The Fifth Column: Nazi Gold, JB Tilton

Wow... I needed a new book for my "Fifth" read because the one I had chosen was part of a series and I didn't want to go out of order... So I picked something on kindle that was cheap and you really do get what you pay for sometimes. It wasn't unbearable to the extreme, but geez was it annoying as hell. It’s fast to read if you can put up with the crappy style. After a little while, though you get used to it Somehow your brain absorbs the repetition and horribly un-creative writing style.

Early on someone asks:
“What were the contents?”
The people they're talking to explain that they don't know... Then, later on, the same person asks exactly the same thing as if the entire conversation never happened. It's not just that they're asking to try and get a different answer the second time... no.. They're ignoring an entire conversation.

Once that happens, the remaining allied forces will not be able sustain their war efforts.
Bad typing errors are scattered throughout.

Here’s an example of the writing style that you will just /love/ to see:
Nia had chatted with him for several minutes before Marks had come in. Crawford was likeable; nothing like what she had expected. After Marks came in, the two men went into Marks’s office.

They had been in the office for over an hour. Whatever they were discussing must be important tfor them to spend so much time in Marks’ office. Suddenly the door to Marks’ office opened and he stepped out into the outer office.
You think they did something in an office just then?

At twenty percent of the way in, if you had completely lost the plot, there’s an ENTIRE rehash for you.

There was a hell of a lot of dreams seven hundred thousand dollars could buy.
Sadly, this was the best line I could find.

Not really a very memorable book, but it was more interesting than I gave it credit for in these notes.

Ouch.

I think that's the best thing I can say about this, though I remember you reading me the bit about the office (how many times can you write office in one paragraph?) and thinking then that it could have done with.... a little revision maybe?

I'm doing the reread of this book now, since the publisher saw my review and went and had it edited. I came back here because there was a lot of the use of "office" in part of the book and I wanted to see if it was the same scene. The scene I quoted before doesn't exist. This Office scene is totally different from that one.. And it's STILL like that. Ugh.

I do have to say that for the most part, it has improved somewhat overall. I'll get to the end of it again and make a real decision at that point.

Crawford looked like the typical F.B.I. agent: thirty-five or so, black hair trimmed neatly over the ears, dark suit and tie, calmly authoritative but likeable; nothing like what she had expected. After Marks came in, the two men went into Marks's office. They had been in the office for over an hour, unusually long for a routine meeting. Suddenly Marks stepped out into the outer office.

This is nearly identical to what is above. It's till office office office. Nothing has really changed. Ugh. Why am I reading this?

"Let me get Jim and Terrance up here," Jason said, picking up the phone. He called the lobby and asked the clerk to have Jim and Terrance comes up to Pat’s room.
STILL typos? This was edited?

I'm sorry, there are things that are greatly improved, but I wouldn't say this was professionally edited. I also felt like some of the excessive mystery was gone, which was the one thing that the story really had going for it. The adventure was good. I think I enjoyed that more the second time I read it.