Review: Gritty Sequel to The Biker
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 29, 2014
Hannigan's Fight, the sequel to The Biker in the Matt Stark series, once again displays J.D. Mader's raw, unapologetic, and real writing style.  From the beginning, we meet back up with Hannigan from The Biker, and after a nice bit of action, find him in trouble.  A LOT of trouble.  Trouble enough to send him into hiding and grudgingly reaching out to Matt for assistance.  Matt, along with Maria and Striker, meanwhile, have taken residence in Mexico after the events of the first book, enjoying their newfound peaceful, simple life.  When Matt learns of Hannigan's grim situation, however, he must find a way to get back over the border to help his friend.  The last major player of the story is Hobb, the reason for Hannigan's troubles.  He is a rich, self-absorbed, and wholly sick and twisted man - many scenes involving him may have the squeamish twitching in their seats.As with all Mader's work, he has a keen sense of the human psyche, from do-gooders, to the disturbed, to downright evil.  They all feel real, and you find yourself understanding them, whether you want to or not.  J.D. Mader is not one to pull any punches, and Hannigan's fight is no exception.My only qualms I had with this book are based on comparing it to the other two Mader books I have read, The Biker and Joe Cafe(both excellent books - you should probably buy them).  This is the first time I have experienced Mader revisiting his characters(read:first Mader sequel), and found myself a little let down on the development of the main characters.  Granted, these returning characters have been fully established in the Biker, but I missed Mader's flair for bringing you to know the characters inside and out.  Also, though satisfying, the end seemed a little too convenient for me.  Even so, it was more than worth the journey.If you haven't read The Biker, I would definitely recommend starting there to fully enjoy the Matt Stark series, but know that you are in for a treat, as you are with any of Mader's works.  Highly recommended.