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 Headed for the box office? Sep 14, 2009
As good as a James Bond movie- international espionage, CIA operatives, lots of blood, occasional splattered brains, and of course a little delicious sex. Better than a James Bond movie because here the major characters (Jim and Luci) live on in your heart after the last page is turned. While there is the usual disclaimer that the events and characters are fictious and do not represent actual occurances, one has to wonder whether the author's experiences in Columbia and Russia (described on the back cover) might have involved some encounters with the CIA such as permeate this gripping novel.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
gripping! Aug 04, 2005
A very well written thriller, with fully-developed, complex characters that jump off the page, and a plot that keeps you guessing as to what will happen next. A remarkable first novel. Recommended!
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
A very good read Jul 19, 2005
This well crafted page-turner is full of plot twists that keep you wide awake and thoroughly engaged with Jim Nordberg, the narrator, as he warily deciphers the roles of each of the other characters, many of them re-emerging from his past. Neff makes Nordberg an appealing person with whom to identify, someone with a history of convictions but not always the gumption to act on them, now returning from nursing failures back into a world that needs him. The settings, ranging from poverty to posh, from city to village and forest, with all the heat, humidity, stench, and desperation of Nicaragua, feel truly authentic. For those of us who suspect that not all the players in the Iran-Contra drama have been dealt with, this is a particularly good read.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
Hidden Impact Jun 25, 2005
HIDDEN IMPACT has all of the makings of a great novel. The characters are brilliantly created, the setting is realistic, and the plot is entertaining and fresh. Charles B. Neff tells this story through the eyes of Jim Nordberg, a middle aged man who is looking to revitalize his life by rebuilding Nicaragua where, years before, he lived as a Peace Corps Volunteer.
After Jim arrives in Nicaragua, he learns about the existence of secret diary that contains information from his past. In order to keep this diary out of the hands of the public, he teams up with some old, and new, friends and finds himself on the adventure of a lifetime.
For being Charles B. Neff's first novel, I was very impressed with HIDDEN IMPACT. There were a few typos and grammatical mistakes, but the story itself was richly written and highly entertaining. If you like political thrillers, this book is a must read.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
Hidden Impact - a stellar debut novel Mar 14, 2005
"Hidden Impact, a debut novel by Charles B. Neff, hits its mark with exceptional writing, a riveting story, and fascinating characters."
-- Dana E. Blozis, writer, editor, and book reviewer
Set primarily in Nicaragua, author Charles Neff tells the tale of a middle-aged Jim Nordberg who is looking for meaningful work to energize his solitary existence. Nordberg returns to the setting where he first became a Peace Corps volunteer in the early 1970s, hoping to help rebuild Nicaragua while infusing himself with much needed life. Shortly after his arrival, Nordberg's past returns to him in waves as business associates, friends, and enemies reappear in his life one by one.
Nordberg quickly finds himself entrenched in the search for a missing document containing sensitive information about those who supported the Contras in the 1980s. To find and protect the document, Nordberg faces difficult decisions and is thrust into the face of danger at every turn. Nordberg, suspicious of the novel's other characters, finds himself drawn to a woman from his past, Luci Fuentes, who was a young teenager when they first met. Fuentes joins Nordberg in the adventure, trying to save her family and a struggling Nicaragua in the process.
Hidden Impact is a well written book full of politics, history, and adventure, with a slice of romance thrown in for good measure. Neff artfully presents each of his characters, slowly unfolding the subtleties of each one while drawing them into the action. As the novel's main character, Nordberg is the unlikely hero whose past failures undermine his confidence. Despite his flaws, Nordberg is a good guy at heart and easy to relate to.
In Hidden Impact, readers will find an extraordinary first novel that is well written, easy to read, and hard to put down. Neff's storytelling skills will quickly enrapture even the most stubborn of readers, drawing them quickly and completely into the adventure ahead.
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