Review: Rough and Tumble Action
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 07 15, 2014
Is stealing from thieves truly thievery? Does pirating from pirates constitute pirating?This was my first Taylor Stevens novel and I honestly just could not get enough. The settings for this marvelous tale in Djibouti, Kenya (Mombasa) and Somalia were all what I would imagine eastern Africa to be - hot, muggy, sweaty, sticky, grimy, malodorous, rugged, and untrusting. The characters were true-to-life manipulators who snuggly fit into the setting and story line like complicated puzzle pieces. The story was filled with tension and excitement with a high dose of international intrigue. Vanessa Michael Munroe, a multi-lingual and dangerous woman, could effortlessly transform herself to a man-boy when it became to carry out the business at hand. She was tough as nails, yet vulnerable as any other mortal.When I review any book, I consider my standards to be high. I know what I like when I see it and I can tell a waste-of-time by reading just a few introductory pages.This book started strongly and ended up even stronger. I found it captivating and began to deliberately hold the reigns of my reading pace so I could savor and extend this story's impact. I was never disappointed, except when there came the time that there was no more to read.This exceeded by expectations by leaps and bounds. It was the best story that I have read in months, and it will be one that I will, without any hesitation, recommend to anyone who wants to listen to me yap on. I have already reserved another Stevens' novels, the Informationist,; feel comfortable knowing there are a few more of Stevens' books out there, and comfortably confident that there will be more on the way in the near future. Taylor Stevens is a good writer, with creative talent and a bright future.  I am tickled, delighted and grateful to have found her.Solid 4 stars, no question!