A review by pbro42
The Dragon Factory: A Joe Ledger Novel, by Jonathan Maberry
3.0
Pulpy, but entertaining.
The plots keep escalating into more and more ridiculous territory. And Joe Ledger isn't much of a cipher. He's too inhuman. The characteristics that make him the best soldier in the world also make him a pretty boring character. You know he's going to go all Wolverine, he'll save the day, and he'll deal with any failures after the job gets done.
He supposedly has all these scars from the death of Helen and from Grace, but his reactions seem "tacked on" to make him seem more human.
He has a pet cat that might as well be a lamp. How about we delve into that a bit? Did Rudy suggest this as therapy? Joe seems to have no attachment to it.
When the DMS signs him up, they bring his cat and things from home and he shows minimal emotion.
Neuroses make characters interesting. And all the trauma Joe's been through should be a rich source to mine. Here it just seems like wallpaper to make him seem less like a robot.
I got more character development out of Church winking than two books of Joe Ledger kicking ass.
It's popcorn reading but it serves its purpose. I'll read 'em all, even if I say "Oh come on!" out loud a few times.
Also because NAZIS!
The plots keep escalating into more and more ridiculous territory. And Joe Ledger isn't much of a cipher. He's too inhuman. The characteristics that make him the best soldier in the world also make him a pretty boring character. You know he's going to go all Wolverine, he'll save the day, and he'll deal with any failures after the job gets done.
He supposedly has all these scars from the death of Helen and from Grace, but his reactions seem "tacked on" to make him seem more human.
He has a pet cat that might as well be a lamp. How about we delve into that a bit? Did Rudy suggest this as therapy? Joe seems to have no attachment to it.
When the DMS signs him up, they bring his cat and things from home and he shows minimal emotion.
Neuroses make characters interesting. And all the trauma Joe's been through should be a rich source to mine. Here it just seems like wallpaper to make him seem less like a robot.
I got more character development out of Church winking than two books of Joe Ledger kicking ass.
It's popcorn reading but it serves its purpose. I'll read 'em all, even if I say "Oh come on!" out loud a few times.
Also because NAZIS!