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 enlarge | Author: David Baldacci
Creator: Ron Mclarty
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Category: Book
List Price: $49.98
Buy New: $18.87
You Save: $31.11 (62%)
New (26) from $18.87
Avg. Customer Rating:  100 reviews
Sales Rank: 143430
Format: Audiobook, Unabridged
Media: Audio CD
Edition: Unabridged
Number Of Items: 12
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 5.8 x 5.4 x 1.5
ISBN: 1600241441
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.54
EAN: 9781600241444
ASIN: 1600241441
Publication Date: April 22, 2008
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
 Suspend disbelief and enjoy the ride September 30, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
The Whole Truth is a thriller about the head of a weapons manufacturing company (Nicolas Creel) who hires a perception management company to plant false information about Russian atrocities, with the aim of creating a Cold War between Russia and China that will cause all the world's superpowers to increase defense spending. At the same time, we are introduced to our hero Shaw, who works for an unnamed and mysterious international law enforcement agency. Shaw's fiancee, Anna, has suspicions about the false media reports and this will eventually lead to Shaw being pulled into a vendetta against Creel.
I read The Whole Truth while on holiday recently and after a slightly slow start, I thought it made an ideal fast-paced and mindless holiday read. Yes, the plot is fairly silly, but if you decide to just go with it, it's entertaining enough. I did get irritated by the cardboard characters throughout (one of whom never gets referred to as anything but "Miss Hottie") and the romance between Shaw and Anna never feels even remotely realistic.
My husband read this book after me, devoured it in a day and rated it more highly than I did. He also had far less problem with the characters than I did and was entirely comfortable with Shaw's mysterious occupation. While it sounds sexist, I do think this is a book than men will enjoy more than women. You can decide for yourself if that means that women are more discerning or perhaps that we are more innately critical. Having said that, the way that the book ends implies that there may be a sequel and if there is, I'd read it.
 Another great read from Baldacci September 26, 2008
As usual David Baldacci does an excellent job of character development and making the plot understandable. Even though you know the good guys are going to come out ahead, there are enough twists and turns in the story to make some part of your brain doubt that and make you wonder what's going to happen next.
If you like Baldacci's previous books you're going to like this one.
A little too close to "the whole truth" for comfort September 21, 2008
Now that we all know how the White House "perception managed" us right into the Iraq War, Baldacci's story seems almost too plausible, too realistic, as if he's stolen his plot from newspaper clippings and recent history. Exchange "Ares" for "Haliburton," and it's not even fiction any longer.
I've never read Baldacci before, and I am pleasantly surprised by this book. His "hero" in this novel (A Shaw -- that "A" is not an initial, btw; the orphan had only his surname, so named himself "a Shaw") reminds me of one of my other favorite anti-heroes, Jack Reacher. Shaw's a bit more likable and, unlike Reacher, is actually able to make a connection with another human being; but they are both physically imposing, taciturn, intelligent men, both saving the world single-handedly, one-bad-guy-diverted, one-war-averted at a time. A note about Baldacci's characters in general: I'm listening to the audio version of this book on my commute. Perhaps the reader makes the characters come alive; unlike other reviewers, I find the main characters to be complicated and thoughtful. Even Nicholas Creel has his merits (he spends $80MM on a children's cancer hospital) and Katie, the alcoholic, intrepid, Pulitzer-prize-winning investigative reporter, is all too human as she sits facing a bottle of gin, a glass half-full of tonic and ice, and the dead Afghan child who haunts her.
I read a lot (which doesn't make me less picky) and this book had me hooked by the 2nd chapter. Hope A Shaw returns.
I wish it was a better read.... September 18, 2008
I have previously greatly enjoyed a few other books by Baldacci and so I picked-up this one. Very few thrills here and a very simplistic and predictable read. Ho-hum. Where are the thrills in this "thriller"? I just could not find them. There area no shades of gray here either just a simple balck and white...aka: the good guys vs the bad guys. This author has and I'm confident will do better in the future.
Good, Action Packed Thiller September 11, 2008
Nicholas Creel, the owner of a huge weapons manafacturing company, is trying to create a second arms race, to boost his company's ailing finances. To do this he hires a Perception Management firm to create false, but convincing stories of alleged Russian atrocities, over the iternet. This he hopes will enflame public opinion, against that country, and ratchet up tensions between the world's greatest powers.
I found this book an enjoyable, easy read. The storyline reminded me a bit of novels by Clive Cussler, as their is a lot of action going on, within the pages. However, the main characters in the novel, while interesting, do come across as a bit one dimensional at times, and the character development is not nearly as good as in other books that I have read by this author.
However, I feel this book is worth four stars, as it is something of a page-turner. I thought the whole perception management angle was interesting, also, and would wonder how often it is used in the real world.
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