The Winslow series featuring Neal Carey, has a certain charisma. Always well written and entertaining. The characters in this one are a little too stereotyped and the goings on a little too predictable. But, as always, a fun and quick read. Check out the whole series for a good time without too much to think about. "Cool Breeze On the Underground" still the best of them.

This is my first outing with Don Winslow's Neal Carey series after enjoying the fine "California Fire & Life," I reaffirmed that Mr. Winslow is a careful and crafty writer. The setting in the Nevada high desert country is well rendered and atmospheric. The dialogue is crisp, though slightly portentous. The characters are larger than life, but carefully drawn.

Neal is a member of a mysterious group, "Friends of the Family" who undertake quasi-legal jobs at the behest of a fabulously wealthy philanthropic employer. What looks like a routine child custody abduction by an irresponsible father develops into a huge conspiracy that could have global implications. Sound like "Mission Impossible"? That crossed my mind too.

Neal goes deep undercover to locate toddler Cody McCall whose father is tracked to a white supremacist group led by an unctuous Rev. Carter. The group is training on a ranch in a remote Nevada area sponsored by the owner/rancher. Neal quickly makes friends with some very fine citizens in the small community and begins his infiltration of the group.

Neal has a present identity problem; it is if, as one friend says, "he has personality, but no character." He literally becomes his undercover guise. The author doesn't pull any punches; Neal betrays his newfound kind friends in order to protect his undercover status, which is very discomforting to read. The villains are just as ruthless, cunning and determined as the protagonists who include beside Nick a bearlike unflappable Ed, and one-armed father figure Joe.

The action is fierce; the pace is uniformly swift and retribution satisfying. I'm looking forward to more Neal Carey.

If you are looking for quality erotica, take my advice and pass on this one. The stories are loosely constructed excuses for bump and grind sex scenes. Character development is a foreign concept for this author, and plot is apparantly a waste of time. Considering that this is intended to be hot fiction, I was intensely disappointed, and ended up skimming through all of Nathan's Cirlce, the first novella, in search of something stimulating.

I suppose if all you require is a graphic depiction of clothes tearing, overwhelmed by lust sex scenes, you'll be very happy with this book. But if you enjoy a bit more realism, emotion, and character involvement, you'll be as disappointed as I was.

This book is clearly written by an emotionally immature man, and may find some fans in men of a similar disposition. Women will likely be left unfazed by this one.

Winslow serves up a tasty double dip of domination--with some intriguing twists--in these two novellas. If the concept of remote-control orgasms appeals to you, or if collecting women who adore you and perform at your bidding is a favorite fantasy, these stories are for you!

In 'Nathan's Circle' of female subjects, it's easy to understand how this widely divergent circle of volunteers can perceive him as a benevolent benefactor! His sex toy is not only most unique; the ultimate aphrodisiac (Why isn't here a patent on this?) but it's Nathan's psychological hold over his girls and his timing in delivering his jolts of joy are what serve to make each erotic scene even more electrifying than the last.
Don Winslow can take you right there and build sexual tension with an amazing focus on every exquisite detail and sensual nuance that a sexual being can possess .

'Breedlowe's Women' is a delicious read . Without giving anything away, this reclusive English Lord and gentleman exudes an air of command and sets a tantalizing table ruled by his insatiable appetites. His sensually sublime female guests love to feast and feed his every courtly craving. Winslow rules, and quite masterfully, in my opinion, when exploring the erotic realm of dominance and submission. Bona petite'

I bypassed this with barely a glance a hundred times, strictly because of the picture. It needs a Luis Royo kind of thing in blazing red and gold, with raised swords and muscles, else, who can guess it's this kind of story? Bawdy, barabarous, set somewhere in ancient history, maybe even tribal Scotland. Cool! It loses points with me for anachronisms that I feel could have been avoided. Example: "gods" and "the Church". Not fair to judge it harshly for being so MALE - it is what it is. For what it is, I'd recommend it to those whose tastes run in that direction. And for me, well, it had it moments. A fast story, adequately written except for some weak editing. As a female, I was looking for something comparable to THE TATTOOED ROOD by the author of MANDINGO, say something like that but less inhibited. THE FALL OF THE ICE QUEEN is thoroughly uninhibited, but I'm still looking.

The Ironwood concept has been for the SM afficionatos in the 90's as Roissi (from "The Story of O") was in the 70's.

The author was able to create an erotic, dreamlike and yet beliavable enviroment in wich you will be trapped from page 1. For those who are no familiarized with the Ironwood myth, please read "Ironwood".

The previous two books dealt with the ascension of James in Ironwood and the propering of it's business. In this new book Don Winslow brings us back to Ironwood where James, once again the narrator, is supreme ruller.

But you will not find a full story in this book. Instead, he brings you scenes from the "not-so-everyday" life in Ironwood. Like snapshots taken in no partiular order from the rich Ironwood album.

I see it as a colection of tales that have in common the narrator and the tense and sensual atmosphere of Ironwood.

For instance, you will see James receiving a grown woman curious about the ways he administers discipline in Ironwood. You will see new aspects of Ironwood wich were not mentioned in the previous novels and you will enjoy them all.

Other episodes, such as this, are quite entertaining and erotic as well. I, myself, prefer full lenght novels to short stories so I rate this with 3 stars. Sometimes it's hard to disconnect from one story and get right into the next. Something is lost in the process and I don't like that.

But dont you think that this is not the kind of quality erotica that Don Winslow has acustumed us. It is. It's just a new and refrshing way of presenting it. Maybe I'm just being conservative. Anyway, it's a good read and just a shame that I don't know the real Ironwood adress (rumours place it in Southern England).

This chase takes place in California, Hong Kong and China. While in California I found it quite a good ride.

As soon as it left these shores and went to Hong Kong and China it grounded to nearly a halt for me. It got very heavy on travelogue and way too much on the poilitics of the region. These boring passages only accentuated the preposterous situations the protagonist got in and out of.

I did like Neal Carey and some of his support team. Mr. Winslow's writing style was fine and I will try another Neal Carey, but will make certain it takes place in the USA.

This could be an enjoyable series and lead character, but the setting for this book just bored me beyond words. If you care about China and its politics it's probably a big winner.

The author gets so tripped out on descriptions I realy believe that Don Wislow is an AKA for a female author ...

If you like ....

'She, too, was flushed and sweating, perspiration shining neck and shoulders, seeping down to darken the front of her blouse, edging the open narrow V down the front of the brief garment. The slight decolletage the blouse permitted ....... '

Darn I don't even know any men that even use the word decolletage .....

The 3 stars are made up by 4 stars for the indeed exciting (straight and soft s/m) scenes in the main story of this book. Zero stars, however, for the rest: At 2/3rd of the manuscript mr. Winslow apparently decided he had better things to do, hurriedly finished the main story and we are next presented with a number of unrelated short stories he had still lying around somewhere. You will be well-advised not to waste your time on these. They aren't exiting to read, erotically or otherwise.