Sam Powers

Same Powers’ Betrayer of Kings is the sort of long, intricately detailed spy story that twists and turns so frequently you might “meet yourself coming back,” as my gran used to say. A mission goes wrong; a new mission is offered on a poisoned plate; a spy walks a long narrow ledge, not looking down of course; his wife ponders her guilt; and multiple betrayals began to mount up.

Maybe it’s just the inevitability of loss that gives us all that sense of slightly unfamiliar familiarity show more while spies combat spies, and politicians tread the corridors of power. Or maybe it’s that commanding wealth of complex detail, bringing each decision, plot and place into focus: How do profilers work out the height of an unseen opponent? Is a choke hold more dangerous than a drug? And how will suppressing gangs affect narcotics sales? Meanwhile characters, with backpacks, backstories, hopes, dreams and demises, flit between the pages, living and dying at the command of some evil plan. But the master manipulators stay hidden away, each plotting how their own storms will rage and grow in the stories to come.

The American race for the 2016 presidency is on. The British are confident no more Soviet or other spies will be found in their ranks. Arabs want to be taken seriously on the world stage. French diplomats hide betrayals. Global warming competes with global chaos. And a young man risks all to save an old friend, only to find himself put out to pasture. Then the body-count starts to rise.

The story ends with the promise of more to come in the rest of the trilogy, leaving readers to wonder who else will be killed, who’s controlling whom, and which plot will be the one that brings them down. Betrayer of Kings is a slow tale, and one best read together with its sequels since the twisting plot might leave you forgetting where you were before you start book two.

Disclosure: I was given a free ecopy and I offer my honest review. show less

This book is part one in a three part story. This is a no-spoilers review.

Government asset and ex-SEAL Joe Brennan wants out. But for Joe, out is easier said than done, especially when his own wife works for the agency. When his sense of loyalty to a fellow operative overrides his superior’s orders, a series of events is set into motion that takes Brennan across the globe in search of the key to a deadly conspiracy.

This was a very entertaining read that kept me glued to my e-reader. It is show more an exciting story, very tightly written and the action and suspense kept me totally engaged. I couldn’t wait to see what happened next.

The characters were well-developed and interesting without being cliché to the genre. I was especially fascinated by Joe Brennan as a protagonist. He is a character with a lot of depth and emotion that made his decisions and choices seem very real. The relationships between Brennan and other characters, especially his wife, were particularly interesting.

One thing that I especially enjoyed is that the twists and turns always seemed to be one or two steps ahead of me – the action and suspense did not let up through the entire book. This book is a definite page-turner and a very enjoyable read. If you enjoy spy thrillers, I highly recommend this series.

Disclosure: The author asked me for an honest review book one. The author also sent me books two and three, which happened to be a good thing, because I got so involved in the story that I was actually in the middle of book two before I remembered to send him an email saying, “Yeah, this is really good!” show less

Second in the Joe Brennan Trilogy, Deadman Switch starts where Betrayer of Kings left off, with Joe Brennan still crossing borders both national and emotional as he tries to find who is behind the deaths of unrelated diplomats. As in the previous volume, there are telling details of craft and action, bringing to life a spy’s observational skills, a martial artist’s grace and threat in movement, and the practice and recognition of guns. Locations are convincingly and vividly described, show more from a first-world “modern new tinted glass-and-steel addition to the venerable red-brick university” to third-world Africa, which “smelled different... [t]he combination of local living conditions, local diet, and the effect of constant heat on organic material...” where “corrugated tin-shack favelas told the real story...”

The ACF has become a serious, if still poorly-identified threat as this story begins. Terrifying races for freedom are juxtaposed with scenes of reluctant trust and admiration, and brutal tortures too. The author describes human pain, martial arts and politics with equal depth and conviction, which makes for a relatively slow action read, but an intriguingly rewarding one. Of course, it ends on a cliffhanger again, but I’ll look forward to reading the final volume soon.

Disclosure: I was given a free ecopy and I offer my honest review. show less

This book starts off with a boom and keeps going. It is about a former SEAL, Joe Brennan, who works for the National Clandestine Service. Brennan is described as a 'troublemaking know it all', but he gets his assignments done. In this first book he is sent to find a sniper who is killing members of an environmental committee. As Brennan travels the world over, the author does a great job of describing the local area Brennan is in. It makes you feel that you are right there with him. If you show more like espionage and fast paced spy books, then this is one you should read. show less