Natchez burning

I had read 14 books by Greg Iles, rating them from one to four stars, so I thought "Natchez Burning" was worth a try. The first impression upon opening the box is, "I'm in big trouble." Being a Vine item, I have 30 days to review it, and the book is 800 pages!!! Fortunately, I was pleasantly

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surprised to find "Natchez Burning" to be very readable, in fact, hard to put down.

"Natchez Burning" is a work of historical fiction based on horrible, terrifying actions by the Ku Klux Klan taken against Blacks, and some Whites, in Mississippi in the 60's and the Civil Rights Movement. Iles effectively conveys the absolute helplessness of Blacks in Mississippi faced by psychopathic racists with absolutely no morality. More terrifying yet was their ability to totally escape prosecution for shocking acts of torture and murder.

What makes the story more interesting is tying the historical acts to the present through family mysteries, criminal actions taken by the remnants of the racist extremists of the 60's and their younger relatives and recruits. The same feelings of helplessness exists as back then. Anyone supporting justice is not safe, nor are their families, including children. The power of these racist terrorists is pervasive. No one can be trusted - not the police nor the state prosecutors. They control the press through "plants" and hacking computers. This is a gripping tale that does not slow down during these 800 pages. Don't hesitate to leap into this tome. I'm looking forward to the next novel in this trilogy.

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Ok, so I'm one of those fans who has been waiting patiently for 5 years for Greg Iles to publish a new book as he recovered from a horrific near-fatal car wreck. (And thank heavens he survived.) So here it is, the long-awaited book, which he'd nearly finished in 2011 but then overhauled after his

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accident. And it is SO, SO worth the wait. At 788 pages, this is a huge book - and the first in a planned trilogy. But I was absolutely mesmerized through all 788 pages. I have never read a book of this length in which I haven't felt some desire to skim some parts. Not so with "Natchez Burning." I didn't skim a dang thing because every page, every paragraph, every word was absolutely riveting.

This is the type of book that I would call "epic," not because of the length but because it spans decades, delving into the dark and horrifying history of racism in the American South. I think BookPage describes it best: "This is William Faulkner for the Breaking Bad generation."

Mayor Penn Cage returns in this story of family loyalty and deep-rooted prejudices. Penn's father, Dr. Tom Cage, is accused of the murder of Violet Turner, his former nurse. Tom is an upstanding citizen, beloved father and husband, an absolute pillar of the community, so the accusation of murder is greeted with disbelief by much of the community. Tom won't speak up in his own defense, not even to Penn. But is Tom who everyone thinks he is? Penn discovers that he doesn't know his father as well as he thought, and he also discovers that the sins of the past continue to feature prominently in the present. "Natchez Burning" follows Penn, his fiancee Caitlin Masters, Tom, reporter Henry Sexton, and a whole host of people from Tom's past and present, including Viola, business mogul Brody Royal, and former KKK members, as they delve into Mississippi's ugly past during the Jim Crow era and realize that what happened decades before still has deadly ramifications in modern-day Mississippi.

As with any first book in a planned series, Iles leaves some loose ends. But what he doesn't leave is an annoying cliffhanger, thank goodness. There's a fine line between leaving your reader wanting more and leaving your reader screaming in frustration. Iles does the former. And I can't WAIT for "The Bone Tree," which is scheduled to be released on April 28, 2015.

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As you might have noticed, this is actually the fourth book in a series. Natchez Burning is, however, the beginning of a brand new story arc that readers can start at. I came into this story knowing nothing about Penn Cage and his family. What I left with? Well, I can absolutely attest to the fact

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that Greg Iles has mastered the art of the tie in. With no information dumps, and virtually no flashbacks, I quickly came up to speed with Penn, his family, and Natchez as a whole. It felt like home after only a few chapters, and the story that was spun for me has me extremely eager to see what comes next.

I admit that Natchez Burning had me a little wary at the beginning. This book is a tome. At 816 pages in paperback, it's definitely not a light read. Somehow though, Iles manages to use up every bit of that page count without a second of down time. Every sentence is perfectly placed. Each moment, each event, expertly situated to make this book read at a breakneck pace throughout the entire story. Suffice it to say, I was highly impressed. I was worried that this book would be a chore. Afraid that I might have to read through pages of police procedures and information dumps. That wasn't so, I'm happy to report. While this definitely took me time to finish, it was worth every page.

Penn Cage is one of those characters that you can't help but root for. His heart is huge, his motives pure, and he's willing to throw himself into any kind of terrible situation that comes his way if it means protecting his family and his town. It's tough not to fall for him. I figured out very quickly that Iles knew this, because he threw Penn into the fire and dragged him through hell and back. I found myself gripping the pages, white knuckled, as Penn and those he cared about were put into yet another terrifying encounter. This book has it all. Murders, drug deals, mafia bosses, and the types of "bad guys" who make your skin crawl because they're so wholly evil. Which, in truth, is true of every personality that Iles pens into this book. Each character is treated lovingly, and fully developed. Which means the reader is allowed to love, and to hate, as the case calls for. These are real people, and it makes the story all the more compulsively readable.

If I had one small gripe it would be that, ironically, the ending felt a little rushed. I know that it seems ridiculous coming from a person who as worried about reading 800 pages originally. Truth be told though, the climax was built up so well that I couldn't wait to see what happened. Which is probably why the ending felt a little quick, and the cliffhanger at the end left me breathless. Luckily, I know that there are more books in this series. So I'll have my hands on the next one very soon. This series is well worth your time! Don't be afraid to start with Natchez Burning.

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I understand that I am not a literary critic. I understand that my opinions can differ from others, even those with a similar tastes, background and education. What I do not understand is how so many reviewers came to completely different conclusions about the book than I did.

This book was not

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terribly well written, or well edited. Perhaps if they had edited out the repetitive dialog and hacked the number of pages down to 300 or 400 the book would have been significantly improved. It certainly would have helped speed up the glacier slow plot to its completely juvenile and unbelievable conclusion.

This book was not thrilling, or even exciting. The characters were, in many cases, stereo-typical. Halfway through the novel (A very, very long novel) even the main characters seemed boorish and annoying. How many times must Penn, the main protagonist, explain that he would do anything to save his father? In this novel, the answer is over, and over, and over . . .

I can only think of one reason why this book is so highly rated, and that is that the reviewers are being politically correct. This novel speaks of turbulent times and violent acts that marred a portion of American history. These acts, to most clear and sensible thinking people today, were shameful and cowardly. But, subject matter does not necessarily dictate that a book will be well written, or exciting as demonstrated in Natchez Burning.

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Wow. I picked this book to read now because of the racial unrest currently storming through my country and couldn't have picked a better book to address the issue. Set in Natchez, Mississippi, the book revolves around one reporter's heroic efforts to uncover a chain of murders that took place in

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his youth. Spanning a forty-one-year period from 1964 to 2005, the author explores the horrific crimes of the Ku Klux Klan, and a spin-off group called the Double Eagles, that scorched the south in the 1960s. Penn Cage is the Mayor of Natchez in 2005, when his father, Tom, a beloved physician of the community, is suddenly accused of murdering a black woman who was once his nurse thirty years prior. As Penn and his girlfriend, Caitlin, try to help his father by uncovering the real killer, they discover Tom has many secrets, and some of them are worth killing for. The characters in this book range from idealistically heroic to severely flawed, cruel, and inhuman. Although this is a work of fiction, Greg Iles uses many authentic historical events to illustrate the real-life tensions and racial injustice that was rampant during this time of American history. No doubt, a lot of these racial prejudices and discrimination practices still exist, which has lead us to the current Black-Lives-Matter demonstrations now taking place all across America. This story was a real page-turner. Once I picked it up, I only put it down to eat, and sleep...because it is almost 800 pages.

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The beginning of the book and the lead up was great. However, the two major characters especially Penn Cage were so stupid and ridiculous it did not read like a real story. There were so many lose ends making it difficult to think of this as a stand alone book. I know this is a series but I am

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certainly not going to read another 800 pages to answer the questions. Has to be one of the most disappointing endings in a book.

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This is my second Greg Iles book. THe first was Cemetery Road which got my attention enough to bring me to this book. It is always challenging to decide where to deep into the books written by a successful author. Reviews and guidelines are helpful - in the end for me it is a leap of faith or the

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excitement of hoped for discovery.
This book does not disappoint. While it is labled the 4th Penn Cage book it certainly doesn’t stand on the prior stories.
Most likely the life changing events of Greg’s auto accident added a lot to the book. His comments about the need to suffer to really understand pain surely reflect his personal experiences.
It is a long book. At first I was concerned that would detract from its qualities as a thriller - but instead it allowed tremendous character development bringing the reader into many minds - some more sympathetic than others but all human at many levels.
The book comes to a conclusion, but not really. One of the central questions is left with an uncertain answer and the surviving characters still face unresolved challenges.
Because the author took years to write the trilogy I will pause before reading the next installment.
If you enjoy good thrillers, find stories about the American south interesting, and don’t mind investing time into a long book give this a try. While it has many characters, they are distinct enough so as to be easy to keep sorted out.

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The protagonist is cardboard, his fiancee is cardboard, his mother is cardboard. The main bad guy is cardboard. The most interesting characters are the racist rednecks.

The plot is a convoluted mess but not complex. This book could have been one third its length. Not recommended. A bummer.

Fantastic. Unquestionably fantastic. I can't wait for the next release.

Penn Cage is the mayor of Natchez, although he was previously a novelist and a practicing attorney. He is an honest and ethical man, and devoted to his family. He has taken on the role of mayor in the hopes of saving his hometown from corruption.

Penn’s father Dr. Tom Cage has been the town's well

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respected doctor for decades. He’s seen it all. And now he is being charged with the murder of his old nurse Viola. Tom and Viola worked together in the ‘60s, during the heat of the civil rights movement. Now she’s been found dead, and there is video footage of her death, leaving Dr. Cage charged with her murder.

Henry Sexton owns the local paper and has spent decades investigating the local branch of the Double Eagles, an off-shoot of the KKK. He's been driven to uncover the truth when no one else seemed to care, attempting to connect the Double Eagles to countless murders from the '60s, and leading back to one of the country's wealthiest men Brody Royal. Henry has often felt alone in his battle for justice, and his attempts to bring closure and validation to the surviving family members of murder victims.

I was very excited for the opportunity to read this book, as the subject matter is right up my alley. However I was unaware that this is #4 in the Penn Cage novels by Greg Iles. It's always a little disappointing to enter a series partway through, with the constant allusions to previous novels. There are characters that are reintroduced and mentions of past events. However this book stands on its own just fine. There was no need for me to have read previous editions in order to follow this one.

Penn is a very likable and believable character, as is his father Tom. Penn is engaged to Caitlin, who is a driven Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist. Sometimes her fierce competition to be the best and break the next story can bring her at odds with Penn, as she resents when he holds back information that she could use.

I found this story to be absorbing, if at times a little uncomfortable. The subject matter is often unsettling, but necessary. These types of stories are our history, particularly here in the south, and we mustn't forget our history, lest we repeat our mistakes. The KKK and other similar organizations are the most cowardly of all "activists". They perpetrate their actions cloaked in darkness and hoods and anonymity. They have a history of committing heinous crimes and cruelty, driven by a twisted belief that they are somehow superior.

For the most part, I loved this story. The first half felt like an A+ book that had me totally captivated as we unearthed all the mysteries that abound in Natchez and the civil rights era. The second half got a little overdone at times. I wasn't a fan of Penn's friend Kirk Boisseau, an ex-military friend and diver who felt a bit like a caricature. He at times was a little over-the-top, like some crazy surfer dude with ADD, and Kirk's relationship with his own girlfriend felt contrived and pointless.

But overall I have become a huge fan of Greg Iles, and the character of Penn Cage!

My final word: I loved this book so much I have already bought the first one in the series (The Quiet Game) in order to start from the beginning with Penn Cage.

This book shows the yellow underbelly of the cowards that fill the ranks of white supremacist groups, as well as the heroism of those who fight them, and who struggle to uncover the truth. The author has a wonderful quote from Aristotle that was very appropriate for this story:

“At his best, man is the noblest of all animals;

separated from law and justice he is the worst.”

This book spotlights both kinds of men, and does so expertly. Natchez will be burning in my heart and mind for a long time coming!

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Read from June 04 to 15, 2014

If the next two books in this series are as massive as this one, I'll definitely skip 'em and read the spoilers online.

So...Umm...NOTHING was resolved in nearly 800 pages. The only thing is we found out who the witness was and the bad guy that we knew about from the

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beginning got his in the end. But all of the mysteries introduced were completely forgotten.

There were so many overly lengthy passages that could have been edited right out of this behemoth. So many times we were in a character's head and ideas were introduced, but nothing ever came of the ideas.

Just WAY too much for a book that didn't offer me much of an ending.

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The novel explores the dynamics of Southern racism in the 60’s from the present perspective, especially the acceptance of extreme levels of violence by most whites. Today we pretend that we are post-racial and Jim Crow is over, but Iles knows otherwise and makes an effort to demonstrate it using

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his trademark thriller genre, but he seems to be a little too close to his subject and the message often loses subtlety.

The story has far too many characters, most of whom are not very complicated or even interesting. The main theme involves the tension between loyalty to family and class versus prevalent racism. The protagonist is Penn Cage who struggles with loyalty to his father versus doing the right thing with respect to some pretty depraved Southern racists. His girlfriend- Caitlin--is a reporter and has a similar struggle between her loyalty to Penn and his family versus getting credit for revealing the crimes of a particularly violent KKK offshoot known as the Double Eagles. Penn’s father is accused of the mercy killing of his former Black nurse and also struggles with his image as a beloved doctor and the knowledge that he fathered a child with a Black outside his marriage.

The novel seems to go on forever and this is not a virtue for a thriller. The depravity of the racists seemed over the top and bizarre so I was surprised that some if it is based on real unsolved crimes and the character of the crusading reporter—Henry is also based on a real person.

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Greg Iles best book yet! I was sad when I finished reading ---can't wait for 2nd book of trilogy.

I've enjoyed several Greg Iles books over the years, although I didn't much like the last one I read, Sleep No More. This one though seemed like one I'd really enjoy, and I was excited about giving Iles another try.

It was long. You can certainly say that for it. I listened to the unabridged audio,

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and the narrator spoke quite slowly at times, so it seemed the book would go on forever. And that, in this particular instance, is not a good thing.

Despite its length, this one felt phoned-in to me. There was lots of violence in this gritty mystery, more than I appreciate reading, but I could deal with that. I was blindsided when something about dogfighting came into the picture again, and I really try to avoid reading anything about that. Not a great deal about it, but one bit that surfaced multiple times.

The major fault for me is that the writing just seemed substandard, at least for such an experienced author. While I started out liking the story despite the initial violence, the more I listened, the less I liked it. And it got to the point where I was listening to see who would “sense” something next. He sensed, she sensed, they all sensed. Not felt or thought, just “sensed.”

There is a large cast of characters, and I had to pay attention to keep them all straight. The audio narrator was too emphatic about some unimportant things, and it sounded like everything was equally important. It didn't take long for his narrating style to take away from the story rather than add to it for me.

The end, while I won't give any spoilers, was quite unsatisfying. Whether I'm willing to give Iles another chance remains to be seen, but right now, I'm thinking I will not.

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Natchez Burning presents a variety of societal issues without any sugarcoating, such as rampant racism, racially motivated torture and killings, rape, intimidation, adultery, illegal drugs, family, injustice, and, the worst thing of all, secrets. How far do you go to protect your past? How far do

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you go to protect the past of others? How far are you willing to go to protect a way of life?

I've enjoyed reading all of the previous novels by Greg Iles that included the character Penn Cage, and Natchez Burning is definitely included in that list. However, Natchez Burning is now my favorite Greg Iles novel and the reasons why are multitudinous. Penn Cage is a flawed yet honorable man. This book presents Penn with the worst possible dilemma, supporting the truth or his family. Natchez Burning presents a painful part of American history that is not too distant and not easily addressed, if at all, by government officials or even appeased by the truth. Racism is still a part of American culture regardless as what some in the media may say. Natchez Burning points a bright spotlight on this ongoing issue and the past behaviors of a small group of racists that killed ruthlessly with impunity.

I found Natchez Burning to be a difficult read simply because it spotlights hate crimes and the perpetrators in such a realistic manner. Reading about torture, killings, and rape, even if fictionalized, had me putting aside the book for a few hours before resuming. Natchez Burning portrays the South in a dark, gritty and realistic way that surpasses what has been revealed in other books dealing with racism and injustice. Yet even with the dark and heart-wrenching themes, Mr. Iles provides the reader with a sense of hope that justice will prevail and "truth will out."

I could go on and on about the different characters, those I liked and those I despised. I could go on and on about the tragedies that are revealed, many in the past and some contemporary. I could rave about the amazing writing of Mr. Iles or the fact that this book is just as much literary masterpiece as it is mystery-suspense masterpiece. However the only thing I really need to tell you is to read this book! If you never take any other bookish recommendation from me, take this one — go out and buy a copy of Natchez Burning and read this book! For myself, I'll be re-reading Natchez Burning as I anxiously await the next book in this trilogy, The Bone Tree.

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Long book - but kept me reading almost straight through. The southern race issue was very interesting and at times alarming. This will no doubt be a movie soon. The suspense is great!

In an epic tale that spans some forty years, Penn Cage’s efforts to save his father from a murder charge are complicated by secrets, old hatreds, and unspeakable crimes. As Penn digs into the past in an effort to find the evidence that will clear his father, he uncovers corruption dating back to

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the beginnings of the civil rights movement and discovers that some will do anything to keep their secrets from being revealed.

Set in post-Katrina Natchez, Mississippi, the spellbinding narrative combines historical fact and fiction so seamlessly that the resulting story is so intriguing, so mesmerizing, that readers are likely to be engrossed from the very first page. It’s a not-to-be-missed tour de force.

Readers should be aware that this is the first book in a trilogy; there are some resolutions while other storylines remain to be carried over into the next book in the series. However, this in no way detracts from the captivating story being spun out in the pages of this massive novel.

Highly recommended.

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A good read, but think it could have been cut 200 pages and still have had the same ending.

This book will keep you turning pages which is good since there are 700+ to turn. This is the first book I have read by this author although the name is familiar. It is one of a series featuring Penn Cage, who is the Mayor of Natchez. Sizzling with old and long hidden racial and sexual tensions,

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the story moves quickly from one character to another. For any reader who remembers the events of the 1960's in the south, the line between the author's fiction and what was actually happening at that time becomes very fine.

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This was supposed to be Iles's Great American Novel on the subject of race in America and while its a decent read, it falls way short. The novel follows the protagonist Penn Cage's attempt to exonerate his father from murder charges of a former nurse of his. This alleged murder has ties all the way

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back to the civil rights era. This is an ambitious novel and perhaps it suffers for its ambition. Characters aren't fully flushed out, plot lines sometimes implausible are left hanging. The historical elements are fascinating and could have lent back drop to a magnificent story. Unfortunately this isn't it.

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Penn Cage, now the Mayor of Natchez unbelievably finds his father, Dr. Cage, accused of murdering his former black nurse, Viola. A corrupt police department puts his father's life in peril, made even worse when Dr. Cage breaks bail and goes on the lam. Penn is not even sure if his father is guilty

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or not.

Meanwhile, Viola's death has opened the doors for reporter Henry Sexton, who has been chasing a series of unsolved hate crimes from the 1960s linked to a radical group of the Ku Klux Klan named the Double Eagles. One of the most powerful men in the state, Brody Royal, has strong ties to the group and is suspected of calling the shots.

Both Penn and Caitlin, Penn's fiance, put their lives at risk as they try to get to the bottom of Viola's death.

I have read one or two of the other Penn Cage novels, and I would rate this one around a 4.5. It is a mountain of a book. I had to double-check it from the library (on a wait list) to finish reading it. On the other hand, I do love the Southern atmosphere and Penn's inner moral struggles as he grapples with what is morally right and what he must do to save his father. I also dislike the open ending as you never do find out what happens to Dr. Cage, his case, his relationship with Penn, and even if his illegimate son by Viola really is his son. The book left a lot of open questions at the end, which was disappointing considering the length of the book.

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Overall, this was a good read. It was also interesting to find out that it was loosely based on a collection of true incidents. But...I believe the tale could have been told in 500 pages or less. Also, the "slapdash" ending was a disappointment. It seemed as though the author was coming close to

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800 pages and decided he had to have the "bad guys" make a series of mistakes to end the novel. The "good guys" got even less attention and their stories were left hanging giving the impression (to me, anyway) of "time's up, gotta go..the end.".

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When I finished this book, I felt like I had been had. Too much effort reading it to have so inconclusive an ending. It seems more like a soap opera. I will not follow up with the next installment. Penn Cage has seen the last of me!

I am very pleased to see Greg Iles return to writing after his awful (and nearly fatal) car wreck. I've always been fond of him - he flat writes good suspense and is able to be very Southern (and not in a cliched way) while doing it. Natchez Burning is the fourth book in his Penn Cage series and

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it's definitely a barnburner of a story, clocking in at about 800 action-packed pages. It'll keep you reading, although I don't think it's his best work.

We return to Natchez, MS where our hero, Penn Cage, is now mayor still licking his wounds a bit from earlier battles with the small town, its racist history, and the ripples of that history as they extend through time. Raised by his father, Tom Cage, the town's favorite family doctor, Penn is horrified to learn that his father has been accused of murdering a nurse who worked for him long ago and even more horrified to uncover plenty of secrets as he starts overturning stones to defend his family. It's violent and the action is non-stop, but it also feels a bit overwrought to me.

The thing I have liked most about Mr. Iles' thrillers is that his characters are always so human - ordinary men in extraordinary circumstances trying to make it out to the other side. In the past he's refrained from turning his protagonists into superheroes, but he's definitely pushing the envelope with Penn Cage and I wish he wasn't. It was a fun read, but it also felt overwrought with much sharper lines drawn between "good" and "evil" - there was much less of the ambiguity that has made his previous books such great reads.

Despite its flaws, I enjoyed Natchez Burning very much and am anticipating the next in the series. I wish Mr. Iles good health and healing and am glad to see him back amongst his fans.

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