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beastreader's review
3.0
Rules of Vengeance is the sequel to Rules of Deception by author, Christopher Reich. Luckily this book can be read as a stand alone novel. I didn't find anything missing by having not read the first book. Mr. Reich did a very nice job incorporating events from the prior novel into this current one.
Dr. Jonathan Ransom's wife Emma has been missing for quite some time now. After her disappearance, Dr. Ransom was shocked to learn that the woman he thought was his wife all this time, has been using him as a cover and is really a international agent.
Now Dr. Ransom is being drawn into Emma's world. Dr. Ransom is in London for a medical conference. While in London a car full of foreign diplomats is bombed. A witness not only puts Dr. Ransom at the scene but as the main suspect. The officials want answers and they want them now. Dr. Ransom knows the authorities have the wrong man. He knows this because...he saw Emma at the scene of the crime! Now it is a race against the clock as Dr. Ransom trails after Emma with the authorities hot on his trail.
This story started out strong but lost some of its luster in the middle and ended on a high note. I liked that this story line had Dr. Ransom traveling all over the place. This book definitely had action and intrigue. What I am really looking for in my thrillers are ones that can grab me from the very beginning and don't let go till the end. Rules of Vengeance didn't do that for me. The beginning and ending were great but I could easily be distracted while reading this book, which for me is not a good thing. On the other hand though having never read anything by this author, I was impressed by this novel, though I lost some interest. I would still read another one of Mr. Reich's books.
Dr. Jonathan Ransom's wife Emma has been missing for quite some time now. After her disappearance, Dr. Ransom was shocked to learn that the woman he thought was his wife all this time, has been using him as a cover and is really a international agent.
Now Dr. Ransom is being drawn into Emma's world. Dr. Ransom is in London for a medical conference. While in London a car full of foreign diplomats is bombed. A witness not only puts Dr. Ransom at the scene but as the main suspect. The officials want answers and they want them now. Dr. Ransom knows the authorities have the wrong man. He knows this because...he saw Emma at the scene of the crime! Now it is a race against the clock as Dr. Ransom trails after Emma with the authorities hot on his trail.
This story started out strong but lost some of its luster in the middle and ended on a high note. I liked that this story line had Dr. Ransom traveling all over the place. This book definitely had action and intrigue. What I am really looking for in my thrillers are ones that can grab me from the very beginning and don't let go till the end. Rules of Vengeance didn't do that for me. The beginning and ending were great but I could easily be distracted while reading this book, which for me is not a good thing. On the other hand though having never read anything by this author, I was impressed by this novel, though I lost some interest. I would still read another one of Mr. Reich's books.
liberrydude's review
4.0
Lots of spy serendipity here. This one (ROV) was just as fast paced as the first one. More startling revelations and you can see another series with a new set of characters spinning off this book. This author is Ludlum-like with the intrigues and still when all is said and done it's not all said and done. At times the good doctor Ransom's instincts and judgment are just too good to be true. So good that professional spies dismiss his pleas of "I'm just a doctor" to be the lies of an accomplished and trained professional. Maybe the sequel to this book will take off on that angle-Rules of Survival? Also very interesting where/how the good doctor ends up in ROV.
whaney's review against another edition
4.0
I had read the first book in the series quite a while back and really enjoyed it. Finally got to book #2. Took a while to remember some things from the first book to put things in perspective with this one, but the book did provide the necessary connections when needed.
A good book of the US, MI5, and Russian spiecs.
Going to start the 3rd book in the series next.
A good book of the US, MI5, and Russian spiecs.
Going to start the 3rd book in the series next.
patchy710's review
5.0
AH!!! So awesome!! I love international thriller-espionage novels and this second installment in the Ransom (name) series did not disappoint! Fast paced and action packed, it reads as exciting as film! He leaves it with an awesome cliffhanger that left me begging for more!! I can't wait for the next!!!
epictetsocrate's review against another edition
3.0
Lumea era în flăcări.
Mașinile distruse risipite de-a lungul străzii erau înghițite de văpăi. Aerul era îmbâcsit de rotocoale de fum negru. Pe trotuar și pe stradă, cât vedeai cu ochii, zăceau împrăștiate cadavre. Peste tot pluteau fulgi de cenușă.
Jonathan Ransom stătea întins pe capota unei mașini, pe jumătate aruncat prin parbriz. Când dădu să-și ridice capul, un val de cioburi i se prelinse peste față. Își duse o mână la obraz, și aceasta i se umplu imediat de sânge. Nu auzea nimic altceva decât un țiuit prelung și dureros.
„Emma”, gândi el. „Ești teafără?”
Fără să stea pe gânduri, se trase din parbrizul sfărâmat și se lăsă să alunece de pe capotă. Se clătină, dar se sprijini cu o mână de mașină, încercând să-și recapete echilibrul. Trăgând aer în piept și limpezindu-și mintea, își aminti tot ce se întâmplase. Coloana de mașini negre, steagul tricolor fluturând prins de antenă, apoi lumina orbitoare, valul neașteptat de căldură și senzația de ușurare când fusese aruncat în aer.
Îşi croi încet cale printre cadavre și printre mașinile distruse, îndreptându-se înspre intersecția unde o văzuse ultima oară pe femeia cu păr castaniu și ochi căprui.
― Emma, strigă el, trecându-și privirea de-a lungul chipurilor cuprinse de uimire și de panică.
în locul în care fusese detonat BMW-ul cu care ea traversase orașul și pe care îl parcase atât de precis, se afla acum doar un crater. Vehiculul se găsea la cinci metri, cuprins de flăcări sălbatice, aproape de nerecunoscut. Vizavi de el, era unul dintre Mercedesuri sau, mai precis, ceea ce mai rămăsese din el. Nu se zărea niciun supraviețuitor. Explozia spulberase ferestrele tuturor clădirilor care se întindeau de-a lungul străzii. Prin fum, vedea draperiile legănându-se precum niște steaguri cu care cineva își anunța capitularea.
în capul străzii, o femeie blondă și slabă se ivi din fum, pășind hotărât înspre el. Într-o mână avea ceea ce părea un telefon sau un radio. În cealaltă ținea strâns un pistol îndreptat către el. Când îl văzu, îi strigă ceva. Nu reuși să audă ce îi spunea. Era prea mult haos, și fumul era prea gros pentru a-și putea da seama dacă era singură sau nu. Oricum, nu conta. Era polițistă și venea să pună mâna pe el.
Mașinile distruse risipite de-a lungul străzii erau înghițite de văpăi. Aerul era îmbâcsit de rotocoale de fum negru. Pe trotuar și pe stradă, cât vedeai cu ochii, zăceau împrăștiate cadavre. Peste tot pluteau fulgi de cenușă.
Jonathan Ransom stătea întins pe capota unei mașini, pe jumătate aruncat prin parbriz. Când dădu să-și ridice capul, un val de cioburi i se prelinse peste față. Își duse o mână la obraz, și aceasta i se umplu imediat de sânge. Nu auzea nimic altceva decât un țiuit prelung și dureros.
„Emma”, gândi el. „Ești teafără?”
Fără să stea pe gânduri, se trase din parbrizul sfărâmat și se lăsă să alunece de pe capotă. Se clătină, dar se sprijini cu o mână de mașină, încercând să-și recapete echilibrul. Trăgând aer în piept și limpezindu-și mintea, își aminti tot ce se întâmplase. Coloana de mașini negre, steagul tricolor fluturând prins de antenă, apoi lumina orbitoare, valul neașteptat de căldură și senzația de ușurare când fusese aruncat în aer.
Îşi croi încet cale printre cadavre și printre mașinile distruse, îndreptându-se înspre intersecția unde o văzuse ultima oară pe femeia cu păr castaniu și ochi căprui.
― Emma, strigă el, trecându-și privirea de-a lungul chipurilor cuprinse de uimire și de panică.
în locul în care fusese detonat BMW-ul cu care ea traversase orașul și pe care îl parcase atât de precis, se afla acum doar un crater. Vehiculul se găsea la cinci metri, cuprins de flăcări sălbatice, aproape de nerecunoscut. Vizavi de el, era unul dintre Mercedesuri sau, mai precis, ceea ce mai rămăsese din el. Nu se zărea niciun supraviețuitor. Explozia spulberase ferestrele tuturor clădirilor care se întindeau de-a lungul străzii. Prin fum, vedea draperiile legănându-se precum niște steaguri cu care cineva își anunța capitularea.
în capul străzii, o femeie blondă și slabă se ivi din fum, pășind hotărât înspre el. Într-o mână avea ceea ce părea un telefon sau un radio. În cealaltă ținea strâns un pistol îndreptat către el. Când îl văzu, îi strigă ceva. Nu reuși să audă ce îi spunea. Era prea mult haos, și fumul era prea gros pentru a-și putea da seama dacă era singură sau nu. Oricum, nu conta. Era polițistă și venea să pună mâna pe el.
canadianbookworm's review against another edition
4.0
This book picks up a few months after Rules of Deception left off. Jonathan Ransom is flying into London from his Doctors Without Borders post in Kenya to speak at a conference.
His wife Emma, presumed dead by most people, is also in town. She meets with him, but then tells him she must say goodbye, perhaps forever. He is determined to find out what is happening and follows her. Once again he gets drawn into the world of spies and terrorists, violence and flight.
The action-packed plot never stops, and kept me entertained through a long drive home from New York State.
His wife Emma, presumed dead by most people, is also in town. She meets with him, but then tells him she must say goodbye, perhaps forever. He is determined to find out what is happening and follows her. Once again he gets drawn into the world of spies and terrorists, violence and flight.
The action-packed plot never stops, and kept me entertained through a long drive home from New York State.
kathleenitpdx's review against another edition
2.0
This is the sequel to [b:Rules of Deception|2181495|Rules of Deception|Christopher Reich|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1255669805s/2181495.jpg|2187176]. It takes us into a deeper level of intrigue with Emma and Jonathan Ransom. It is not quite as satisfying as the previous book. Jonathan is less believable as a civilian who manages incredible feats of spying and survival. There are few incidents that just don't track. Reich leaves us set up for another book.
In this audio version narrated by Paul Michael, he hits most of the male characters dead on, but he uses a breathy voice for the female characters that does not hold up for the strong women.
In this audio version narrated by Paul Michael, he hits most of the male characters dead on, but he uses a breathy voice for the female characters that does not hold up for the strong women.
annaf's review against another edition
2.0
After reading Reich's first Ransom book, I resolved to not read any more. Should have kept my resolution - but I got hooked and then regretted it. Ransom's character is so naïve and at some point the plot just seemed to be a parody of itself.
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