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4.25 AVERAGE
4.25 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
fast-paced
Just wow... true to its name, this was relentless, exciting, rich action from start to finish. Simple and pure escapism at its best. This is a new high for Jonathan Maberry - 5.5 stars!
Relentless, the second Rogue Team International novel and twelfth Joe Ledger book, just might be the darkest entry in this hero's long-running escapades. Given the shocking conclusion of the prior book, Rage, this probably should come as no surprise but I was still shook at just how bleak much of this book was.
Ledger has been hit hard in a bad, bad way and we find here a haunted, broken warrior desperately clinging to his last shreds of sanity as he hunts down a shadowy arms dealer, Kuga, and the highly skilled assassin Rafael Santoro. With his mind fractured, Ledger goes rogue to pursue these ruthless killers and terrorists and exact revenge. Meanwhile, RTI races to uncover the depth and scope of Kuga's plans to launch what they only know as The American Operation, a sinister plan to involves cybernetically enhanced super-soldiers.
These solders are something else, man. Imagine an entire platoon of terrorists sporting Captain America-like powers - proficient, deadly, and virtually unstoppable - and wrap them up in the suicide bomber ethos of Al-Qaeda, then put inside Ripley's power lifter from Aliens. Jeez-o-Pete! It's a potent, scary threat built on cutting edge science and ripped from the political headlines circa USA 2020. Coupled with Ledger's fragile mental state, well, did I mention yet that Relentless is dark, dark, dark?
Maberry clearly revels in making Ledger's life difficult and miserable, but his brutal sadism is a delight for readers and Relentless puts him at the absolute top of his game. I'm a bit taken aback at Maberry's ability to consistently deliver one solid blockbuster actioneer after another with the Joe Ledger series. Twelve of these suckers and not a bad one in the bunch? That's gotta be a superhuman feat all its own. An even larger feat is taking all of this book's darkness and somehow managing to give us a ray of light once all is said and done. I'll admit I was doubtful such a moment would be possible given the mental and emotional wringer Maberry puts not only Ledger but his readers through! Relentless is the kind of title that has multiple meanings and can be applied to various elements of the book, from the story's pacing and and determination of the RTI squad, right down to the author himself.
Ledger has been hit hard in a bad, bad way and we find here a haunted, broken warrior desperately clinging to his last shreds of sanity as he hunts down a shadowy arms dealer, Kuga, and the highly skilled assassin Rafael Santoro. With his mind fractured, Ledger goes rogue to pursue these ruthless killers and terrorists and exact revenge. Meanwhile, RTI races to uncover the depth and scope of Kuga's plans to launch what they only know as The American Operation, a sinister plan to involves cybernetically enhanced super-soldiers.
These solders are something else, man. Imagine an entire platoon of terrorists sporting Captain America-like powers - proficient, deadly, and virtually unstoppable - and wrap them up in the suicide bomber ethos of Al-Qaeda, then put inside Ripley's power lifter from Aliens. Jeez-o-Pete! It's a potent, scary threat built on cutting edge science and ripped from the political headlines circa USA 2020. Coupled with Ledger's fragile mental state, well, did I mention yet that Relentless is dark, dark, dark?
Maberry clearly revels in making Ledger's life difficult and miserable, but his brutal sadism is a delight for readers and Relentless puts him at the absolute top of his game. I'm a bit taken aback at Maberry's ability to consistently deliver one solid blockbuster actioneer after another with the Joe Ledger series. Twelve of these suckers and not a bad one in the bunch? That's gotta be a superhuman feat all its own. An even larger feat is taking all of this book's darkness and somehow managing to give us a ray of light once all is said and done. I'll admit I was doubtful such a moment would be possible given the mental and emotional wringer Maberry puts not only Ledger but his readers through! Relentless is the kind of title that has multiple meanings and can be applied to various elements of the book, from the story's pacing and and determination of the RTI squad, right down to the author himself.
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Pacing in the middle half was hard to get through, but the last section of the book had me glued to the pages. However, the ending didn't exactly feel wrapped up. Felt quite abrupt, but without intention. Not usually how Maberry ends these. Can't wait to read the next installment to see how "you know who" pops back up.
Also, what was up with the playlist at the back of the book? As best I can remember, nothing ever explains why that's there.
Also, what was up with the playlist at the back of the book? As best I can remember, nothing ever explains why that's there.
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This review does not contain spoilers....unless you haven't read Rogue Team International 1: Rage. Relentless picks up only a few months after the events that ended RTI 1:Rage. If you haven't read it yet....READ IT! With that said, on to Relentless.
And this story is Relentless. It is very well written non stop action, as all of Jonathan Maberry's stories are. He never disappoints. After the Rage case came to a close Santoro strikes a massive blow to Joe Ledger. He kills Joe's entire family with a Christmas package bomb, which Joe and Junie witness sustaining their own injuries in the blast. Now Joe is physically mended and Church has decided to send him with his team, back into field work. No one is very sure about that decision.
During an infiltration mission, Joe truly goes rogue and sets out to hunt Santoro and Harcourt Boltan aka Kuga, solo.
With Joe's already fractured personality has Santroro's murderous actions pushed Joe into a mental state from which he will be unable to return?
Thank you so very much to St Martin's Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this e-ARC of Relentless.
P.S. I will absolutely purchase an audio version of Relentless before book 3 of RTI comes out. Jonathan Maberry's writing is outstanding on its own, but Ray Porter's performances don't hurt anything. Please don't make me wait too long.
And this story is Relentless. It is very well written non stop action, as all of Jonathan Maberry's stories are. He never disappoints. After the Rage case came to a close Santoro strikes a massive blow to Joe Ledger. He kills Joe's entire family with a Christmas package bomb, which Joe and Junie witness sustaining their own injuries in the blast. Now Joe is physically mended and Church has decided to send him with his team, back into field work. No one is very sure about that decision.
During an infiltration mission, Joe truly goes rogue and sets out to hunt Santoro and Harcourt Boltan aka Kuga, solo.
With Joe's already fractured personality has Santroro's murderous actions pushed Joe into a mental state from which he will be unable to return?
Thank you so very much to St Martin's Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this e-ARC of Relentless.
P.S. I will absolutely purchase an audio version of Relentless before book 3 of RTI comes out. Jonathan Maberry's writing is outstanding on its own, but Ray Porter's performances don't hurt anything. Please don't make me wait too long.
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
As always Jonathan Maberry knocked it out of the park. He is one of my favorite authors for good reason.