Determined to followup his claim to fame with a novel of equal epic proportions, this is what we got. Total Control is FOR THE MOST PART a well executed political thriller with a few twists and turns and action. It's also a double edged sword in many cases, in that for every good thing Baldacci does, he also errors slightly. For example, the overall story is very intricate and well developed, but this makes the story overly long, and the area between page 400 and 600 sometimes seems like a drag. The story has a great ending, with lots of action and battle, but then the biggest climax of all is just sort of thrown out the window and dismissed in a single sentence for one of the greatest letdowns ever.
Similarly, the plot is very clever and well thought out, but it's also hard to follow for the casual reader. There's a lot of info to digest while reading, and it can make it a tough read. Lastly, I know some people pointed out the fact that many of the characters are unrealistic, and this is true in some cases. I'd say that Baldacci makes about half of his characters believable in this one, which... is not horrible, except the main character, Sydney Archer, is not one of them. The result is that this book can only be read in little pieces at a time, it's not the page turner that it's predecessor and the next book are.
Overall, not a bad followup to a breakout work. It's nowhere to start, definitely do Absolute Power first, and then maybe The Winner and then this. Baldacci is sort of hit or miss, except for this one, because this one is smack in the middle.

TOTAL CONTROL is David Baldacci's second novel, following his tremendous debut ABSOLUTE POWER. Unfortunately, Baldacci suffers from a major case of the sophomore jinx here.

The major problem with this novel is the byzantine plot. The storyline is so convoluted that I had real problems following it. A series of events take place and Baldacci makes little effort to connect them coherently. Normally, Baldacci's strength is his plotting and pacing, but those skills are largely absent in this novel.

The characterization in TOTAL CONTROL is paper-thin, which is a common problem with a lot of Baldacci's work. Normally, his plotting skills make up for the cartoonish characters, but that doesn't happen here. The result is a tedious, confusing read that is not worth your time.

I've read about eight novels by Baldacci, and I would say TOTAL CONTROL was probably the worst of the bunch. Avoid this one, and read ABSOLUTE POWER if you haven't done so already.

BALDACCI DOES IT AGAIN, HE FOLLOWED UP ABSOLUTE POWER WITH ANOTHER EXCELLENT ADVENTURE. I ONLY HOPE HE CAN KEEP IT UP AND NOT TURN INTO ANOTHER JOHN GRISHAM. TOTAL CONTROL IS FAST PACED, VERY SAD AT TIMES AND PROVIDES SOME GREAT INSIGHT INTO THE WORLD OF EMAIL. IF YOU LIKED ABSOLUTE POWER, THIS IS A MUST READ. THE STORY CAN GET A LITTLE UNBELIEVEABLE AND MAYBE A LITTLE PREDICTABLE, BUT WELL WORTH IT.

This is an older novel that has lost none of its steam. Their are many twists and turns, but for the most part they retain the plausibility that often goes out the window. Since this is an older book and technology plays such a strong role, there are many things which technologically are out of date. If you look at it as a historical novel, albeit recent, that potential problem area fades rapidly. Highly recommended.

Being cautious not to find a book that I wouldn't finish, I downloaded the electronic version from my library. My most favorite book in the world is Nelson DeMille's Charm School, and now David's Total Control shares that title. The 624 pages went FAST. This is a page turner that you just can't wait to find out what the next exciting action packed page has in store! I could not believe the extreme pace, multiple plot lines that were tied together and finally a finale worth the entire read. GIVE ME MORE~!