Book review for
Revolution No. 9
By Neil McMahon

Dr. Carroll Monks is the kind of a physician you would love to have around you in any medical emergency. Dr. Monks did not know what he was getting himself into when he was captured and led blindfolded into a wilderness area. As it turned out, Dr. Monks was forced into helping a group of revolutionaries that, while fighting the establishment, also thought they were doing much good for the nation.

When Dr. Monks found out his son was in this same group, he did all in his power to appear to be helping while trying to free his sons mind and body from the group. Freeboot, the leader, led his group of revolutionaries to killing, robbing, and torturing others in the fight to become status symbols.

Revolution No. 9 is an intriguing book that will find you turning pages quickly as you delve into this groups battle to survive and to force their ways on others.

Review written by Cy Hilterman
March 5, 2006
cyhilterman@digitalrazor.net

Dr. Carroll Monks leaves his home to help a lady change her flat tire down the road. But instead of a disabled vehicle, Monks finds himself kidnapped and taken to a terrorist encampment.

The leader is a sociopath called "Freeboot". The group is determined to change society. They have already killed a few leading citizens. Freeboot's three-year-old son, Mandrake, is diabetic and close to death. Monks, being the caring healer he is, wants to stabilize Mandrake and then get the little boy to a hospital. Freeboot refuses to let Monks or Mandrake leave camp, even if it means Mandrake's death. Worse, Dr. Monks's own estranged son is one of the terrorists. In fact, he was the one to give Freeboot the idea of kidnapping the doctor.

Monks already knows that he has lost his own son, but refuses to let Mandrake die. Monks will have to think of a way to escape. Then the "kidnappee" will become the "kidnapper", because Monks plans on taking Mandrake with him.

***** This is one of the best novels I have read in months! It is scary to think that something such as this has probably already happened before. Author Neil McMahon has one daring imagination! Most impressive! *****

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.

This is the fourth in a series featuring Carroll Monks and it's close to being one of the best. You know the storyline by now featuring cults, brainwashing, and the evil protagonist known as Freeboot.
A well told and fast-paced story that should please all the fans that have read McMahon's previous novels.

Recommended.

The new novel from Neil McMahon focuses almost solely on his kidnapping by a cult.

Our main character is stashed on the compound and is asked to minister (in some small ways) to the sick of the camp.

It gets very complexed when our main character discovers that his own son is part of the cult and that he has been kidnapped in order to take care of the ill son of the cult leader.

While I gave this book a 3 star rating, I hesitated. McMahon usually tells much more interesting stories and this one kind of stalls at some points because of the limited storyline location.

However, towards the middle to mid end of the book, the story picks up considerably and you can find vintage McMahon once again.

So, I would rate this book as a 3 star thriller because of the strength of the writing and the end of the story.

A fair read overall. McMahon is usually stronger than this. I consider this book to be his weakest in the series.

DR Monks is a semi-burned out doctor, who is kidnapped by some very perverse "Robin Hood" anti-heroes, in order to cure a very ill 4 year old boy, the son of the cult's very mad leader. This same group has brainwashed the good doctor's 22 year son. So we are led into a den of anti-medicine revolutionaries, and misfits, who are also heavily armed. We also learn alot about diabetes and its treatment, an extra plum in this excellent thriller. Hiding out in a very remote forest of northern California, this doctor attempts to escape with the 4 year old boy. What happens next are series of dangerous and wild pursuits, FBI actions, and alot more. To say too much might give away too much!