i'm so glad for the day i stumbled upon david baldacci's "the collectors". and i write this under the strong influence of the last baldacci novel that i read "stone cold". oliver, reuben, milton and caleb. the four members of the camel club. first of all, i loved the books themselves for what they are. but beyond that, what has really stayed with me after everytime i've read a camel club novel is the whole thing about sticking up for your beliefs. i love the imagery of 60-year old oliver seeking nothing but the truth from the powers that be. standing up for what he believes in. the image of oliver as he sits on a bench, bonding with alex ford, the secret service agent. two men on the opposite sides of the fence, but who happen to share the same beliefs nonetheless. there are some characters who have such a strong impact on me sometimes that i marvel at the wrtiers themselves. i mean, to wield such power over readers' minds is tremendous ability indeed. and one such character for me will always be Tom Hemingway from "the camel club". the way the character unfolds through is intriguing to say the least. and then, when the rationale behind Hemingway's actions is put forth, i mean, i think all of us go through these situations where the end justifes the means and it is our past that invariably makes us what we are.

coming back to the camel club, the nature of the relationship between the four characters is really interesting. one ex-CIA agent, a librarian, a third one with OCD and the fourth who is now loading ships, having worked with the Govt earlier. again, i think the disillusionment that is so subtly weaved into Oliver's character (but is verrry there) is something that really touches me. at least on an individual level. here's a man who works for the CIA, who undertakes assignments handed over to him in the sincere belief that what he's doing makes the rest of the world a safer place to live in. and then, he begins to feel that this is not the whole picture. so he tries to make amends. get out of the game before its too late. and what happens next? his wife is murdered by men who used to work with him and his daughter is taken away. never to know him. the empty grave, John Carr and Carter Gray. it's quite possible that everyone of us knows at least one Carter Gray in our midst. and yet, when the story unfolds in "Stone Cold", though there is loathing, i somehow felt something more for this head of intelligence. yes, one reason could be that he loses his wife and daughter in the 9/11 attacks. but beyond that, when the truth about what happened thrity years ago is disclosed, combined with the radical change in the character, one cant but feel a little sorry for this man. i guess power does come with a price tag attached. and the question is invariably the same: is it worth it?