Book Review: "Sierra Six" by Mark Greaney

 

It’s been years since the Gray Man’s first mission, but the trouble’s just getting started in the latest entry in the #1 New York Times bestselling series.

Before he was the Gray Man, Court Gentry was Sierra Six, the junior member of a CIA action team.

In their first mission they took out a terrorist leader, at a terrible price. Years have passed. The Gray Man is on a simple mission when he sees a ghost: the long-dead terrorist, but he’s remarkably energetic for a dead man. 

A decade of time hasn’t changed the Gray Man. He isn’t one to leave a job unfinished or a blood debt unpaid. -from Edelweiss.com

This is the 11th book in the Gray Man series by this author, and having read all the prior novels, I think this is one of my favorite ones from the series. I'll try not to drop any type of spoiler in my short review, but be prepared there may be one, or two.

So the Gray Man, Court Gentry, we have seen for several stories, has been an independent hire, but he had to get his start from somewhere and this is s decent part of that background story, as well as a current job he is on. It was said earlier how he and Hightower had met, through the Sierra Team (Six was Gentry's call-sign) and this story takes us back to how that came to be: twelve years in the past. The tale is unravelled as is moves forward, with a current day job presents a face from Gentry's past. A face that wants to kill millions, that Gentry, once again, needs to attempt to stop.

As I mentioned above, this has got to be the best story of Gray Man I have read, mainly because there is so much more background "fleshed out" on the main character. We learn how he and Hightower met, the whole call-sign thing, why he works alone, and maybe, a glimpse of a first love. His childhood story, I don't think there is much more there, than the few casual comments the author uses, and makes me wonder if this may be one of the last books in this series. We finally have answers about the past of the Gray Man.

The language of the book was easy enough to read. Character development was big for the main character, but there wasn't much on any of the others. Most of the events seemed realistic, though you always have your hero near misses and exact timing opportunities. Would love to see another book or two in this series, but I don't so any decent reason to send this aging merc back out into the world.

Thanks to Edelweiss, the author, and publisher for allowing me to read this early copy, and provide my badly worded opinion on it.

#SierraSix #Edelweiss

Book Reviews: Rogue Angel Series by Alex Archer (and others) (up to book 30)

 

An ancient order tied to the Vatican…A blood fortune buried in the caves of France…A conspiracy of power, greed and darkest evil…

Archaeologist and explorer Annja Creed’s fascination with the myths and mysteries of the past leads her to a crypt in the caves of France, where the terrifying legend of the Beast of Gevaudin hints at the unimaginable. What she discovers is shattering: an artifact that will seal her destiny; a brotherhood of monks willing to murder to protect their secret; and a powerful black-market occultist desperate to put his own claim to centuries-old blood money. Annja embarks on a high-tension race across Europe and history itself, intent on linking the unholy treachery of the ages with the staggering revelations of the present. But she must survive the shadow figures determined to silence her threat to their existence. - from Goodreads.com

This series has been keeping me busy much of the past few weeks. A little background on this series: Alex Archer is a 'house name', and the books are actually written by several authors over the course of the 61 books currently in the series. Currently I am on book #30, so this review is covering more of the series overall, than each book (too much writing for me). I did include the cover, and ploy outline for book #1 above, to see if you are interested in reading.

A young, educated, beautiful woman finds a missing piece to an infamous sword and becomes Joan of Arc re-incarnated in the current day and age. Well, not re-incarnated, but able to mystically carry an old British style broad sword and make it appear/disappear at will, this sword that was supposedly Joan's. Also she meets Roux and Garin, who claim to have lived since Joan's time, over 500 years prior.

Annja is an archeologist at heart, but was offered a job on a television show called Chasing History's Monsters which help in some of these books by providing her a place to search out a fabled monster, which usually leads into a new escapade. Not all of the stories have ruthless bad men trying to thwart Annja's every move, but it happens. The treasures and stories she does seek out, also don't always end up like we think they would.

Each of this books are able to be read as a stand-alone, but by reading them in order, you get a better feel for how Annja 'becomes one' with the magic of the sword, and learns it powers and capabilities. Also, the relationships between Roux, Garin and Annja as it develops over time. Each book does focus on an artifact, or treasure, or fable, from history or mythology.

I really enjoy most of these stories. There is usually some good action, be it fighting or just daring the traps of the location they are in. Sort of like a James bond spy-type and Indiana Jones movies bashed into each other. In a few there are some brief romance scenes, but for Annja, most of her time is spent dealing with what comes her way, rather than settling down - if the sword would let her. Reading the books through in order, you can see a different writing style, as the authors switch back and forth throughout. But each is still a fairly fast read, and easily understood. Young Adults would be able to enjoy without worries of sexual scenes, or explicit foul language throughout.

Overall I recommend if you like action stories with a bit of history/mythology and lots of guessing as to if it is true or not. I was able to finish usually one book in about a three hour period, so maybe plan an afternoon for a book!

Posting Variables - or Why the Gaps?

 I know I have had some gaps in my reviews, and the main reason is I don't have to the time to sit and wrote one for every book I read. Counter-productive to what I want to enter in this blog, I know, but it is what it is. I DO make entries for all books I receive an ARC for, or any copy of, from the author, publisher, or other source. Yes I should take the time and at least use the practice, by including all the books I read ... We will see....

Presently, I will try my best to at least once a week, get in some of the books I have read (usually around 2 a week, sometimes more). It will probably be Saturdays, unless the Doodad (my granddaughter) needs a visit from her Papaw, in which case, it may be two weeks.

Thanks for stopping by to read my very bad opinions.

Ralphd00d

Book Review: "Cold As Hell" by Rhett C. Bruno and Jaime Castle

 

In the West, there are worse things to fear than bandits and outlaws.

Demons. Monsters. Witches. James Crowley’s sacred duty as a Black Badge is to hunt them down and send them packing, banish them from the mortal realm for good.

He didn’t choose this life. No. He didn’t choose life at all.

Shot dead in a gunfight many years ago, now he’s stuck in purgatory, serving the whims of the White Throne to avoid falling to Hell. Not quite undead, though not alive either, the best he can hope for is to work off his penance and fade away.

This time, the White Throne has sent him to investigate a strange bank robbery in Lonely Hill. An outlaw with the ability to conjure ice has frozen and shattered open the bank vault and is now on a spree, robbing the region for all it’s worth.

In his quest to track down the ice-wielder and suss out which demon is behind granting a mortal such power, Crowley finds himself face-to-face with hellish beasts, shapeshifters, and, worse … temptation. But the truth behind the attacks is worse than he ever imagined …

The Witcher meets The Dresden Files in this weird Western series by the Audible number-one bestselling duo behind Dead Acre. - from Netgalley.com

So, This is book one in the Black Badge series. The Dead Acre mentioned in the plot description above, seems to be in the same story line as this book, but I have no idea where in the series it would go, and I had not read it. Either way, let's get down to the thoughts as I picked this one up.

I didn't really like it. Within the first few pages, it reminded me very much like another book I had read previously called Blood Oath, in that the main character has a superpower that helps him reclaim justice/vengeance on the bad, all directed by a higher power authority. This was just in the first handful of pages. I set this one aside for a week, and tried to pick it back up. Each time, I might make it a few pages further, but just could not stay interested. I admit. I did not finish it.

Overall, I did like the idea of a fantasy western. Over the last few years, I have come across a couple that were good reads, but it is a genre not written in often. I truly believe if there had been more time between my reading the other book and this one, I would have been able to offer a different opinion. I guess I felt that there were just too many similar things, in my memory, of these stories, and I felt that jaded this one a bit.

Thanks to the authors, publisher and NetGalley.com for allowing me to read this ARC and to share my opinion about the story.

#NetGalley #ColdAsHell

Book Review: "The Father's Son" by Peter McPhie

 

A determined young man pursues the organization that abducted his father twenty years earlier.

He was seven when he saw his father taken from home by gunmen.

There were no answers as to what happened and why.

Twenty years later he has a happier life, a wife and son.

The terrible past has lost its grip.

Until one day… it comes back.

Clues from a surprising source.

Determined, he undertakes a deadly hunt against an unknown and powerful enemy.

And everything's at stake.

More than he knows. - from Booksirens.com

I had passed over this book a couple times when looking to select a title to read. I had never heard of the author, and the plot synopsis was a 50/50 on me taking a chance to read this one. After a day or so, and having hesitated a couple times, I went ahead and requested it. I am so glad I did! I started reading with some slight trepidation of what I should expect, but the story seemed to flow out well and the character building was better than I was expecting. The opening chapters had their hooks into me and I wondered how this was going to end. When I did reach the end, it wrapped up details nicely, and in a way that to me, at least, seemed normal.

Thoroughly a good read, and I will be looking at other novels by this author. Recommend for those that like action stories.

Thanks to Booksirens, the author and publisher to allow me to receive and review this title.

Review: "Blood Oath No Man's Land Book One)" by Luke Atkinson

 

Calamity Cooper is a wanted man. To avoid capture by the U.S. Cavalry, he exiles himself to No Man's Land, a lawless and untamed territory home to paranormal happenings.

As the age of gunslingers comes to an end, Cal refuses to adapt to quiet life in Hexed Springs, a sprawling boomtown of humans and supernatural beings. He works as a ranger-a monster hunter for hire-but finds the job far deadlier than he expected. An exposure to raw magical energy during a job gone awry awakens Cal's spell-slinging abilities, attracting unwanted attention from mortals and immortals alike.

Cal becomes a pawn in a scheme fueled by humankind's greed when a wealthy financier blackmails him into hunting a vampire, one that happens to be connected to a prominent family. Little does Cal know, but a blood feud is brewing in the shadows, one both ancient and modern, that threatens to destroy supernatural society.

Haunted by his past and conflicted with his identity, Cal must decide between saving his own skin or protecting supernatural civilization. - from Goodreads.com

Thank you to Booksirens and the author for allowing me to read this book and share a review.

Finding this story was a bit of a surprise for me. I started reading it, waiting for the story to fizzle out, or characters lose focus. I was in for a treat! This story is one I instantly jumped into, and each page turn had me actually wondering where the author was going to go with the events happening. The story idea in itself, of a wild west gunslinger, and a supernatural community/environment was quite entertaining, and did not take away from the basic tale of personal redemption.

Character building was pretty decent - there are some places where the story breaks to go back to a memory to help explain characteristics, or references that come up. Side characters did not have much background or it was thin with no extra information. Worldbuilding was bit off - there is not much to add to a desert, old west-type town based in the 'wild west' era of the US after the Civil War. Not much was described in regards to the supernatural city except it was mish-mash of different architectural styles that spanned ages of the world. Wording was easy to understand and wasn't a strain on my vocabulary.

Overall this was a great read that reminds me quite a bit of the PI Garrett series by Glen Cook, or even somewhat of Robert Parker's Spenser for Hire books. There is quite a bit of dry humor and sarcasm throughout the story and I found myself snickering every once in awhile. Young Adult and higher would enjoy this tale.

Book Review: "The Devil Pulls The Strings" by J. W. Zarek

THE DEVIL PULLS THE STRINGS, described as The Librarians meet The Magicians is a 76,000-word epic fantasy adventure with series potential, set in modern-day Wentzville, MO, New York City, and 1813 Genoa, Italy, weaves bromance, Slavic mythology, secret societies, Paganini’s music and time travel.

Boone Daniels (22) has problems, debilitating panic attack, gut-wrenching guilt, a wendigo haunting him since age six, and now he almost killed his best friend in a joust. But when he fills in for his injured friend at a New York gig, he goes to meet the gig’s contact at his NYC brownstone and a body falls from the brownstone balcony and the place explodes with gun fire.

Boone barely escapes but uncovers a sinister plot to perform a rare Paganini piece that summons the Devil to trap Baba Yaga and destroy modern-day New York City. Then finds himself on a race through time to capture the cursed melody.

Along the way, a Romani immortal, steampunk vampires and Baba Yaga set the stage for war, and Boone shall have to risk death for redemption. Because all Boone wants is to keep a promise to a friend. The same friend, he almost killed last Sunday during a joust.

Can a small-town Missouri musician outplay the supernatural and save NYC’s soul?

The Devil Pulls the Strings is the pulse-pounding first tale in the Archivists series.

If you like when tortured heroes, epic battles, time travel, twisted history and secret societies collide, then you’ll love J. W. Zarek’s spectacular page-turner. - from Goodreads

Thanks to Booksirens and the publisher for allowing me to read this book and provide my opinion. 

*** Possible spoilers ahead ***

I'm not going to go into an accounting of the storyline here, but just jump into how I felt about the book. The story description pulled at me (see what I did there?) but left me feeling somewhat doubtful about what I was going to be reading. I was not let down by my suspicions. The story started off well, and before you know it, we find the main character rushed off to a New York City, placed in danger, constantly on the run, with hardly any idea what he is doing ... except to fill in at a gig for a band. From there, 'time displacements' and 'magical' things' happening do not surprise the main character, and everything is taken in stride like it is near normal day occurrences. There was not much background or character development. It was like, there's this guy that suddenly has to do this thing, and this thing happened, then that... with no explanation as to what this organization is, why are they better than that one, which is truly the right side to be on, or is there a right side?

I want to rant and rave about how much I didn't like this story, but I actually liked it. The storyline is a good one, and I like the mixture of 'magic cultures' (bards/druids, slavic Baba Yaga) and a classical composer that has always had stories of being involved in a pact with the Devil. The book itself was not a long read for me - finished in an afternoon. In the description above, I see it is a first in a series, which I will keep an eye for the next story, just to see what the author can come up with. I want desperately to give this a four star, but the lack of background of what is going on, who the character is and develops through the story, and just some 'out of the blue' who are these guys (the taxi drivers) events just make it so much harder for me to grasp what kind of place the author is writing about.