Scrublands by Chris Hammer

Scrublands by Chris Hammer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is one of those books with a story, which if you thought things were bad they just might get even worse. Martin Scarsden is in a small outback town to report on the anniversary of a mass killing, but whilst having to battle the heat and drought he also has to contend with the fact there is more to this than just a mass killing. Using his talent for journalism Martin unpicks the history of the killing and find more about life in an unforgiving outback town. The author paints a very real picture of hardship inescapable if living in the outback - drought, heat, dust, heat and yet more heat.

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The Coldest Warrior by Paul Vidich

The Coldest Warrior: A Novel by Paul Vidich
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A CIA story based on a true story of cover up. When ever the CIA is mentioned you always picture the worst. Spying missions and assassinations immediately spring to mind with a liberal dose of foreign despots. The despots are not in this story however something equally despicable is, the US Government is conducting drug experiments on their own, but who? Jack Gabriel is suspicious and starts to investigate and build a case. I guess as this is based on true events the author has given himself a very narrow window to work in and as a consequence it has made not as exciting as you would expect. I found it dragged a little whilst the back story was told,which made it more predictable. It was not billed as thriller so I was not disappointed on that score, but a little more action would have helped.

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Aeschylus by David Barclay

The Aeschylus by David Barclay
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

We have had a few oil platform disasters over the years but this is something totally different. This offshore platform workforce disappears without trace and the Valley Oil Corporation sends an investigation team to the south Atlantic to find out more. You obviously think about the Bermuda Triangle but when they find a tentacle like fungus enveloping the platform questions need to be answered. The author slowly builds up the tension by releasing more and more details of the history that has been hidden for years. Good story with good action, excitement and twists.

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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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