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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
This one took me a little bit to get into, but then took off. Pretty typical Mitch Rapp novel. Kyle Mills did a good job.
STORY
This is the first Rapp novel in the series from Kyle Mills. After I found out Flynn passed away in 2013 and the series was taken over by Mills, I wasn't sure what to expect.
The Survivor was well done. It had excellent pacing, well-rounded characters, plenty of action, and a good dose of humor. While I can tell the difference between the two writing styles that Flynn and Mills have, it didn't set me off near as bad as I expected.
The story itself carries on from the previous novel, The Last Man, which was super fun. I cannot believe the twist with Rickman and this novel went gun-ho with that disaster. It was full-force rabbit trail. It did get a wee bit confusing at times but I blame that on the fact it probably was supposed to be confusing because Rickman was... obviously... that way. (Novels like this make me itchy to write more thrillers because I miss how much of a mind-mess they become.)
I enjoyed the plot! It is probably bad to say this, but the Rickman Twist (sh that's what I'm calling it forever) is one of my favorite things to have happened in the series. Just, wow. Mills did a great job carrying that on. It read like a true Rapp novel!
THEMES
This novel had very similar themes as the previous novel: it dealt with death, hope, betrayal, and once again, Rapp shows what doing the right thing looks like. Hint: sometimes it truly sucks. Mills perfectly encompassed the spirit behind this series... That no matter the odds, no matter how the world views you, no matter what, you have to fight. I could wax poetic but let's stop at this series truly motivates me.
And it also has a tendency to hit me hard when I need it most. This novel didn't disappoint in that division. At one point, we have Kennedy near meltdown and Stan's voice comes to her head: "You took this job, Princess. Suck it up and do it." AND BOY, DO I FEEL THAT. With everything going on in the world today, I've struggled with being out of control. I read The Survivor. It truly helped. Stan's twisted pep talks help me so much and just, wow.
Let's talk about the topic of death. It was handled immensely in this novel. Rapp novels always have death, of course. And let's not start on how every one of my favorite characters (except two now?) have died. But I respect how this novel deals with it. It helps it feel... survivable. I've struggled immensely with the thought of losing people I'm close to, I think we all do, and reading novels that drone on about the agony and pain... Those do more harm than good in my head. But this novel gave me some strength. Some courage.
As Christians, we believe in heaven and hell, and we aren't supposed to grieve without hope. In a strange sense, the Rapp novels show me how hope can still stand even when things feel hopeless. Even in the face of death.
Just a great book with some cool themes, y'all.
CHARACTERS
The characters were all well written and didn't drastically change. I enjoyed seeing the "other side" of Rick and him sending those videos after death was not only wicked, but pretty... how do I say it... cool? It isn't often done in fiction but dang, if it isn't interesting to read about. All of the baddies in this book were pretty interesting.
Rapp was his usual self though we do see him processing some locked up emotions. He was really great. I guess my biggest issue with the book is a rather normal issue I have with Rapp... His taste in women. The rest of my thoughts on this will be spoilerish so... Rapp is a cool guy, and his struggle of finding a woman who is OK with his line of work is hard to do, I get all of this. But I didn't really... *like* the plot twist of Gould getting killed--though Stan killing him was fantastic--in the name of Rapp getting his wife and daughter? I don't know what happens in the rest of the series, so I could be off the mark, but I just... I know the plot must move forward. I know these characters are assassins and do what must be done, not what feels good. But this plot twist felt icky to me. Claudia used to be a great character but her throwing herself at Rapp felt out of character. If Rapp decides to *help* her live--perfect! Good! If they become a couple... that's just... too weird. Even for me. I don't know.
Coleman, Wicker, and Maslick! My boys! I love them so much. So much. None of them are allowed to die. If they die, I die. *cough*
MARCUS IS A HUGE MOOD. I mean, I've never fooled myself into thinking, "I could survive a Rapp novel!" but if Marcus can... I mean... I guess... Anyway, Marcus was absolutely fantastic, I love him always and forever.
Irene is, once again, incredible. I loved her character arc in this novel. And her son is absolutely amazing.
And last but not least... Stan Hurley. Stan has been one of my favorite characters from American Assassin forward (which led to dismay when he wasn't in every single book, haha). He has always made me laugh (his twisted sense of humor, y'all) and always encouraged me in a strange way. God has me read this series when I have needed to--every time Stan comes on and runs his mouth, it is usually when I need to hear what he's saying. That's amazing to me. Stan has always been a super intriguing character. And while I have braced myself for his death since American Assassin... it was perfect. Everything about it. Just, wow. And the aftermath of Rapp carrying him out...
CONTENT
R. Heavy swearing. Mentions of drinking/getting drunk. Descriptions of nudity. Descriptions of blood, gore, murder (on-screen), violence, all that.
OVERALL
I have a few personal nitpicks and questions, but I can't wait for Order To Kill. I really enjoyed this book. 4 stars rounded to 5 because of Stan Hurley, y'all.
This is the first Rapp novel in the series from Kyle Mills. After I found out Flynn passed away in 2013 and the series was taken over by Mills, I wasn't sure what to expect.
The Survivor was well done. It had excellent pacing, well-rounded characters, plenty of action, and a good dose of humor. While I can tell the difference between the two writing styles that Flynn and Mills have, it didn't set me off near as bad as I expected.
The story itself carries on from the previous novel, The Last Man, which was super fun. I cannot believe the twist with Rickman and this novel went gun-ho with that disaster. It was full-force rabbit trail. It did get a wee bit confusing at times but I blame that on the fact it probably was supposed to be confusing because Rickman was... obviously... that way. (Novels like this make me itchy to write more thrillers because I miss how much of a mind-mess they become.)
I enjoyed the plot! It is probably bad to say this, but the Rickman Twist (sh that's what I'm calling it forever) is one of my favorite things to have happened in the series. Just, wow. Mills did a great job carrying that on. It read like a true Rapp novel!
THEMES
This novel had very similar themes as the previous novel: it dealt with death, hope, betrayal, and once again, Rapp shows what doing the right thing looks like. Hint: sometimes it truly sucks. Mills perfectly encompassed the spirit behind this series... That no matter the odds, no matter how the world views you, no matter what, you have to fight. I could wax poetic but let's stop at this series truly motivates me.
And it also has a tendency to hit me hard when I need it most. This novel didn't disappoint in that division. At one point, we have Kennedy near meltdown and Stan's voice comes to her head: "You took this job, Princess. Suck it up and do it." AND BOY, DO I FEEL THAT. With everything going on in the world today, I've struggled with being out of control. I read The Survivor. It truly helped. Stan's twisted pep talks help me so much and just, wow.
Let's talk about the topic of death. It was handled immensely in this novel. Rapp novels always have death, of course. And let's not start on how every one of my favorite characters (except two now?) have died. But I respect how this novel deals with it. It helps it feel... survivable. I've struggled immensely with the thought of losing people I'm close to, I think we all do, and reading novels that drone on about the agony and pain... Those do more harm than good in my head. But this novel gave me some strength. Some courage.
As Christians, we believe in heaven and hell, and we aren't supposed to grieve without hope. In a strange sense, the Rapp novels show me how hope can still stand even when things feel hopeless. Even in the face of death.
Just a great book with some cool themes, y'all.
CHARACTERS
The characters were all well written and didn't drastically change. I enjoyed seeing the "other side" of Rick and him sending those videos after death was not only wicked, but pretty... how do I say it... cool? It isn't often done in fiction but dang, if it isn't interesting to read about. All of the baddies in this book were pretty interesting.
Rapp was his usual self though we do see him processing some locked up emotions. He was really great. I guess my biggest issue with the book is a rather normal issue I have with Rapp... His taste in women. The rest of my thoughts on this will be spoilerish so...
Coleman, Wicker, and Maslick! My boys! I love them so much. So much. None of them are allowed to die. If they die, I die. *cough*
MARCUS IS A HUGE MOOD. I mean, I've never fooled myself into thinking, "I could survive a Rapp novel!" but if Marcus can... I mean... I guess... Anyway, Marcus was absolutely fantastic, I love him always and forever.
Irene is, once again, incredible. I loved her character arc in this novel. And her son is absolutely amazing.
And last but not least... Stan Hurley. Stan has been one of my favorite characters from American Assassin forward (which led to dismay when he wasn't in every single book, haha). He has always made me laugh (his twisted sense of humor, y'all) and always encouraged me in a strange way. God has me read this series when I have needed to--every time Stan comes on and runs his mouth, it is usually when I need to hear what he's saying. That's amazing to me. Stan has always been a super intriguing character.
CONTENT
R. Heavy swearing. Mentions of drinking/getting drunk. Descriptions of nudity. Descriptions of blood, gore, murder (on-screen), violence, all that.
OVERALL
I have a few personal nitpicks and questions, but I can't wait for Order To Kill. I really enjoyed this book. 4 stars rounded to 5 because of Stan Hurley, y'all.
In the long-awaited return of Mitch Rapp, Kyle Mills tries to fill the enormous shoes left with the passing of Vince Flynn. When former CIA ace Agent Rick Rickman stole a large collection of highly classified documents, panic ensued. The identities of a number of agents and missions spanning all four corners of the earth were now in the hands of a man who sacrificed himself to the Pakistanis. Director Irene Kennedy has little choice but to release her star field agent, Mitch Rapp, to intercept Rickman and get the files back. However, little does she know that even with Rickman's death, the headaches are far from over. Somehow, documents are being released electronically, through some timed release format. While Rapp and his team have been highly reactive, trying to protect those in grave danger, they are unable to proactively ascertain the location of the files and how to stop this ever-growing headache. As Rapp searches the world for the documents, he must also deal with the Pakistanis, whose impetus for learning and obtaining this mountain of secrets could put them in a position to become the first Muslim superpower, with nuclear capabilities. As Rapp works diligently and Kennedy's hold on the CIA lessens, the reader is left to wonder if Rapp has finally met his match and will go down with guns blazing. Mills does a wonderful job at the helm, injecting the same sass and gumption into the Rapp character as ever before.
In a recent review, I spoke about Kyle Mills and his ability to take on a series whose foundation was laid by a great author. Here, as Mills is handed the Mitch Rapp series, he must not only continue with the CIA-themed plot, but also fit himself behind the control panel that IS Mitch Rapp. With countless nuances within the Rapp character, Mills must deliver to a collection of fans who have been ravenous for a novel depicting their beloved Rapp. As the title suggests, Mills did complete his task with his head held high and is assured of being adopted into the larger Vince Flynn fan club.With fast-paced action and a great attention to detail, Mills write a seamless fourteenth novel in the series, whose authorship is unclear, the novel reads so well. A must-read for series fans, especially those concerned about the transition, for few will find fault in what they are presented.
Kudos, Mr. Mills for this novel with does immortalise Vince Flynn and the Mitch Rapp character so completely. Please do continue with the storytelling and, in true character development fashion, begin to morph things and shake things up where you can.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
In a recent review, I spoke about Kyle Mills and his ability to take on a series whose foundation was laid by a great author. Here, as Mills is handed the Mitch Rapp series, he must not only continue with the CIA-themed plot, but also fit himself behind the control panel that IS Mitch Rapp. With countless nuances within the Rapp character, Mills must deliver to a collection of fans who have been ravenous for a novel depicting their beloved Rapp. As the title suggests, Mills did complete his task with his head held high and is assured of being adopted into the larger Vince Flynn fan club.With fast-paced action and a great attention to detail, Mills write a seamless fourteenth novel in the series, whose authorship is unclear, the novel reads so well. A must-read for series fans, especially those concerned about the transition, for few will find fault in what they are presented.
Kudos, Mr. Mills for this novel with does immortalise Vince Flynn and the Mitch Rapp character so completely. Please do continue with the storytelling and, in true character development fashion, begin to morph things and shake things up where you can.
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Mini-Review:
4.5 Stars for Narration by George Guidall
3 Stars for Story
The writing and story flow changed. K Mills did a decent job of trying to keep the characters and style close to Vince Flynn's but I can tell the difference. I listened to these books from book 1-14 in the past week. It was a bit jarring to go from Flynn to Mills. I didn't realize that there would be a change.
Not sure if I want to keep going with the series because I'm not sure if I like the new perspective & writing style. I guess I'll give it at least one book before I give it up.
4.5 Stars for Narration by George Guidall
3 Stars for Story
The writing and story flow changed. K Mills did a decent job of trying to keep the characters and style close to Vince Flynn's but I can tell the difference. I listened to these books from book 1-14 in the past week. It was a bit jarring to go from Flynn to Mills. I didn't realize that there would be a change.
Not sure if I want to keep going with the series because I'm not sure if I like the new perspective & writing style. I guess I'll give it at least one book before I give it up.
Man I missed Mitch Rapp. The new author did a great job of capturing the essence of the character and the interplay with all his friends and enemies around the world. Loved it.
Not up to Vince Flynn's writing standard. Seemed to have been written and finished in a hurry. Situations changed and magically Mitch and the "gang" were there.. 8 hours of flying time, no sleep, no food..
Worth reading to see how some things end and it reads quickly so you can get on other, better books like Red Sparrow and Palace of Treason!
Worth reading to see how some things end and it reads quickly so you can get on other, better books like Red Sparrow and Palace of Treason!
I really love this entire series. If you start reading this make sure to google which order to read them in -- you can find this on the web -- the numbers that the publisher uses are just in order of being published.
Although his lead character, Mitch Rapp, was a man given to neither moderation nor observation of the finer points of the law and due process, Vince Flynn's unadorned but fluid writing and an occasional episode of unexpected depth had made the character one of the best of the best-selling Tough Guys Not Afraid to do What's Necessary.
Flynn's 2013 death from prostate cancer, at age 47, left the series with quite a bit of room to work, as Rapp himself was supposed to be only in his mid-40s. His estate and publishing house decided to continue the series with thriller author Kyle Mills, whose previous work didn't inspire confidence that he could continue to keep on the right side of self-parody with a character that could easily head that way if handled wrongly.
So it's a pleasant surprise that The Survivor, Mills' first outing with Rapp, is a lot better than expectations. He makes some good storytelling choices that help him succeed and set the field for him as a different author than Flynn with a different voice. The story itself is a kind of sequel to Flynn's last Rapp book, The Last Man. The CIA is still reeling from the fallout of Joseph Rickman's betrayal and now has to deal with the reality that Rickman's exposure of its secrets may not end with his death. Rapp has to ferret out the twisted electronic trail of Rickman's betrayal through several different layers before enemy operatives do. Pakistani security chief Ahmed Taj has his own plans for the data and a ruthlessness that may even outstrip Rapp's.
By keeping his first novel strongly tied to Flynn's last, Mills has a good guide about how to carry the story forward in a tone similar to his predecessor. The characters and the situations are not entirely pre-set, but Mills can rely on the earlier novel's echoes as he plays his own tune. Mills also makes overt Rapp's thinking about the way he is living his life and how that may end up, allowing him to move forward as well as allowing the author leeway when he moves outside those echoes. He's not writing Rapp exactly the way Flynn wrote him, but he's already pointed out in the narrative that he's doing so.
All that said, a lot of the seams show. Mills doesn't have Flynn's fluidity and too often steps outside the narrative to tell readers something that Flynn would have showed us. A couple of episodes that demonstrate Rapp's legendary impatience with bureaucracy and red tape seem a little obviously set up for that purpose instead of just flowing from the storyline itself. And despite his better-than-expected handling of another author's character, Survivor still shows itself as one author handling another author's character. The hope for a reader is that since Mills is currently contracted for two more Rapp novels he may be able to integrate his own voice with the character that fans have come to follow.
Original available here.
Flynn's 2013 death from prostate cancer, at age 47, left the series with quite a bit of room to work, as Rapp himself was supposed to be only in his mid-40s. His estate and publishing house decided to continue the series with thriller author Kyle Mills, whose previous work didn't inspire confidence that he could continue to keep on the right side of self-parody with a character that could easily head that way if handled wrongly.
So it's a pleasant surprise that The Survivor, Mills' first outing with Rapp, is a lot better than expectations. He makes some good storytelling choices that help him succeed and set the field for him as a different author than Flynn with a different voice. The story itself is a kind of sequel to Flynn's last Rapp book, The Last Man. The CIA is still reeling from the fallout of Joseph Rickman's betrayal and now has to deal with the reality that Rickman's exposure of its secrets may not end with his death. Rapp has to ferret out the twisted electronic trail of Rickman's betrayal through several different layers before enemy operatives do. Pakistani security chief Ahmed Taj has his own plans for the data and a ruthlessness that may even outstrip Rapp's.
By keeping his first novel strongly tied to Flynn's last, Mills has a good guide about how to carry the story forward in a tone similar to his predecessor. The characters and the situations are not entirely pre-set, but Mills can rely on the earlier novel's echoes as he plays his own tune. Mills also makes overt Rapp's thinking about the way he is living his life and how that may end up, allowing him to move forward as well as allowing the author leeway when he moves outside those echoes. He's not writing Rapp exactly the way Flynn wrote him, but he's already pointed out in the narrative that he's doing so.
All that said, a lot of the seams show. Mills doesn't have Flynn's fluidity and too often steps outside the narrative to tell readers something that Flynn would have showed us. A couple of episodes that demonstrate Rapp's legendary impatience with bureaucracy and red tape seem a little obviously set up for that purpose instead of just flowing from the storyline itself. And despite his better-than-expected handling of another author's character, Survivor still shows itself as one author handling another author's character. The hope for a reader is that since Mills is currently contracted for two more Rapp novels he may be able to integrate his own voice with the character that fans have come to follow.
Original available here.