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Jud H

Jud H

has 21 followers and is following 20 people

10/09/09

I've recently started reviewing books for several websites. This is an unpaid gig but I get to write about books that I love to read and occasionally it may pay me a little for author requested "express reviews." This is something anyone can do and I do enjoy seeing my reviews posted.

You can look up my reviews on the... more »
  • Fayetteville, AR, USA
  • member since June 29, 2008

Reviews

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Displaying 1-10 of 58 reviews
  • Gypsies, Tramps, and Thieves
    • Rated 4 stars

    “Jack Sloan is on the run from some very nasty characters. Two years earlier, as the head of All Nations Gaming, he was in a bind trying to find funding to complete two projects-43 million to be exact- and his available options were limited. So, when some interested investors stepped forward, Jack jumped on the opportunity. Unfortunately, the investors are not what or who they appear to be and have targeted Jack as the next victim of an elaborate con. When Jack discovers what is really going on, he takes off with their money and heads off the mountains of New Mexico, intending to drop off the radar. His plans go awry when the “investors” discover where he is and come for their money. Thus begins a game of cat and mouse, a game that Jack can’t afford to lose.

    Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves by Larry Seeley is a fast-paced novel with an entertaining cast of characters. While not the best debut novel I’ve ever read, it certainly isn’t the worst either. I enjoyed the plot but it did tend to ramble just a little in a few spots. That said, this novel does have the potential to become the first in a series if Seeley chooses to do so. Taking into consideration the riveting cliff-hanger ending, I can easily give this novel 4/5 stars.
    ”

    Jud H wrote this review 3 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink )
  • Signal 30

    Signal 30

    by James Twerell
    • Rated 4 stars

    “The Walshes return home from their holiday trip to find a package on their front porch. When their daughter Trisha opens it, it explodes, critically injuring her. Detective Shane Murphy is assigned to the case but is having pressing problems of his own that this assignment will only add to: a cutthroat reporter will stop at nothing to make him look bad and his wife is filing for a divorce. While interviewing Mr. Walsh at the hospital, Murphy unknowingly encounters the bomber, Fred, after he causes a disturbance at the hospital and lets him go with a warning. It is not until ATF agent Stacy Landline arrives that the connection between Fred and the Walsh family is finally discovered. Now Murphy and Landou must deal with the press and copy-cat bombers as they race to stop the bomber before it is too late.

    Signal 30 by James Twerell is a fast- paced novel that gives a behind-the-scenes look at the search for a killer. I was impressed by the level of details woven into the story. The characters were well developed without being overdone and the plot was believable, with ample action for even the most die-hard action junkies. The one thing I would like to see in future novels, if this becomes a series, would be a more expansive plot, where the villain isn't revealed until much later in the story. All in all, this was an enjoyable book worthy of 4/5 stars.”

    Jud H wrote this review Sunday, September 25, 2011. ( reply | permalink )
  • 2031: The Singularity Pogrom
    • Rated 5 stars

    “The Domain-led by Dianne Morgan, seeks to establish a new human race, one that is a blending of man and machine. One of the few people that can stop her is Ray Brown, taken hostage by her and framed for the release of a devastating computer virus. Her plans become endangered when Ray is rescued by enemies of the Domain, based in Africa. Her hopes rise when Ray’s grandson, Martin, shows an exceptional ability to communicate the artificial intelligence known as Sentinel. Mankind’s only hope in stopping Dianne is by destroying Sentinel before she can blend Martin with Sentinel. Time is of the essence and Dianne’s AI army relentlessly pursues David across the continent, with mankind’s future hanging in the balance.

    The Singularity Pogrom by Dan Ronco is a technological thriller with few equals. It continues the story started in Peacemaker and continued in Unholy Domain. I would recommend reading those two books first, as they will likely fill in a lot of the back story missing from this third book-I was unaware this was part of a trilogy and thus haven’t read the first two. In any case, Singularity Pogrom is a highly enjoyable read with an intriguing plot. Mankind has always had a fascination with where the next evolutionary step will take us and this novel offers up one possibility, albeit a rather fantastic one. Fans of science fiction will hungrily devour this novel and will find it difficult to put down once started. I would give this book 5/5 stars without hesitation.
    ”

    Jud H wrote this review Sunday, August 21, 2011. ( reply | permalink )
  • Black Widow and the Sandman
    • Rated 4 stars

    “Something is killing the citizens of Cuba, most notably the children. Doctors are at their wits end try to identify the toxin and find a cure. Rumors are already beginning to circulate that this "plague" is an act of aggression by the United States Government. The head of the Cuban Toxicology Agency reaches out to Lincoln, his friend in the US Government, in a desperate attempt to find the one scientist who can stop this plague. That scientist is Jeanette "Black Widow" Mason, a loner scientist of virtually unmatched skill. Her bodyguard is to be Roman "The Sandman" Tate, the world's top mercenary. The question is can he protect her from the people developed this toxin and don't want a cure found.

    Black Widow and the Sandman by L. L. Reaper introduces readers to the scientist known as the Black Widow and the mercenary known as the Sandman. Reaper has created two fascinating characters that have the potential to make this a long-lasting series. I've been a fan of the medical thriller ever since I read Robin Cook's Coma and I came close to that same level of excitement with this book. That said, there is room for improvement. I would like to have learned more about the people behind this toxin, more than just the brief mention they received. The novel ends without the reader really knowing the real purpose behind the plot. This plot point could have been developed much further than it was. However. I would recommend this novel to thriller fans, gladly giving it 4/5 stars.
    ”

    Jud H wrote this review Tuesday, July 5, 2011. ( reply | permalink )
  • Death By Wall Street: Rampage Of The Bulls
    • Rated 4 stars

    “The Wall Street Bull is one of the most recognizable symbols in America. It represents the center of power and wealth: Wall Street. Countless lives can be affected both positively and negatively by simply uttering the words “buy” or “sell.” When a severed head is found impaled on the Wall Street Bull, Det. Louis Martelli realizes someone is trying to make a “point.” After two more similar murders and a fast-track tutorial about how Wall Street relates to the pharmaceutical industry, Martelli begins to realize that these murders may not be unrelated. His investigation turns up a woman who was unable to get the medicine that could have saved her life due to the FDA not approving it. It also comes to light that her son was asked to leave the FDA hearing at which his mother testified because he became upset when some members of the panel dozed off during his mother’s testimony. Martelli must put aside his personal feelings about what happened and travel across the country in order to capture the killer.

    Death by Wall Street: Rampage of the Bulls by Theodore Jerome Cohen is an incredible journey into the often deceptively golden world of Wall Street. Cohen weaves a fascinating plot around what should be one of the most transparent processes of all but is often not: the approval of a potentially lifesaving drug. Most of us have no real idea of how a drug is created, tested and finally approved for use. Cohen’s novel takes the reader inside this process, from the firm on Wall Street that rates the stock to the FDA Advisory Panel that approves or disapproves a drug and everything in-between. Martelli is a character with tremendous potential that I hope Cohen will exploit to the fullest. The only improvement I would have made would be to have a prologue to set up the scene in Chapter 1. With that in mind, I happily give this novel 4/5 stars.
    ”

    Jud H wrote this review Wednesday, April 13, 2011. ( reply | permalink )
  • Coils of the Serpent
    • Rated 5 stars

    “What if it could be proven that the Bible does parallel science? What if it could be shown that the knowledge that was said to come from the Tree of Knowledge is actually the human genome? This is what 3 friends, Dan, Shannon and John, set out to examine after coming across a mysterious stranger at their favorite hangout. He challenges them to find a connection between the story portrayed in Genesis and the mainstream scientific beliefs concerning the origins of the human race. Could there actually have been multiple Edens? As the three friends begin an in-depth analysis of the Bible and try to find a new way to interpret the content, they unknowingly open a Pandora’s Box. Meanwhile, at the Pacific Institute of Theology for Youth, radical theocrats are recruiting young people under the guise of reforming them and training them to become “Soldiers of God.” When a student there disappears without a trace, FBI Agent Russell Hall is assigned to the case and the investigation leads him to the three friends. Together they must stop the religious fanatics that have infiltrated the highest levels of government from starting a religious war in America.

    Coils of the Serpent by Raymond Clark Lutz revolves around one of the most contentious debates in America tod ay: Science vs. Religion. On the one hand you have hard evidence, on the other, faith. But what if the two weren’t as far apart as hundreds of years of history have led everyone to believe? This question is examined critically by Lutz in the form of a movie-worthy novel. The scripture references and subsequent conclusions by the three friends appear to be based on sound reasoning and are quite believable. I would not recommend this book for those with a fragile faith, i.e., bothered by The DaVinci Code. However, if you are able to keep an open mind, this is an entertaining book that poses many intriguing questions. This book is definitely a 5 star.
    ”

    Jud H wrote this review Sunday, March 13, 2011. ( reply | permalink )
  • Executive Intent CD: A Novel
    • Rated 5 stars

    “Great book, lots of action. ”

    Jud H wrote this review Sunday, March 13, 2011. ( reply | permalink )
  • End Game: Irrational Acts, Tragic Consequences
    • Rated 5 stars

    “Naval Internal Affairs officers Mateo Valderas and Lt. Commander Antonio Del Rio are determined to get to the bottom of the Chilean Bank heist and the Antarctic Expedition murders of a few years before. They are convinced that Capt. Robert Munoz is the key to solving both cases. Munoz had come from humble means and risen quickly through the ranks. He was very close to Commander Barbudos, one of the men lost on the Antarctic Expedition. As Valderas conducted interviews with expedition’s medical officer and Ted Stone, one of the American scientists on the expedition, he began to realize that some facts didn’t add up. Stone states that when he and Barbudos were trapped in the ice crevasse, Barbudos revealed that he was undercover as part of an Internal Affairs investigation of the two officers later found dead. When Stone reveals that he will h returning to Chile soon to help with another expedition, Valderas realizes that his life could be in danger once back in Chile. The case comes to a head when Munoz realizes that Stone has information that could end his plan to escape with the proceeds from the bank theft. He decides that Stone must be eliminated. Valderas must discover what Munoz’s next move is and stop him before it’s too late.

    End Game: Irrational Acts, Tragic Consequences by Theodore J. Cohen is the concluding novel of the Antarctic Murders trilogy. I had waited anxiously for this novel to come out and it didn’t disappoint. Cohen has created in Valderas and Del Rio a pair of investigators worthy of comparison to Holmes and Watson, with Munoz as their Moriarty. The plot moves swiftly without lagging and is definitely a page-turner. End Game continues the twists and turns of its two predecessors. I highly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys a thriller that breaks the mold and I give it 5 stars.
    ”

    Jud H wrote this review Sunday, January 9, 2011. ( reply | permalink )
  • Unfinished Business: Pursuit of an Antarctic Killer
    • Rated 5 stars

    “Captain Munoz and the crew of the Lientur have returned to Chile and are trying to put the tragedies of the expedition behind them. The mystery of the apparent looting of the Banco Central de Chile continues to baffle the Chilean Naval Office of Internal Affairs. Two new investigators, Captain Mateo Valderas and Lieutenant-Commander Antonio Del Rio, discover that a recent murder at the base in Arica, Chile is actually connected to the looting of the bank and the deaths of the Lientur’s crewmen. As they delve deeper into the events of the Antarctic expedition, the captain of the Lientur rises to the top as their chief suspect in the recent murder and that he may be the key to recovering the stolen assets from the bank. Valderas and Rio must catch the killer before he kills again.

    Unfinished Business: Pursuit of an Antarctic Killer by Theodore Jerome Cohen is the second of three books in the Antarctic Murders trilogy. The trilogy, based on true events with a bit of fiction mixed in, is a fascinating read that I had trouble putting down. Cohen uses rich character development to continue the chronicling of the Chilean Antarctic Expedition and the events surrounding the May, 1960 Chilean earthquake. Cohen’s skills as a writer make the reader feel a part of the story. One of the best attributes o f this trilogy is that the mystery is actually very complex without seeming so. I already have the trilogy’s concluding book and plan to read it in the near future, as I am anxious to see how the story ends. I give this book 5 of 5 stars.
    ”

    Jud H wrote this review Sunday, January 9, 2011. ( reply | permalink )
  • Human Services: Elimination of Evil
    • Rated 5 stars

    “What would you do if you had the chance to permanently get rid of the criminals committing violent crimes? Could you do it? This is the questions that Human Services therapist Ryan Martin is faced with. Martin knows better than most about the chances of a violent offender returning to his old ways. After years of reading about ex-cons being arrested again for the same crime that put them in prison to begin with, he can’t take it anymore. After reading his resignation letter, the judge with whom he works closely presents an opportunity to him: work for the Judge to eliminate violent repeat offenders who manage to beat the system due to one reason or another. In exchange Martin gets a generous “salary” from the judge and the financial backing to open a private practice with multiple locations as a cover story. Martin must try to come to grips with the morality, or lack thereof, of what he’s doing, while keeping it a secret from his family and friends. Can Martin reconcile what he’s doing with himself or will it cost him everything he holds dear?

    Human Services: Elimination of Evil by John Rislove is a gripping novel about how society deals with crime and violence. I certainly have felt outrage over violent criminals and wished that I could do something. The author has created a character that we all should be able to identify with: a well-educated family man who feels helpless when he sees news of repeat violent offenders being let back out into society. I daresay that there are many Americans who might jump at the chance to eliminate the problem in the same manner as in this novel. Rislove does an excellent job of painting Martin as being torn between the morality of the judge’s proposal and the unquenchable desire to do what the justice system apparently can’t: remove violent offenders from society. I give this novel 5 of 5 stars.”

    Jud H wrote this review Sunday, December 19, 2010. ( reply | permalink )
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Displaying 1-10 of 58 reviews

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