I found about about this graphic novel when SyFy Channel made a show about it (which I still haven't watched). I was excited because I love books withI found about about this graphic novel when SyFy Channel made a show about it (which I still haven't watched). I was excited because I love books with assassins. And a school with assassins, even better. So this is not what I expected at all. This is a very gritty story about growing up in a damaged world.
Marcus Lopez is a teen youth who has already experienced and seen the worst in his life. His parents died under tragic circumstances and he blames a very specific person. His goal is to one day kill that person. He has a kind of personality that makes him an ideal recruit for the assassin school, and with the dead end life he's living on the streets, this option could only be an improvement. The school is not what he expected at all. It's full of predators of all sorts. If you can imagine how bad high school is, with the cliques and bullying, multiply that times 1000 and you have King's Dominion School for the Deadly Arts. For Marcus, it's swim or be eaten by sharks.
So that premise really only scratches the surface. The book is about growing up on the dark side of the 80s. The drugs, the violence, the feeling of disconnectedness, and Reagan America. This was a really dark read. It is very well written, drawn and illustrated. It's readable, but it put a weight on my soul as I read. It made me do some self-analysis. While I love assassin fiction, I should be asking myself, what makes someone choose that life, and I'd say nearly all the time, the person probably has some sort of trauma or upbringing that programs them in that direction. You can polish away all that darkness and just make it about the slick narrative with kill set pieces, the cool black clothes, and the balletic fight choreography (which admittedly I love). You have to put in the soul-destroying psychology that makes a human into a killer.
It's super important to read the fore and afterwords, and they give a lot of context to what you are reading with this one. I did and it made a thoughtful story even more emotionally hard-hitting. I didn't enjoy reading this, but it was very good. I want to read the rest of the books, but I'll probably take a break first. Recommended with reservations as it has plenty of dark subject matter about abuse, drug use, mistreatment of the mentally ill, racism, and lots and lots of violence (and not the slickly choreographed kind)....more
I loved this book! I didn't even want to put it down, although I don't have a lot of time for eyeball reading. I was so drawn in and loved the charactI loved this book! I didn't even want to put it down, although I don't have a lot of time for eyeball reading. I was so drawn in and loved the characters. I was also very moved and emotionally impacted by this book. Rae is such a great main character. My heart belongs to Key (I don't care what you think of me for it! He's an Anne Stuart hero and if you know, you know.)! Key is my man forever! I think I need to read some villainess anime now. Please read the acknowledgements, because they are so important for context with this story. This definitely one of my favorites of this year.
Nalini Singh’s long-running Psy/Changeling series gets an exciting new entry, with a hero who believes he’s the villain, and a heroine who knows he’s Nalini Singh’s long-running Psy/Changeling series gets an exciting new entry, with a hero who believes he’s the villain, and a heroine who knows he’s her mate and will fight to keep him. The romance is utterly appealing, both characters are dynamic and endearing. Together, they make a wonderful couple. Singh has created a complex, fascinating world with multi-layered characters and intricate world-building that gives the series a great science fiction feel. Readers who are new to the series can still enjoy this novel, but there are references that are tied to previous books in the series, so they’ll likely want to read previous novels to catch up. Quick moving, emotionally resonant, and compelling, Storm Echo is a great read.
This wasn't as good as the first two books in the series, but I think I liked it a bit more than The Target. It was interesting to learn about Will's This wasn't as good as the first two books in the series, but I think I liked it a bit more than The Target. It was interesting to learn about Will's backstory and what drives him as a person. Will has a terrible event that occurs to him while he's on a job, and it causes some trauma that impacts his ability to do his job. Around the same time, he finds out that his father has been arrested for murder. Will has to go home to see if he can help his father, and so he does. Basically, the book is really about going back to your past and trying to make sense of it, how it has crippled you emotionally. To be honest, this book reminds me why I am not a small town person. I don't like the idea of everyone knowing me and and my business to that intimate degree. I could feel how awkward and frankly painful it was for Will to revisit his past. The resolution of Will's relationship with his father turned out to be very satisfying at the end, but it took a long time, and I wasn't feeling that connection until near the end of the book.
Baldacci went in a different direction from his other books in the series. This is a mystery more than an action story. Of course, there are some good action moments where Will demonstrates his skills. And I ain't gonna lie, like Will, I was waiting for Jessica to show up. I love Will as a character, and it was good without Jessica, but the two of them shine together. I loved that Jessica was there to support Will, and she seems a lot more open and in peace in this book.
It was interesting to see Will off his game and kind of uncertain about things. I liked the deeper character development. The novel gives the reader time to get to know Will, which wasn't necessarily the case with the first three books.
This book reminded me oddly of Agatha Christie. The idea that such evil could lurk beneath such a banal facade is pivotal to this story. I don't want to spoil it, but my goodness, the killer is truly awful. I guessed who the killer was, but I still feel that the reveal was done very well, that had some textures and layers I didn't expect, and there were some nice twists and turns getting to the end. ...more
I am so in love with this series. Sometimes you are afraid that new books in the series cannot live up to the hype, but with this series, that definitI am so in love with this series. Sometimes you are afraid that new books in the series cannot live up to the hype, but with this series, that definitely has not happened for me. I love these books so much, I have reread all the first four at the time of this review. I have the other books, and I am waiting for a good time to dive back into this series. I strongly recommend the audiobook. Scott Brick is brilliant at narrating the books. For me, he's how Evan Smoak sounds.
It's not like Evan doesn't have challenging situations to deal with. It's just that he's just that damn good at what he does. And like the Hulk, you really don't want to get on his bad side.
There are parallel missions running. One in which Evan is tracking his ultimate prey, the President (you heard me right), and helping a young man who has been subjected to the most horrific situation imaginable. I just absolutely love Evan. He's scary as hell, but only if you deserve it. He's the guy you want to have your back, because he will watch your back but good. Maybe it's sadistic of me, but I love watching him rain down the fires of God on the bad guys. What I also love is that while Evan learned to be the perfect killer, his mentor Jack also taught him what love and loyalty is, and that caring man comes out in the choices he makes throughout the book.
Each scene is meticulously plotted and beautifully written. I so want to see this on the big or small screen. One of my favorite scenes is a huge spoiler, but reading it for the second time was just as fantastic as the first.
This is the best action/adventure/thriller series I've read. I love me some Matt Reilly and Scarecrow, but the Evan Smoak series has surplanted it in my mind (sorry Matt, I still love you!) If you haven't read this series, what are you doing? Do yourself a favor and pick up Orphan X right now....more
I've been waiting for this book for a long time, but I was also apprehensive. Viktor's cameo in Fire Bound had me thinking he would be a very strong pI've been waiting for this book for a long time, but I was also apprehensive. Viktor's cameo in Fire Bound had me thinking he would be a very strong personality and I wasn't sure how he would interact with Blythe. Would he be a jerk and treat her badly because she had moved on with her life without him, or would be he the ideal husband she deserved. I was pleasantly surprised.
Viktor was and will always be a hard man. His experiences have been so extreme that is to be expected. I appreciated that even though he is a ruthless killer, he's also a caring man and he always loved Blythe and was faithful to her. He's also a family man, in his own way. His brothers were separated from him, but he was willing to take on the most horrible work to keep them safe. He was sent to the worst of the spy schools to save his brothers. While he was there, he became a leader to the other kids, protected them and banded them together to keep them alive. As adults, they form a unique family unit together, and eventually a motorcycle club. He has lived in hell, essentially. He sees himself as a fallen angel who has been tasked with removing the vilest of humans from the earth, focusing on human traffickers.
The first fifty or more pages is Viktor and his crew taking out a cell of human traffickers. I don't even think Blythe shows up for the first three or so chapters. That was unusual but it was okay, because we've seen Blythe a lot in the previous Sisters of the Heart/Prakenskii books. And it was important because Viktor had been a man of lore previously. He didn't even show up until "Fire Bound" and that was briefly. Feehan introduces him very dramatically and he lives up to the hype. Actually I loved him. I can't choose my favorite Prakenskii, to be honest, but he definitely stands out for me.
As far as the romance, it's a lovers reunited angle, in which Viktor has to show that he loves Blythe and that they can have a good life together. That he is worthy of her trust. Blythe was always extremely tight-lipped about her past in the other books, to the degree we didn't even known she was married until the fifth or sixth book in the series. The reveal on that makes sense when we find out how complicated her relationship with Viktor actually was.
Blythe has been the calm center of the Sisters of the Heart, and in this book, I realized how hard that must have been, considering her very tortured past. I always liked her, but my respect and admiration grew even wider after this book. She has a very motherly nature, and that drives her to accept Viktor's club into her world, even with all their damage and the darkness of the life they have lived.
For readers who were unsatisfied with how Hidden Currents ended, will be mollified after reading this. Well, at least I was. In fact, I think this book wraps up the Prakenskii/Sisters of the Heart saga very nicely. I do hope we'll see cameos of the women and men from those series in the Torpedo Ink saga though.
Viktor's Torpedo Ink motorcycle club is a very intriguing group of tortured and messed up individuals. They would have to be, since they are all graduates of the horrible school Viktor was forced into by the Russian government. I'm excited to read the books, although also nervous about their dark edginess (especially sexually speaking) will be.
I really enjoyed this book. I definitely felt the love between Blythe and Viktor, and how far they had come to find their happy ending. The love scenes were very sexy but also emotional and loving. Although they did come close to being voyeuristic a time or two, this being played for laughs. When I finished this book, I almost wanted to start it again from the beginning, which is a very good indicator about how much I love a book. I broke down and bought the audiobook recently, so I'm looking forward to listening to it.
Some content warnings for people:
*Graphic violence *Dark content about sexual abuse/trafficking of women and children *Content about child abuse *Mild voyeur/exhibitionism *Lots of f-bombs
Casting Suggestions:
Clive Standen as Viktor Prakenskii [image]
Katheryn Winnick as Blythe Drake Prakenskii [image]...more
Okay so I read this on CD back in 2019 and I never got around to writing my review. I did a reread on Audible a few months ago, so this is a dual reviOkay so I read this on CD back in 2019 and I never got around to writing my review. I did a reread on Audible a few months ago, so this is a dual review.
My life is so blessed by this series. Evan Smoak is the hero I always wanted in my life. This is not an overstatement. Anyone who knows me knows that I am a bit obsessed with assassin fictional characters. I don't mean the type who kill just anyone for enough money, I like the ones who have some code they adhere to. Well Evan was taken out of a boy's group home at the age of twelve and "adopted" by his handler Jack Johns, who became his surrogate father that Evan adored as only a young child can adore their parental figure. He also taught him to be a formidable agent, to withstand untold pain, to learn how to kill in more ways than you could dream of, to be able to operate in any situation and realize that if you screwed up, you were on your own. And Even followed orders faithfully until he began to see that he wasn't necessary working for the good guys. So Evan dropped off the Orphan program radar and tried to live a 'normal' life and also became The Nowhere Man.
His story is expertly told in the first book (I have read the first three books, and I have the fourth one ready to start, hopefully this summer). Although each book manages to give readers a piece of the Evan Smoak puzzle, this book introduces a character that is surely beloved by many (including myself). It's told by flashback and also in present day. The excellent writing reveals a lethal weapon who also happens to be a deeply principled, conscientious man. He manages to be both an a way that in beautifully integrated. I love the idea of his work as The Nowhere Man. Think "The Equalizer" and you get a starting reference for Evan's practice, also he's a lot more brutal to the bad guys. But it's a way that is very easy to co-sign on. He is truly helping the helpless, the people who can't rely on the system or the police to help them. The folks who fall through the cracks.
There's a lot to love about this story, but one of the things I really loved other than the flawless character building, is the well-plotted narrative. Even though it takes some things that are pretty familiar to those who enjoy action suspense books, tv and movies, it's done in a way that feels innovative. There's plenty of gun play and description of weapons, but Hurwitz always makes it clear that the most deadly weapon is the mind. I think that it's easy to think of guns as a show of machismo and strength, but being well-armed doesn't always make you the hero or the strongest person. Evan has to do a lot of thinking and plotting to get out of the many sticky situations he encounters in this book. He deals with a fair amount of bullies and I think there is welcome commentary about that and how one can use their strength to protect others versus preying on helpless people.
At first I wasn't sure I liked the storyline about Mia and Peter, but then I realized how important it was to the evolution of Evan's character, and then I realized how much a piece of the puzzle their relationship with Evan was. The concept of him juggling all the aspect of his life at the same time really rang true although I'm hardly an assassin who is pretending to be an ordinary joe and who also helps people deal with unsolvable problems.
The action is on point and perfectly paced. The dialogue is authentic, and runs the gamut depending on the situations the characters are in. Hurwitz is very good at crafting characters of all sort, from the main character of Evan, who is perfectly nuanced and dimensional, to the incidental characters. Each interaction serving the story.
Some notes about the Audiobook: Scott Brick is a fantastic narrator. His voice is such a fine instrument. I believe he has nailed Evan Smoak and he transmits him brilliantly in the narration. He also does an excellent job at the other characters. He transmits the menace of the bad guys and the vulnerability of the people that Evan helps. As well as the distinctive supporting characters, including young Peter and Tommy Stojack, Evan's armorer. I think that Scott Brick really sold these books to me, to the point that I have to listen to the audiobooks now, even though I know eventually I will read them as prose as well.
The Orphan X series is now become a point of comparison for me that I use for other action suspense series, and that's a good thing in most cases, except when I read a book that doesn't measure up. I definitely recommend this book and the entire series....more
This series has surpassed all my favorite thriller/action series. I love Evan Smoak. He is the best action hero I've ever read. I think these books arThis series has surpassed all my favorite thriller/action series. I love Evan Smoak. He is the best action hero I've ever read. I think these books are flawless. Some may disagree, and that's fine. But on the second reread, they are just as fantastic and enjoyable. Even knowing how the book ended, I was still in suspense and it was like I read it for the first time. I didn't ever write my review for the first time because my life exploded, and I couldn't do the review justice at the time. So this is a combo review.
I like how in this book, all the advantages and control that Evan normally has in situations is taken away from him and he's literally imprisoned, and he has to figure out how to get out of that trap. It was so clever to subvert the first book so thoroughly, but Evan still comes out looking like the lethal badass he was in the first book. I think that Hurwitz realized some things about the character since the first book, and the readers are treated to that evolution along with him. Evan feels so three-dimensional, and while he's a legendary figure in this series, he's very human with all the frailties.
I truly love the focus on Evan's relationship with his foster father/mentor/handler. How it has shaped his life thoroughly, and those lessons are integrated into his framework. Jack Johns' voice functions as his Jiminy Cricket, dispensing Jack's spared down, incisive wisdom right in the moments when Evan needs it most, and it definitely comes in handy. Jack has given him a set of Commandments to follow. My favorite is the 2nd Commandment: "How you do anything is how you do everything." I'm not ashamed to say I actually apply this to myself in my daily goings on.
The bad guys in this series are really bad. And I love that while Evan brings a new meaning to the word badass, his villains don't feel like paper tigers that are easily defeated. They are often extremely brutal and physically formidable, but some are also extremely brilliant and tactical thinkers, which requires Evan to use all of his well-honed skills and critical thinking abilities. The twists and turns in the narrative are glorious to behold, and I love how nothing is throwaway.
I keep repeating myself, but this really is a fantastic series. It holds up on reread, and each book gets better, but in a different way.
Definitely the Orphan X series is on my Desert Island Keepers pile....more
I am torn in that I miss Logan as Wolverine, but at the same time, I love X-23, or Lara Kinney. this was a great introduction to her taking up the manI am torn in that I miss Logan as Wolverine, but at the same time, I love X-23, or Lara Kinney. this was a great introduction to her taking up the mantle of Wolverine. This story was practically non-stop action, and the storyline was well-written with some good surprises. The cameos of others from the Marvel Universe fit the story instead of it being like some kind of advertisement to read other Marvel titles.
X-23 kicks some serious butt, she's enormously lethal, but she respects life. She doesn't kill unnecessarily, and flashbacks show her with her father and why her ethos is what it is (including her extremely tragic backstory). I'm glad that this story shows X-23 as a character who has to deal with that tightrope of knowing when to kill or not.
The plot is highly related to X-23's origins and its excellent pathos integral to the plot. I would recommend this book to fans of X-23 aka Lara Kinney, or fans of Wolverine. If you watched the movie "Logan", this sort of ties into the storyline pretty smoothly.
Damn, this was good! Black Widow is badass. The writing was on point and the artwork was so gorgeous, I soaked it all in with my eyes. The palate is dDamn, this was good! Black Widow is badass. The writing was on point and the artwork was so gorgeous, I soaked it all in with my eyes. The palate is darker with a motif of red. Her hair is so brilliant and the artists make the most of it in this book. Those who really appreciate Black Widow from the Avengers movies will find themselves gratified with this book. I'm not a huge fan of Scarlett Johansen. She does a good job in the movies, but she's not my ideal Black Widow.
In this book, Natasha becomes an enemy of SHIELD for a very good reason. She has to go back in her past and where she was trained. The flashbacks were beautifully rendered, and the reader has a rare view into the enigmatic Black Widow and what makes her tick.
The action is incredible. Natasha can more than handle herself. Not only a highly trained operative and fighter, but extremely cool-minded and quick thinking. It's impossible to out-think her by too far ahead. It makes me wish for a Black Widow movie (but I wouldn't want ScoJo as the character, sorry!). Even cooler would be a show with her on Netflix. Pretty please.
I'm planning out an art piece with Black Widow and this book was very helpful. I had to download the ebook and the second in the series. Also because I loved it so much.
Oh man, have I gotten into Deadshot. Deadshot is the assassin who never misses. The elite of the assassins, who commands premium rates. Between HarleyOh man, have I gotten into Deadshot. Deadshot is the assassin who never misses. The elite of the assassins, who commands premium rates. Between Harley Quinn and Deadshot, he's my second favorite Suicide Squad member. Let's be clear, it was before Will Smith played him in Suicide Squad. I thought Will did a great job, but I like the Lawton in the books. He's definitely a villain, no question. But there's something very appealing about him. I always did have a thing for assassins in fiction. While I didn't think Katana's book was that great, this book was everything I wanted and more. The story takes place in the present, but it clarifies Lawton's backstory for those who are unfamiliar. Amanda Waller sends Deadshot on a mission with a new partner, Will Evans, who goes by Rookie. This is Rookie's chance to prove himself in the Suicide Squad. Deadshot only works for Waller because he has no choice. He can't stand Rookie. Deadshot jumps ship because there's something he really has to do. I won't tell you what that is. You have to read the book. Oh my goodness if there aren't plenty of twists and turns in this one. Even the machinations queen, Waller, is kept on her toes.
I loved that although Deadshot will never be a hero, he is the hero in this book. But still his typical antiheroic self. At least he has some lines he won't cross, and he is saved by his love for his daughter, Suchin (or Zoe depending on the story), something that keeps this mercenary hitman from being a soulless killer. It's clear what Deadshot could be without that part of him that belongs to his daughter keeping him human.
This book is full of action, pefectly played. And there are some Suicide Squad cameos too. Much recommended for those who are new to Deadshot, the Suicide Squad, or fans of the movie. BTW, he's so much cooler than on the tv show Arrow (which I love but I think their Deadshot is mega lame).
Hey, DC Comics, maybe you should restart the Deadshot series, just saying. Can't have too much of him.
I really, really dig this series. It's like Suicide Squad for more nefarious grownups. What I mean by that is things are more cohesive, less frenetic,I really, really dig this series. It's like Suicide Squad for more nefarious grownups. What I mean by that is things are more cohesive, less frenetic, more attention to the actual storytelling and the action used more surgically. Plus, the lead characters are thoughtfully villainous, their motivations don't really change. They just decide to do the right thing from the context that it suits their current goals. The artwork is beautiful. It's clear and vivid.
Gail Simone's writing is stellar. While this is a graphic novel, she tells the story holistically and in a way that the visuals just give the reader something to look at as they read. I was interested in this because I am a big fan of Deadshot, but surprisingly, all the characters are equally complex. Scandal Savage is the daughter of Vandal Savage, and she has his incredible mind for plotting and planning, a streak of ruthlessness, but also some humanity to her nature that her father lacks. Cheshire is and remains a character one shouldn't trust as far as they can throw her. Catman is fascinating. He's kind of like a hero, but with a dark side. He's a Batman antagonist, apparently, but even when he's a bad guy, he reads more like a dark hero to me.
The villains are creepy and sick and add to the fun. As I said at the beginning of the review, I still adore the Suicide Squad, but man did this series win me over. I love it! Get a copy of this if you can.
I freely admit that I intend to read everything by Greg Rucka I can get my hands on. He can write very well. Whether it's graphic novels or full-lengtI freely admit that I intend to read everything by Greg Rucka I can get my hands on. He can write very well. Whether it's graphic novels or full-length fiction. I checked this audiobook out from my lad I did. It's not the first in the series. But it's okay. I got the jist on what happened. I will want to go back and read the previous books. As it was, this was a really excellent suspense novel. It starts almost in medias res, but that's okay. I liked that I was left tl learn about what was happening as things went along.
Kodiak is a good hero. He's a tough guy. He knows more than a thing or two about protecting and going on the offensive. He was in the army and he's a body guard by trade. He ends up on the black side of things when his name is outed as a traitor. He goes on the run with a shadowy assassin who has made some enemies, but has decided she doesn't want to kill anymore. At the same time, he's very empathetic and grieves deeply. I liked seeing that duality and his determination to see his mission through.
I think this would make an excellent movie. That's one of the things I love about Rucka's books. They are well-written prose novels, but could serve equally well as movies or television shows. This book is in 1st person and that works very well for this book. The first action scene at the gas station was high level tension and extremely well executed. The tension is maintained very well as Atticus and Drama go on the run together trying to stay one step ahead of the folks hunting them. And then they have to turn the tables. Everything is well thought up. No running around half-cocked. This pair has to play the long game, and the ending is satisfying even in its near bloodlessness. Drama is equally well-developed. She's the kind of action heroine I love and I wish I could see more of in movies/tv although we have some great ones with Sydney Bristow (Alias), Jane Doe (Blindspot), and although not so much physically Olivia Pope (Scandal). She is 100% lethal, but she's world weary and has learned the hard way how killing saps and destroys a person's soul and humanity. That's how you make a killer, convince them they are no longer human and that other people are below human. She had rejected that training at great cost.
The narrator was excellent. His pace and tone perfect for Atticus, a man who was world-weary and at the same time, deeply angry about something that happens in this book. And with good reason. I like how Drama's lines are spoken in a monotone that fits the character, a woman who has undergone incredibly tragic circumstances and was essentially trained to kill from an early age. I think this book is years old, but it actually relates to current events very well. It's a strange world and your friends aren't always friends and vice versa.
This isn't a long book, but it's perfectly executed. I do recommend this one.
I'm sad to say that I liked the first volume more. They managed to change an antihero into a garden variety jerk who is majorly lethal to anyone who hI'm sad to say that I liked the first volume more. They managed to change an antihero into a garden variety jerk who is majorly lethal to anyone who happens to be in his way. While I wouldn't condone being an assassin as the ideal career choice in real life, I do like a nuanced assassin lead character. While he is obviously skilled, Lobo lacks any other credibility with me. Understandable that he might have angst about the circumstances that occurred in the last book, but this was not dealt with in a believable way. Lobo is just a violent individual who is good at killing and not very good at being someone you might like under the right circumstances. I struggled to finish this, and I thought about turning it into the library unfinished, but frankly, I wanted to have credit for reading it on my reading challenge. The art is good, but there is a lot of blood and guts, no big surprise. More than anything, I felt like I could care less what happened to this guy, and I felt sorry for anyone who happened to be anywhere in the vicinity of him. Glad this was at my library and I didn't pay to read it....more
Danielle The Book Huntress
>
Books:
assassin
(202)
Loading...
