Review: Edge of Your Seat Material!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 10 6, 2013
AFN Clarke is a powerful force in the thriller genre, if this book is any indication of his other work, which I am looking forward to digging into. This novel came off the tail of his previous book, and while it isn't necessary to have read Clarke's earlier novels, it probably would have made the experience even better. Even without having read his earlier stuff, I was immediately invested in the cool characters and the unique style of writing. It was short and dramatic prose, and it felt like it could be happening in present day with all of his modern day references and the street-wise way of speaking. I love a good story with drugs, violence, and crooked cops, and I am very interested in the complicated world of Mexico/US border relations and the wild west style of justice that still seems to exist. If you dig that sort of stuff, this book is right up your alley.Thomas Gunn is a great character, rough around the edges, but also rugged, handsome, and lethal. He's like James Bond meets John Wayne, and I enjoy the fun that Clarke seems to have in writing his personality as he goes through this tangled mess of a plot line. I would have like a bit more dialogue, instead of a lot of narrative explanation of things, but I guess that is a common trope of thrillers or mystery/suspense books. All in all, I think AFN Clarke is a really talented author with a lot to offer readers, as well as other writers who want to see a book from this genre written in a unique and well-crafted way. Well done!