Review: SUNGRAZER by Jay Posey

Publisher Angry Robot
Length 448 pages
Format ebook
Published 2017
Series Outriders #2
My Copy provided by the publisher

My Review

In the future, mankind has colonized Mars and conquered the stars. Artificial intelligence is at its highest point of evolution and death is a mere concept rather than a certainty.

A secret black ops unit known as the Outriders is put into action to recover a gone-rogue autonomous weaponize spaceship. Last known coordinates place it in the vicinity of Mars - with tension already on high between Mars and Earth, having the autonomous ship in control of the wrong hands could spark a war between the two planets. The stakes are high for this crack team of specialists. 

This is the second book in the Outriders series by Jay Posey yet it's new reader friendly. The only thing I really missed out on having not read book one was the group dynamics but that's easy enough to pick up. There are a couple of scenes that reference earlier assignments and one in particular which looks to have a big influence on the teams command yet the author packs enough backstory to make it work. 

Sungrazer has a semi military science fiction feel to it, however, the espionage angle is what worked best for me. I love the cloak and dagger and there's a healthy dose of it here, particularly on Mars which fits into the plot nicely. 

Overall Sungrazer is an enjoyable read that suffers from long sequences of seemingly inconsequential dialogue and chapters that pay too much attention to the teams downtime which made it feel like the book was treading water in patches. Despite the pitfalls, fans of series like The Expanse should eat this up, as well as those already familiar with the series. 

3/5 stars.  

Review: THE GIRL IN KELLERS WAY by Megan Goldin

Publisher Michael Joseph
Length 218 pages
Format softcover
Published 2017
Series standalone
My Copy provided by the publisher

My Review

Megan Goldin's debut novel The Girl In Kellers Way reads like she's been publishing crime fiction for years. The plot is tightly woven around well developed characters as interesting as the hidden motives and dangerous liaisons they pursue. Short, punchy chapters alternating between key characters keeps the story fresh and provides a nice yin/yang dynamic between the thin blue line of policing, and the everyday civilian. 

This slice of domestic noir with a physiological suspense twist is written from two perspectives; Mel, a homicide detective, and Julie, a stay at home mum married to a man still grieving for his first wife who was tragically murdered. The ties that bind them is the discovery of a body in Kellers Way along a stretch of forest where Julie takes her regular morning run. 

On the surface, the facade of normalcy cracks with each passing chapter as Julie's perfect life slowly resembles anything but. While Mel's diligence and knack for good old fashioned policing (aided by an unusual plus one tag along throughout the later stages of the investigation) leads the reader down a dark and often glossed over part of suburbia where violence and murder reign supreme. I devoured The Girl In Killers Way in two sittings and hope to read more of these characters sometime soon.    

Pick Up A Pulp [18]: THE PASSIONATE PAGAN by Carter Brown

When Danny Boyd turns down a gun for hire job, he sees opportunity in being said targets body guard; shield the intended vic rather than puncture him with bullets. Should be an easy score, after all, he knows where the contract is coming from and the timeline for the execution. What Boyd didn't bank on was arriving at the targets hotel only to find him laying in a pool of blood and a couple of bruisers all too ready to share their penchant for violence.

The Passionate Pagan once again pits the PI with the 'profile' against a dame with a body to kill for - along with a motive to murder. Only this time, it's a rare occasion of Boyd taking on a case without a client - yet throwing his every inch of skill coupled with dumb luck to catch the killer - and it's not who you think.   

One of the things I like about the Carter brown pulp mysteries is their tendency to stray from the formulaic. Sure each book is loaded with cheap and cheesy pulp prose and questionable plotting but they are each different and it's that variety which keeps me coming back for more. 

In The Passionate Pagan, Boyd is not only hired for a hit (which he obviously declines) but is involved in a kidnapping of sorts (along with Laka Tong, the dame who wanted him to murder an associate), outright murder, and is responsible for taking down a drug smuggling ring. A lot happens yet the pieces to the puzzle don't quite fit as nicely as I would've hoped. There's a fair amount of convenience and easy-outs in the book which, with a little tweaking here and there could've been resolved, unfortunately it's those elements which really hamper the reading experience. 

2/5 stars.