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crowsandprose's review
4.0
This would get a 4.5 if I could give it a little more love.
The Reign of the Kingfisher is a tense, well paced and well plotted mystery-novel about a vanished superhuman vigilante, and the things his disappearance left in his wake, still causing ripples over thirty years later. A disgraced cop, a journalist, and a hactivist teen get involved in the mystery through three seperate threads, and weaving their now and the past of one now-chief-of-police leading to the nightmare of today.
When Marcus is called for information about a hostage situation demanding the release of the information they claim they have on the fact the Kingfisher isn't dead, things spiral out of control. Reaching out to past contacts, he finds he didn't know as much as he thought it did. Tillman, the disgraced cop, is contacted by a fellow officer who knows she can go where he can't. Wren, hacktivst teen with an Anonymous-esque group, gets involved for all the wrong reasons: her lover convinces it's a good idea, and it's really not.
I feel like the first two thirds of the book are excellently done. Pacing is great, character moments are excellent, history is woven with the present wonderfully. The third act, however, is why this isn't a five star novel. So close, but there's a loss. As soon as one conversation occurs, I know who the killer is. I also think the fate of Stetson, chief of police who fancies himself bigger than he is, doesn't resolve nearly enough and he comes out of this far too clean for his part in the larger story. He doesn't deserve what he got.
Overall a very great novel that does stick its landing, but comes down with some turbulence. For a debut novel, it's wonderful and I hope to see more from T. J. Martinson soon.
The Reign of the Kingfisher is a tense, well paced and well plotted mystery-novel about a vanished superhuman vigilante, and the things his disappearance left in his wake, still causing ripples over thirty years later. A disgraced cop, a journalist, and a hactivist teen get involved in the mystery through three seperate threads, and weaving their now and the past of one now-chief-of-police leading to the nightmare of today.
When Marcus is called for information about a hostage situation demanding the release of the information they claim they have on the fact the Kingfisher isn't dead, things spiral out of control. Reaching out to past contacts, he finds he didn't know as much as he thought it did. Tillman, the disgraced cop, is contacted by a fellow officer who knows she can go where he can't. Wren, hacktivst teen with an Anonymous-esque group, gets involved for all the wrong reasons: her lover convinces it's a good idea, and it's really not.
I feel like the first two thirds of the book are excellently done. Pacing is great, character moments are excellent, history is woven with the present wonderfully. The third act, however, is why this isn't a five star novel. So close, but there's a loss. As soon as one conversation occurs, I know who the killer is. I also think the fate of Stetson, chief of police who fancies himself bigger than he is, doesn't resolve nearly enough and he comes out of this far too clean for his part in the larger story. He doesn't deserve what he got.
Overall a very great novel that does stick its landing, but comes down with some turbulence. For a debut novel, it's wonderful and I hope to see more from T. J. Martinson soon.
rageofachilles's review
4.0
Interesting novel that takes a fresh look at superheroes. I was never bored with it.
soulluvs2read's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
4.5
cook_memorial_public_library's review
4.0
Recommended by Andrea. Check our catalog: https://encore.cooklib.org/iii/encore/search/C__Sreign%20of%20the%20kingfisher%20martinson__Orightresult__U?lang=eng&suite=gold
bradism's review
2.0
2.5 Stars, because there was a good story somewhere in here but whoever was the editor really let it down. Too many overwritten passages. Inconsistencies. Horrific "hacking" scenes. Characters existing only to further the plot. At many times it felt like reading a draft, not a finished product.
The actual story, the superhero of the past and the next generation, I liked and redeemed it a lot after I was nearly speed reading to get to the end.
The actual story, the superhero of the past and the next generation, I liked and redeemed it a lot after I was nearly speed reading to get to the end.
martha_w's review
5.0
Loved this one! It is a thriller with really lovely writing and character development. I found myself highlighting phrases throughout the book because he constructs ideas and images so well (but it doesn't feel forced at all). The Chicago setting, the superhero/vigilante element, the police and their role in the city -- all of it added so much to the story.
abookishtype's review
3.0
We like to think of heroes as all being kind of the same, at their core. They stand up for truth and justice, beat the bad guys, etc. etc. A lot of them are a bit dull, because they’re portrayed as very focused on their goal. It’s up to their allies to provide comic relief or a bit of moral gray area. At least, that’s the way that heroes used to be, from the Greeks, the Norse, and right down to Superman. But, as we see in The Reign of the Kingfisher, by T.J. Martinson, heroes aren’t what they used to be...
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type.
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type.
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