srsanderson's review
2.0
i used to really love this series, but switching to the hardbacks from audio books has made a huge difference in the experience. the narration was always really entertaining, but when i was reading this one, i thought that maybe the writing and storytelling wasn't as strong as i thought it was when i had listened to the others.
my favorite aspect of the dewey books is that there are a lot of moving parts, and while dewey is most certainly the protagonist, he has a lot of help from other parties.
so basically, this was a fun read, there were a few scenes that were super visual and entertaining to read, but i didn't like it as much as the other ones in the series because the plot was too grand in scope to be contained in one book. if this particular plot line was something that ben coes has been laying the foundations of for the past 6 books, i feel like there would have been a much better payoff, but as it stands the ending felt very anti-climatic compared to the rest of the book. i was simply left with an overwhelming sense of ... blah.
my favorite aspect of the dewey books is that there are a lot of moving parts, and while dewey is most certainly the protagonist, he has a lot of help from other parties.
so basically, this was a fun read, there were a few scenes that were super visual and entertaining to read, but i didn't like it as much as the other ones in the series because the plot was too grand in scope to be contained in one book. if this particular plot line was something that ben coes has been laying the foundations of for the past 6 books, i feel like there would have been a much better payoff, but as it stands the ending felt very anti-climatic compared to the rest of the book. i was simply left with an overwhelming sense of ... blah.
dburley37's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
The Dewey Andreas novels are amazing, and this one no exception. Its not only the plot, the suspense and action, but the characters really grow on you as you progress through the series.
xkay_readsx's review
5.0
An awesome thriller. The book looks thick but it went by quick while keeps you on the edge of your seat.
stricker's review
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
tpaulschulte's review
5.0
Ben Coe's has really outdone himself with Trap the Devil. This the 7th entry in the Dewey Andreas series shows how the modern thriller should be. I didn't think That Coe's could top 2016's First Strike, but somehow he did.
I have a confession to make. It took me awhile to even try the first book in the series, Power Down. I just couldn't see how power plants and terrorism could hold my interest, but my gosh was it good. I attribute this to the skill of Coe's in formulating scarily plausible scenarios for his hero to navigate and at the same time grow his character. Dewey has grown with each book and in Trap the Devil staggering revelations present themselves to Dewey and we see a peek into his soul. Very sobering stuff.
In Trap the Devil, Coe's presents the frightening possibility of people in the government taking matters into their own hands to stem the rise of terror from the Muslim world who would seek to destroy us. Even to the point of killing their own colleagues in our government and targeting even the President to accomplish their agenda.
Coes is a master of building tension and fleshing out his characters so much so that at times I had to put the book down because I was afraid of what was going to happen next. I am not a big fan of spoilers. I would prefer that you be surprised on your own.
Suffice it to say that Trap the Devil, after a brief prologue that sets the stage of events from 20 years before, starts with a physically and emotionally damaged Dewey. Forced to see a shrink by his boss Hector Calibrisi, Dewey learns that he might be relegated to a softer agency roll. Far from something that Dewey wants or needs, he is seen as one almost driven to kill himself in the line of duty, always putting himself on the line. Guilt is eating away at him for not only the death of his fiance, Jessica, but also his wife Holly from many years before.
Basically relegated to babysitting the Sec State on a trip to Paris, Dewey is not happy and fueling up on alcohol and self pity. Until something happens to begin a rollercoaster ride that doesn't end until the last page.
Don't be like me.. Pick up Power Down, discover Dewey and be prepared to have a great summer!
I have a confession to make. It took me awhile to even try the first book in the series, Power Down. I just couldn't see how power plants and terrorism could hold my interest, but my gosh was it good. I attribute this to the skill of Coe's in formulating scarily plausible scenarios for his hero to navigate and at the same time grow his character. Dewey has grown with each book and in Trap the Devil staggering revelations present themselves to Dewey and we see a peek into his soul. Very sobering stuff.
In Trap the Devil, Coe's presents the frightening possibility of people in the government taking matters into their own hands to stem the rise of terror from the Muslim world who would seek to destroy us. Even to the point of killing their own colleagues in our government and targeting even the President to accomplish their agenda.
Coes is a master of building tension and fleshing out his characters so much so that at times I had to put the book down because I was afraid of what was going to happen next. I am not a big fan of spoilers. I would prefer that you be surprised on your own.
Suffice it to say that Trap the Devil, after a brief prologue that sets the stage of events from 20 years before, starts with a physically and emotionally damaged Dewey. Forced to see a shrink by his boss Hector Calibrisi, Dewey learns that he might be relegated to a softer agency roll. Far from something that Dewey wants or needs, he is seen as one almost driven to kill himself in the line of duty, always putting himself on the line. Guilt is eating away at him for not only the death of his fiance, Jessica, but also his wife Holly from many years before.
Basically relegated to babysitting the Sec State on a trip to Paris, Dewey is not happy and fueling up on alcohol and self pity. Until something happens to begin a rollercoaster ride that doesn't end until the last page.
Don't be like me.. Pick up Power Down, discover Dewey and be prepared to have a great summer!
drakedw's review against another edition
4.0
In this action packed Dewey Andreas thriller, he is set up to take the blame for killing Secretary of State.
After breaking out of his prison he goes searching for the truth behind the murder only to reveal a much bigger plot on the United States.
I have rated a 4 star only b/c it took me to long to get fully engaged in the book~ 25% through. But once the ride stops, you can't put this book down. 4.5/5
After breaking out of his prison he goes searching for the truth behind the murder only to reveal a much bigger plot on the United States.
I have rated a 4 star only b/c it took me to long to get fully engaged in the book~ 25% through. But once the ride stops, you can't put this book down. 4.5/5
booksmy's review against another edition
2.0
Awful. Nasty and vile, racist, sexist, poorly written, sounded like a TV movie script. I've read the other books in the series and had to go back to look at my comments on the other books. Were they all this awful and I just didn't notice? Was I taking powerful cold medicine when I read the first six books, or was the author on crack when he wrote #7? A little of both?
Ex 1: During the middle of a terrorist attack, an analyst calls the boss to her desk to show him some important finding. Instead of asking about the finding, or going to see about it, the boss stands up in his office, gazes lovingly upon a framed photo of his brother, and then spends two pages reminiscing about the brother, how he died, how brother was a terrorist who died in some terrorist way, and on and on for two pages. I could practically hear the sad music playing as the screen faded and close up zoomed onto Dead Terrorist Brother. When boss finally makes it to the analyst, he has to ask her again why she called him, because he forgot, after wasting two pages giving us pointless back filler. And how does the big boss of the NSA have a terrorist brother that no one knows about? Even if the background investigation missed it, did no one notice the framed photo of Dead Terrorist Brother?
Ex 2: Male jihadists are desctibed as wearing hijab. I'm no expert, but even Wikipedia describes hijab as a veil worn by women. Maybe the author means keffiyeh? Maybe these are really ladies and the description is wrong? Maybe there are no copy editors? Maybe the author just thinks that the audience is stupid? (My money is on that last one)
Ex 3: A medical examiner investigating at a crime scene is described as "standing in a pool of blood". In the very next sentence, they are kneeling in the blood. Which is it? Standing or kneeling? And why? There was no action in between - "And then Medical Examiner Bob knelt down in the blood to get a better look at something" Isn't that CSI101 - don't stand in the blood?
Ex 1: During the middle of a terrorist attack, an analyst calls the boss to her desk to show him some important finding. Instead of asking about the finding, or going to see about it, the boss stands up in his office, gazes lovingly upon a framed photo of his brother, and then spends two pages reminiscing about the brother, how he died, how brother was a terrorist who died in some terrorist way, and on and on for two pages. I could practically hear the sad music playing as the screen faded and close up zoomed onto Dead Terrorist Brother. When boss finally makes it to the analyst, he has to ask her again why she called him, because he forgot, after wasting two pages giving us pointless back filler. And how does the big boss of the NSA have a terrorist brother that no one knows about? Even if the background investigation missed it, did no one notice the framed photo of Dead Terrorist Brother?
Ex 2: Male jihadists are desctibed as wearing hijab. I'm no expert, but even Wikipedia describes hijab as a veil worn by women. Maybe the author means keffiyeh? Maybe these are really ladies and the description is wrong? Maybe there are no copy editors? Maybe the author just thinks that the audience is stupid? (My money is on that last one)
Ex 3: A medical examiner investigating at a crime scene is described as "standing in a pool of blood". In the very next sentence, they are kneeling in the blood. Which is it? Standing or kneeling? And why? There was no action in between - "And then Medical Examiner Bob knelt down in the blood to get a better look at something" Isn't that CSI101 - don't stand in the blood?
stuartjash's review against another edition
5.0
When going into this book, I thought,"It's impossible to top First Strike," Coes' hit thriller last year. Not only does he top it, he has created one of the best thrillers this year. I think Coes and Andreas have now surpassed Thor and Harvath. In this story, you get an inward look into Andreas' life. Chapters ended with me having goosebumps. It's a thriller jam packed with action, drama, excitment, and ANDREAS. Amazing book!!! Buy it immediately! I finished it in less then 24 hours. Couldn't put it down!
canada_matt's review against another edition
4.0
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Ben Coes, and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
Ben Coes brings Dewey Andreas back for yet another explosive thriller that will have series fans sitting on the edge of their seats. During an FBI operation in Toronto, a group is seen entering a local mosque and killing everyone inside; their intent, to rid the world of Muslims under any circumstances. This foreshadows a larger and much more ominous plan that could soon play out within America. Meanwhile, Dewey Andreas is still trying to come to terms with everything that happened on his last mission, forced to synthesize his thoughts and actions with a psychotherapist. While the recommendation is that Andreas take some time off behind a desk, he negotiates a calmer mission, sent to France to protect the Secretary of State during a tension-filled secret meeting. The Secretary is visited by a woman who delivers an explosive terror plot, though Andreas cannot make it back before someone is sent to assassinate the Secretary. By the time he returns, Andreas learns his gun was used in the killings and he is detained. While being interrogated, Andreas must do all he can to get out and catch the killer, suspecting that elusive woman he saw in the vicinity. After organizing an escape, Andreas begins his hunt for the truth, but INTERPOL's release of his prison escape alerts the world to his status and presents his key enemies with a chance to locate him and end his life once and for all. With key the deaths of key political figures imminent, Andreas must work within the CIA and use his own intuition to find those who plan to overthrow the country's stability. Andreas has enemies coming from all sides, leaving him to fight both those known and unknown to nullify the plot before it is too late. A wonderfully fast-paced thriller that will keep series fans begging for more and could easily lure new readers into starting this fabulous series.
Ben Coes has the ability to craft a strong political thriller without getting caught up in all the fodder that seems to be a common theme within the genre at present. While ISIS was once the buzz topic, a shift to explore the other side, homegrown terror cells to rid the world of Islam seems to be a new take and one that works well for Coes as he places Dewey Andreas in the centre of the firestorm. Andreas is a complex character, a tough exterior that acts to protect a man who has suffered much loss. Adding an interesting cast of characters to complement and offset Andreas, Coes has been able to keep the flow of the story strong and the plot from lagging. Speaking of plot, the story moves forward on many levels simultaneously, with Andreas in the crosshairs as he tries to foil a plan that could change the entire political landscape in one afternoon alongside the race to exterminate a woman who has all the secrets garnered from an overheard conversation. The reader races through the short chapters to find out just what awaits, unsure if Andreas might have finally met his match. Coes shows why he is the master of his genre as he crafts the perfect summer novel that will leave readers looking over the shoulder at every turn.
Kudos, Mr. Coes for another sensational piece of work. I will surely be promoting it to anyone who might want to inject a little thrill into their reading.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Ben Coes brings Dewey Andreas back for yet another explosive thriller that will have series fans sitting on the edge of their seats. During an FBI operation in Toronto, a group is seen entering a local mosque and killing everyone inside; their intent, to rid the world of Muslims under any circumstances. This foreshadows a larger and much more ominous plan that could soon play out within America. Meanwhile, Dewey Andreas is still trying to come to terms with everything that happened on his last mission, forced to synthesize his thoughts and actions with a psychotherapist. While the recommendation is that Andreas take some time off behind a desk, he negotiates a calmer mission, sent to France to protect the Secretary of State during a tension-filled secret meeting. The Secretary is visited by a woman who delivers an explosive terror plot, though Andreas cannot make it back before someone is sent to assassinate the Secretary. By the time he returns, Andreas learns his gun was used in the killings and he is detained. While being interrogated, Andreas must do all he can to get out and catch the killer, suspecting that elusive woman he saw in the vicinity. After organizing an escape, Andreas begins his hunt for the truth, but INTERPOL's release of his prison escape alerts the world to his status and presents his key enemies with a chance to locate him and end his life once and for all. With key the deaths of key political figures imminent, Andreas must work within the CIA and use his own intuition to find those who plan to overthrow the country's stability. Andreas has enemies coming from all sides, leaving him to fight both those known and unknown to nullify the plot before it is too late. A wonderfully fast-paced thriller that will keep series fans begging for more and could easily lure new readers into starting this fabulous series.
Ben Coes has the ability to craft a strong political thriller without getting caught up in all the fodder that seems to be a common theme within the genre at present. While ISIS was once the buzz topic, a shift to explore the other side, homegrown terror cells to rid the world of Islam seems to be a new take and one that works well for Coes as he places Dewey Andreas in the centre of the firestorm. Andreas is a complex character, a tough exterior that acts to protect a man who has suffered much loss. Adding an interesting cast of characters to complement and offset Andreas, Coes has been able to keep the flow of the story strong and the plot from lagging. Speaking of plot, the story moves forward on many levels simultaneously, with Andreas in the crosshairs as he tries to foil a plan that could change the entire political landscape in one afternoon alongside the race to exterminate a woman who has all the secrets garnered from an overheard conversation. The reader races through the short chapters to find out just what awaits, unsure if Andreas might have finally met his match. Coes shows why he is the master of his genre as he crafts the perfect summer novel that will leave readers looking over the shoulder at every turn.
Kudos, Mr. Coes for another sensational piece of work. I will surely be promoting it to anyone who might want to inject a little thrill into their reading.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/