But hold on a sec. These vampires aren't sexy. They don't sparkle. They don't engage in the teenage angst-filled equivalent of "No, you hang up the phone first. No you."
These vampires scare. These vampires spread. These vampires destroy. A lot.
I know that horror and thrillers are not the same, but in this novel, Del Toro and Hogan manage to bring horror firmly into the thriller genre (I know, I know...don't get your underwear in a bunch). By taking the whole vampire thing into the realm of a virus (not completely new ground, but done with real panache), it creates a real-world feel to what could otherwise be just another bunch of blood suckers.
There's loads of action, tons of destruction, and plenty of saving-the-world stuff here, and I was definitely thrilled, both in the adrenaline pumping way and in the "finally, another good book" way.
Now for all you "I could take thrillers or leave them" folks, don't let either the horror or the blowing-things-up stuff scare you off. This novel has got the kind of appeal that Outbreak did. There's a present and growing threat that feels real. The menace smacks you in the face without the cheese factor that you might expect out of either the horror or (okay, occasionally...I admit it) thriller genres. You're also getting some wonderful cultural stuff from the modern day Van Helsing, Abraham Setrakian, a Holocaust survivor.
So, do yourself a favor and get that glittery image of star-crossed vampiric lovers out of your skull. Seriously, there's no better way to do it than by reading this book!
Okay, all you thriller lovers out there. Most reviewers of this genre are overly fond of using words like "taut" and "tense", so I won't use them (as much as I'd love to). This is the third in the Reincarnationist series, and after reading it, I'm going right to the bookstore to snatch up the other two. Holy cow!
It reads pretty well as a stand-alone, although I'm sure I'll get more information from reading the first two. The honest truth is, this book has got all the nail-biting, stomach twisting, I-just-have-to-read-one-more-page addictiveness that any lover of thrillers is going to want and then some. There needs to be a category that's one step beyond page-turner. Then this one gets put above that. Seriously.
But what rocks about this novel is that it's got so much more than elevates it above the thriller genre...and that's from someone that loves thrillers. It's got some history, some romance, some steamy sex, some tidbits of the paranormal. And yet, with all that, it doesn't feel like some sort of hodgepodge homemade arts and crafts project. It's a totally absorbing blanket of a book that wraps you up, smacks you around a bit and then lets you go...kind of.
And, of course, I've gotta give props to any woman that decides to write in what's typically a man's genre. I've gotta give bigger props to one like Rose that knocks it out of the freakin' ballpark.
Just a little side-note for any of you readers out there that like to write as well (I know you're out there). Take a second to go to the Indie Book Collective's website. There's all kinds of amazing information on what you can do to get your novel out there. Oh, and follow them on Twitter, too: @IndieBookIBC.
The Marks of Cain by Tom Knox
reviewed by @mrneil98
A dying request made by a destitute old man to his grandson consists of a map of the Basque Mountains in France, the name of a contact and two millions dollars if the request is carried out. This begins the adventure of lawyer David Martinez that will take him on a journey from Arizona to France and finally Africa unraveling a mystery entailing a lost tribe of pre-Caucasian people, Nazi experimentation and religious persecution ultimately revealing the secrets behind is parents death. Wow!
Then there is the parallel story of recovering alcoholic British journalist Simon Quinn investigating three grisly murders of elderly wealthy people who all were originally from the Basque region and all the victims seem to have some minor mutations. Double Wow!!
I’ve read a dozen books this summer and several have stood out but none have been as intelligent and thought provoking while delivering in the thrills department as well. While reading the last two thirds of the book I was constantly referring to an atlas or encyclopedia, following the travels of David and Simon and researching their discoveries along the way. I love books that stimulate the mind as well as increasing the heart rate with death defying chases and escapes.
Tom Knox (a former British journalist turned thriller writer) has used his investigative reporter skills to meticulously research the Cagot people and obviously has traveled extensively through the Pyrenees and Basque country. The descriptions of the villages and especially the churches, could only be from first person accounts. Mr. Knox is able to deliver the information without slowing down the action and is able also able to flesh out some interesting minor characters and develop a perplexing, complicated female companion for David. All of this adds up to a first rate thriller with something for everyone (over the age of seventeen). Fair warning, there are somewhat graphic description of the murders and more S-E-X than I normally find in these types of thrillers (not that it is overt or distracting).
After you read the novel you must visit his website which includes a ton of additional information and photo taken during his journeys. I had previously read his first novel The Genesis Secret and enjoyed it but Marks of Cain is more consistent and a superior story. I am looking forward to his third book The Severed Men, due out in England in March and the US later next year. If you need one more thrill (and who doesn’t) to extend the summer I strongly recommend Tom Knox’s The Marks of Cain.
"There are some men who enter a woman's life and screw it up forever. Joseph Morelli did this to me -- not forever, but periodically." Right from this opening line, you kinda can't help but feel for the tough, flawed and utterly charming Jersey girl, Stephanie Plum. This quirky mystery, set against a backdrop of the connected and not-so-connected, introduces us to a character that was compelling enough to demand a series of novels...not to mention a film deal with Katherine Heigl playing the lead.
There's more character work and slightly less action that most thriller readers look for, but the humor added to the suspense of the mystery involved should keep all but the most hardcore thriller readers entertained. Plus, let's face it, we all need to branch out from time to time, right? This heroine is gutsy enough to impress the women and sexy enough to keep the men intrigued. And while the characters practically reek of Jersey flair (replete with dialects), they don't keep the action from moving along.
For those not-so-much-with-the-thrillers readers out there, the heroine alone is enough to keep you going here. Then there's the cast of just-off-the-sterotype toughs and Italian mothers and guys those mothers keep trying to set their daughters up with, which provides plenty of opportunities for off-beat humor that will make you laugh out loud. Add to that a sexy ex-flame who may or may not be guilty but is certainly bad, and you've got a novel that'll keep you up to the wee hours of the morning.
This is a novel that definitely deserves a read, and since the film's due out next July, you've got plenty of time to build up your anticipation.
Pirates! We love pirates, right? Whether they look like Johnny Depp or Orlando Bloom, they've got rugged charm and great accents.
We are not talking about those kind of pirates here. In Deep Six, Mark Powell has crafted a tale that takes us into the brutal world of modern-day Somalian pirates and the over-privileged, ennui-filled civilians that are recruited to kill them.
This is Powell's second Mark McCabe novel, the first being Quantum Breach. McCabe is ex-SAS, an ex-banker, heavy on the charm and masculinity with a penchant for getting himself into some extremely adrenaline-pumping situations.
The writing is straightforward, open and honest, although at times it feels as if Powell doesn't completely trust his reader enough and resorts to over explanation. The only other observation is that Powell will occasionally switch perspectives mid-chapter which can be jarring. However, the characters are engaging, which, when added to the gripping action, can make for a compelling read.
If you were a fan of Quantum Breach, you will find Deep Six an improvement on a promising series, instead of the occasional dreaded sophomore slump. We revisit some old characters we love (and love to hate) and the back-story is further fleshed out. McCabe is definitely a character worth revolving a story around.
If Powell is new to you, you should give this author a try. The fact that he's drawing from his own military (and financial) background lends a truthfulness to his story lines that's exciting. The novel is filled with deeply flawed human beings that Powell wisely refrains from psychoanalyzing. The Somalian pirates and their hierarchy is fascinating and topical, giving this novel a very up-to-date feel.
Take some time to check this promising new-ish writing talent out!
With blurbs of praise from Douglas Preston, Steve Berry, James Rollins and Chris Kuzneski, how could I not be drawn to The Ark, by Boyd Morrison. If that weren’t enough the plot involves a female archeologist teaming with an ex-military engineer in order to search for Noah’s Ark in order to save the world from a mysterious virus that could potentially kill billions. Wow!! That is a lot to take on for a debut novel but Boyd is up to the task.
The plot concerns archeologist Dilara, whose father disappeared three years ago while pursuing his obsession of finding Noah’s Ark. After telling her a mysterious message, her father’s friend is poisoned in a mall food court. This leads to multiple attempts on her life and into the protection and (as if you couldn’t guess) arms of former combat engineer Tyler Locke. Together they try to construct the picture from assorted puzzle pieces following a path from the pacific northwest to the southwest and back, eventually winding up in the Middle East where the all good stories involving Noah’s Ark tend to culminate. The antagonist is a billionaire religious fanatic which has become the staple bad guy in recent novels. Although that road has been traveled before, Boyd is able to keep the story fresh with new storylines and interpretations of the religious themes.
Using his real world background and experience (PhD in Engineering, work at Lockheed Martin and Microsoft), Boyd creates realistic but still thrilling scenarios for getting his protagonists into and out of precarious situations. The presentation of the virus and its devastating potential is as convincing as Rollins’ Judas Strain. Familial relationships throughout the book are convincing and varied as are the characters themselves.
As the summer begins to wind down, it is well worth the price of admission for an action packed voyage on Boyd Morrison’s Ark.
For The Hunger Games, we've asked Ben Hopkin (@actingnodrama) to guest review. Ben is an actor, a producer and also a writer, so is bringing a slightly different perspective to things. 'Cause you know, at @ThrillersRockT, we like to shake things up a bit!
The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins, is up for review this week. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. What the bleepedy-bleep-bleep is a Young Adult novel doing getting reviewed on Thrillers Rock Twitter? Well, here’s the thing. It's a YA novel, but really there's nothing stereotypically YA about it.
And while it isn't classified as a traditional thriller, it is well... thrilling. And I mean, shouldn't that be the basis for deciding if a book is truly a thriller? And trust me this is an absolutely, positively adrenaline-pumping, page-turning, hair-raising piece of work.
What The Hunger Games also has is a superbly crafted plot, razors-edge-sharp characters and plenty of emotional resonance.
But what elevates this novel is the clarity of its characters. Every character I encountered, even briefly, in this book was given three dimensions. There are characters in this book that I miss right now because I'm not currently reading it. I'm not going to spend much more time talking about the story or the people within it, but I will just throw out one name for you. Cinna, the stylist. When you read The Hunger Games (as you really MUST), keep him in mind.
As an actor, my litmus test for characters is whether or not I would want to play them (yes, even the female characters... What can I say? Actors are weird), and I can honestly say that it would be an honor to play any of them. Especially Cinna. In case it's in development. And those casting are reading this blog. #justsayin
Okay, disregarding that little self-promoting sidestep... It's the combination of the tight-as-a-drum plot and the crystalline-clear-as-snow-melt characters gives Hunger Games an honesty and emotional through-line that I've rarely felt in another author. When a writer can evoke an epic quality and at the same time ground the sweeping action in believable and lovable characters, magic happens.
Oh, there's one more thing, just in case all of the preceding rambling wasn't enough to convince you. TheHunger Games is the first in a trilogy. Catching Fire is the second, and Mockingjay, the final installment, is due out on August 24th. If you're at all like me, you'll get to the end of this novel and be intensely grateful for that fact.
Finally, I want to thank @ThrillersRockT for the chance to guest review this week. Not only because I get to review alongside some awesome writers, but because the novel I'm reviewing was good enough to keep me up until 3 am to finish it. I also believe there may have been a skipped meal or two in there as well, and for anyone that knows me, that's a big stinkin' deal.
"Mind Walker"
by @rjmc100
Just as we asked why guys would want to read "Hunger Games" we ask why should chicks want to read "Mind Walker?" Because let's face it, most guys are going to automatically dig this book.
So for my other female readers why should you give this first time novelist a chance? Well, besides the fact we have a great female lead, I would have to say for the roller coaster action and a great female lead.
As always we don't give spoilers here but oh how I would want to. Somehow Roy has managed to create a taut, page-turning thriller with just a twist that is sure to surprise.
Also, I find that we girls also really enjoy a story with rich settings and exotic locations. Mind Walker takes us on ride across continents that you won't want to end!
So give this indie author a chance to rock your world!
Don't forget that Plain Jane is also out. A Patterson-style thriller that harkens back to the "Kiss the Girl" days with a slash of Harris' macabre.
You should read 50 pages for free here.
And if you decide to buy the entire book, here is a 50% off coupon: RH88E
