Masked Prey (Lucas Davenport #30)

Much to my isolated delight, John Sandford’s new book appeared on my Kindle. Sandford has been one of my favorite writers. I have read the Prey and Flowers novels over and over, enjoying them each time. I just started Masked Prey. To my disgust, Sandford seems to have injected his politics into the plot. Don’t mistake me — the writing’s still excellent — but to choose extreme right wing villains at this point in time seems… personal. Show some guts, Mr. Sandford! Choose Muslims as villains, or a Bernie bro like James Hodgkinson, or antifa, or even a Chinese. This book feels (so far) like a cheap shot. Virtue signalling much? Allow me to suggest that alienating a significant part of your reader base isn’t a good marketing strategy. Lest someone accuse me of overreacting, haven’t the sjw’s taught us that everything is political — or can be made to fit a narrative. Sorry John — I returned this book.

I wish I could get my $15 back! This is the 2nd Sandford book that went political, and I’m done. I’ve enjoyed his books for years, but no more. His blatant Progessivism is loud and clear, and that’s his right, but I’m not paying to be insulted by his projected insults. It has been lovely knowing Lucas and Virgil, but this ride is over for me! I recently finished Harlan Coben’s The Boy From the Woods. Also political, but he handles it much more deftly. I couldn’t tell you his political ideology. That, my friends, is what a masterful author does!

I have read all of Mr. Sandfords books. I always enjoyed Delaware books. This is the first time I put one of his books down. Mr. Sandford just had to get his political opinions in this book. I wanted to read a well written drama/adventure but as many authors are now doing he had to throw his political views in. This is one of Delaware books I wont continue reading

Perhaps Sandford himself did write this book, but this book is not Sandford’s voice of the other Prey Series, all of which I have read. I am Sandford’s age, and after 30 years in my profession, I was burned out and retired. Sandford should do the same. He is definitely burned out.

His last three books have disappointed me, a linguist who recognizes printed voices. Sandford has been relying on ghosts for a while. But this book, in addition to having a voice other than Sandford’s, lacks his usual tight plot and multi-dimensional characters. It is an amateurish political diatribe. If Sandford, in his old age, wants to spout political philosophy, please, skip the fiction and line up with the other alt-righter or alt-lefters who publish.

Don’t take my fifteen bucks and not give me Lucas Davenport, et al.

I pre-ordered this book and was impatiently waiting for the release only to be disappointed. When you binge read these books you notice certain plotting tics which usually adds to the delight and suspense, but with this book, the injection of politics soured the experience for me.

The alt-right boogie man is a well worn trope and beneath the talent of this excellent writer. This theme feels hackneyed and to other reviewers overtly political based on Camp’s personal politics. I don’t know if either of those things are true. But given the challenges we face today, the whole thing seems stale and uninteresting. Not worth the price and I’ll go back to waiting for library copies of these books to save my money.

I really, really wanted this to be a good one.

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