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Thrillers: 100 Must-Reads

Name: Thrillers: 100 Must-Reads
Author: David Morrell
ISBN: 9781608090402

by David Morrell, Hank Wagner

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Overview

The most riveting reads in history meet today's biggest thriller writers in Thrillers: 100 Must-Reads.Edited by David Morrell and Hank Wagner, Thrillers: 100 Must-Reads examines 100 seminal works of suspense through essays contributed by such esteemed modern thriller writers as: David Baldacci, Steve Berry, Sandra Brown, Lee Child, Jeffery Deaver, Tess Gerritsen, Heather Graham, John Lescroart, Gayle Lynds, Katherine Neville, Michael Palmer, James Rollins, R. L. Stine, and many more.Thrillers: 100 Must-Reads features 100 works - from Beowulf to The Bourne Identity, Dracula to Deliverance, Heart of Darkness to The Hunt for Red October - deemed must-reads by the International Thriller Writers organization.Much more than an anthology, Thrillers: 100 Must-Reads goes deep inside the most notable thrillers published over the centuries. Through lively, spirited, and thoughtful essays that examine each work's significance, impact, and influence, Thrillers: 100 Must-Reads provides both historical and personal perspective on those spellbinding works that have kept readers on the edge of their seats for centuries.

About the Author, David Morrell

David Morrell is the award-winning author of First Blood, co-founder of the International Thriller Writersorganization, and is considered by many to be the father of the modern action novel.Hank Wagner is a prolific and respected critic and interviewer. His work regularly appears in such publications as Mystery Scene, Cemetery Dance, Nova Express, and The New York Review of Science Fiction.

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Editorials

Michael Dirda

Enjoyable in itself, the book also offers 100 possible answers to that perennial summertime conundrum: What book shall I pack for the beach?
—The Washington Post

Publishers Weekly

Working with a frustratingly broad definition drawn from John Buchan—that a thriller “create[s] excitement and quicken[s] the reader’s heartbeat”—Morrell and Wagner’s collection disappoints. Morrell’s First Blood was the basis for the Rambo films, and Wagner is a regular contributor to Mystery Scene magazine; they have selected 100 examples of supposedly trendsetting thrillers, each introduced by a contemporary writer of the genre. Beginning with the ancient Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur and ending with Dan Brown’s 2003 bestseller, The Da Vinci Code, the list includes both obvious and puzzling selections. The introductions are also of varying quality, with the more interesting examples coming from writers who explore their personal connection to the work in question, such as the ingenious parallels Lee Child drew as a boy between the Theseus myth and Ian Fleming’s Dr. No, or Duane Swierczynski discovering Donald Westlake’s (writing as Richard Stark) Parker series and realizing “it’s fun to read about sons of bitches.” But the collection lacks cohesion, and too much space is devoted to minibiographies of the writers (which can be easily gleaned elsewhere). Thriller aficionados may find new titles to add to their reading lists; casual fans will be overwhelmed by the broad-stroke approach. (July 5)

Library Journal

The top names in the thriller genre today reflect on and examine suspense classics in 100 riveting essays. Created by the International Thriller Writers organization and edited by First Bloodauthor Morrell and critic Wagner, this anthology starts far into the past with Lee Child's examination of the Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur and proceeds up to the modern publishing game changer, Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code. The other titles mentioned include a variety of obvious choices, like Michael Crichton's The Andromeda Strain and John le Carré's The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, but some are head scratchers, like Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe and Jules Verne's Mysterious Island. Each essay persuades the reader to understand why a particular title deserves to be featured, including the not so obvious choices. The debate to define a thriller and separate it from the mystery genre will intensify even further thanks to the various selections here. VERDICT This is an essential reference book for readers' advisory; suspense fans will also enjoy browsing to find new titles and authors to savor. [See Q&A with Morrell on p. 74.—Ed.]—Jeff Ayers, Seattle P.L.