Review of Encrypted by Carolyn McCray

What would you do if the black plague suddenly appeared again, in your own backyard? What if it was put there by a “Higher” order who thought to cleanse the earth and remake it in their image? What if the only hope of survival for the ENTIRE planet lay in the hands of a Hacker, her quirky, flirty, fashion obssessed assistant and the FBI agent, said Hacker, should NOT be having a secret affair with?

These are just a few of the questions posed by Carolyn McCray’s new novel, “Encrypted”. The black plague once wiped out half the world, and someone has made plans to repeat the scenario, only this time with a weaponized strain that is deliberately placed so that it spreads . . .fast. The Robin Hood Hacker is the only one with enough brains, talent and OCD to crack the code IF she can get to all the pieces on time. With the “Hidden Hand” the organization who set these events in motion, dogging her every step, it’s hard enough for a girl to find the clues, not to mention have a split second to make out with the FBI agent she’s been lusting after for months.

"Encrypted" is fast paced. Make that Formula One fast paced. Don’t expect to be able to put it down. Filled with gadgets and gizmos that would make any techie weep with rapture, fire fights, chase scenes, close calls, deadly turns and laugh out loud humour, Encrypted kept me glued to my Kindle until it was finished.

I will say, that as a reader of not only thrillers, but romance too, I was hoping *fingers were crossed* for perhaps even just a little more lip action between the leads. But, since there is a sequel, Cipher (which comes out winter of 2012) I look forward to finding out how this completely star crossed couple manage their love life in the middle of the next crisis. Which I can only imagine will again have readers ducking and diving as if they too were in the middle of the chaos the characters will find themselves in.

If you love a fast, gadget riddled, great read, then Encrypted should satisfy those needs. You can find "Encrypted" on Amazon and it is currently only .99 for its launch.

5 STARS

*If you are looking for additonal books by Carolyn McCray, she has several for free INCLUDING "Encrypted" from March 14-18 only click HERE for the details*

Review of The Geronimo Beach by Russell Blake

If you're a fan of thrillers, spy novels, police stories and the like you've probably grown accustomed to the slightly sanitized narrative and descriptive terms used in these genres. Sure, the bad guy gets it and there's blood everywhere and the girlfriend is all cut up, but the visual scene of the writing can be read by anyone. Which, of course, is done on purpose in order to make the book marketable. Robert Ludlum, John le Carre, Tom Clancy (except for his true masterpiece, "Without Remorse"), they have all written spectacular books with heaps of action and loads of destructive bloodletting without actually spilling any goo. Your brain registers the action and tells you "this is bloody", but you don't feel it in your gut. Except for Clancy's "Without Remorse." That book gets you where you live.

Anyway.

I'd like to introduce an author who has, apparently, mastered the art of writing a thriller that is full of splashing, gushing, searing, exploding, skin-ripping action with language that pulls no punches but is still exceptionally readable. Russell Blake is a descriptive pioneer and a natural wordsmith. In his thriller, "The Geronimo Breach," Blake has taken the somewhat predictable genre on a joyride from the streets of Panama City through the jungles of Columbia into fishing villages and bordellos to emerge on the other side with all the "good" predictable aspects intact and some new twists on the plot format that make reading the book a pleasure and a duty for all lovers of action thrillers.

It's the action and the description that keep the pages turning. Throw in a hero disguised as a drunk, a smartass CPA with a killer body and a burro named Ed and you've  got one classic novel that holds its own against the so-called "masters" of the trade.

I chose not to quote from the book in order to keep it fresh for you. There are some pretty cool surprises that pop up as the plot reveals itself.  Trust me, though, this is a 5-star book.

"The Geronimo Breach" is available on Amazon, or just go to russellblake.com and say hello to the author. He loves fans. And burros.

 

If you'd like to learn more about the reviewer, please visit:

Website: jlandoncocks.com

Twitter: @JLandonCocks

Facebook: J Landon Cocks

The Devil's Elixir by Raymond Khoury

I have a place in my heart for Raymond Khoury. The Last Templar, his first major release, led me to Steve Berry's Templar Legacy and then to James Rollins and company.  In some ways I owe my current tastes in fiction to Khoury, although I have been mixed about his offerings after his debut. The Last Templar started in a frenzy but ended in a fizzle. His follow-up, Sanctuary, had an intriguing concept but failed to completely satisfy. I skipped his third offering but then came Templar Salvation, a follow-up to The Last Templar. The novel continued the story of FBI agent Sean Reilly and archeologist turned thriller writer, Tess Chaykin. The book showed an elevation in story telling and character development that placed Khoury with his friends and contemporaries, Steve Berry and James Rollins.
 
I was excited for the release of The Devil's Elixir, continuing the saga of Reilly and Chaykin. The novel is exciting and ultimately rewarding although not what I was anticipating. I expected a novel initially buried in history, then ultimately, by solving impossible clues, culminating in intense action. Part of this is correct.
 
The prologue begins hundreds of years ago with a missionary priest undergoing a drug induced experience. The groundwork was laid but the novel became an exploration of drug trafficking and vengeance. The exploration of history only went back to a catastrophic drug bust that went wrong leaving Reilly devastated and destroying the relationship with his girlfriend at the time DEA agent Michelle Martinez.

Back to the present, Martinez contacts Reilly when she is attacked and the roller coaster ride begins. There are many twists and almost as many turns and by the end the reader is just waiting for the last twist when it comes. The Devil’s Elixir is a fast paced, engrossing thriller with a hint of paranormal to keep the reader guessing. Although not what I originally expected I was drawn into the story and cared about the characters’ outcome. What more could you want from a book.

New Feature: Things To Come

I will be reviewing Progeny by indie author Shawn Hopkins.

James Rollins will be releasing his first newsletter in ages. It will contain info on the next Sigma adventure, Bloodline, coming out in June 26^th.

Steve Berry will be releasing an e-short story that features Cotton Malone and Christopher Columbus in April before his new stand alone thriller, The Columbus Affair is released May 15 featuring new protagonist Tom Sagan.

On a sad note (personally since I was planning to attend), James Rollins will not be attending Thrillerfest this July due to scheduling conflicts with his book tour. Let’s hope the tour will bring him to NJ/NY.

Review of Fatal Exchange by Russell Blake

The Sexiest Main Character, EVER

A review by Landon Cocks

Some of you may have read my previous reviews of Russell Blake’s books and come to the conclusion that he and I are friends or relatives. The truth is, although I only met the guy a few months ago, I have a strange fascination with him and his writing.

I have two reasons for this fascination:

1) His sense of humor is uncommon and his jokes, diatribes and observations about life help me smile through the drool.

2) The man can write. Period. Like, demon powered.

If you haven’t read any of his stuff, do so, and do so now. Can’t decide which riproaringly crazily paced thriller to begin with? (Yes, another dangling preposition. Get used to it. That’s how we speak.)

Try this one: Fatal Exchange. Just when you think it’s about an international currency scam involving a small Asian country and the highest levels of the U.S. government, which it is, you get smacked in the face by the sexiest main character ever created, Tess Gideon. She’s a bicycle messenger on the streets of New York trying to “find herself” while working every muscle in her lean, taut and tattoo covered body in a race to deliver her daily intra-office correspondence on time. Not only is Tess beautiful, sensual and sultry she’s also quite intelligent and hides a soul that could change the world if it was released.

Don’t worry, there’s plenty of trademark Russell Blake action and suspense to go along with the breakneck pace of this novel as the story develops from a small apartment in Myanmar through a run down tenement building in New York City, finally erupting in the offices of the U.S. Treasury. Like all his books, Mr. Blake has chosen a plot that sounds too believable to NOT be true.

And there’s Tess. Dark hair, green eyes. And bad guys chasing her. Yes, please.

I give this book a five-out-of-five star rating. Great book.

Fatal Exchange can be found next to all of the Russell Blake titles on Amazon and his website, http://russellblake.com

If you'd like to learn more about the reviewer, please visit:

Website: jlandoncocks.com

Twitter: @JLandonCocks

Facebook: J Landon Cocks

Micro by Michael Crichton and Richard Preston

I had eagerly anticipated the release of Micro since reading that the incomplete manuscript would be complete by Richard Preston, author of The Hot Zone.  After an initial rebuff due to an excessive initial list price of $14.99, I patiently bided my time waiting for my turn through my local library. I am so glad that I was able to delay my immediate gratification and wait for a free copy.

I had read the first 20 pages with a free sample on my Nook, so I quickly reread the beginning and poured into the rest. The set up was engaging, with an excellent combination of technology, humanity and industrial intrigue. There were mysterious attacks by invisible assailants, a powerful new high-tech company recruiting elite grad students and several curious deaths and disappearances.

Unfortunately, one third of the way through the book, the plot took an unexpected and unbelievable twist. For most thrillers, the reader must suspend reality and buy into the premise proposed by the author. For some reason I just couldn't get past this sudden turn of events. Maybe I watched Grant Williams too often as the Incredible Shrinking Man or remembered my sleepless nights with early morning viewings of Dr. Cyclops. All I could think of while reading the second half was my alternate title, Honey,  I shrunk the graduate students. Although Micro is filled with an enormous amount of scientific information concerning rainforest denizens, it felt like a journey through a universal studio set.

Micro is a well-written, engrossing thriller that surprised me with several of the twists that occurred. If you can truly buy into the premise, then this will be quite a ride, but I was left wondering what Micro could have been if it were left as an exploration of the uses and abuses of micro bots and nano bots on the national and international political stage.

Gideon’s Corpse by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

Last January, Preston and Child took a huge gamble. After ten best-selling Pendergast novels, he duo introduced a new character, Gideon Crew. The first installment was not up to their high standards and seemed to be a set-up for future books. There was an investigation and plenty of action but over all the book had the feel of a back story. By the end, I was questioning their decision to create a new series.  The good news is that they didn’t listen to me.

Gideon’s Corpse is a huge scale, action-packed thrill ride. From the opening, where a former co-worker of Gideon’s holds a family hostage in a New York apartment building to the nerve wracking conclusion, everything in this novel is grander. There are chases through canyons, an emergency landing of sabotaged plane, pyrotechnics and even a sword fight with chainsaws. Through it all, the novel is about an unwilling hero thrust into a situation not of his making. There are many parallels between Gideon and the protagonist of most Hitchcock films.

For those Pendergast fans, don’t fear for there is another Pendergast currently at the publisher and another being written presently. I had the pleasure of attending Preston and Child’s book-signing at Barnes and Noble in Princeton, NJ. They have a wonderful relationship, poking fun at each other while discussing the book, the writing process and fielding questions from the audience.

Some of the tidbits that they shared include:

-         The new Pendergast book, Two Graves, will be released this December.

-         The next Pendergast, I believe they said the title is Bane, will focus on Corrie Swanson.

-         Michael Bay owns the rights for Gideon Crew and is planning a film.

-         They write their books 2000 miles apart, using e-mail as a major source of communication.

-         Their title for the new Pendergast book, Two Graves, was suggested by fans during a Facebook contest.

-         Lincoln Child has a new solo book, Third Gate, coming out in May while Doug Preston is writing the introduction to a book on the Amanda Knox case.

If you get the chance to see them on their tour, take advantage. They are entertaining and informative. At the majority of the remaining stop, Doug will be there in person and Lincoln will be there via Skype. If you can’t see them, make sure to pick up Gideon’s Corpse. It is a great start to what will hopefully be a thrilling year.

My Top of 2011 - Better Late Than ...

The end of 2011 brought many pleasant memories of books gone by and some technological issues, hence the untimely post. Looking back to 2011, there were many thrilling reads, some from this year and some from past years that I had overlooked. I will limit my selections to books released during 2011 and divide them into mainstream and indie.

There were many mainstream releases this year which I have not read yet, like Crichton’s Micro or Khoury’s The Devil’s Elixir. I will select three from mainstream releases and three from the Indie releases I have read.
Mainstream:

3. The Vault by Boyd Morrison – While it may be a tad inferior to The Ark, The Vault is a thrilling mixture of history, science, action and intrigue. Continuing the adventures of Tyler Locke and his former pro-wrestler/army ranger Grant Westfield, Morrison creates an intriguing tale involving a search for King Midas’ tomb and the ultimate secret of his golden touch.

2. The Jefferson Key by Steve Berry – Cotton Malone begins by stumbling on to a plot to assassinate the President and winds up battling pirates off the Eastern seaboard. Steve Berry mixes historical fact with current economic unrest to create an entertaining read. The book was enhanced by an e-short story released before the novel that gave essential background to one of the new characters. This is not the first time Berry has done this and several other authors have followed suit including David Baldacci and my next pick, James Rollins.

1. The Devil Colony by James Rollins – The new Sigma adventure is centered mostly in the US for a change and involves Native Americans, Mormons and secrets of the founding of America. While the action is intense and seemingly nonstop, the historical references kept me just as interested. This novel was preceded by an engrossing e-short story involving Seichan and the Paris underground.

Indie Top Three:
Great year for indie authors, as next year proves to be even better. Tough choice with many falling just short like New World Orders by Edward G. Talbot and Quick Kill by Patricia McCallum, but here are the top three:

3. The Ninth District by Doug Dorow – Dorow uses his knowledge of his home environment, Minneapolis, Minnesota, too create a tense robbery caper involving FBI Special Investigator Jack Miller. This is the beginning of what I believe will be many thrilling endeavors by Dorow.

2. Petroplague by Amy Rogers – This tense science-based thriller will enthrall the Crichton fans and surprise the Rollins fans with a mixture of scientific background blended seamlessly into a story involving a doctoral student and her relationship with her kid sister. The world hangs in the balance, but we wouldn’t care if we didn’t care about the characters.

3. 30 Pieces of Silver by Carolyn McCray – This is a break-through work that defines Ms. McCray as a force to be reckoned with in the field of historical/thrillers. This exploration into the religious realm, combined with the military and historical elements place her in the company of Rollins, Berry and Brown.

Special Note: This Tuesday 1/10 is the release of Preston/Child’s new installment in the Gideon Crew series entitled Gideon’s Corpse. I will be attending a rare book-signing by both Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child this Thursday in Princeton NJ. If you have any questions, comment on this blog and I will confront them face to face.