recommended.
Back in the early 70s, I played Go. I was fairly good during the early and middle games. However, my lack of patience would always kill me in the end game.
Rating = 3.8
Back in the early 70s, I played Go. I was fairly good during the early and middle games. However, my lack of patience would always kill me in the end game.
Rating = 3.8
June 4, 2023
Good but not the best in the series. The Chinese immigrant story didn't work for me. On to the next one which will be better I hope.
July 7, 2017
I'm still loving this series very much, Rhymes is brilliant as always, I did however want to reprimand Sachs a time or two. Lol.
January 22, 2023
Cartea face parte din seria criminalistilor Lincoln Rhymes si Amelia Sachs. De data aceasta cei doi lucreaza in colaborare cu FBI la un caz ce are legatura cu contrabandisti de imigranti din China. Un criminal periculos, supranumit Strigoiul este implicat in operatiune si cei doi doresc neaparat sa-l captureze. Ei sunt foarte aproape de reusita atunci cand urmaresc vaporul "Dragonul din Fuzhou", insa, criminalul cel tenace reuseste sa le scape. Problema este ca odata cu el dispar si doua familii de imigranti chinezi pe care Strigoiul ii considera martori incomozi la faptele sale criminale, acesta pornind pe urmele lor ca sa-i lichideze.
Amelia si Lincoln trebuie sa protejeze familiile care se refugiaza in Chinatown si sa-l prinda intr-un final pe criminalul periculos. Nu va fi o isprava usoara si cititorul trebuie sa-si dea seama ce rol va juca "maimuta de piatra" in toata aceasta poveste.
Cartea este interesanta avand de-a face cu un thriller in ritm alert, asa cum ne-a obisnuit Jeffrey Deaver de-a lungul seriei. Avem si aici acces la tabla cu date si indicii a lui Lincoln, ceea ce implica cititorul mai bine in actiune.
A fost amuzant sa realizez ca de fiecare data cand Lincoln vrea sa prinda criminalul si are un plan pe care-l si pune in aplicare, putem sta linistiti pentru ca sigur nu il va prinde, mereu ceva mergand prost. Cartea astfel se mai prelungeste cu 100-200 de pagini. Si asa se intampla in fiecare volum astfel ca cititorul stie la ce sa se astepte. Inafara de final, putem practic sa pariem pe criminal, caci aproape sigur vom castiga.
Am retinut ca in chineza la America se zice "Meiguo" - adica Tara cea frumoasa, dar si faptul ca Strigoiul foloseste expresia "Po Fu Chen Zou". Asta se traduce cuvant cu cuvant: "sparge cazane si scufunda vase". Vorbele se refera la un razboinic din dinastia Qin. Dupa ce trupele lui lansasera atacul asupra dusmanilor el le-a ordonat sa faca asta oamenilor sai. Nu mai puteau astfel nici sa-si faca tabara nici sa se retraga. Daca voiau sa scape cu viata trebuiau sa inainteze si sa invinga dusmanul.
Mi-au placut si motto-urile care preced fiecare capitol si care vorbesc despre Wei-Chi, care inseamna "a incercui" si "bucata". Acestea se refera la un joc ce reprezinta o lupta pentru supravietuire. Este vorba despre un fel de board-game in care jucatorii ocupa teritorii rand pe rand, ca mai apoi lupte defensive si ofensive sa aiba loc pentru a cuceri zonele adversarului. Se zice ca jocul e castigat de jucatorul "care vede cel mai departe", adica cel care poate ghici intentia din spatele mutarilor adversarului.
Iata asadar cu ce carte interesanta avem de-a face, una din care putem invata atat de multe lucruri despre intelepciunea chineza, avand totodata si placerea urmaririi unei intrigi politiste antrenante.
Amelia si Lincoln trebuie sa protejeze familiile care se refugiaza in Chinatown si sa-l prinda intr-un final pe criminalul periculos. Nu va fi o isprava usoara si cititorul trebuie sa-si dea seama ce rol va juca "maimuta de piatra" in toata aceasta poveste.
Cartea este interesanta avand de-a face cu un thriller in ritm alert, asa cum ne-a obisnuit Jeffrey Deaver de-a lungul seriei. Avem si aici acces la tabla cu date si indicii a lui Lincoln, ceea ce implica cititorul mai bine in actiune.
A fost amuzant sa realizez ca de fiecare data cand Lincoln vrea sa prinda criminalul si are un plan pe care-l si pune in aplicare, putem sta linistiti pentru ca sigur nu il va prinde, mereu ceva mergand prost. Cartea astfel se mai prelungeste cu 100-200 de pagini. Si asa se intampla in fiecare volum astfel ca cititorul stie la ce sa se astepte. Inafara de final, putem practic sa pariem pe criminal, caci aproape sigur vom castiga.
Am retinut ca in chineza la America se zice "Meiguo" - adica Tara cea frumoasa, dar si faptul ca Strigoiul foloseste expresia "Po Fu Chen Zou". Asta se traduce cuvant cu cuvant: "sparge cazane si scufunda vase". Vorbele se refera la un razboinic din dinastia Qin. Dupa ce trupele lui lansasera atacul asupra dusmanilor el le-a ordonat sa faca asta oamenilor sai. Nu mai puteau astfel nici sa-si faca tabara nici sa se retraga. Daca voiau sa scape cu viata trebuiau sa inainteze si sa invinga dusmanul.
Mi-au placut si motto-urile care preced fiecare capitol si care vorbesc despre Wei-Chi, care inseamna "a incercui" si "bucata". Acestea se refera la un joc ce reprezinta o lupta pentru supravietuire. Este vorba despre un fel de board-game in care jucatorii ocupa teritorii rand pe rand, ca mai apoi lupte defensive si ofensive sa aiba loc pentru a cuceri zonele adversarului. Se zice ca jocul e castigat de jucatorul "care vede cel mai departe", adica cel care poate ghici intentia din spatele mutarilor adversarului.
Iata asadar cu ce carte interesanta avem de-a face, una din care putem invata atat de multe lucruri despre intelepciunea chineza, avand totodata si placerea urmaririi unei intrigi politiste antrenante.
November 18, 2022
Actual rating is 3.5 stars.
This book is part of a series but can be read as a stand alone. In this one, there is a boat full of illegal immigrants that is headed to America. On this boat is a man who is smuggling these illegal immigrants from China and he is wanted for many crimes. Lincoln and Sachs assist in locating this man.
This was a four star read for me throughout until the final reveal. We open with a bang and we know that we are in for a ride. I thought the author did a terrific job with the mystery aspect as he had a mystery within a mystery going. When reading a Lincoln Rhyme novel I expect to see the unwinding of the investigation and how it proceeds along with twists and turns. This book follows that pattern. The reveal of the antagonist was terrific and caught me by surprise. What I liked about this book was the contrast between the Chinese and America culture especially for investigations. It was very interesting. I mentioned earlier about reveals and unfortunately the last reveal didn't do it for me and thus lowered my rating. I thought it was a little too much and convoluted. It was needed as this was a hanging thread but I think it would have been better if it was a little simpler.
This isn't my favorite book in this series but it is still a very good read. I do enjoy the two main characters as they investigate. But the highlight of these books is the investigation process as we walk through it with the characters and this book did deliver on that front.
This book is part of a series but can be read as a stand alone. In this one, there is a boat full of illegal immigrants that is headed to America. On this boat is a man who is smuggling these illegal immigrants from China and he is wanted for many crimes. Lincoln and Sachs assist in locating this man.
This was a four star read for me throughout until the final reveal. We open with a bang and we know that we are in for a ride. I thought the author did a terrific job with the mystery aspect as he had a mystery within a mystery going. When reading a Lincoln Rhyme novel I expect to see the unwinding of the investigation and how it proceeds along with twists and turns. This book follows that pattern. The reveal of the antagonist was terrific and caught me by surprise. What I liked about this book was the contrast between the Chinese and America culture especially for investigations. It was very interesting. I mentioned earlier about reveals and unfortunately the last reveal didn't do it for me and thus lowered my rating. I thought it was a little too much and convoluted. It was needed as this was a hanging thread but I think it would have been better if it was a little simpler.
This isn't my favorite book in this series but it is still a very good read. I do enjoy the two main characters as they investigate. But the highlight of these books is the investigation process as we walk through it with the characters and this book did deliver on that front.
August 6, 2014
7/10
One of the weaker Lincoln Rhyme books I've read to date, but it did pull up it's socks near the end and redeemed itself. Jeffery Deaver must have visited China or received some sort of table top book of Chinese culture as over half of this book concerned itself on Chinese people and their culture. That's not a massive issue and was quite informative in its way but I wanted to read about a quadriplegic forensic expert hunting people down in his little village, New York, and not about the difficulties living in China as a dissident.
The plot involves a "Snakehead" (read: human trafficker) who blows up a ship with some immigrants from China on and then he hunts down the rest of these immigrants who managed to make it out alive and lets them sleep with the fishes also. Enter Lincoln and Sachs to try and figure out who the guy is and where his next target will be.
The usual cat and mouse games progress from here and the usual twists and turns occur. It was a little below par at this point and very procedural. Then Sachs takes on the task of viewing the crime scene of the sunken ship on the bottom of the ocean floor some 100ft below sea level. Things instantly pick up as there is some suspense now and the atmosphere is portrayed really well. This is when I noticed the pages flying by and it had me gripped.
The ending was good but not amazing; there wasn't the usual massive twist at the end and things tied off neatly with no cliff-hangers of any sort. You do need to take some of it with a grain of salt but no more than those CSI shows. I’ll keep on with the series but Deaver is losing some of his appeal as I’m so aware of his plot twist tricks I’m looking ahead at where he is deceiving us and losing enjoyment of the book itself. He’s like the M. Night Shyamalan of the literally world.
If you like this try: “The Mozart Conspiracy” by Scott Mariani
One of the weaker Lincoln Rhyme books I've read to date, but it did pull up it's socks near the end and redeemed itself. Jeffery Deaver must have visited China or received some sort of table top book of Chinese culture as over half of this book concerned itself on Chinese people and their culture. That's not a massive issue and was quite informative in its way but I wanted to read about a quadriplegic forensic expert hunting people down in his little village, New York, and not about the difficulties living in China as a dissident.
The plot involves a "Snakehead" (read: human trafficker) who blows up a ship with some immigrants from China on and then he hunts down the rest of these immigrants who managed to make it out alive and lets them sleep with the fishes also. Enter Lincoln and Sachs to try and figure out who the guy is and where his next target will be.
The usual cat and mouse games progress from here and the usual twists and turns occur. It was a little below par at this point and very procedural. Then Sachs takes on the task of viewing the crime scene of the sunken ship on the bottom of the ocean floor some 100ft below sea level. Things instantly pick up as there is some suspense now and the atmosphere is portrayed really well. This is when I noticed the pages flying by and it had me gripped.
The ending was good but not amazing; there wasn't the usual massive twist at the end and things tied off neatly with no cliff-hangers of any sort. You do need to take some of it with a grain of salt but no more than those CSI shows. I’ll keep on with the series but Deaver is losing some of his appeal as I’m so aware of his plot twist tricks I’m looking ahead at where he is deceiving us and losing enjoyment of the book itself. He’s like the M. Night Shyamalan of the literally world.
If you like this try: “The Mozart Conspiracy” by Scott Mariani
March 24, 2024
First of all, I'm glad for asking myself (even from the beginning...) why should the ghost kill the survivors.
Secondly, this novel is somehow less technical than others from the series and the characters have more deepness. There are a lot of casualties, some cheap picks and at least a couple of temporal coincidental facts, as the policeman meet the ghost more by accident, I hardly see such a remote place as the one from the fight between lee and the ghost. But, finally, Mr. Deaver is an extremely smart and gifted author, so four stars are more than deserved.
Secondly, this novel is somehow less technical than others from the series and the characters have more deepness. There are a lot of casualties, some cheap picks and at least a couple of temporal coincidental facts, as the policeman meet the ghost more by accident, I hardly see such a remote place as the one from the fight between lee and the ghost. But, finally, Mr. Deaver is an extremely smart and gifted author, so four stars are more than deserved.
October 15, 2013
I thought this said stoned. Now I'm less interested in reading it.
March 29, 2022
This is the fourth instalment in the Lincoln Rhyme series. The story focuses on a shipment of illegal immigrants traveling from China to USA. On the ship with them is a 'snakehead' a person that is some sort of gang leader, known as 'The Ghost'. When it looks like the coastguard may intercept the ship, The Ghost locks everyone in the hold and sets off a bomb. A handful of the immigrants manage to escape the sinking ship and The Ghost pursues them as they try to make their way into a foreign country while avoiding any authorities.
The book delves quite a bit into Chinese culture and philosophy. Rhyme finds his interest piquing and starts to reassess his own situation while trying to match wits with The Ghost and anticipate his next move.
The book delves quite a bit into Chinese culture and philosophy. Rhyme finds his interest piquing and starts to reassess his own situation while trying to match wits with The Ghost and anticipate his next move.
May 17, 2020
What can I say?
This series keeps getting better and better.
Epic as usual...
This series keeps getting better and better.
Epic as usual...
July 6, 2020
Another wonderful exciting novel from JD, but id like to see Amelia getting back to being assertive. Stand up n give ryhme some hell... Tom seemed too passive in this as well.. But still a nice read...
October 10, 2021
3,5 / 5
January 22, 2020
•Ένα πλοίο μεταφέρει λαθραία μετανάστες που αναζητούν μια νέα ζωή.
•Κατά τη διάρκεια καταδίωξης από τις αρχές,ο δουλέμπορος ανατινάζει το πλοίο,ναυαγόντας ή πνίγοντας πλήρωμα και επιβάτες.
•Ο δουλέμπορος τη γλιτώνει,και προσπαθεί με κάθε τρόπο να εκτελέσει όσους επέζησαν.
•Οι αρχές δίνουν μια άνιση μάχη,με ένα πολυπλόκαμο τέρας που έχει διαβρώσει αστυνομικούς και πολιτικούς σε όλες τις εμπλεκόμενες χώρες.
Sounds familiar? Γραμμένο το 2002,σε μιαν άλλη χώρα,σαν να μην πέρασε ούτε μια μέρα πάνω από τον πλανήτη.
5/5⭐
•Κατά τη διάρκεια καταδίωξης από τις αρχές,ο δουλέμπορος ανατινάζει το πλοίο,ναυαγόντας ή πνίγοντας πλήρωμα και επιβάτες.
•Ο δουλέμπορος τη γλιτώνει,και προσπαθεί με κάθε τρόπο να εκτελέσει όσους επέζησαν.
•Οι αρχές δίνουν μια άνιση μάχη,με ένα πολυπλόκαμο τέρας που έχει διαβρώσει αστυνομικούς και πολιτικούς σε όλες τις εμπλεκόμενες χώρες.
Sounds familiar? Γραμμένο το 2002,σε μιαν άλλη χώρα,σαν να μην πέρασε ούτε μια μέρα πάνω από τον πλανήτη.
5/5⭐
November 18, 2023
4,5/5
tham khảo sách: https://shope.ee/Vg8FIXOxU
Đây là một cuốn sách trinh thám thành công về nhiều mặt. Lâu lắm rồi mình mới bị kích thích bởi một tác phẩm trinh thám phương tây như vậy. Là cuốn sách #4 trong bộ sách Lincoln Rhyme, bạn vẫn có thể hoàn toàn hiểu tác phẩm mà không cần phải đọc những cuốn sách trước. Tuy vậy, sau khi đọc xong, mình thật sự xem xét việc tìm hiểu thêm tất cả sách khác của tác giả.
Nếu bạn yêu thích trinh thám hình sự với cảnh sát điều tra trên tiền tuyến, thì hẳn bạn sẽ hợp với cuốn sách này. Nó mang màu sắc giống một bộ phim về FBI đi phá án bắt tội phạm, diễn biến nhanh và gây hồi hộp. Đặc biệt, nếu bạn là người dễ mất kiên nhẫn thì chắc chắn càng nên đọc "Thạch hầu", bởi mỗi chương truyện cực kì ngắn gọn, súc tích, hiệu quả như cách làm việc của cảnh sát. Càng về những chương cuối của sách, câu chuyện đã hay còn hay hơn, khiến mình khá ngưỡng mộ ông Jeffrey Deaver.
Mặc dù không theo chân nhà Tâm lý học tội phạm siêu đẳng Lincoln Rhyme từ những tập sách đầu, mình vẫn thật sự khâm phục ông ta. Ông là một con người hết sức bình tĩnh, biết kiểm soát tình hình, mặc dù phải chịu hoàn cảnh hết sức éo le về thể chất. Tất nhiên, những cản trở vật chất ấy không làm mất đi ý chí và khả năng suy luận đỉnh cao của Lincoln. Mọi việc có thể qua mắt bao người khác, chắc chắn không thể qua mắt Lincoln Rhyme.
Tập #4 này có đả động một vấn đề nhạy cảm, chuyện nhập cư (cả chính . thống lẫn bất hợp pháp) vào đất nước Mỹ. Ta được thấy nỗi khổ của những con người phải di cư, khát khao một cuộc sống tốt đẹp hơn nơi Mỹ quốc. Ta cũng thấy chỉ vì "giấc mơ Mỹ" đó mà bao con người đã phải trả giá đắt thế nào. Cũng nhờ đề tài nhập cư này, người đọc được trải nghiệm sự tương quan giữa hai nền văn hóa Đông - Tây thông qua các nhân vật người Trung Quốc và Mỹ. Tư tưởng phóng khoáng và tin vào bằng chứng của người Mỹ, sự truyền thống và tin vào dấu hiệu linh thiêng của người Hoa... Hai luồng suy nghĩ này tôn trọng lẫn nhau, song hành để tìm lời giải cho bài toán.
Còn rất nhiều thứ muốn nói về cuốn sách này, mặc dù chỉ là một vụ án trong bao vụ án khác. Một lời khen dành cho tác giả vì đã kì công nghiên cứu văn hóa Trung Hoa, cũng như hòa quyện hai nền văn hóa tưởng chừng không thể cùng tồn tại để làm tiền đề cho cuốn sách. Cực kì thích tác giả và chắc chắn sẽ tìm đọc tiếp!
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Đây là một cuốn sách trinh thám thành công về nhiều mặt. Lâu lắm rồi mình mới bị kích thích bởi một tác phẩm trinh thám phương tây như vậy. Là cuốn sách #4 trong bộ sách Lincoln Rhyme, bạn vẫn có thể hoàn toàn hiểu tác phẩm mà không cần phải đọc những cuốn sách trước. Tuy vậy, sau khi đọc xong, mình thật sự xem xét việc tìm hiểu thêm tất cả sách khác của tác giả.
Nếu bạn yêu thích trinh thám hình sự với cảnh sát điều tra trên tiền tuyến, thì hẳn bạn sẽ hợp với cuốn sách này. Nó mang màu sắc giống một bộ phim về FBI đi phá án bắt tội phạm, diễn biến nhanh và gây hồi hộp. Đặc biệt, nếu bạn là người dễ mất kiên nhẫn thì chắc chắn càng nên đọc "Thạch hầu", bởi mỗi chương truyện cực kì ngắn gọn, súc tích, hiệu quả như cách làm việc của cảnh sát. Càng về những chương cuối của sách, câu chuyện đã hay còn hay hơn, khiến mình khá ngưỡng mộ ông Jeffrey Deaver.
Mặc dù không theo chân nhà Tâm lý học tội phạm siêu đẳng Lincoln Rhyme từ những tập sách đầu, mình vẫn thật sự khâm phục ông ta. Ông là một con người hết sức bình tĩnh, biết kiểm soát tình hình, mặc dù phải chịu hoàn cảnh hết sức éo le về thể chất. Tất nhiên, những cản trở vật chất ấy không làm mất đi ý chí và khả năng suy luận đỉnh cao của Lincoln. Mọi việc có thể qua mắt bao người khác, chắc chắn không thể qua mắt Lincoln Rhyme.
Tập #4 này có đả động một vấn đề nhạy cảm, chuyện nhập cư (cả chính . thống lẫn bất hợp pháp) vào đất nước Mỹ. Ta được thấy nỗi khổ của những con người phải di cư, khát khao một cuộc sống tốt đẹp hơn nơi Mỹ quốc. Ta cũng thấy chỉ vì "giấc mơ Mỹ" đó mà bao con người đã phải trả giá đắt thế nào. Cũng nhờ đề tài nhập cư này, người đọc được trải nghiệm sự tương quan giữa hai nền văn hóa Đông - Tây thông qua các nhân vật người Trung Quốc và Mỹ. Tư tưởng phóng khoáng và tin vào bằng chứng của người Mỹ, sự truyền thống và tin vào dấu hiệu linh thiêng của người Hoa... Hai luồng suy nghĩ này tôn trọng lẫn nhau, song hành để tìm lời giải cho bài toán.
Còn rất nhiều thứ muốn nói về cuốn sách này, mặc dù chỉ là một vụ án trong bao vụ án khác. Một lời khen dành cho tác giả vì đã kì công nghiên cứu văn hóa Trung Hoa, cũng như hòa quyện hai nền văn hóa tưởng chừng không thể cùng tồn tại để làm tiền đề cho cuốn sách. Cực kì thích tác giả và chắc chắn sẽ tìm đọc tiếp!
July 26, 2012
I looooooved this one! In a series where I like the main characters I often get frustrated by an author's insistence on spending a bunch of time on secondary characters or "main" characters who will appear only in a single book. However, I really like how Deaver keeps the Rhyme/Sachs personal stuff to a minimum and somehow he always gets me to care about his one-book characters.
I am also continually impressed by Deaver's research skills. I love how he picks one or two topics for each book to focus in on in great detail, so the reading experience is not just "fun" but also "educational!" In this case I already had a lot of knowledge of the subject - I lived in China for a year - so I could tell Deaver really did his homework. I was very, very impressed. I was also impressed by the fact that he didn't feel the need to make this book PC. He went with how the world (and Chinese culture) often works rather than how it ought to be.
Putting both secondary characters and stellar research together - I absolutely adored the character of Sonny and I wished he could hang around for a few more books! I wanted to see another team-up between the two master detectives. He was a great character and so many of the things he did and his attitude reminded me of people I knew in China. I laughed out loud a number of times.
Overall, excellent as usual.
I am also continually impressed by Deaver's research skills. I love how he picks one or two topics for each book to focus in on in great detail, so the reading experience is not just "fun" but also "educational!" In this case I already had a lot of knowledge of the subject - I lived in China for a year - so I could tell Deaver really did his homework. I was very, very impressed. I was also impressed by the fact that he didn't feel the need to make this book PC. He went with how the world (and Chinese culture) often works rather than how it ought to be.
Putting both secondary characters and stellar research together - I absolutely adored the character of Sonny and I wished he could hang around for a few more books! I wanted to see another team-up between the two master detectives. He was a great character and so many of the things he did and his attitude reminded me of people I knew in China. I laughed out loud a number of times.
Overall, excellent as usual.
August 20, 2024
Solid Rhyme. Will you anticipate the trademark Killer identity twist? The sprinkling of Chinese culture is superficial but respectful.
March 16, 2011
An older gentleman I know loves both mystery and horror novels. He's quite well read in both genres, and has declared on multiple times that Jeffery Deaver is his favorite mystery author. I got my hands on this book and decided to crack it before bed around midnight. At 5am, I was cursing the man's name because I couldn't put the book down.
I couldn't even tell you why. It wasn't filled with a poetic narrative or unbelievably engaging characters. As opposed to raving serial killers, it featured a Chinese assassin and two families of immigrants. Lincoln Rhyme is not exactly likable, and Amelia Sachs is too perfect. I have no idea. But I read the first half in one sitting, and rushed home today to finish the rest in another single sitting.
What did I do then? I immediately picked up the next book in the series. I'm already approximately 200 pages into it. I have no clue what magic powers Deaver might have, but they quickly defeated me.
I couldn't even tell you why. It wasn't filled with a poetic narrative or unbelievably engaging characters. As opposed to raving serial killers, it featured a Chinese assassin and two families of immigrants. Lincoln Rhyme is not exactly likable, and Amelia Sachs is too perfect. I have no idea. But I read the first half in one sitting, and rushed home today to finish the rest in another single sitting.
What did I do then? I immediately picked up the next book in the series. I'm already approximately 200 pages into it. I have no clue what magic powers Deaver might have, but they quickly defeated me.
August 18, 2022
This is Crime/Mystery and it is book #4 in the Lincoln Rhyme series. I read book #8 yesterday and liked it so much that I listened to another one today. The narrator was different for this one. I actually like this narrator's other works, but I didn't really care for him in this series. Lincoln sounded stiff and the Sachs sounded like a little damsel in distress....not the characters that were in the book I read yesterday.
I liked the immigration angle in this one. It was a great story line (maybe a little predictable) that tugged me along. But there were more characters in this one than I like when listening to an audio. So this one wasn't my favorite, but still 3 stars.
I liked the immigration angle in this one. It was a great story line (maybe a little predictable) that tugged me along. But there were more characters in this one than I like when listening to an audio. So this one wasn't my favorite, but still 3 stars.
August 29, 2011
I am a Jeffery Deaver fan who started reading his books in 2010 beginning with the one he just had published and eagerly backtracking through them all while keeping current with new ones.
I enjoy all of Deaver's books and this was no exception. I have gotten to know Lincoln Rhyme, Amelia Sachs and their co-workers fairly well and love getting another opportunity to visit them.
In THE STONE MONKEY, Lincoln Rhyme is in his NYC townhouse following the action as a ship carrying illegal aliens from China is approaching the shore with government agents in pursuit. Suddenly the ship is blown up by The Ghost, an evil and deadly smuggler/killer. The Ghost quickly kills the crew and attacks the immigrants who survive and try to make it to shore.
I won't go into a lot of detail that might give the story away but this is a mile-a-minute story that is very entertaining. I could barely stand to put it down. I read it in two days and it is over 400 pages. Lincoln Rhyme is paralyzed from the neck down so his police officer lover walks the grid at crime scenes for him and this time she gets to do some diving as well.
I enjoyed getting a taste of the culture and language of China and the inclusion of the culture shock the Chinese who managed to escape felt as they confronted the USA. There was warmth, love, and respect in the two families who hid from The Ghost who began killing people who might be a witness against him. Lincoln and Amelia's relationship is an interesting one as well and we learned some new things there.
I loved the character of Sonny Li! He is a Chinese police officer who was in the hold of the ship pretending to be one of the "piglets" (immigrants) and determined to take The Ghost down. He was a breath of fresh air and even Lincoln and Amelia learned to have respect for him and for the Chinese. Even nice people can have hidden bigotries that need to be challenged.
All in all, this is a very enjoyable read. I am addicted to Deaver as it is. Read his books and maybe you will be too.
I enjoy all of Deaver's books and this was no exception. I have gotten to know Lincoln Rhyme, Amelia Sachs and their co-workers fairly well and love getting another opportunity to visit them.
In THE STONE MONKEY, Lincoln Rhyme is in his NYC townhouse following the action as a ship carrying illegal aliens from China is approaching the shore with government agents in pursuit. Suddenly the ship is blown up by The Ghost, an evil and deadly smuggler/killer. The Ghost quickly kills the crew and attacks the immigrants who survive and try to make it to shore.
I won't go into a lot of detail that might give the story away but this is a mile-a-minute story that is very entertaining. I could barely stand to put it down. I read it in two days and it is over 400 pages. Lincoln Rhyme is paralyzed from the neck down so his police officer lover walks the grid at crime scenes for him and this time she gets to do some diving as well.
I enjoyed getting a taste of the culture and language of China and the inclusion of the culture shock the Chinese who managed to escape felt as they confronted the USA. There was warmth, love, and respect in the two families who hid from The Ghost who began killing people who might be a witness against him. Lincoln and Amelia's relationship is an interesting one as well and we learned some new things there.
I loved the character of Sonny Li! He is a Chinese police officer who was in the hold of the ship pretending to be one of the "piglets" (immigrants) and determined to take The Ghost down. He was a breath of fresh air and even Lincoln and Amelia learned to have respect for him and for the Chinese. Even nice people can have hidden bigotries that need to be challenged.
All in all, this is a very enjoyable read. I am addicted to Deaver as it is. Read his books and maybe you will be too.
January 5, 2019
Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs are a modern-day Sherlock Holmes and John Watson, they're 100% focused on the murder scenes and towards the end, we're just blown away by their conclusions of the murder cases!
A cargo ship bound carrying immigrants from China, along with a homicidal human smuggler and hitman known only as the Ghost. Rhyme and Sachs are asked for help from the FBI and also the INS to capture the Ghost, who they have been after for some time. But the capture goes south when Ghost ignites a bomb he implanted on the carrier, killing everyone on board, except for 2 immigrant families who abandoned ship and have reached shore, disappearing into New York City's Chinatown, attempting to escape the Ghost. Rhyme and Sachs are now in a race against time to get to the families before the Ghost does, and to bring the Ghost to justice, but what they don't know is other forces are at work and some want the Ghost for different reasons!
The story started out a little slow, didn't grip me until I was a few hundred pages into it. But after awhile I really started to enjoy it and see the classic Deaver suspense! And I like how Rhyme and Sachs relationship starts to grow, they're slowly starting to become more than law enforcement partners.
A cargo ship bound carrying immigrants from China, along with a homicidal human smuggler and hitman known only as the Ghost. Rhyme and Sachs are asked for help from the FBI and also the INS to capture the Ghost, who they have been after for some time. But the capture goes south when Ghost ignites a bomb he implanted on the carrier, killing everyone on board, except for 2 immigrant families who abandoned ship and have reached shore, disappearing into New York City's Chinatown, attempting to escape the Ghost. Rhyme and Sachs are now in a race against time to get to the families before the Ghost does, and to bring the Ghost to justice, but what they don't know is other forces are at work and some want the Ghost for different reasons!
The story started out a little slow, didn't grip me until I was a few hundred pages into it. But after awhile I really started to enjoy it and see the classic Deaver suspense! And I like how Rhyme and Sachs relationship starts to grow, they're slowly starting to become more than law enforcement partners.
December 28, 2008
Fiction, mysteries. Quadriplegic forensic scientist chases criminals. And wow how much do these books piss me off? It's not just the handling of the disability (which is rather ham-handed and painful) or the plotting (baroque to the point of near incomprehensibility and to the detriment of any consistent characterization). It's mostly the grating style, the ad nauseum use of a select few storytelling devices (show black hats planning something nefarious, show white hats walking into trap unawares, switch to black hat narration and watch white hats save the day followed by painful "this is how" explanation). Mostly, I'm resentful of writers who are frankly mediocre, but who sell books hand-over-fist. I keep waiting for this guy to get better, because there really are flashes of hope: the fact that the quad actually has a partner and sex life, the very occasional bit of evocative or lovely writing. But he's just not cluing in, and eventually I'll run out of patience and bail on the whole thing.
July 12, 2021
Overall Rating : B-
"Yeild, and you need not break.
Bent, you can straighten.
Emptied, you can hold.
Torn, you can mend."
Fourth book in the Lincoln Rhyme series and it pretty much follows the same premise : a pretty unique crime happens and Lincoln is on the case with his trusty partner/lover Amelia Sachs.
A pretty good crime thriller with many twists and turns but did drag on for way longer than it needed to be. But it's the twists that really keep me going. Along with a pretty unique POV of the antagonists view of the situation.
I own almost all the books in the series so it's pretty imperative for me to read them, even if the plots get stale. I've made a promise to myself and damn it I'm gonna keep it.
At least Amelia never gets boring, and I can live with that.
"Yeild, and you need not break.
Bent, you can straighten.
Emptied, you can hold.
Torn, you can mend."
Fourth book in the Lincoln Rhyme series and it pretty much follows the same premise : a pretty unique crime happens and Lincoln is on the case with his trusty partner/lover Amelia Sachs.
A pretty good crime thriller with many twists and turns but did drag on for way longer than it needed to be. But it's the twists that really keep me going. Along with a pretty unique POV of the antagonists view of the situation.
I own almost all the books in the series so it's pretty imperative for me to read them, even if the plots get stale. I've made a promise to myself and damn it I'm gonna keep it.
At least Amelia never gets boring, and I can live with that.
May 24, 2021
This being the third book in the Lincoln Rhyme series (having read the first two), and been caught up in the thrill of distinctly American characters playing out one scene after another in distinctly (white) American locales, I wasn't sure I would enjoy this book as much as the others. However I found myself not only being taken into the usual suspense of the story but really enjoying a deep foray into both Chinese and Chinese American culture. The Stone Monkey seems very well researched, and it is clear that the author himself enjoyed the same trip.
April 15, 2019
Und wieder mal ein richtig, richtig guter Thriller. 9/10
October 8, 2021
DNF @ 26%. I'm bored out of my mind.
February 2, 2017
This has been my favorite in the series so far. The struggle of immigration and the power of love and family and the length one will take protect their loved ones was something I appreciated being explored in a psychological thriller. I also admire the progression of the meaningful and deep relationship between the two main characters.
September 1, 2016
Another exciting page-turner from Deaver. Second Lincoln Rhyme novel I have read (The Bone Collector is the other). Deaver managed to keep the suspense high throughout the book and included an unexpected plot twist at the end. Highly recommend!
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