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List Price: $26.99 | | Publisher: Warner Books
Salesrank: 89655
Released: April 24, 2007 |
| Our Price: $0.01 |
| Used Price: $0.01 |
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| Media: Hardcover |
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Editorial Review:
In a world of secrets, human genius is power.
And sometimes it is simply deadly...
A three-hour drive from Washington, D.C., two clandestine institutions face each other across a heavily guarded river. One is the world's most unusual laboratory, whose goals and funding are a mystery. The other is an elite CIA training camp shrouded in secrecy. Now a man and a woman are about to run a gauntlet between these two puzzle factories, straight into a furious struggle to exploit a potentially world-shattering discovery--and keep some other secrets underwraps forever...
Former secret service agents turned private investigators Sean King and Michelle Maxwell have seen their lives splinter around them. Michelle lies unconscious ina hospital bed after a night of suicidal violence. And Sean is forced to take on a thankless investigation into the mutder of a scientist just inside the CIA's razor-wire fence near Williamsburg, Virginia.
Soon he is uncovering layer after layer of disinformation that shields a stunning world filled with elite mathematics, physicists, war heroes, spies, and deadly field agents. Amid more murder, a seemingly autistic girl's extraordinary genius, and a powerful breakthrough in the realm of classified codes, Sean soon learns enough to put his life at risk. Now more than ever, he needs Michelle--at her best--to help stop a conspiracy of traitors operating in the shadow of the White House itself.
From Michelle's courageous struggle to defeat her long-buried personal demons to a centuries-old secret that surfaces in the heat of action, SIMPLE GENIUS pulses with stunning, high-intensity suspense. The heroes of Split Second and Hour Game, David Baldacci's #1 New York Times bestsellers, are back--as you've never seen them before.
Simple Genius Reviews:
Baldacci can do better. 
2008-10-08 - I loved the "King and Maxwell" series Baldacci has been writing, but I think this book is probably the weakest in the trilogy. The story developed for this book had great potential, but the characters in it were underdeveloped and uninspiring, and the details of the story were often unclear. Overall, the book seemed somewhat rushed. It's a good read if you like Baldacci, but it's definitely not his best.
Written for Middle Schoolers? 
2008-10-01 - I've read numerous Baldacci books and honestly wondered if he subcontracted Simple Genius to the author of the children's Encyclopedia Brown series.
This book, while moderately entertaining to read, unfortunately comes across as a one-dimensional juvenile reader genre, comparable to Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, or Encyclopedia Brown. Possibly a Janet Evanovich / Stephanie Plum episode.
At best, it is a fanciful shallow comic book tale polluted with trite dialog, an overabundance of tangential side plots, and character depth you'd normally have to watch Saturday morning cartoons to find.
Sean is our protagonist hero, in the role of Encyclopedia Brown. His partner and bodyguard, Michelle, plays the Sally Kimball role. There's trouble in Idaville, err, Babbagetown, which is across the river from a scary mysterious hideout run by, is it the CIA? The FBI? ? Bugs Meany and Wilford Wiggins?
It's hard to believe the author of Absolute Power also penned Simple Genius. Like a term-long science project that got started the night before the due date, Simple Genius comes across like a tired collection of cartoonish stereotypes, hokey plot devices, and thinly crafted juvenile dialog. Seriously, I half expected Mama Fratelli and The Goonies to show up and fight for the secret hidden treasure!
I liked Baldacci's other works, but I wouldn't recommend Simple Genius, unless you're looking for the print equivalent of the next "Scooby Doo, Where Are You?" movie.
Just felt the need to save just one person from buying this tripe!
2008-09-21 - The lead characters - Michelle and Sean - seemed real and appealing in previous Baldacci books. What an incredible letdown reading this one. I finished it ONLY because I was reading it aloud to my wife. Otherwise I would have taken it back to the bookstore and thrown it in the face of the buyer (well maybe not).
If you have to tell someone you've read ALL his books, then read this one. I can think of NO other reason. The characters balance the plot by being unreal and unbelievable. No one acts like a human.
A disgusting bit of work by an author that I had previously enjoyed. I'll never try him again. Disgusting effort. Sounds like he made it up of the contributions of a 6th grade summer class on writing novels.
Other than that, it's size and weight were similar to other books.
Oh, perhaps I should add that I didn't enjoy it?
My First (and Last) Baldacci book. 
2008-09-01 - The story line and plot of this book had potential from the start. However, I found the writing to be trite, and the linking logic often simple and flawed. I read it through to the end because Baldacci was new to me, I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt. Also I had spent some time at the Naval Weapons station and was curious what he had to say about the area.
How many times did my eyes fall upon the phrase.. "so and so quickly brought so and so upto speed on what happened".. yawn..
Other trite items.. The author would go into lengthy explanations of how the main characters prepared for the unexpected.. then.. the one thing they didn't think of happens.. "What now batman?".. well.. gee.. look a ladder!.. gimme a break! Once, twice.. but all of the time.. .. YAWN..
This book is not a page turner.. save your effort.. read something else you have been curious about!
Simple disappointment
2008-08-24 - The quality of Baldacci's work has continued to decline. Although Simple Genius has a decent premise and moves forward at a nice pace, the writing is very pedestrian. I really find it hard to believe that the same guy who wrote some of the better thrillers in the 90's actually authored this. Very disappointing.
