ltramz's review against another edition
3.0
I've enjoyed Ben Coes' past novels and really wanted to escape into another Dewey Andreas story. But the storyline continuity was too faulty to be able to smoothly read. It's as if Coes forgot what he had previously written and rewrote the same stuff but differently.
After the clay shoot on the Farragut's yacht Dewey eats breakfast sitting on a deck chair chatting with other people, then he gets up, and goes below to take a shower. Next thing we know Dewey is on the deck eating breakfast when he's contacted in his earbud that he is needed to save the day and goes to get weapons.
Also, why are two inactive NOCs wearing earbuds? Am I to believe they always wear them? Even though one hasn't been active in years?
Don't get me wrong, I like the characters. I'd love for Rob Tacoma to get another book of his own. I would simply like Coes and his proof-readers to check the stories for continuity, like a script supervisor does for movies.
After the clay shoot on the Farragut's yacht Dewey eats breakfast sitting on a deck chair chatting with other people, then he gets up, and goes below to take a shower. Next thing we know Dewey is on the deck eating breakfast when he's contacted in his earbud that he is needed to save the day and goes to get weapons.
Also, why are two inactive NOCs wearing earbuds? Am I to believe they always wear them? Even though one hasn't been active in years?
Don't get me wrong, I like the characters. I'd love for Rob Tacoma to get another book of his own. I would simply like Coes and his proof-readers to check the stories for continuity, like a script supervisor does for movies.
brents's review against another edition
3.0
This is a really good story idea, and really mediocre execution of it. Honestly I think I'm done with Ben Coes. I really liked Power Down and Coup D'état a few years ago, but I wasn't impressed with any books after that. I decided to try this one based on the premise and even though it was ok it wasn't as enjoyable as other books in the genre. I've never thought the Dewy Andreas character was that great, but apparently Coes doesn't either as he's completely missing from the middle section of this book. You can't make a great character if you literally don't give him anything to do. Also, the pacing of this book is very strange. It felt like the setup for events to happen takes forever despite the fact that we know they are going to happen before the book even starts based on the premise. There are also tics that Coes has in his writing that drive me nuts. He repeatedly uses the phrase "pumped the trigger" which is not something I've ever heard anyone say. Despite all of that this was still an ok action thriller novel. It's just missing the intrigue, suspense, and good character moments of better books in the genre.
dburley37's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
There is good character development in the first third of the book. It goes into complete action and tension after that. His books are a joy to read.
frankb12's review against another edition
4.0
After a slow start the pace of the action picks up and it was hard to put down.
xkay_readsx's review against another edition
4.0
My audio edition from Overdrive is missing three chapters. It appears to end at chapter 110, but in fact has chapters 110 through 120, plus an epilogue. However, it skips three chapters. If you're missing chapters 112, 115, and 119, see below under spoiler.
New York is under siege, and POTUS is trapped. Iran (Hezbollah) planned an attack on American soil physically and financially.
This is a fast-moving story with non-stop action from beginning to end. Dewey Andreas, a former Army Ranger is hunted then is ordered by his superior to lay low. He decides to spend time with his colleague, Jenna. A strike on NYC is planned when the POTUS will appear at the UN General Assembly. This is a sophisticated plan of attack that America isn't prepared for.
Dewey Andreas series is consistently good. This is a geopolitical action thriller. The Island is #9 in the series, it can be read as a standalone. Ben Coes did a wonderful job at recapping Dewey's background early in the book. I haven't read them all, but it's my goal to finish the whole catalog.
Overdrive (Libby) audiobook missing chapters; 112, 115 and 119. Summary of these chapters contain ⚠️SPOILERS.⚠️
Chap 112. 10:20 AM, Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital, 168th Str, NYC
Dr. Hiroo Takayama is finishing a cardiac surgery when an OR speaker came on alerting that the POTUS is being airlifted to the hospital. He completed the surgery and ran to his office to grab a steel suitcase then to the roof. In the suitcase is a vial with yellow liquid, which is pure adrenaline that he purchased from a cattle farm in Matsuzaka, Japan. It's extracted from adrenal gland of bulls, the real thing, unlike the synthetic version, epinephrine. He fills a syringe and it's ready to be used. Nurses and a team with a rolling bed show up on the roof. Dr. Takayama looks at the sky and calls for a second team to be brought up.
Chap 115. 7 PM Tehran, 10:30 AM US EST, Presidential Palace
Ali Suleiman is dining alone in his apartment inside the palace when he heard yelling and footsteps. His chief of security, Marwan reports four incoming missiles - American Tomahawks launched from the Gulf of Oman. The missiles have evaded three Sevom Khordad TELAR units and are minutes from Tehran. Suleiman, Marwan, and some soldiers file into an elevator taking them 10 stories down to an underground bunker just as a missile struck the palace causing a massive explosion and vibration. Suleiman looks at his men and thanks them for saving his life just when the elevator cable snapped and the cab free fall and smashed into the concrete pad below. All were crushed into a pulp, body parts, and bones.
Chap 119. 11:04 PM, US Federal Reserve, 1135 Sixth Ave, NYC
It's been more than twelve hours that Tacoma's been waiting inside the govenors' room. Igor's voice came on his earbud with bad news that NSA, Langley, the company who built the iodine sheet field (Dassault) are working to get him out. The temperature inside the room is rising, Tacoma uses the restroom and decides to find a way out himself. He uses a ceramic lid of the toilet and begins to hammer the wall. Finally, he made a hole large enough to get through. He sees a water pipe inches from surrounding field sheets, grabs it, hugs it tightly, and slowly slide down with his eyes shut. He makes it to a lower level, finds an elevator shaft, pries it open, and sees he's on an abandoned floor. He found the fire stairs and descends to the lobby.
New York is under siege, and POTUS is trapped. Iran (Hezbollah) planned an attack on American soil physically and financially.
This is a fast-moving story with non-stop action from beginning to end. Dewey Andreas, a former Army Ranger is hunted then is ordered by his superior to lay low. He decides to spend time with his colleague, Jenna. A strike on NYC is planned when the POTUS will appear at the UN General Assembly. This is a sophisticated plan of attack that America isn't prepared for.
Dewey Andreas series is consistently good. This is a geopolitical action thriller. The Island is #9 in the series, it can be read as a standalone. Ben Coes did a wonderful job at recapping Dewey's background early in the book. I haven't read them all, but it's my goal to finish the whole catalog.
Overdrive (Libby) audiobook missing chapters; 112, 115 and 119. Summary of these chapters contain ⚠️SPOILERS.⚠️
Spoiler
Chap 112. 10:20 AM, Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital, 168th Str, NYC
Dr. Hiroo Takayama is finishing a cardiac surgery when an OR speaker came on alerting that the POTUS is being airlifted to the hospital. He completed the surgery and ran to his office to grab a steel suitcase then to the roof. In the suitcase is a vial with yellow liquid, which is pure adrenaline that he purchased from a cattle farm in Matsuzaka, Japan. It's extracted from adrenal gland of bulls, the real thing, unlike the synthetic version, epinephrine. He fills a syringe and it's ready to be used. Nurses and a team with a rolling bed show up on the roof. Dr. Takayama looks at the sky and calls for a second team to be brought up.
Chap 115. 7 PM Tehran, 10:30 AM US EST, Presidential Palace
Ali Suleiman is dining alone in his apartment inside the palace when he heard yelling and footsteps. His chief of security, Marwan reports four incoming missiles - American Tomahawks launched from the Gulf of Oman. The missiles have evaded three Sevom Khordad TELAR units and are minutes from Tehran. Suleiman, Marwan, and some soldiers file into an elevator taking them 10 stories down to an underground bunker just as a missile struck the palace causing a massive explosion and vibration. Suleiman looks at his men and thanks them for saving his life just when the elevator cable snapped and the cab free fall and smashed into the concrete pad below. All were crushed into a pulp, body parts, and bones.
Chap 119. 11:04 PM, US Federal Reserve, 1135 Sixth Ave, NYC
It's been more than twelve hours that Tacoma's been waiting inside the govenors' room. Igor's voice came on his earbud with bad news that NSA, Langley, the company who built the iodine sheet field (Dassault) are working to get him out. The temperature inside the room is rising, Tacoma uses the restroom and decides to find a way out himself. He uses a ceramic lid of the toilet and begins to hammer the wall. Finally, he made a hole large enough to get through. He sees a water pipe inches from surrounding field sheets, grabs it, hugs it tightly, and slowly slide down with his eyes shut. He makes it to a lower level, finds an elevator shaft, pries it open, and sees he's on an abandoned floor. He found the fire stairs and descends to the lobby.
jpeers's review against another edition
5.0
The Island, the ninth Dewey Andreas book by Ben Coes, was absolutely worth the wait! It's been two-ish years since the last Andreas book and Coes gives fans of this series everything they wanted and more. Coes has surrounded Andreas with fantastic characters including Rob Tacoma, who may be a bigger badass than Andreas. The plot and "villains" in The Island are topnotch and the pacing is lightning fast. After the past few years, the last thing I want authors to do is push their politics on the reader, so I appreciate Coes leaving most of the politics out.
If you have never read a Dewey Andreas book before you can read this as a stand-alone. Coes uses an ingenious way to get the reader caught up on the previous exploits of Andreas. I can't stress enough how much of a fun read The Island was.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing The Island
If you have never read a Dewey Andreas book before you can read this as a stand-alone. Coes uses an ingenious way to get the reader caught up on the previous exploits of Andreas. I can't stress enough how much of a fun read The Island was.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing The Island
mattdjamieson's review against another edition
5.0
Best one in a long time. Fantastic pace, and action kept me on the edge of my seat. Well done Ben.
tpaulschulte's review against another edition
5.0
The Island rocks! A caution though.. DO NOT start this book unless you intend on finishing. Besides being a very good thriller, this book is a cautionary tale about those who would do us harm and just how easy it would be to cause total chaos in our country.
Coes has really done an amazing job of ratcheting the tension. The first third of the book take place at a pretty sedate pace, then wham! The last 2/3rd covers just a few hours on a morning in Manhattan as Hezbollah attacks in a massive way.
The President is giving a speech at the UN and it is the perfect opportunity to take him out, but first they need to cut off the island of Manhattan. Not only that, not content with just those plans, there is also an attack on the Fed which would cripple not only the US but the worlds financial markets. It's a very ingenious plan, except for one thing. Dewey Andreas and Rob Tacoma.
Sowing even more chaos are hundreds of embedded Iranians, who, when the sign is given, go from being your friendly Uber driver or neighbors, to killing everyone in sight.
The summer's must read.
Take a trip to the island. You'll never think of New York the same.
Coes has really done an amazing job of ratcheting the tension. The first third of the book take place at a pretty sedate pace, then wham! The last 2/3rd covers just a few hours on a morning in Manhattan as Hezbollah attacks in a massive way.
The President is giving a speech at the UN and it is the perfect opportunity to take him out, but first they need to cut off the island of Manhattan. Not only that, not content with just those plans, there is also an attack on the Fed which would cripple not only the US but the worlds financial markets. It's a very ingenious plan, except for one thing. Dewey Andreas and Rob Tacoma.
Sowing even more chaos are hundreds of embedded Iranians, who, when the sign is given, go from being your friendly Uber driver or neighbors, to killing everyone in sight.
The summer's must read.
Take a trip to the island. You'll never think of New York the same.