Ripple Effect

Well this is basically a Nuke of the month story with the standard locate and chase sections but it is a wonderful read which you really should consider. Why? Characters introduced with both the bad guys and the good guys are so much more than the standard cut-out cardboard characters introduced so many times in these series. The main bad guy has a history which you can sympathize with a bit in what happened to him originally but he makes it hard for that to continue as the title progresses. The main good guy is the Big Guy's partner who is raw but performs extremely well throughout the title where you actually enjoy his thoughts on what has happened and is happening as his journey continues with the Big Guy. A storyline that is interesting and keeps you going as the chase/locate continues. The thing that got to me with this title was how the author managed to raise the tension level as the title approached the climax (having the martyr arm the device with no way of unarming it was good) as was the finish. Gotta say I really enjoyed this title from Mike Newton (two in a row) well done Mike and this is a fine title for your reading pleasure.

This one was pretty good. Talmage was a very interesting villian I thought. I liked the full background of his character and everything. I almost felt for him and his misfortunes until what he decided to do with his life. All the action sequences through the book were okay, not of them were fascinating I thought. But a good story was able to amke up for it. I liked how Bolan shook up the triads by hitting some of their business places. The ending was kind of disappointing I thought. I was expecting some great finale, but it wasnt as tense as I think it could've been. Overall a good read.

A wildly unpredictable hunt for a fallen ex-patriot, “Ripple Effect” is from Mike Newton. Newton gives his fallen soldier, Talmadge (how do you pronounce that again?), a complete background. His psychological details and the personality infused in him presents a character that is something more than the evil-Bolan of the week. From the beginning, he has a Homeland Security operative team with him. A boy wonder, Dixon is Robin, to Bolan’s Batman. He is in constant awe of Bolan, and so there are many opportunities to explain the series through a series of male bonding exercises. The first act in Jakarta was a bit random, by the numbers, with a so-so car chase. The second act in Vancouver was the best part, where the title comes into effect. That leaves the third act. I will not give away the ending. There is a lot of tension, especially with the choices made by the antagonist (his first choice was electric) and the unpredictability of the end. Very well done for a series novel. And, in spite of all this, is still entertained. Very good.