JT Sawyer

Take Down by JT Sawyer
Kyle Payne Thriller #5

~ Prologue hooked me and then Kyle stepped in and stepped up to cement my attention as I watched and waited to see how things would play out ~

What I liked:
* Kyle Payne: * CIA black-ops veteran, savvy, strong, lethal, sees the bigger, doesn’t pull his punches, traveling via motorcycle, survivor, drawn into a dangerous situation by defending a new acquaintance, lives by his own moral code, intriguing, someone I would want on my side
* Alisa show more Fairbanks: computer savvy, Information technology guru, partnered with Kyle previously, available by phone when Kyle calls
* Pamela Trudow: focused, determined, lethal, bright, dedicated to her job, undercover as a bounty hunter, working a big case when her path and Kyle’s cross
* The Fuamata brothers:
- Timo: mechanic, recommended to Kyle as repairman for Indian motorcycle, saved from a beating by Kyle, strong, close to his brother and Samoan community
- Henare or Henry: older brother, goatherd, worked for gangster in a butcher shop, has a secret
* Camila and her son Edward who are daughter and grandson of ruthless mafia boss Avi Russo
* The plot, pacing, setting, writing and that even though I have missed some books in the series, this is a standalone story
* That I was drawn in, cared about the characters, and was invested in the outcome
* Being able to hate the bad guys and look eagerly forward to their demise/takedown
* That because of the way gangsters groom their goons and raise their family I was able to understand how the goons and family members could become twisted evildoers
* The conclusion and looking forward to finding out where Kyle will end up next

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like – gangsters, bratva, mafia types
* Thinking about the pain and suffering caused by the bad guys
* Knowing that there are people in the world as evil as those in this book

Did I like this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Inkubator Books for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Star show less

Great zombie/EOW series. In the vein of Frater or Day by Day. Perfect amount of survival info...not too much. Lots of great character development and action. I am glad this is not a horror/romance thing.

JT Sawyer's novel First Wave strongly engaged me from the first page right to the end. I was quite impressed with Sawyer's ability to translate his experience of being a survival instructor in Arizona into a taunt thriller in a post-apocalyptic world populated by drug cartel gangs, zombies, free agent and co-opted assassins and paramilitary, and even a few independent ranchers and cowboys just trying to keep their families alive. It's a heady mix that First Wave plays to perfection.

The show more protagonist, Travis Combs, is a recently retired military NCO who's unwinding by helping a long time friend guide some people on a 3-week raft trip through the Grand Canyon via the Colorado River. When the group finishes the trip they find a world gone mad. A super bug developed by industry and the government has been unleashed and killed off most of the world population and turned many of them into zombie-like creatures lusting for human flesh. First Wave describes how Combs not only keeps his group alive in an unforgiving desert environment but also manages to save mankind from the unscrupulous ambitions of a faceless cabal that has manipulated the world into this horrifying state. show less

Savage Game by JT Sawyer is a very highly recommended action thriller and the fourth book featuring former CIA operative Kyle Payne. This can be enjoyed as a standalone novel but after reading you will want to read the previous books in the series: Knife Edge, Blood Trail, and Kill Shot.

Kyle Payne came to Alaska on his Indian motorcycle to get away and experience some peace and solitude. Instead he helps Gus, the owner of the lodge he's working for, look at at tracks with police detective show more Nolte at a site where it is thought a mass bear attacked occurred. He finds himself immersed in a murder investigation after it is determined that the four campers were brutally murdered by human predators. There is one survivor, teenager Micah Brezny, who manages to escape the hired killers twice before inadvertently running into Payne with the killers close behind.

As both Micah and Payne are now targets, Nolte is working to find out who the killer is and clues have been left to point to an innocent man. Nolte also has a pushy officer sent from the governor to assist him, which is suspicious. Micah, however, has taken pictures of the killers on her phone and this information gets out. Now the big man, mining executive Sean Klurman, behind the hired men must eliminate her and Payne. With Payne, though, they have no idea who they are dealing with and he uses all his training and skills to keep Mich and himself alive.

This is a well-written, fast-paced, compelling, action thriller that will hold your complete attention while keeping you turning the pages late into the night. The tension is high, the corruption seems to be everywhere, and the danger is ever present throughout the novel. You might have to set disbelief aside that one man can do everything Payne does, but you will gladly do so because the action is worth it. Besides, it is known that Payne is prepared to take deadly action if necessary.

Clearly, Payne is a one-man lethal force and has the training and background to handle what comes his way. He is a hero you will support and root for since you know he stands for justice and discovering the truth. He can tell when a system is corrupt and will make sure that the truth is exposed. At the same time he is protecting Micah, who is a determined and strong young woman who has all ready experienced a lot of traumatic events in her life.

Savage Game is a perfect choice for anyone who enjoys action-packed thrillers. Thanks to Inkubator Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

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