The Adkins diet does work when one is successfull in getting one's metabolism to the tipping edge of ketosis.  Unfortunately ketosis is a real danger and if one stays in a state of ketosis for very long it can be deadly.  As I understand it, ketosis is a state in which you are starting to burn stored fat and muscle to fuel your activities.  Burning those tissues releases toxins which eventually get to the liver and if the liver cannot clear the blood and itself of these toxins fast enough you are in danger of being poisoned by your own body.
The new diet craze is the Paleo Diet where you eat only things the cave men had to eat.  So out go grains, refined sugars, and every processed food we are used to.  It sounds as tho it would work, but good luck managing to stick to it when surrounded by everything "civilized".