Author - Todd M. Johnson Reviewed by Heath Henwood Critical Reaction tells the story of a traditional town reliance on one industry, as its influence for greed at the sake of all else. When a nuclear accident at the industry goes occurs, one man’s struggle for justice, sees him pitted against not only the company, but also the whole town. Enter the legal team of daughter and reluctant father, as they piece together all the twists and turns of events and their own relationship. A legal mystery, written in the John Grisham fashion, Critical Reaction contains courtroom drama, with twists and character development. The book is slow to start with, buts builds with tension as the story develops. I found that once in had invested myself in the first half, the second half of the book, was much easier reading. Slow to start, however a good read in the end. Author - Davis Bunn Publisher - Bethany Reviewed by Heath Henwood, 2013 The ‘Strait of Hormuz’ is an action-packed novel that completes the Marc Royce trilogy. No longer an agent for the US government, Marc steps into a freelance assignment at the request of his mentor, only to find himself appearing set-up to take the fall. Set in Geneva, Marc continually avoids disaster for himself and his small rag-tag team as they piece clues together to avoid a chemical warfare attack on targets unknown. The action follows a clandestine operation deciphering clues of an Iranian threat to blockade the narrow Strait of Hormuz, cutting off vital shipping routes and escalating global tensions beyond the breaking point. Marc is forced to link with a Mossad agent to solve the puzzle. Author, Davis Bunn, does an excellent job, pulling the audience in with suspense and action. Intertwined with glimpses of an impossible romance. Although part of a trilogy, this book can be read as a stand-alone, as I did, quickly picking up on the characters, and their traits. Written by Alan Gold and Mike Jones Published by Simon & Schuster Australia Reviewed by Heath Henwood Bloodline ties together the past and present is an interesting modern day story, and the Jewish Heritage. Bloodline is the first book in the Heritage Trilogy. Bloodline is the story of the war between faith and power in Jerusalem and the Middle East, throughout history and being fought out in today. The story starts with young Palestinian freedom fighter Bilaz, who is wounded in an attempt to cause damage to the sacred Jewish Wailing Wall. He is treated by an Israeli Surgeon Yael, who discovers they share the same Bloodline. This starts a race to discover the heritage of two every different individuals. In the process a radical Jewish sect, the Neturei Karta is revealed. They believe that that Jews are forbidden to have their own state until the coming of the Jewish Messiah, and thus will join forces with the Palestinians to try to bring down the State of Israel. The story interweaves between the past from King Solomon’s reign to the brutality of the Roman occupation, particularly central around the power and faith centres of Jerusalem. The story from the past provides support for the modern story Australian authors Alan Gold and Mike Jones have worked well together to write a novel that intertwines past and present, history and modern day occurrences, however the story line is predictable, particularly with the hint of romance slowly building throughout the story. While an easy read, I found it easy to put down, and reach for something more engaging. Best described as a good holiday read, on a lazy day that will entertain, without making you think too hard. |
AuthorHeath writes reviews regularly for newspapers and magazines. Archives
January 2020
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