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A review by canada_matt
The Treadstone Resurrection by Joshua Hood, Robert Ludlum
4.0
In this series debut by Joshua Hood, the reader returns to the world of espionage and high-impact military tactics that Robert Ludlum perfected. Any who loved the Jason Bourne series (under Ludlum’s pen) will surely find something exciting, yet unique, in this piece. Adam Hayes is one man who’s seen his entire life slip between his fingers. Once a great operative within the CIA’s highly-secret Treadstone Group—Bourne’s former domain—he lost it all in the blink of an eye and chose to leave. Now enjoying the quiet life in the American northwest, Hayes is visited by a hit team, keen to scrub him out. However, he has no idea why or who is behind the hit. Sharpening his skills as quickly as he can, Hayes begins his own mission to avenge himself and find his own form of justice. It may mean he returns to the darker side, but he is willing to do so in order to get all the answers he needs. Reverberations will be felt at the highest levels of government, but Hayes will not stop until he has all the answers, no matter whose body he must step over to get there. Hood does well in bringing Robert Ludlum’s strong style back to life without trying to replicate or replace anything the master did while alive. Recommended to those who enjoyed Ludlum’s Bourne series and the cut-throat aspects therein, as well as the reader who wants a spy thriller that does not wane at any point.
Some will know that I am always leery to attach myself to a series where the original author’s work is continued by another. The flow and management usually fails to deliver the needed punch, which leaves everyone disappointed and feeling less than enthused with the final product. Joshua Hood has done something slightly different here, working with only the Treadstone Group loose outline and building a novel (series, it seems) around it. Adam Hayes is a wonderful central character, from his hidden and mysterious backstory to the bucolic life he sets out for himself. Hayes finds the solitude to work in his benefit and seeks to keep it that way, though it would seem others have decided how things will go. His grit is ever-present and he seems to be able to shake off the rust of past missions, fighting for his life and self-preservation. The countless other characters who appear throughout help to shape a highly intriguing story that gives Hayes even more backstory. Full of military and espionage speak, the reader is treated to a few wonderful sub-plots as the larger battle for Hayes to stay alive gains momentum. I was quite pleased to see how it all came together, with a few twists along the way. While military and espionage is not usually my go-to genre, I did enjoy this piece for the most part. I am a Ludlum purist, but Hood did not appear to try stepping over the great author’s reputation to sell his own. Rather, he built on what was great and added to it. With a mix of chapter lengths and wonderful detailed storytelling, Hood creates a novel that has wonderful series opportunities. Let’s see how he continues the journey before we give Hood too much back-slapping.
Kudos, Mr. Hood for a wonderfully entertaining piece. Ludlum fans will surely be wanting to keep an eye on you, as will many who enjoy something with a great deal of military momentum.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons
Some will know that I am always leery to attach myself to a series where the original author’s work is continued by another. The flow and management usually fails to deliver the needed punch, which leaves everyone disappointed and feeling less than enthused with the final product. Joshua Hood has done something slightly different here, working with only the Treadstone Group loose outline and building a novel (series, it seems) around it. Adam Hayes is a wonderful central character, from his hidden and mysterious backstory to the bucolic life he sets out for himself. Hayes finds the solitude to work in his benefit and seeks to keep it that way, though it would seem others have decided how things will go. His grit is ever-present and he seems to be able to shake off the rust of past missions, fighting for his life and self-preservation. The countless other characters who appear throughout help to shape a highly intriguing story that gives Hayes even more backstory. Full of military and espionage speak, the reader is treated to a few wonderful sub-plots as the larger battle for Hayes to stay alive gains momentum. I was quite pleased to see how it all came together, with a few twists along the way. While military and espionage is not usually my go-to genre, I did enjoy this piece for the most part. I am a Ludlum purist, but Hood did not appear to try stepping over the great author’s reputation to sell his own. Rather, he built on what was great and added to it. With a mix of chapter lengths and wonderful detailed storytelling, Hood creates a novel that has wonderful series opportunities. Let’s see how he continues the journey before we give Hood too much back-slapping.
Kudos, Mr. Hood for a wonderfully entertaining piece. Ludlum fans will surely be wanting to keep an eye on you, as will many who enjoy something with a great deal of military momentum.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/248185-a-book-for-all-seasons