Brandon Collier

Mercenary Measures is set in the country of Brazil. Mauricio is one of a few assassins hired to handle a problem: the unleashing of villain Malestar onto the streets of Brazil. Mauricio is a conflicted protagonist. A few chapters in, I knew what he would have to go through in order to change him from the man he once was to the hero he was destined to be.

Malestar is every bit of the typical villain, complete with a horrific childhood. When I was first introduced to the character, I initially show more thought of the Joker. "Some people just want to watch the world burn." I think that makes for an interesting character, as they are harder to figure out and understand.

For those that don't care for the abuse of women, this might not be the book for you. Malestar has a room full of drugged women that he uses for various nefarious purposes.
For those who have a problem with torture, there are some minor scenes. I tend to stay away from such novels; however, this book did not cross any lines, in my opinion (some stabbings and shootings).

But half way through the novel, I had more of a problem with the villain. For me, the air of mystery is important. Sure, its good to know the motivations for the character, but invading his thoughts ruined it for me. To hear his reasoning made me realize he was no different than the other antagonists within the story.

Side note: And then he listens to Joseph Hayden's Symphony No. 5 in F sharp. As a musician, I had some difficult understanding why. In my opinion, the music is rather lively, which would in turn interfere with one's thoughts. There are other, more somber pieces, such as Mozart's Requiem in D minor for example, that would allow the listener to get lost in thought. Yes, yes I am a music snob. But I assure you, my rating on this book did not take this portion into account.

The story was somewhat entertaining. I personally had difficulty focusing on the book; however, this would not have been a story that I would have actively sought out to read. I believe for those who are fans of action, assassins, shoot 'em up movies, etc. that this would be a good read for them.

Note: I received a free copy of the novel from the author for the purpose of Book of the Month. The opinions in this review are my own and are honest opinions of the novel. show less

4.25★★★★Mercenary Measures by Brandon Collier

I was given this ARC in exchange for my honest review. It is set to release mid-July, so you're not getting too much from me, sorry.

So I really enjoyed this book. I am arguing with myself over the rating, and have been through out the book. I really want to give it a ★★★★★, but I think I have to stick with the 4.25★★★★.

This is very high paced action driven book, with 'in your face' blood, guts, and gore.

What do you do show more when a psychopathic madman(Malestar) spewing his propaganda through out the town, rallies all the youth into a die or die revolt against the laws and government? Well if you are greedy corrupt mayor(Cevos) you hire mercenaries. You surely don't want to get your hands dirty or ruin your bought reputation.

A mercenary is a mercenary, and is a killing machine, there are no good guys in this line of work, just people that are good at it. Call them what you will, mercenaries, assassins, hitmen, or straight up killers, they all have have a job, to get rid of problems, that are beyond the normal means of the law.

Mauricio is the best money can buy, and his reputation proceeds him among others of his kind. To him a target is a target, and is just a job. Emotions are for the weak, and only bring trouble.

Rodrigo is what I would call a 'want to be' mercenary. Sort of seems to me, like he just woke up one day and thought, I think I'll give being a mercenary a go. Sure he is handy with a gun, and can track among the best, but he has a lot to learn and is a liability. This is not the career where looking the part in a fancy suit, will advance you. It's most like going to restrict your movement.

Red, formally known as Sophie, is a kick ass vixen, with sharpshooter skills to match. They say if you got it, use it, and she does just that. She knows what all men want and will do anything to get. In the past her body and looks only caused her problems, but now they are another tool of her trade.

But what happens when the hit, is a complete lunatic, with no rhyme or reason to his actions. He does what he wants, when he wants, and believes everyone should do the same. He takes an eye for an eye vengeance beyond extreme, and feels he's creating his own masterpiece. He values only the moment, and no one is safe. The lines between hit and hitman become very thin, and you might find yourself on the wrong end of the gun.

Once a killer, always a killer. It becomes ingrained in your hard-wiring. Sure the thought of a normal life seems good now and then, but after living on an adrenaline rush for so long, could anyone truly live day to day, in a restricting suit, behind a cramped desk, in a stuffy office? I think, not.

This is a long book at almost 600 pages. It is fully a twists and turns and flips and jumps. Almost to the point that it could have been two books, with an incredibly evil cliff hanger in the middle. Ok, maybe that would have been too cruel, but follows true to story line.

I guess my only real issue with the book is location. Not in the locations chosen for the story, they were great. They were detailed, and seemed beautiful and horrible all at the same time. It truly is a glimpse into the cultures of other countries, and how very different and similar, they can be from the U.S. My location problem is, there were quite a few of them. Between countries, hide outs, home, offices, the island, slums, and airports, we were all over the place. There was a lot of jumping around with what each group was doing a any given time. This left me questioning quite a few times, where the hell are they now. There are many language barriers, between the multiple countries and players. This also left me asking myself, who spoke that language, again?

I am a bit bummed because I was secretly hoping for something I didn't get:-( Boo! But we seem to be left with a cliff hanger ending, ugh! So hopefully we will get more of the mercenaries. I really don't believe this is the end of their story, and would love to read more about them.

Thanks to the author for sharing this movie, oh wait I mean book, with me. But seriously, it felt more like I was watching a movie than reading a book. I just watched it play out. Like I said before, it had a real, "Man on Fire," vibe to me, so of course I want more. show less

May the Best Person Win

Imagine going on vacation in a different country only to learn that because you are American, you’re hunted and killed. In “Underneath the Palms of Rio,” this is exactly what takes place.

Cameron Carter, a Miami detective, decides to take a trip to Rio after being put on suspension from the police department. His intentions were to relax among natives and catch a little R&R. When the phone rings in the apartment he’s renting, he wonders who it could be. The call show more is from his landlord informing him to pack and leave the country as soon as possible because his life is in danger due to him being American. Soon after he hangs up the phone he receives a mysterious knock at the door. Who is on the other side of the door? Will this be a knock of death?

Ava Monroe, an American federal agent, has issues of her own. When she’s assigned to Rio de Janeiro to assist the local police in the murders of American citizens, she questions her boss’s intentions. She realizes that the shot she took in the line of duty has her uneasy, but her ability as a federal agent is still intact. Ava is a take charge person and is ready to prove herself. She wants the murderer and she will get him/her by any means necessary. Will this help or hinder her?

When Ava and Cameron meet in Brazil, they both notice something familiar and unique in one another. Cameron is attracted to Ava’s take charge attitude, and Ava is attracted to Cameron’s ability to calm her and keep her in line. Working together, they both go after the town’s police force and the local gang. Who will come out on top?
“Underneath the Palms of Rio” was an ok read. There were editing issues throughout the book which made me pause and think about what the author was trying to relay. I found myself falling asleep a great deal while reading. Also, there was a great deal of repetitive sentencing, making the story a little slow in spots. Would I purchase another book by this author? Absolutely! Brandon Collier has great potential as an author.

Reviewed by: Sabrina show less