A Pretty Good Book.Synopsis:Artist Alexander Kinloch has worked out a good pattern for his life. His home is a small bothy on a remote mountain in Scotland; he paints on commission, from which he derives both pleasure and a decent income; he lives alone and likes it. One day, however, Alexander's peace is violently shattered when he returns home to find a group of strangers waiting for him. After a scuffle, he is left for dead with only the words ‘‘Where is it?' ringing in his ears. And the days that follow contain more danger than he could ever imagine.My Take: An artist named Alexander Kinloch is thrown into the world of reality when he is robbed, beaten, and his step-father has a heart- attack. Whilst acting for his stepfather to solve the mystery of the thousands of missing dollars, Alexander faces many obstacles, and some old wounds are reopened.Plot:The plot of this book was a little shaky, but pretty good. The book took a while to get started and the layout was a little awkward, but the overall plot content was quite interesting. I really enjoyed how Alexander switched locations many times and that you got to know the new location. I give the plot of To The Hilt, 4/5 Book Stars!Characters: I felt that the surrounding characters were slightly more developed than Alexander, and it made the novel unique and interesting. My favourite character was the personality-changing-detective/bodyguard, you could really get a kick out of him/her! My least favourite character was Robert, or "Himself" as he is referred to, because he was a very underdeveloped character and I felt that it would be beneficial as readers to know more about him. I give the characters of this novel, 4.5./5 BookStars!Content: The content of this book was very well written. There was just enough history tied in to make you learn something, but not to bore you. There were many aspects involved in the novel that would make it appeal to many audiences. (horse-racing, economics, politics, romance, etc.)I give the plot of this book 4.5/5 BookStars!To be honest, I did not think I was going to like this book, and as I was reading it I was dead set against it. But looking back on it, I see that while it might have been a lot deeper than Y.A. novels, it is a book that sticks with you and really makes you think. Overall I give To The Hilt by Dick Francis, 4/5 BookStars!
What is there to say about Dick Francis? As I think about all of his books (yes, this review covers all of his books, and yes I've read them all) I think about a moral ethical hero, steeped in intelligence and goodness embroiled in evil machinations within British horse racing society - either directly or indirectly. The heroes aren't always horse jockies, they can be film producers, or involve heroes engaged in peripheral professions that somehow always touch the horse racing world.But more than that, Francis's heroes are rational human beings. The choices made are rational choices directed by a firm objective philosophy that belies all of Francis's novels. The dialogue is clear and touched with humor no matter the intensity of evil that the hero faces. The hero's thoughts reveal a vulnerability that is touching, while his actions are always based on doing the right thing to achieve justice. Causing the reader to deeply care about the characters in a novel is a difficult thing to do. No such worries in a Francis novel. The point of view is first person, you are the main character as you read the story (usually the character of Mr. Douglas). The hero is personable, like able, non-violent but delivering swift justice with his mind rather than through physical means. This is not to say that violence is a stranger to our hero. Some of it staggering and often delivered by what we would think of normal persons living in British society.You will come to love the world of Steeple Chase racing, you will grow a fondness for horses, stables, trainers and the people who live in that world. You will read the books, devouring one after the other and trust me Dick Francis has a lot of novels (over 40 by my last count).There are several series woven into the fabric of Francis's work: notably the Sid Halley and Kit Fielding series.Assessment: Dick Francis is one of my favorite writers. I read his books with a fierce hunger that remains insatiable and I mourn his death.
What do You think about To The Hilt (2004)?
This book was one I read for book club, and I very much enjoyed this mystery. In fact, I intend to read more of Dick Francis; and if more of his books are as good as this one, I will add him to my list of favorite mystery authors, along with Agatha Christie and Tony Hillerman! The story is set in Scotland & London, with a very down-to-earth - and somewhat reluctant - hero, who gets thrown into the action against his will. He acquits himself admirably, however, and in the end saves the day. About the only thing I didn't like about the book was that the author threw in a single f-word and a (very tame) sex scene. I am not easily offended, and was not in any way offended by either of these elements. I just felt like they were thrown in a little gratuitously; as if the author (or perhaps the editors) felt obligated to include them in order to sell the book. And I think the book would have fared just fine without them!
—Charlotte
I realize that there is a common thread in Francis' novels - you've got a good guy who basically gets in the thick of events by circumstance, or because other people like piling their problems upon him. Furthermore, the same guy often finds himself dodging physical attacks/murder attempts while trying to sort out the $h!t the aforementioned other people piled upon him. Of course, somewhere in there is a (strong or feeble) link with horse racing, another of Francis' trademarks.Summed up like that, that recipe sounds quite formulaic. But in the case of To the hilt, it works. And I mean, works. The novel opens up with a bang, i.e., four thugs beating the stuffing out of the protagonist, Al Kinloch, a painter who lives a secluded life in the Scottish mountains. He quickly becomes involved in various family matters, and from there, things start to get interesting. I really enjoyed reading the novel, simply because it's well written, and got me so hooked that I had to keep reading in even when I wasn't supposed to (view spoiler)[during my lectures (hide spoiler)]
—Martina
I've been rereading all the Dick Francis on the shelf in the Homer Public Library. This one is still my favorite, painter Alexander Kinloch, nephew of a Scottish earl, is summoned from his aerie in Scotland by his mother to tend to his step-father, whose prosperous brewery has been ripped off to insolvency by its disappeared comptroller. Wonderful characters, contained but loving mother Vivienne, dithery but honorable step-father Ivan, proud, stubborn, hilarious uncle Himself (the earl), viperous but charming step-sister Patsy and her execrable husband Surtees, and one of the more capable and most amusing sidekicks I've ever read, the private investigative team of Young and Utley. Francis' villains are never that obscure, by their behavior shall ye know them, but the creating of the portrait of Zoe Lang is wonderfully descriptive and mesmerizing.Reflex, Straight, Banker, Proof, Decider also wonderful. Yeah, he was a jockey and there is always a horse around somewhere, but the books are often only peripherally about racing. Part of the greatness of his novels lies in the different worlds he explores in each of them, painting in To The Hilt, photography in Reflex, gemstones in Straight, venture capitalism in Banker, wine in Proof, architecture in Decider. He writes pretty much the same character every time, first person male, young, stubborn, honest, honorable, never a whiner, always calm and cool and on occasion astonishingly forgiving. Maybe it's always the same narrator, but it's someone you want to know, and the writing is excellent. Read Proof for the telephone conversation between English Tony and French Henri, worth the price of the book alone.
—Dana Stabenow
