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The book opens as Tara Beckley, a senior at Hammel college, a small university level school situated in Maine, is driving a visiting dignitary to a conference being sponsored by her college. Suddenly, there is a horrendous accident, killing the professor and leaving Tara in a vegetative state. She is aware of her surroundings and what is going on, but in what is termed “locked-in syndrome,” unable to move or communicate with the outside world.

Abby Kaplan, a former stunt driver involved in an accident resulting in one fatality, is now an insurance investigator is assigned by the college to look into the accident and make a determination of who is at fault. The events occurring in the novel revolve around both Abby and Tara and what happens to them. Tara, of course, is completely paralyzed but soon realizes that someone wants her dead in order to cover their tracks regarding the accident. Abby has her own demons beginning with her early career as a very talented stunt driver, but than stopped when she is involved in the accident resulting in a fatality.

Koryta’s reputation as an author that easily grabs his readers and creates situations that keep them glued to the book does it again. With the introduction of a professional killer named Dax, the son and also the nephew of two brothers that were famed for their murders, the reader cannot put the book down until finished. The description of Tara caught in her state, yet aware of the outside world, gives the reader an introduction to a human situation that, fortunately, is not a common one. Abby, normally a brave young lady must conquer her fears of driving while working on the case and does find that those circumstances hinder her in a situation that demands she override them. Even Dax is capable of attracting the reader in his own cold blooded way.

The novel moves with the ease Koryta has always demonstrated. The ending flawlessly flows from the events described in the book, and my recommendation to all is read this one and than just sit tight until Koryta’s next book comes out.

7/19 Paul Lane

IF SHE WAKES by Michael Koryta. Little, Brown and Company (May 14, 2019). ISBN 978-0316294003. 400p.

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The author is the successful writer of more than 50 books in his career. All of them are well written, equally well researched and generally set in a tumultuous period of history. One of his characteristics is the creation of characters that are larger than life be they hero or villain. In many cases he has utilized families in his novels as the centerpieces to the story. King of Kings utilizes two of the families created in other books and is the continuation of a novel bringing them together. These are Penrod Ballantyne who is a professional soldier; a major in the British army during the late 1800s and Ryder Courtney an adventurer and met looking to set up a silver mine. The period is during the time when England’s general Gordon was regent in Khartoum and was assassinated by a native army led by the Mahdi and his army of dervishes. It reaches climax when the British sent General Herbert Kitchener to retake the city via a battle at Omdurman and therefore conquers the Sudan for his country.
We meet Ballantyne at the moment that he has a fight with his fiancee and she sends him away. At the same time Courtney is married to the sister of the fiancee and she goes with him in search for the silver mine. The novel is pure Wilbur Smith high adventure played out in Ethiopia during a period when it’s rulers fluctuated between natives and invading armies of both Italy and than England. The question of whether Penrod will win his fiancee back is tied in neatly to the events depicted in the novel. In addition what problems does Ryder face if he finds a producing silver mine in the middle of a country facing war from every side. Can it successfully be developed in a land where the rule of law changes continuously?
Readers of Smith’s books will also expect problems to arise that are above those posed and these must be faced and fixed along with all the other troubles faced by the protagonists. As indicated there several evil individuals present who are really really evil and contribute to a well done novel presented by a gifted author.

7/19 Paul Lane

KING OF KINGS by Wilbur Smith.  Zaffre (April 2, 2019). ISBN 978-1499862010. 464p.

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Will Matthews is a young man newly come to New York from a rural area with the intention of rising up in the corporate world, making both money and a name for himself. He landed a job with a huge brokerage house, but after two years of beating the bushes, cold calling for prospects, he finds himself on the verge of being fired for lack of productivity.

But Will’s luck turns when he gets a ticket to see a hockey game at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan. He finds himself sitting next to Sam Abaddon and his girlfriend. Sam, who is an extrovert, strikes up a conversation with Will, which results in a friendship and a golden find for him. Sam turns out to be very wealthy, and decides to invest a great deal of money with Will. He does, and Will’s fortunes do a one eighty. Not only with Sam, but with a group of Sam’s wealthy friends. At the same time, Will meets the girl of his dreams, Gwen Lipton, and it looks like his life has turned out for the much, much better.

But things change completely when Will witnesses an act of extreme violence and becomes caught up in criminal activity when finding out where Sam actually gets his money from. Gwen, who is a rising attorney in a large law firm, decides that she cannot have her own career jeopardized by Will’s problems dumps him, completing the misery now permeating his life.

Mitzner proves himself a master at fleshing out the characters in his novels and this book is no exception to the rule. The ending is a good one and provides the means for Will and Gwen getting back together. Based on the characters described by the author the finale is one that would be appropriate for them and the novel.

6/19 Paul Lane

A MATTER OF WILL by Adam Mitzner. Thomas & Mercer (June 25, 2019). ISBN 978-1503905139. 316p.

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The authors have presented a modern story of war. This is opposed to descriptions of battle in past centuries such as “War and Peace,” “All Quiet On the Western Front,” and “Battle Cry”. Those presented descriptions of men and women fighting other humans face to face. ” Rules of Engagement” deals with computers against computers guided by men and women working behind the lines.

Rafid Roshed is one of the most wanted men in the world with years of violent crimes against the west. He has developed an arrangement with North Korea and helps them launch cyber attacks against their enemies, which are the U.S., China and Japan. His latest development is a computer virus that once inserted into a country’s command system can gain control and begin to learn how to carry on on it’s own.

As the story opens, Roshed’s virus has already gained control of China’s system and has guided the Chinese Air force and navy into attacking both the United States and Japan. This occurs without the permission and against the will of the Chinese government.

Don Riley, the head of U.S. Cyber command, with the help of three brilliant midshipmen loaned by the naval academy at Annapolis, take on the task of finding and destroying the deadly virus. At the same time their mission would be to kill or capture Roshed. As in any good war story the action is swift and constant. The book describes the systems utilized in the war and does not utilize an idiom outside of the normal reader’s complete understanding in doing so. Very engrossing and very well done, and an excellent reason to keep an eye out for more from the authors.

6/19 Paul Lane

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT by David Bruns and J.R. Olson.  St. Martin’s Press (June 25, 2019). ISBN 978-1250200310. 336p.

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