Friday, May 20, 2016

A Book Review: The Kill Switch by James Rollins and Grant Blackwood (Tucker Wayne #1)

Dogs are a man's best friend.

Since a time immemorial, these furry, 4 legged canines have dedicated their loyalty to the mankind, and serving us as guards, companions, and even brothers in arms. Yes, brothers in arms! Dogs are working in the military, fighting alongside human soldiers in wars and combat missions. Strangely, very little movies and novels have explored the fascinating interplay between a human soldier and a military dog; that is until best-selling author James Rollins introduced his creations – ranger Tucker Wayne and his doggy friend Kane – in the 8th installment of Sigma Force series.

Readers received Tucker and Kane with so much love and welcome that Rollins decided to write a series of spin-off novels based on Sigma Force, featuring Tucker and his furry brother. The first book in this new (spin-off) series, is called The Kill Switch, a fast-paced action thriller rippling with nail-biting suspense and mystery.

Synopsis:

In the Spring of 1900, the second Anglo-Boer war raged across the lands of Southern Africa. Amidst the blazing conflict, a troop of Boer soldiers stumbled upon a deadly, biological threat as ancient as the earth itself. Knowing the entire troop was fated to doom, the band's military doctor, Paulos de Klerk, took with him the secret of their lethal discovery into the grave, leaving behind a torn, broken diary describing his last days on earth.

A century later, former army ranger Tucker Wayne and his military dog Kane finished a contract for body guarding a Russian business tycoon. Instead of getting a much deserved holiday, Tucker and Kayne were recruited by Sigma Force and commenced their next assignment; extracting a Russian pharmaceutical genius from Siberia. A science mastermind, Tucker and Wayne's new client holds the key to a discovery that can either build or destroy humanity. This whole affair has a linkage to Paulous de Klerk's tattered diary, dating to a century ago.

The new assignment, of paramount importance, dragged Tucker and Kane into a torrent swirling with conspiracy, political conflicts and assassinations. From the frozen tundra of Russia to the sun-scorched open country in South Africa, Tucker and his trusty dog ally engaged a race against the clock, desperately trying to decipher the clues left by Dr. de Clerk's diary.

Should Tucker and Kane fail, a global catastrophe would strike at humanity, wiping out mankind from the face of the earth.

My thoughts on this book:

The Kill Switch, fast-paced and action packed, entered James Rollins' ever growing list of publications with a bang. Rollins co-authored the book with Grant Blackwood, and this spin-off adventure from Sigma Force saga showcased a set of unique heroes; former ranger Tucker Wayne and his trusty, furry ally, Kane. Tucker Wayne stood at the centre stage of the story. His stoic character, overflowing with charisma, is very likable and he will certainly grab readers' attentions. On the other hand, Kane, the military dog, shined brilliantly in the story and I think the depiction for Kane deserves special mentioning.

In this book, the author(s) employed an interesting way for depicting Kane's character. Sure, Kane is a dog, he cannot converse with humans. But the author(s) brought Kane's character to life by writing scenes from Kane's perspective, and taking readers into Kane's mind. The result? The depictions for Kane were especially lucid and captivating, and this beloved dog soldier played an unforgettable role in the story. Furthermore, the author(s) vividly portrayed the intimate relationship between Tucker and Kane, that of a former soldier and his military dog, giving readers a heartfelt understanding of the faithful, and profound friendship existing between these two comrades in arms. It suffices to say, together, Tucker and Kane's friendship told an unforgettable story in this book, and it will leave readers yearning for more.

Aside from delightful characterizations, The Kill Switch also tells an engaging story. Many twists and turns wrap themselves around central plot, waiting to surprise its readers. Having said this, the story is rather straightforward. Yet, a simple story does not automatically translate to a cliched story. Sure, I suppose in an action thriller novel such as this one, most readers, including myself, stepped into the adventure knowing that the heroes will always win and save the day. However, the author(s) still managed to keep the story engaging, by drowning Tucker and Kane in the flood of real danger, i.e. in this book, they did not always walk away from a fight unscathed.

I have another comment on The Skill Switch. As with all Sigma Force novels, Rollins crafted his art by integrating, deftly, elements of historical, and scientific facts into a fictional story. While this type of storytelling, blending truth with fictions, is nothing new for many practitioners of the thriller genre. But Rollins always stood above the rest of the crowd because he researches extensively into the subjects, and his story is both fascinating and tangible to the real world. Furthermore, the enjoyment for The Kill Switch does not end at the story's conclusion. Once again, as with all Sigma Force novels, the author(s) provided a section at the end of the book, separating the facts from the fictions. I found this section alluring, not only did it provide summaries on interesting topics; such as military dogs, LUCA and Cyanobacteria, but it also prompted me to learn more about these subjects.

The Kill Switch marks the beginning for a series of exciting action thrillers. Although this book is a spin-off from Sigma Force series, but its story is every bit as good as any of the Sigma Force novel. Tucker and Kane proved themselves as memorable characters and they on the fast-track to become favorites for Sigma Force fans. I highly recommend this book to lovers of the action thriller genre, especially to veteran readers of Sigma Force series.




No comments:

Post a Comment