Steve Manke
I've always believed that it's the characters who make any book great. Love them or hate them (you can do both), if the reader feels something for the characters, you have the makings of something special. In fact, this magical world has a great deal of character of its own. The Legend of the WinterKing is an epic fantasy tale with captivating heroes and foes pushed into a thrilling and mysterious adventure. The story uses traditional elements like pixies, ogres, trolls, and elves to create a rich, non-traditional and unique realm with countless secrets. The mystery of the Great Divide and separation of worlds is a fantastic concept. And the way we, as readers, learn of the characters and explore the world keeps the pages turning well into the night.
The Legend of the WinterKing is the first book in a new series. I'm anxiously awaiting the release of the next novel!
Another amazing “every man” thriller from Joe Finder! What would a normal guy do after making an amazing discovery hidden in his long abandoned family home? Well, if the guy is a bit of a screw up in the first place, odds are he's going to get himself into some trouble before he sorts out what's going on. Then he'll have to get his act together and try to sort things out. But can he do it before he's in too deep? Probably not. That's not how life works. At least not the lives of people worth reading about. Thankfully, Mr. Finder constantly delivers novels that are as plausible as they are entertaining. Each one an energetic adventure and frenetic thrill ride. The Fixer is no exception. This is another compelling book that is nearly impossible to put down. I found myself reading long after I should have gone to bed. The ultimate compliment, in my experience.
A very interesting story told from compelling points of view. Part of the story takes place in the old west while another takes place in what is present day. And talk about a cutthroat group of people in both times... wow!
Another great book. Just be prepared for some unexpected heartache. You have been warned.
The Brainrush series has been a thrilling roller coaster ride since the very beginning. And as No Refuge is the buildup before the big series finale, it's absolutely no exception. The book left me reading well into the night, entirely to the detriment of my 5am alarm. While it's the action and adventure that keep the pages flying by, the characters are what keep the story compelling. They remain the key to this amazing series. They made me laugh more times than I can count and even managed to choke me up at key points in the story.
Compelling, engaging, fast paced, and endless fun. I'll be sad to see the series draw to a close. That said, bring on book #7 because I can't wait to see what happens next!
Though I received an advanced copy of No Refuge in exchange for an honest review, as a long time fan of the series it was already on my to-read list.
A monster thriller with character and heart. If you're a fan of Godzilla and Kaiju fiction, you're in for a treat. If you're not currently a fan of the genre, you're about the become one. The book's protagonist, Hudson, bounces between amusing and laugh out loud funny and the action is non-stop from beginning to end. This book would make a killer movie.
A thrilling conclusion to the series. I'm sorry to see it end. That said, things were wrapped up in a complete and entirely satisfying way. No small feat when there are seven books to deal with. That's a lot of adventures—and most important in my mind, a lot of characters. Action, thrills, chills, and even some threats of tears. Everything I look for in a great action book/series.
So many secrets finally revealed! Alexander might be gone, but his legacy lives on—along with so many mysteries. This book brings answers to questions left open in earlier Chess Team books. It also sets the foundation for a powerful new parallel series with thrilling potential.
It's official, if you enjoyed the original series, you will love this iteration. Book #2 is actually better than the first with more action, intrigue, and suspense. It's a shame these never caught on as movies.
Another Wolf adventure delivering all that fans of the series expect. More time is spent on the political motivations of the antagonists, something of a departure from earlier books. That might be an effort by the author to expand the scope beyond the protagonist. I'm classifying it as an exploratory effort since the political machinations were disjointed, at times contradictory, and end up feeling improvised from a plotting point of view. Still a fun, quick read.
This is one of those Baldacci books that seems such a prime candidate for the silver screen. While the plot is primarily a drawn-out chase at the heart of the plot, the twists taken and the way the characters tangle among the Washington power-elite keep sending the story in different directions. Like any good thriller, the reader is prompted to constantly ask themselves, how can this possibly wrap up to a satisfactory conclusion? Hang in there. They make it in the end.
If you've followed the Nemesis series through until this book, you're certainly a fan of Robinson's kaiju novels. In that case, Project Legion is another killer addition to the series. But if you're a fan of Robinson's prodigious and diverse catalog of fiction, this book is filled, cover to cover, with endless treats. If you're not on your toes, you're certain to see at least six characters from other non-kaiju books. But if you're really paying attention, you'll catch references to places, events, and many, many more characters.
I would list them all, but that would fall into the realm of spoilers.
Long story short, this book is a thrilling adventure and unique fun spanning the entirety of the Robinson multiverse. It's not to be missed!
Hands down, one of the best post-apocalyptic thrillers I've read in... well, ever. The world is already seeing how GMO crops have impacted not only the way we live, but the way we will feed ourselves going into the future. GMO crops cross pollinate and impact non-GMO harvests in their proximity. Once contaminated, the damage cannot be undone. The natural crops begin to take on properties of the GMO variants and the future of farming has already changed. There is no going back.
But what if a supercrop of GMOs could feed everyone on the planet? It would change everything. Hunger would end. With that, the economics of the world would be upset in fascinating ways—perhaps placing the GMO supplier in the ultimate position of power. What could go wrong there?
And what could go wrong with the supercrops? The majority of Hunger explores this question. And damn, things go WRONG. Very, very wrong. And perhaps the most troubling concepts of this book—when you get past the mayhem, terror, thrills, and fun—is just how plausible the concept truly is. Modern science is already nearly there. The world stands at a tipping point where everything described in this book becomes concerningly plausible.
Every bit as hard-charging as the first book in the series, this release kept me listing well past the completion of my homeward commute (I read the audio version). With the world devolved into primordial chaos, one would assume the greatest threats would be the mutated creatures stalking the wild. Sadly, it seems it's the holdouts left from “civilized” society who are the most dangerous and depraved. As Peter and his family fight hostile forces from all directions they also find an unlikely ally. And there may yet be hope for the human race. Looks like we'll find out about that in book #3.
One of the best sci-fi novels I've read in years, Infinite leave you with much to consider even after closing the book's back cover (or in my case, the end of the audio track). An adventure in space becomes a struggle for survival. Artificial intelligence, immortality, and ultimately the origins of the universe are unveiled in this thrilling first-person account. This book takes readers to the edge of the universe and back again. What happens along the way? You'll have to read to find out. This book gets 5 stars and comes highly recommended.
I don't know what to call this... a relaunch of the series? A second wind? Either way, things are going in a new direction as a new generation of Guard start to understand their abilities and learn of a new threat to their kind. This is essentially a new series predicated on the world of the first, and perhaps peripherally touching on some of the main characters from the original series.
The phrase, meah, comes to mind. It was a good enough adventure in the end, but if you're a fan of the Gideon Crew books and the Ice Limit releases specifically, this just falls short. The characters are watercolor versions of their prior representations and I was hard pressed to become invested as a reader. It's worth reading. It's just not a book that brings anything of consequence to the series. In that, I am disappointed.
This book has one seriously good villain. He's vicious, crazed, and entirely off his nut. There's a fair amount of carnage. Aside from this being a good book, that might be what stands out the most for me. For all of the villain's rampaging badness, Konrath manages to write everything in a way that is neither too graphic or distasteful. I would have thought it a fine line to navigate, but he does it will skill and subtly. The end result is a compelling book with one hell of a whack-a-do antagonist and a plot that doesn't lose the audience in the unpleasant and unnecessary details of that character's acts.
Book #2 in what is shaping up to be an outstanding series. The Dirge reads well in audio form. I believe I heard rumors of a book #3 at one point. I hope they turn out to be true.
Maybe not my favorite book in the series so far, but certainly worth the time to read (or in my case, listen to). This is book #17 in the series and unique in the way it picks up a thread resulting from the conclusion of a case which took place much earlier in the series. For longtime fans, this is a great call back. For anyone new to the series, this book's intersection with that earlier work is explained completely enough that one doesn't need to go back and read the earlier book in order to understand what is now taking place. Credit to Reichs in this regard. Authors too often make mistakes in the regard when they attempt something this ambitious.
I'm enjoying this series more and more as time goes on. Book three builds on the events that took place in the first book. New information on an old case. It was a clever twist on the antagonist that helped launch the series.
There were some amusing references to the Bones TV series, many of them tongue-in-cheek in their derogatory nature since they had to do with amateur investigative groups culling the internet in efforts to break cold-cases for fame and fortune. It was meta and made for great fun.
There's a darkness to this book. Some troubled times for the protagonist. Be prepared for loss. Then there's Harry. Harry and Slappy. Hysterical stuff. The narrators truly make Harry's wit shine. In the end, the book strikes a good balance of highs and lows.