topic Re: FAMILIAR WITH AUTHOR JOHN SANDFORD? in Book Club

FAMILIAR WITH AUTHOR JOHN SANDFORD?

Tinkrbl44 — Sat, 03 Feb 2018 14:47:29 GMT

I don't recall who recommended him to me, but Thank You ..... again.

I've read most of the Virgil Flowers series and am now about one third through the 28 book Lucas Davenport series .... reading in sequence. These books are like candy for the brain ... great detail and character development. He is consistently very good.

I was looking at both Sandford's web page and the Fict Fact information on him and noticed other novels .... anyone know anything about his Kidd series ... the Singular Menace ... or his other novels? If so, what's your take on these books?

BTW ...... John Sandford is his pen name .... the author's real name is John Camp, and is a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist!

Boy, this man can write ......

Re: FAMILIAR WITH AUTHOR JOHN SANDFORD?

DiAnne — Fri, 02 Feb 2018 23:59:32 GMT

I am a fan of his also. I have read all of the Virgil Flowers series. I have read a few of the Lucas Davenport books. I am sure I will eventually read them all. I use them to fill in when newer books I have on hold are not available.

Re: FAMILIAR WITH AUTHOR JOHN SANDFORD?

jannabelle1 — Sat, 03 Feb 2018 00:00:23 GMT

John Sandford is one of my favorite authors! I've read and re-read every book from the Prey series (my favorites) and also the Virgil Flowers series. Sandford's characters are wonderful and most of them reappear from book to book. I've also read his Kidd series, but couldn't seem to get into them. Fortunately there were only three or four of them, so I don't feel lke I missed out with them. If you're on Facebook, check out one of his fan pages: "John Sandford....may contain spoilers"....it's a fun and knowledgeable group.

Re: FAMILIAR WITH AUTHOR JOHN SANDFORD?

icezeus — Sat, 03 Feb 2018 02:26:17 GMT

I just finished Dark of the Moon last week. It's the first book in the Virgil Flower series. I have book 2 on hold at the library Heat Lightning. I will be picking it up sometime this weekend.

I really enjoy this author.

Re: FAMILIAR WITH AUTHOR JOHN SANDFORD?

sassenach1 — Sat, 03 Feb 2018 03:11:40 GMT

@Tinkrbl44 John Sanford is one of my favorites and he never disappoints. I’ve read all his Lucas Davenport books and the Virgil Flowers ones. My problem is that I devour them. He is an author I wish could write as fast as I can read. Lol. I have a few authors like that. I’ve not read the Kidd series.

Re: FAMILIAR WITH AUTHOR JOHN SANDFORD?

whitedogs — Sat, 03 Feb 2018 04:23:56 GMT

Been in love with Lucas Davenport for years. Especially like the humor in those scary Prey books. John Sanford is my fovorite writer. Never get tired of re-reading his books.

Re: FAMILIAR WITH AUTHOR JOHN SANDFORD?

Tinkrbl44 — Sat, 03 Feb 2018 06:27:05 GMT

wrote:
I just finished Dark of the Moon last week. It's the first book in the Virgil Flower series. I have book 2 on hold at the library Heat Lightning. I will be picking it up sometime this weekend.

I really enjoy this author.

@icezeus

Ditto .... Definitely my best literary find of 2017!

Do your best to read them in order .... I'm finding it makes a difference with character development.

Re: FAMILIAR WITH AUTHOR JOHN SANDFORD?

Irish1210 — Sat, 03 Feb 2018 11:33:21 GMT

I have alwayas loved Lucas and the "Prey" books................however, I guess I felt they had become a little too scarey and so I stopped.

Re: FAMILIAR WITH AUTHOR JOHN SANDFORD?

dawg lover — Sat, 03 Feb 2018 14:38:21 GMT

I've read all the Prey and Flowers books, and all four Kidd books as well. I liked them, and actually Kidd shows up from time to time in the Prey books. The Kidd books feature the antics of an artist, Kidd and his girlfriend, LuEllen, and the con jobs they pull. So, they are written from the point of view of a criminal, rather than a lawman. But, as I recall, none of their crimes are too bad, more like intricate plots like Oceans 11. I always think it's funny when Lucas encounters Kidd, because Lucas somehow senses that Kidd is not completely honest..... I think the books Sandford writes with his wife, Michelle Cook, are aimed at a teen audience. BTW, Sandford has a new book, "TWISTED PREY" coming out in April.

Re: FAMILIAR WITH AUTHOR JOHN SANDFORD?

teganslaw — Sat, 03 Feb 2018 15:54:44 GMT

I've read all of "Virgil Flowers' novels except the newest one which I have on hold. The Kidd novels are interesting, but I like "Flowers" better. I haven't read many "Prey" novels, though. They will probably be next.

Re: FAMILIAR WITH AUTHOR JOHN SANDFORD?

Tinkrbl44 — Sat, 03 Feb 2018 22:42:27 GMT

wrote:
I've read all the Prey and Flowers books, and all four Kidd books as well. I liked them, and actually Kidd shows up from time to time in the Prey books. The Kidd books feature the antics of an artist, Kidd and his girlfriend, LuEllen, and the con jobs they pull. So, they are written from the point of view of a criminal, rather than a lawman. But, as I recall, none of their crimes are too bad, more like intricate plots like Oceans 11. I always think it's funny when Lucas encounters Kidd, because Lucas somehow senses that Kidd is not completely honest..... I think the books Sandford writes with his wife, Michelle Cook, are aimed at a teen audience. BTW, Sandford has a new book, "TWISTED PREY" coming out in April.

@dawg lover

Funny you should mention that .... I'm about half way through #12 in the series - Chosen Prey - and Kidd just showed up for the first time!

So, I'm ordering the first Kidd book on Ebay. I read only paperbacks exclusively (with few exceptions) and find I can get most books slightly used for about $4 each ... less than a movie ticket. I later donate them to Goodwill or whatever.

Re: FAMILIAR WITH AUTHOR JOHN SANDFORD?

dawg lover — Sun, 04 Feb 2018 17:57:50 GMT

@Tinkrbl44 - that was good timing (mentioning Kidd and then he shows up in the book!). I think you'll like the Kidd books too, since you like the others.

Re: FAMILIAR WITH AUTHOR JOHN SANDFORD?

sandy53 — Thu, 08 Feb 2018 00:24:14 GMT

I also really like John Sandford. You might also enjoy another series set in Minnesota called the Monkeewrench series by PJ Tracy. The tone is quite similar.

Re: FAMILIAR WITH AUTHOR JOHN SANDFORD?

dawg lover — Thu, 08 Feb 2018 15:14:19 GMT

wrote:
I also really like John Sandford. You might also enjoy another series set in Minnesota called the Monkeewrench series by PJ Tracy. The tone is quite similar.

I agree with @sandy53, the Monkeewrench books are fantastic -- very well written. They are written by a mother and daughter team and unfortunately, the mother recently passed away. I was glad to see that the series will continue through the daughter. The first book in the series, "MONKEEWRENCH", is amazing. If ordering used books in the series, be aware that in the UK the titles are different, so you don't buy the same book twice! This almost happened to me, but I checked at the last minute.

Re: FAMILIAR WITH AUTHOR JOHN SANDFORD?

Tinkrbl44 — Thu, 22 Feb 2018 05:49:10 GMT

@sandy53wrote:
I also really like John Sandford. You might also enjoy another series set in Minnesota called the Monkeewrench series by PJ Tracy. The tone is quite similar.

@sandy53

Thanks for the recommendation! I just checked on FictFact and it has 8 books in that series.

Minnesota must have a lot going on ... in the criminal aspect.

Re: FAMILIAR WITH AUTHOR JOHN SANDFORD?

icezeus — Wed, 28 Feb 2018 18:11:01 GMT

@sassenach1wrote:
@Tinkrbl44 John Sanford is one of my favorites and he never disappoints. I’ve read all his Lucas Davenport books and the Virgil Flowers ones. My problem is that I devour them. He is an author I wish could write as fast as I can read. Lol. I have a few authors like that. I’ve not read the Kidd series.

@sassenach1

I have the same problem. I love the Virgil Flower Series and I don't want it to end. I originally thought that there were 17 books in the series but actually he has written only 11. I have deliberately slowed myself down and started to insert other books in between to stretch it out.

I have the first Lucas Davenport Series on hold at the libraryand I hope that I enjoy them as much as the Virgil Flower themed books.

Re: FAMILIAR WITH AUTHOR JOHN SANDFORD?

apple sauce — Sat, 03 Mar 2018 16:48:00 GMT

. I have read all the Prey books, love Lucas. I have thought about starting the Virgil Flowers series and because of this thread got book one. John Sandford never disappointed me with the Lucas Davenport series. I always wait eagerly for the next Prey book every spring. I think Lucas has gotten older has settled down and married, has a lot of kids. Virgil Flowers reminds me of a young Lucas from the early Prey books. I think I will like this series. Thanks for this book club thread. I get the best recommendations for great reads here. Sonia

Re: FAMILIAR WITH AUTHOR JOHN SANDFORD?

Tinkrbl44 — Sat, 03 Mar 2018 19:25:18 GMT

@icezeus @apple sauce

I have now read 9 of the 10 Virgil Flowers series, and really liked them. I'm now on #20 of the 28 novel Lucas Davenport series. (#28 is listed, but has not been released yet)

I've purchased the 4 novel Kidd series, and will read them soon. Like you, they are hard to stop once you start.

I also concur that it's best to read them in order, if you can.

IMPORTANT ----- Scheduled 2018 releases

According to John's website, the publisher is releasing TWISTED PREY on April 24, 2018, or thereabouts.

Also ..... the next Virgil Flower book, tentatively named HOLY GHOST, is scheduled for release in October 2018.

The link below gives you a list of all his novels, in case you want to read any of the others .... The Prey and Flowers books seem to be the most popular, but there's also the 4 book Kidd series, the 3 book Singular Menace series, and 3 stand alone non-series books.

If anyone has read those mentioned in the paragraph above .... could you please give us your thoughts on them? TIA

http://johnsandford.org/faq.html

Re: FAMILIAR WITH AUTHOR JOHN SANDFORD?

kitty45 — Sat, 03 Mar 2018 19:53:42 GMT

@Tinkrbl44 I'm going to have to move him up my TBR.

Re: FAMILIAR WITH AUTHOR JOHN SANDFORD?

smoky22 — Sat, 03 Mar 2018 22:01:47 GMT

@dawg loverwrote:
wrote:
I also really like John Sandford. You might also enjoy another series set in Minnesota called the Monkeewrench series by PJ Tracy. The tone is quite similar.
I agree with @sandy53, the Monkeewrench books are fantastic -- very well written. They are written by a mother and daughter team and unfortunately, the mother recently passed away. I was glad to see that the series will continue through the daughter. The first book in the series, "MONKEEWRENCH", is amazing. If ordering used books in the series, be aware that in the UK the titles are different, so you don't buy the same book twice! This almost happened to me, but I checked at the last minute.

Mr Smoky has read almost every John Sandford and really likes them. I'm interested in the Monkeewrench series you both mentioned. I just put the first one on hold. Thanks for the recommendation.