Book Review - The Unknown by Brett Battles (Jonathan Quinn, Book 14)

I accidentally stumbled upon the Jonathan Quinn series and have loved each and every one of them. The past few books seemed to have lost a little magic with so many major characters having been killed in previous books, that I was afraid the series was on an unchangeable path downward. Then the 14th book was published.

The Unknown (Jonathan Quinn, Book 14) by Brett Battles is a spy thriller. It is available as an eBook, audio book, and those paper things your grandparents used to read.

The Good

Shift of Direction. The main ideas of this series is Jonathan Quinn is hired to clean up bodies after an assassination. That was interesting for about three books, and then the author realized he needed to go in a different direction. The last few books have focused on dealing with the aftermath of several main characters dying. While those deaths made for shocking endings, the series didn't seem to know where to go from there. But this book put it back on a great path with a different type of mission that fits in the world Brett Battles created.

Story. The story is solid. The characters are well developed. The adventure is well constructed. Nothing felt like it was coming out of left field or was a cheat. It is well paced and held my attention the whole time. I'm excited to read the next book.

Action. The action was really exciting and didn't feel like a repeat of what's come before.

SciFi Element. These stories are fairly grounded and realistic. The scifi element introduced is something very far into the future, and yet the way it was introduced and handled made it feel like it fit.

The Bad

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What I Would Like to Have Seen

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Overall

The Unknown (Jonathan Quinn, Book 14) by Brett Battles is a spy thriller that pulls you in from the first page and doesn't let go until the last. All my favorite characters (minus the ones who've died in previous books) were back as was The Office, the black ops government agency involved in questionable cloak and dagger required for every spy thriller. The action is exciting, the scifi element was used in a believable way for this otherwise realistic world, and the story was very enjoyable and well structured. I highly recommend this book and give it 5 out of 5 eReaders.

     

 

Movie Review - Searching

I heard about this movie and thought the concept was unique, but I wondered how could they sustain an interesting story without ever leaving a computer screen?

Searching is a 2018 thriller drama. It is rated PG-13 for language and intensity, but is appropriate for tweens and up.

The Good

The Concept. This entire movie takes place on a computer screen, usually the father's laptop, but other screens, including security camera footage, is used. It's a really unique way to tell a story, and the filmmakers pulled it off. Everything made sense. Everything worked.

The Story. The story was amazing. I was hooked from about five minutes into the film. It moved quickly, yet never became confusing. I really felt for all of the characters. There were twists and turns I didn't see coming. I was at the edge of my seat until the end.

The Twists. I'm really good at predicting "twists" in movies. Most murder mysteries I know who it is from the first introduction of the guilty party. But this movie had twists I didn't even know where coming, let alone know what they were.

The Relevance. This movie is very much a 2018 movie with the social media platforms, but I think it will age well, because the real heart of the story is about a father who discovers he doesn't know his daughter and is shocked by his search to discover her. That is a timeless story that will reverberate throughout the ages.

The Bad

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What I Would Like to Have Seen

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Overall

Searching is one of the best movies I have ever seen. The concept of using only a computer screen to tell the story was brave but so well executed. The story was solid, exciting, and kept me at the edge of my seat. The twists were so unexpected and truly surprising. The heart of the story, a father learning he doesn't really know his daughter and is surprised by the revelations he uncovers is timeless and powerful. I give this film a solid 5 out of 5 Boxes of Popcorn.

       

Book Review - Meg: A Novel of Deep Terror by Steve Alten

I recently finished another book by this author, The Loch, and really enjoyed it. I was excited to read more. I picked up his first big hit, and soon realized he has grown as an author since then, a fact I was reminded of with each and every page.

Meg: A Novel of Deep Terror by Steve Alten is a suspense, mystery, monster hunt story. It is available as an eBook, Audiobook, and one of those paper things your grandparents used to read.

The Good

Well-told Story. The author is a competent writer who knows who to tell a story. While it wasn't anything new or original, it was well told.

Science. This book presents some well described science about prehistoric animals, the bottom of the ocean, and how extinct species could still be around.

The Bad

Not Original. This story is one you've either seen, read, watched, or all of the above several times. It's your typical monster story that proceeds along the usual, expected route.

Unmemorable Characters. The characters weren't particularly memorable or likeable.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I wish this story had offered something really cool, new, or unique like the Empire State Building in King Kong or the genetics of Jurassic World.

Overall

Meg: A Novel of Deep Terror by Steve Alten is just another retelling of the classic monster story: Jaws, King Kong, Jurassic World, etc. but unlike those stories, this one didn't add anything new or unique. The book is competently written and well paced, but the story precedes how you expect it to and loses some of the suspense because of it. I give this book 3.5 out of 5 eReaders.

  

Movie Review - Mission: Impossible – Fallout

I loved the first Mission Impossible film with Tom Cruise, then the second and third happened and I figured the franchise was over. Then the next two were actually good and got me excited again.

Mission: Impossible – Fallout is a 2018 action adventure film based on the Mission: Impossible tv series. It is rated PG-13 for violence and language and is appropriate for teens and up.

The Good

Action. What's amazing about Tom Cruise is he does his own stunts, and the things you see on the screen are practical versus the CGI everyone else relies on. It's so nice to see real stunts. And these were pretty amazing.

Story. This movie had a lot more story than most Mission: Impossible flicks. It delivered twist after twist after twist and all of them made sense and were fairly grounded. All of them I saw coming, but they were still enjoyable.

The Bad

Pacing. This movie is 2 1/2 hours long, and it feels like it's 2 1/2 hours long.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I wish this movie had been as entertaining as the last two. I'm not sure what was different, but something was.

Overall

Mission: Impossible – Fallout was an exciting action flick with incredible stunt work and a much more elaborate, grounded story than I was expecting. While it contained all the action and troupes you expect from the series, it was different enough that I didn't feel like it was just another movie churned out of the same mold. I give this film 3.5 out of 5 boxes of popcorn.

   

Book Review - Dogs of War: A Joe Ledger Novel by Jonathan Maberry

I picked up this book on a sale. As I read it, the names of the characters seemed awfully familiar. Then I realized I had read an earlier book in the series. The fact I didn't immediately recognize the series and characters had me worried that this book would be equally unmemorable.

Dogs of War: A Joe Ledger Novel is a science fiction, action, techno thriller by Jonathan Maberry. It's available in all formats: eBooks, Audiobooks, and those paper things your grandparents used to read.

The Good

Ray Porter. I know I sound like a broken record, but Ray Porter's narration was the number one reason I picked this up, and it was the best part of the story. He was at the top of his game giving each character such a unique voice and putting so much emotion into his performance.

Science. I love the edge of reality--it's such a fun place for science fiction to play--and this novel had much cutting edge and experimental science. Some of it like nanotech has been overdone, but others such as the unique use of disease and the novel designs of drones were a lot of fun.

References. This book is number 9 in the series and ties up events from the previous eight novels. I've only read two books in this series, but that was okay, because the author does an excellent job of summarizing events from previous books with enough detail that newcomers can follow it, but not so thoroughly that fans will get bored.


Ties Up The Series. This book takes most of the events from previous novels and ties them up into one giant conspiracy. Being a conspiracy theory fan, I really appreciated and enjoyed that. And it was done in a very logical, unforced way which I also appreciated. 

Great Villains. This book had some really great villains, all of them very different, and all explored sufficiently to make them interesting.

The Bad

Unoriginal Threats. This is a doomsday book with one group plotting to destroy the world for their own benefit. They use the usual back of tricks--disease, nanotech, robots, and AI. Some of it was novel, but a lot of it was pretty standard and a little stale.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I enjoyed the story, but I wish it hadn't been quite so predictable and taken all the obvious turns. I wish it had surprised me.

Overall

Dogs of War: A Joe Ledger Novel is an exciting science fiction conspiracy thriller about a small group with extensive resources using cutting edge science to destroy the world for their benefit and an elite government black ops team who fights to stop them. If that setup sounds familiar, the way it plays out won't surprise you. It's fun, it's exciting, it's incredibly well read, but nothing I haven't seen before. I give it 4 out of 5 eReaders.

    

Book Review: The Heavens May Fall by Allen Eskens

Legal thrillers are fun for several reasons: 1) There's always a mystery to solve, and who doesn't love a mystery, 2) One of the lawyers usually ends up solving the crime and exposing the guilty party instead of the professional detectives, police, etc., 3) The reader is treated to a fictionalized version of the justice system that is usually both entertaining and just, unlike the real thing.

The Heavens May Fall is a legal thriller mystery byAllen Eskens. It's available in all formats: eBook, audiobook, and those paper things your grandparents used to read.

Overview

A woman is found dead in an alley wrapped in a child's quilt. Her husband, a highly-paid criminal defense lawyer, is the prime suspect. A cop who had previous negative dealings with the lawyer is in charge of the investigation. The case brings back many memories of his own wife's killing three years earlier.

The Good

Backstories. The characters were fairly standard for this type of story, but each had enough unique quirks to keep them interesting. They each had a backstory that not only added interest and helped developed the characters but was a fun little tale on its own.

Not Too Easy, Not Too Hard. Sometimes the mystery is solved too easily because of convenient plot twists or a main character that is so smart they're practically prescient. This story was very logical with events unfolding in a realistic manner and no convenient plot points.

Twist Ending. I wasn't all that surprised at the twist ending, but there was an extra kink I didn't see coming but should have that made it a satisfying payoff.

Satisfying Ending. While the ending was pretty much a "happy ending", there were a few twists and struggles that made it feel like the characters had to work for it and earn it with not everything working out perfectly.

The Bad

Subplot Resolution. There is a subplot involving the main character's wife that is resolved at the end a little too quickly, a little too neatly, and a little too unsatisfactory.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I wish there had been something really compelling or gripping in this story. It's a solid story, but it doesn't really stand out as an incredible story. I'll probably read another book by this author, but I won't feel bad if the cast of characters is completely different, because these were interesting enough for one book, but I'm not sure they could sustain a series.

Overall

The Heavens May Fall is a really good legal thriller, but not an exceptionally good one. It has solid characters and a solid story with several plot twists to keep the story interesting leading to a not-unexpected ending that contained an additional turn to keep it above average. I give it 4 out of 5 eReaders.

      

Movie Review: Snowden

I remember when the story of Edward Snowden broke, I wasn't at all surprised. I guess I'm just cynical, but I assumed the government had been illegally spying on everyone and collecting information they had no right to possess for decades. What I was surprised at was how callous and flippant the government was in its response. There was no embarrassment or attempt to conceal what they were doing. They just smiled, said it was for everyone's good, and kept doing it.

Snowden is a 2016 historical thriller drama based on actual events. It's rated R for some harsh language and brief nudity and is appropriate for teenagers and up.

Overview

This film tells the story of Edward Snowden, an employee/consultant for the CIA and other US intelligence agencies, who discovered the US was spying on its citizens and the citizens of other countries without following legal search procedures and exposed it resulting in his exile to Russia.

The Good

Acting/Casting. This movie was really well cast with each actor and actress doing an excellent job of creating memorable characters that I found myself caring about either positively or negatively.

Storytelling. This movie presents its message very clearly in a very linear fashion. It begins with Snowden's loyalty and love of country and desire to serve and shows that love challenged by revelation after revelation. The explanations to cover up the apparent problems are clearly laid out and then clearly shown to be lies. The viewer understands what is going on in Snowden's mind and all the conflicts he is dealing with.

Not Heavy Handed. This subject would be very easy to take a heavy-handed approach with, but I didn't feel it was so biased it hurt the film. The filmakers' personal view that the military industrial complex and greed are the root of the corruption is very clear,  but I didn't feel they hit me over the head with it. They also didn't blame a single political party, but showed both parties were involved and guilty.

The Bad

Pacing. This movie was over two hours long, and it felt like it was over two hours long.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I wish I knew how much of this was actually true and how much was exaggerated or even invented.

Overall

Snowden is a well-told dramatization of actual events that affect everyone on this planet. The writing, acting, and storytelling were all excellent expressing a very clear message. While the story did drag in spots and the movie felt like it was over two hours long, I still give this film a solid 4.5 out of 5 boxes of popcorn.

 

Book Review: Orphan X by Gregg Hurwitz

I've enjoyed spy thriller stories and action adventures since I first saw them parodied on Saturday Morning cartoons. I saw my first James Bond flick at a younger age than I probably should have. In the last few years I've become a voracious reader of crime comic books like Criminal, Sin City, and Whiteout: Melt and crime/spy thriller novels such as The Dispatcher, The Wheelman, and Johnathan Quinn. So when I saw Orphan X was on sale and and was narrated by Scott Brick, I got pretty excited expecting to discover another great writer.

Orphan X is an adventure spy thriller written by Gregg Hurwitz. It's available in all formats: eBooks, Audiobooks, and those paper things your grandparents used to read.

Overview

Orphan X is the story of an ex-government-trained assassin who left because of moral objections and personal loss. He now spends his time and uses his skills to help those who have no one else to turn to. But the government is not content to just "let him go".

The Good

Writing. The writing is good. The author does an excellent job of painting each scene in the readers' minds and making the action come alive. He also spends sufficient time developing each character so the readers understand who they are and what motivates them.

Cover story. This book contains a minor subplot which is basically the protagonist's cover as an ordinary man so his enemies can't find him. The characters and minor conflicts from bullies at school to an assistant DA who is targeted by organized crime to the home owners' association and their bizarre rules are probably the most entertaining and interesting parts of the novel.

The Bad

Characters. The main characters are well developed, but none of them are interesting. The minor characters who are part of the protagonist's cover are the most compelling, but unfortunately they have little page time. The main character, the villains, the victims, are all shallow and one-dimensional. They look like the author saw a crime triller or read a spy novel and said, "That was cool! I want to write that." And did.

Motivation. The motivation for the characters is pretty prosaic and tired. The main character is pretty bland and generic and sounds like dozens of other action heroes. The victims are all minorities with the stereotypical problems of minorities from domestic disputes to immigration concerns and debt. Not a single one is memorable. The villains are little more than the mustached bad guy of mellow dramas tying someone to the train, only they have much better and cooler tech than a steam-powered locomotive. Again, this feels like a bad remake of shows and books I've seen and read before.

Twist. This novel is supposed to have a twist at the climax, but it's something that a reader with even half a brain saw coming from before the middle of the book. In fact, it's the only answer that actually makes sense, because the author neglected to offer any even semi-likely alternatives.

Surprise Ending. I think the end was meant to be a shocker and a twist with the unexpected reveal, but the character involved wasn't interesting enough for me to care, and having a character fake his death only to reappear happens in almost every spy or crime thriller if it lasts very long.

What I Would Like to Have Seen

I wish the author would have done something original and interesting with the main story. He tries to make Orphan X seem all powerful and clever, but nothing he does is different than what every other version of this character does. The story itself is supposed to be intense and filled with intrigue and twists, but instead it's the same ride I've taken many, many times with each twist an expected and overused turn. Which is a shame, because the author is a good writer with talent, just not much imagination or originality.

Overall

Orphan X is a competent book that is entertaining but nothing special. This is the first in a series I have no desire to read. One was enough. I don't regret reading it, but I'm not going to waste my time or money reading anymore. I give it a 3.5 out of 5 eReaders.