Review Spree = 20/1/16

Silent Creed by Alex Kava, hardback from library, 2015, 336p.

3 stars.

I’m really enjoying the Ryder Creed series and Silent Creed was an enjoyable installment in the series. It takes place after a natural disaster (a theme that I usually love) and involves Maggie O’Dell from Kava’s other crime series. To be honest, I would prefer if the Ryder Creed series focused more on Ryder and the people that inhabit his world, and it seems strange that his and Maggie’s paths keep crossing so often.

I found some parts of this novel to be quite slow, and personally I think it could have benefited by a strong subplot or two. The final third of the book picked up the pace and became much more enjoyable as the tension mounted. The ending was really great, and I will pick up the next book in the series, but if I’m not impressed by that one, it will most likely be a series I abandon.

Gridlock by Sean Black, paperback from library, 2011, 288p.

4 stars.

Gridlock is amazing. It blew me away. It really brought out the characters and the plot was racing. It would have to be one of my favourite reads of the last half of 2015, and made me so excited to read the rest of the series. The feeling of this series is very similar to that of the Joe Hunter series by Matt Hilton, but the Ryan Lock series has just kicked it up into high gear at the end of this book. The final events made me drop the book in my lap and wonder how the world can be so cruel.

I’ve just finished the next book in this series, and although I didn’t enjoy it as much as Gridlock, it was still a great addition to this very strong series. I will review that book, The Devil’s Bounty, in the coming weeks.

Ice Force by Matt Lynn, paperback from library, 2012, 482p.

4 stars.

This is the latest book in the Death Force series, and I am fearful it will be the last. It was excellent. The books in the Death Force series are shameless action romps, but the thing that sets them apart from most other military action novels is the aspect of teamwork. Despite a very strong character in the main protagonist Steve, Lynn has created a very strong group of military experts who work together to achieve their goals. To me, this just seems to be more realistic than the lone wolf taking on whole armies approach that many of these novels take. I have a not so secret crush on Nick, and although it makes me feel like a cradle robber I love how far his character has come along.