booknookie's review
3.0
You will find more of my reviews at my blog The Book Chick.
Russell Brooks contacted me and asked if I would like to read and review his book Pandora's Succession. The first book in the series about Ridley Fox and Nita Parris. Since thriller, mystery and suspense is my favorite genres I certainly had to take the chance. And I'm happy I did because this was, overall, a good book to read.
It is action filled from the first page to the last, with a complicated suspense plot and a intriguing story. It certainly made my mind work. Unfortunately I had some issues with the first 50% of the book, but I feel that Brooks saved it in the end.
At first I had a little trouble with the writing style. It felt kind of forced and I'm wondering if this is Brooks debut book. Because later on in the book the writing started to change. Not much but enough to give me the feeling of a more relaxed author with a more loose writing. Like Brooks had found his way and style and the book grew before me. OR, it is just me who got used to it. Anyhow, the second thing I had trouble with was connecting with the characters. It took me too long to really connect with either of them. And in the beginning there is a lot of characters and it kind of overwhelmed me. I had a little trouble keeping up with who is who. I'm thinking it is because of the writing and that the characters are a little cliché and similar. Those type of characters you find everywhere, without any real depth. Also this changed later on in the book and in the end I really connected with several and even got sad when some bad stuff happened. No tears tough.
Now after I'm done with the book, I really like Fox and Parris. The twists in the end surprised me and that it ended with a "bang" certainly gave me a satisfying feeling. There is no cliffhangers but it do end in a way that lets you as a reader know, that there is more to come from Fox and Parris. And I'm actually quite excited about that.
Russell Brooks contacted me and asked if I would like to read and review his book Pandora's Succession. The first book in the series about Ridley Fox and Nita Parris. Since thriller, mystery and suspense is my favorite genres I certainly had to take the chance. And I'm happy I did because this was, overall, a good book to read.
It is action filled from the first page to the last, with a complicated suspense plot and a intriguing story. It certainly made my mind work. Unfortunately I had some issues with the first 50% of the book, but I feel that Brooks saved it in the end.
At first I had a little trouble with the writing style. It felt kind of forced and I'm wondering if this is Brooks debut book. Because later on in the book the writing started to change. Not much but enough to give me the feeling of a more relaxed author with a more loose writing. Like Brooks had found his way and style and the book grew before me. OR, it is just me who got used to it. Anyhow, the second thing I had trouble with was connecting with the characters. It took me too long to really connect with either of them. And in the beginning there is a lot of characters and it kind of overwhelmed me. I had a little trouble keeping up with who is who. I'm thinking it is because of the writing and that the characters are a little cliché and similar. Those type of characters you find everywhere, without any real depth. Also this changed later on in the book and in the end I really connected with several and even got sad when some bad stuff happened. No tears tough.
Now after I'm done with the book, I really like Fox and Parris. The twists in the end surprised me and that it ended with a "bang" certainly gave me a satisfying feeling. There is no cliffhangers but it do end in a way that lets you as a reader know, that there is more to come from Fox and Parris. And I'm actually quite excited about that.
shelleyrae's review against another edition
3.0
Pandora's Succession throws you straight into the action from the opening scene. This thriller follows Operative Ridley Fox as he chases the group who have developed Pandora, a deadly bio-weapon. It's also a personal mission for Ridley, the extremist group murdered his fiance and he wants revenge on those who ordered her killed. Yet things are not all they seem, another shadowy group emerges with a deadly Promise, and Ridley doesn't know who to trust.
The first chapter of Pandora's Succession really drew me into the book, it's fast-paced with an intriguing hook and it gives you a good sense of who Ridley is and what the story is all about. It's a traditional espionage tale involving secret miltary agencies and extreme factions who plan to take over the world. The familiarity of the storyline gives it credibility, Pandora and Clarity are both terrifying bio weapons, and it's easy to imagine that they exist. The plot works well, the pace is fast and escalates to a climatic finale. The tangents and misdirections that are part of the story pull together neatly by the conclusion and I think Russell has room to move if he decides to create a sequel with Ridley and Parris.
Fox could be an action hero cliche, however Brooks has built upon the stereotype to develop an appealing character. Though tough and determined, we are shown his vulnerabilities as well. I liked his wise ass attitude, and felt his voice was distinct.
I'm not sure Parris is as well developed, despite the background we have for her, I felt her part in the story could have been stronger and more deftly weaved into the storyline.
The villians are interesting, there are several groups and individuals that serve as suspects and Brooks maintains the suspicion and tension well. Dr Marx is particularly chilling and her motivations were well thought out.
It's evident that Russell carefully considered and researched the specifics for his book, as a consequence the details are believable. As a thriller there is neccessarily plenty of action as Ridley confronts his enemies. Brooks skillfully details the physical confrontations and in some parts I appreciated being able to 'see' the action, in others I think the accuracy stifled the flow of the scene. Though a minor irritant, some of the more ordinary actions of his characters were stepped through and there are quite a few secondary characters for example, that pass through quite quickly. While some of them had their uses, the elaborate characterisation (ie details of their appearance etc) felt like interuptions. It's a difficult balance to get right in a thriller because so often it's the subtle details that count in helping the reader determine the significant events and characters from those that are not, and it can be distracting when there are too many to sort through.
I enjoyed Pandora's Succession overall, it's a fast paced thriller with a strong, credible storyline. Brook's is to be congratulated on an impressive debut.
The first chapter of Pandora's Succession really drew me into the book, it's fast-paced with an intriguing hook and it gives you a good sense of who Ridley is and what the story is all about. It's a traditional espionage tale involving secret miltary agencies and extreme factions who plan to take over the world. The familiarity of the storyline gives it credibility, Pandora and Clarity are both terrifying bio weapons, and it's easy to imagine that they exist. The plot works well, the pace is fast and escalates to a climatic finale. The tangents and misdirections that are part of the story pull together neatly by the conclusion and I think Russell has room to move if he decides to create a sequel with Ridley and Parris.
Fox could be an action hero cliche, however Brooks has built upon the stereotype to develop an appealing character. Though tough and determined, we are shown his vulnerabilities as well. I liked his wise ass attitude, and felt his voice was distinct.
I'm not sure Parris is as well developed, despite the background we have for her, I felt her part in the story could have been stronger and more deftly weaved into the storyline.
The villians are interesting, there are several groups and individuals that serve as suspects and Brooks maintains the suspicion and tension well. Dr Marx is particularly chilling and her motivations were well thought out.
It's evident that Russell carefully considered and researched the specifics for his book, as a consequence the details are believable. As a thriller there is neccessarily plenty of action as Ridley confronts his enemies. Brooks skillfully details the physical confrontations and in some parts I appreciated being able to 'see' the action, in others I think the accuracy stifled the flow of the scene. Though a minor irritant, some of the more ordinary actions of his characters were stepped through and there are quite a few secondary characters for example, that pass through quite quickly. While some of them had their uses, the elaborate characterisation (ie details of their appearance etc) felt like interuptions. It's a difficult balance to get right in a thriller because so often it's the subtle details that count in helping the reader determine the significant events and characters from those that are not, and it can be distracting when there are too many to sort through.
I enjoyed Pandora's Succession overall, it's a fast paced thriller with a strong, credible storyline. Brook's is to be congratulated on an impressive debut.
zimlicious's review against another edition
5.0
http://communitybookstop.blogspot.com/2012/11/pandoras-succession-by-russell-brooks.html
When the author first got in touch with me about checking out his work, the first sentence I read was: "Where would you hide if you learned the CDC and a major pharmaceutical company unleashed a hyperdeadly microbe on the human race?" My first thought was, "I have no idea! OMG OMG OMG." Of course, that was enough reason to want to read it.
We watch and like movies like 28 Days Later in which something goes wrong and a deadly virus starts turning people into zombies, etc. and creating some sort of a massacre somehow. Whenever I'm done watching (and enjoying; I'm not gonna lie) movies like this, I think, "What if this turned out to be real? What the f*** would we do?" This is what Pandora's Succession made me feel.
In the book, it's CDC and a pharmaceutical company that unleash the virus. Ridley Fox, who works at the CIA, is captured while he's going after those who murdered his fiance. He finds out about the virus situation; it's a virus that melts human flesh very quickly. Afterward, it's action after action, taking place in many a place from Russia to Japan, as Fox tries to stop the virus from being spread.
The action starts from the very first page and continues throughout the book, and it's very, very due to Brooks' masterful storytelling. Brooks has studied biology at Indiana University, and, even though I'm clueless when it comes to it, you can tell he knows what he's talking about. If you're looking for something that's going to make you think and is filled with action, then this is the book for you.
When the author first got in touch with me about checking out his work, the first sentence I read was: "Where would you hide if you learned the CDC and a major pharmaceutical company unleashed a hyperdeadly microbe on the human race?" My first thought was, "I have no idea! OMG OMG OMG." Of course, that was enough reason to want to read it.
We watch and like movies like 28 Days Later in which something goes wrong and a deadly virus starts turning people into zombies, etc. and creating some sort of a massacre somehow. Whenever I'm done watching (and enjoying; I'm not gonna lie) movies like this, I think, "What if this turned out to be real? What the f*** would we do?" This is what Pandora's Succession made me feel.
In the book, it's CDC and a pharmaceutical company that unleash the virus. Ridley Fox, who works at the CIA, is captured while he's going after those who murdered his fiance. He finds out about the virus situation; it's a virus that melts human flesh very quickly. Afterward, it's action after action, taking place in many a place from Russia to Japan, as Fox tries to stop the virus from being spread.
The action starts from the very first page and continues throughout the book, and it's very, very due to Brooks' masterful storytelling. Brooks has studied biology at Indiana University, and, even though I'm clueless when it comes to it, you can tell he knows what he's talking about. If you're looking for something that's going to make you think and is filled with action, then this is the book for you.
hdbblog's review
4.0
Lest you think that this book is completely out of the ordinary for me to review, let me tell you a secret. I used to read thriller books ravenously. When I was younger they made up about 60% of our home library, so of course I read whatever I could get my hands on. I learned a lot about CIA operatives, bio weapons, types of guns and even some choice "colorful language". I was lucky enough to have parents who didn't censor what I read, and so I was able to experience this exciting genre of books.
That being said, I can say with all honesty that Pandora's Succession ranks up there with my favorite thriller books. Russell Brooks has a knack for vivid writing, and each word read just drew me further and further into the intrigue. The premise of this story is fantastic! The deadly microbe Pandora is being mass produced, and it is up to Fox to stop it. I wondered, would he be able to put aside his vengeful feelings long enough to do it? Trust me, I was hooked.
Speaking of Ridley Fox, someone really needs to make a movie that features this main character. Fox's character has the perfect mixture of charisma, and the ability to push his feelings aside to complete his mission. As an "action hero" of sorts, I was impressed with how well written his character really was. Fox wasn't presented to me as this two-dimensional character who simply exists to fulfill the story. Instead his character had a lot of depth, a lot of background, and I found myself invested in his struggle without even noticing that it was happening. His vengeance fueled me, and I read on.
The one thing I was a little disappointed about, and I'm sure this is just me, is that I was able to figure out who the "mastermind" behind the whole plot was early on. Maybe it is the copious amount of books I'd read in the past that helped me with this. I couldn't say. I can say that what impressed me most, however, was that this fact still didn't take away from my overall enjoyment of the story. It's so action-packed, so fueled with emotion, that you just have to hold on for dear life and read.
I recommend this book to any of you out there who are fans of action or thriller movies, as well as those of you who are interested in diving into this genre. Pandora's Succession is an amazing place to start your foray. Just be sure to strap yourself in for a wild ride!
That being said, I can say with all honesty that Pandora's Succession ranks up there with my favorite thriller books. Russell Brooks has a knack for vivid writing, and each word read just drew me further and further into the intrigue. The premise of this story is fantastic! The deadly microbe Pandora is being mass produced, and it is up to Fox to stop it. I wondered, would he be able to put aside his vengeful feelings long enough to do it? Trust me, I was hooked.
Speaking of Ridley Fox, someone really needs to make a movie that features this main character. Fox's character has the perfect mixture of charisma, and the ability to push his feelings aside to complete his mission. As an "action hero" of sorts, I was impressed with how well written his character really was. Fox wasn't presented to me as this two-dimensional character who simply exists to fulfill the story. Instead his character had a lot of depth, a lot of background, and I found myself invested in his struggle without even noticing that it was happening. His vengeance fueled me, and I read on.
The one thing I was a little disappointed about, and I'm sure this is just me, is that I was able to figure out who the "mastermind" behind the whole plot was early on. Maybe it is the copious amount of books I'd read in the past that helped me with this. I couldn't say. I can say that what impressed me most, however, was that this fact still didn't take away from my overall enjoyment of the story. It's so action-packed, so fueled with emotion, that you just have to hold on for dear life and read.
I recommend this book to any of you out there who are fans of action or thriller movies, as well as those of you who are interested in diving into this genre. Pandora's Succession is an amazing place to start your foray. Just be sure to strap yourself in for a wild ride!
blodeuedd's review against another edition
4.0
*read by Anna, my guest reviewer*
Pandora’s Succession, by Russell Brooks, is the story of an extremely dangerous virus
called Pandora. The virus has existed for hundreds of years, but only in recent years an
organization called The Arms of Ares has modified the virus in order to sell it to terrorists
and other groups, to be used as a biological weapon.
Ridley Fox, who works for CIA, must stop Ares from releasing the virus onto the black market. His hunt for the virus leads him and a few colleagues across the world, from Chechnya to Africa and all the way to Japan. Along the way Fox finds himself in a lot of dangerous situations as he has more than one enemy who want to see him dead. Luckily Fox is an excellent agent with a past in the Joint Task Force Two (JTF2), Canada’s answer to America’s SEALs. Fox is not afraid to use various firearms and different tricks to get out of the situations alive.
In Tokyo the CEO of a medical company, Hexagon Pharmaceuticals, Hideaki Hashimoto, is also the leader of a cult called The Promise. With the help of a drug called Clarity, Hashimoto’s team brain wash young people as they recruit them to the cult. The recruited men and women have a difficult or criminal past where they have brought shame upon themselves or their families. It is the Promise’s intention to release the Pandora virus and kill all the people of the planet. Only the cult members will be saved as they shall live in a bunker while Pandora takes care of the rest of the population. After the Pandora has done its job, the cult members will live a wonderful life together on the “new” planet. Hexagon has been able to modify the Pandora virus so that it only attacks human beings, not animals, as the original virus from the Arms of Ares was designed to do.
As Ridley Fox finds out, it is not easy to know who is a friend and who is an enemy. Who can he trust? Or can he trust anyone at all? Personally I found it a little difficult to follow all the double agents and moles in the story. People you thought were on Fox’s side turned out to be bad people and vice versa.
Another thing that was difficult for me with the book was the many different names of weapons and helicopters. For example, one of the bad people had a “Px4 Storm Type F Sub-compact Beretta”. That doesn’t tell me anything, except that I know a Beretta is a type of gun. Neither do I know what an AK-74 or an M-11 is.
But what it does tell me is that the author has great knowledge about firearms and weapons. The author also has a BS in Biology and it does show in the book. It all seems so realistic.
I think Pandora’s Succession is a very good book. Well written and with a high speed and a lot of action. I never got bored reading the book. It was difficult to stop reading once you started. All you wanted to do was to read a few more pages and then a few more pages after that to find out whether Fox would survive the dangerous situation or not.
I highly recommend the book for readers who love thrillers and as me, novels about biological weapons, diseases and similar. But at last I need to put in a word of caution: The book contains some very graphic description of what happens to the human body when it is attacked by the virus and how the body looks afterwards. So sensitive readers might want to be prepared for that.
Pandora’s Succession, by Russell Brooks, is the story of an extremely dangerous virus
called Pandora. The virus has existed for hundreds of years, but only in recent years an
organization called The Arms of Ares has modified the virus in order to sell it to terrorists
and other groups, to be used as a biological weapon.
Ridley Fox, who works for CIA, must stop Ares from releasing the virus onto the black market. His hunt for the virus leads him and a few colleagues across the world, from Chechnya to Africa and all the way to Japan. Along the way Fox finds himself in a lot of dangerous situations as he has more than one enemy who want to see him dead. Luckily Fox is an excellent agent with a past in the Joint Task Force Two (JTF2), Canada’s answer to America’s SEALs. Fox is not afraid to use various firearms and different tricks to get out of the situations alive.
In Tokyo the CEO of a medical company, Hexagon Pharmaceuticals, Hideaki Hashimoto, is also the leader of a cult called The Promise. With the help of a drug called Clarity, Hashimoto’s team brain wash young people as they recruit them to the cult. The recruited men and women have a difficult or criminal past where they have brought shame upon themselves or their families. It is the Promise’s intention to release the Pandora virus and kill all the people of the planet. Only the cult members will be saved as they shall live in a bunker while Pandora takes care of the rest of the population. After the Pandora has done its job, the cult members will live a wonderful life together on the “new” planet. Hexagon has been able to modify the Pandora virus so that it only attacks human beings, not animals, as the original virus from the Arms of Ares was designed to do.
As Ridley Fox finds out, it is not easy to know who is a friend and who is an enemy. Who can he trust? Or can he trust anyone at all? Personally I found it a little difficult to follow all the double agents and moles in the story. People you thought were on Fox’s side turned out to be bad people and vice versa.
Another thing that was difficult for me with the book was the many different names of weapons and helicopters. For example, one of the bad people had a “Px4 Storm Type F Sub-compact Beretta”. That doesn’t tell me anything, except that I know a Beretta is a type of gun. Neither do I know what an AK-74 or an M-11 is.
But what it does tell me is that the author has great knowledge about firearms and weapons. The author also has a BS in Biology and it does show in the book. It all seems so realistic.
I think Pandora’s Succession is a very good book. Well written and with a high speed and a lot of action. I never got bored reading the book. It was difficult to stop reading once you started. All you wanted to do was to read a few more pages and then a few more pages after that to find out whether Fox would survive the dangerous situation or not.
I highly recommend the book for readers who love thrillers and as me, novels about biological weapons, diseases and similar. But at last I need to put in a word of caution: The book contains some very graphic description of what happens to the human body when it is attacked by the virus and how the body looks afterwards. So sensitive readers might want to be prepared for that.
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