Review: The Better Angels

The Better Angels by Charles McCarry

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Saw the movie a long time ago, feat. Sean Connery as a TV-Anchorman or reporter and our own Hardy Krueger as a German Arms-Dealer, also Leslie Nielsen and per IMDB Jennifer Jason-Leigh, though I cannot remember their part (Wrong Is Right 1982). At the time it was a bit over the top and in some ways a satire.
The book is more or less the same, but after 9/11 and what followed with suicide bombers till the present, it just takes on a more grim reality what is displayed in the movie and written about in the book - like a prophecy turned reality of a good SF-writer.
May be there are other books (and films), but the threat of fanatical hard-core islamists turned suicide-bomber is described very exactly here. The other themes, spin-doctoring with the press etc. are also very good.
Now more relevant than back when it came out first, I highly recommend this book.
And the movie. But be prepared for a silly B-Movie-Feeling.



View all my reviews

Review: Body Bags

Body Bags by Christopher Golden

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Wow, nice start. Then it slows.
But not for long. This is very good and given some of the other works (also very good, but different genre) quite surprising.
For fans of [a:Kathy Reichs|26372|Kathy Reichs|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1201288896p2/26372.jpg] and [a:Tess Gerritsen|18149|Tess Gerritsen|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1232921887p2/18149.jpg] I strongly suggest to check it out.
And I will certainly read the next few books in the series.
Very highly recommended.



View all my reviews

Review: Jordan's Stormy Banks: A Body Farm Novella

Jordan's Stormy Banks: A Body Farm Novella by Jefferson Bass

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Novella, fast read.
But what a read!
A real dangerous situation tops the investigation, with ... no, I will not spoil it, but just say, it rings of a truth we would like to stay buried.
Although the story takes place in the 1990, the beginning of the Body Farm, it could take place today, without missing a beat.
Highly recommended.

But I still think, it is to pricy ( Eur 2,01 that Us$ 1,45) for this fast a read, I think it should be 1 Eur or 1 Us$.
Disturbing trend, a lot of times I was able to find such a Novella for for such a price or even for free, but in the past months they just grew more expensive.



View all my reviews

Review: Who, What, Where, When, Die

Who, What, Where, When, Die by Amanda M. Lee

My rating: 2 of 5 stars



Started April 19th, 2014.
Wanted a change from the brutal murder and mayhem, and got this via Bookbub for free (you sign up with bookbub and give them the genres you are interested in and you get an email a day with offers from various shops with cheap books, some even free https://www.bookbub.com ).
Switched reading this with other books, so it took a while longer to finish it.
So, as I do not understand the problems and decisions of Avery, this was even for a free book a mistake.
If you want to read chicklit and are into Star Wars and Videogames, this might be for you.
I cannot understand why Avery wanted to chose between 2 Guys, when a third would be the much more fitting for her (maybe in the next book?): Lando. Or why even chose? Why not take all (two or three)?
The crime I expected came much too late in the book (ca. 2/3 in the book).
Most minor characters are wackos, some real deranged and Avery is as the main character no real exception.
I feel bad giving only two stars, but this just not my cup of tea, and I probably should not have grabbed it, when I saw the "Free" price-tag.
This makes me wonder how many baddies I have buried on my Kindle and in Calibre still waiting to be opened?�!

Might read the next book in the series, when I have nothing else to read - yeah, like that will happen anytime soon...!
So, sorry, also not recommended.




View all my reviews

Review: Cutting Edge

Cutting Edge by Allison Brennan

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Started this April 22nd, 2014.
Alternated reading this with [b:Who, What, Where, When, Die|16168839|Who, What, Where, When, Die (Avery Shaw, #1)|Amanda M. Lee|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1353794562s/16168839.jpg|22014962]. Took a longer break during the plain, boring, too long sex-scene.
For a "suspense-romance"-book the sex could be better. As is, again, too long and also the romance is always in the same direction.
Would like it more, when there was something different, or some real pervert (aside from some murderers) or whatever. I do not want to spoil it, but most books from Allison Brennan show this direction and there is something like a script is followed. Could do without the romance part completely, and the book would be shorter, too, which would not be a bad thing.
The ending was again predictable and before starting reading this book I hoped it would get into more detail of the breaking of the security system, but while interesting it was not really revealed, most was using the codes, some things where only hinted at, as if someone (it is never said who) had insider knowledge of the system itself or rare Uberhacker like Blackhat knowledge of systems.
And the ending was also more of an Ubervillain, mad-scientist-like,
And did I mention that the ending was again as expected?
Some parts where ok, and the story had background in the activist / anarchist / NGO / protest-movement that kept me interested.
I just wanted more about the security system side, description, hacking whatever.
Nearly 2.5 stars but for the activist etc background which sound knowledgeable and real, 3 stars.
No recommendation, sorry.




View all my reviews