Ten Thousand Islands (A Doc Ford Novel)

by Randy Wayne White

Book Overview

Fifteen years ago, in the labyrinth of mangrove, sawgrass, and swamp called the Ten Thousand Islands, off Florida's Gulf coast, a young girl unearthed a four-hundred-year-old gold medallion, a relic... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0425180433
• Release Date: June 2001
• Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 6.7" x 0.9" x 4.2"

Customer Reviews

Doc Ford is Back!

This new Doc Ford novel is a combination of the best of his previous titles. Those who enjoyed the "Man Who Invented Florida," and the straightforward style of "Captiva," will like this novel that combines the best of both books. Without giving away the plot, this novel concerns an unscrupulous politican, an oncomming hurricane, and the beauty of the Ten Thousand Islands area of Southwest Florida and Key Largo. The most important element is the Calusa artifact that has caused a sequence of events to be set in motion. The history of the artifact, and the Calusa Indians, is rendered in a way that is not only informative but enjoyable. This is an easy read, with crisp dialoge, and the characters are all memorable. If you love Doc Ford you are sure to enjoy this title, if you are new to the series I Highly recommended it. I Just finished an interesting book: "A Tourist in the Yucatan" While not perfect, I did find it a convincing thriller, & especially fun if you have traveled in Yucatan.

Ten thousand Islands - Randy Wayne White at his best!

Mr. White has the ability to capture the atmosphere of Southwest Florida as well, if not better than Jimmy Buffet does through his many songs.He is a master story teller that takes the reader along for a ride, with you being next to Doc Ford from Page to page. This book, was impossible to put down. Mr. White's ability to make the reader understand the effect of uncontrolled civilization on the barrier islands; to the fury of an approaching hurricane, leaves one, with a great admiration for the man, his imagination and intellect. I encourage all to read Ten Thousand Islands, and then continue the adventure with the entire Doc Ford series. I can hardly wait for his next work, fiction or non-fiction. Randy Wayne White truly loves Southwest Florida and his work shows it.

Best Doc Ford ever!

This last installment in the Doc Ford series is the best. Slightly edges out "Sanibel Flats". By the way, I think it is imperative to have read "Sanibel Flats" prior to reading this one. This book is tightly plotted and has you going from the first chapter. Probably the most Travis McGee-like of all the Doc Ford novels. The characters are richly drawn and the Florida coast is written by White better than anyone.

White's Best Yet!

I started TEN THOUSAND ISLANDS on a Thursday afternoon andfinished it at 5 a.m. on Friday -- my first novel all-nighter sinceSILENCE OF THE LAMBS. Marine Biologist Doc Ford, Florida's most compelling, unromantic, anti-hero is at the top of his form. Nearly two decades ago, on Marco Island,FL, a brilliant 14-year old girl dug up an Indian grave and found a golden medallion once worn by the king of pre-Colombian Florida. A few months later, she's found dead, hanging from a tree. Now, 15-years later, someone's dug-up the grave and it's up to Ford and buddy Tomlinson to find out why. Based on a true story, the tale that follows is brilliant, compelling, terrifying and sometimes hilarious. I laughed and actually wept. Tomlinson steals the show as usual, but Ford is also elevated: He does psychedelic mushrooms and briefly re-meets his true soul mate -- two solitary islands among ten thousand in this touching, metaphorical tale. The real star, as usual, however, is the strange place called Florida and no one is better than White when it comes to capturing it on paper.

Latest Doc Ford one of the best

This new Doc Ford novel is one of the best entries yet in the series, and is unmissable if you are already a fan; if you're new to White's novels, then this is a great way to start out. It combines the historical lore of "The Man Who Invented Florida" with the crisp style of "Captiva"; this novel is perhaps more "unputdownable" then some of the others. The action takes place in Southwest Florida and the Keys, and concerns an unscrupulous politican, a Calusa artifact, and a dangerous hurricane. White's characters are some of his sharpest yet, and the suspense kicks in from the first page. Mystery novels, and in particular Florida mystery novels, don't get much better than this one. If you are partial to that sort of thing, then don't miss "Ten Thousand Islands."