Tom Clancy's Oath of Office by Marc Cameron

Tom Clancy's Oath of Office by Marc Cameron
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I like Tom Clancy but this did not quite hit the same mark. Yes using Clancy characters it had great potential however the compulsive page turning was not there. A good story but the writing did not have the same pull, but if turned into a screenplay for a movie I think it would do a lot better. In the end, excitement was very limited and not throughout. As ever this is my opinion and real fans of Clancy may go for it, but only deserving three stars.

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Our Friends in Berlin by Anthony Quinn

Our Friends in Berlin by Anthony Quinn
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

World War II spy story which I have enjoyed due to the combination of a good story and the atmospheric style of writing. Jack Hoste is a MI5 agent in a counterintelligence team working to nullify the Gestapo's efforts in the UK. The blitz is in full swing and he visits a marriage bureau trying to track down a target enemy agent. As the story unfolds, life during the war in London is illustrated very clearly through the clever use of the right words like " frightful, chummy and old boy". The story is very good with some twists but follows a well known formula which ensures a good read.

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Half Way Home by Hugh Howey

Half Way Home by Hugh Howey
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I think you always have to be a bit of a Trekkie if you are going to appreciate a good sci fi novel. This one for me a Trekkie is great, totally new concept/idea for space colonisation. My only fault is like a lot of sci fi some things get left behind and are not updated e.g. mechanical engines, high tech seems to bypass them. Nonetheless I really enjoyed the story of how 15 year olds start an off world colony, give it a try.

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River Run by J.S. James

River Run by J.S. James
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Great book for first novel although I was not a total fan of the style. The story line was excellent but was in my view overdone with local content related to river life, using many strange colloquialisms and slang to describe events and places. This aside plot is very good and executed with a good amount of thrilling action. You may have to be a hunter appreciate this fully as in this part of Oregon it appears to be all that matters to some. The author also clearly shows the flaws in the local policing system system in the US with little or no oversight on their operations. All in all I think this is a great book for your first attempt, if only I had that talent.

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The Chemical Detective by Fiona Erskine

The Chemical Detective by Fiona Erskine
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A good up to date story of organised crime at it's worst. It is fiction however I am always amazed at the risks and violence that they undertake in pursuit of an illegal living. This is made more topical by the linking to Chernobyl following the success of the recent drama on TV. The story is easy to follow and on point the whole time - no complicated bios or flashbacks to contend with which in my mind is always good. There are one or two surprises and twists but in all it is a fast moving and exciting action adventure for Jaq Silver our chemical detective.

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Blood in the Dust by Bill Swiggs

Blood in the Dust by Bill Swiggs
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The gold rush in Victoria, Australia is the backdrop for this excellent story of Toby O'Rourke whose parents have been murdered by bushrangers raiding their small homestead. Not only do we get a great story of a young man maturing in the most difficult conditions and circumstance we also get a very real look at what life must have been like for those trying to build the new colonies of Australia. No cell phones, no TV, no internet, no electricity, no nothing - just imagine how you would fair in this environment, far less carve out a more comfortable life for yourself. Great book.

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Cold Storage by David Koepp

Cold Storage by David Koepp
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ever scared of going to the fridge, well you might think differently after reading this and might not look at mushrooms the same way again. After investigating a suspected bio-terror incident Roberto Diaz recovers a fungus which is stored in cold storage underground for eternity, or is it. I initially thought this story was going to be an endless series of lengthy character bios but once the essentials were in place the book went into top gear to the end. The author, like with Jurassic Park plays with the "what if" this time not extracting DNA from insects trapped in amber but a fungus sample from a Sky Lab experiment that returns home. It is this linking that provides the credibility needed to make it exciting and thrilling.

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