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A review by deearr
The Deserter by Alex DeMille, Nelson DeMille
4.0
{60-second video review here} ---> http://bit.ly/The_Deserter
Get ready for a long and entertaining read. Father/son team Nelson & Alex DeMille will take you on a journey reminiscent of Apocalypse Now, although the overall flavor of the tale is much different. While the ride is not smooth at times, the thriller/spy aspects will definitely keep your nose buried in the book until the end.
It was refreshing to read a book in this genre where the characters are not enshrined with superhero status. Yes, protagonists Scott Brodie and Maggie Taylor excel in their roles as Warrant Officers, but they are not perfect. They make mistakes and bad things can happen to them. The storyline matches their skills, as the plot never jumps into uncharted waters with descriptions of an impossible plot that could never happen. There are multiple layers of misdemeanors and crimes, and Brodie/Taylor have to dig through all the clues to find the truth.
The book might seem overly lengthy at times, due to the deep description. Most of the time I didn’t notice the length as the details were laced with Brodie’s thoughts, much of them sarcastic or irreverent. Seeing the world through his viewpoint kept the book rolling. Without his constant interpretation of events, the book would have certainly bogged down under its own weight.
For those concerned, there is harsh language including f-bombs (more in the beginning than were probably necessary, though these thinned out as the book went on). One early scene had Brodie and Taylor in an embrace while hiding from the Caracas police, with sophomoric references to Brodie’s excited genitalia. One can only wince when an author stumbles down this path. Unfortunately, the DeMilles went from subtle hints concerning the sexual undertones to blatant high school double entendres. The unsaid internal dialogue from Scott Brodie was, at the very least, an unwelcome distraction. Although the number of instances slowed as the ending came closer, they never completely stopped.
Thankfully, none of these small bumps in the road were strong enough to destroy a powerful story. The majority of the descriptions and dialogues moved the story forward at a rapid pace and the ever-present danger kept me interested throughout the entire book. Definitely recommended. Four-and-a-half stars.
My thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an advance electronic copy of this book.
Get ready for a long and entertaining read. Father/son team Nelson & Alex DeMille will take you on a journey reminiscent of Apocalypse Now, although the overall flavor of the tale is much different. While the ride is not smooth at times, the thriller/spy aspects will definitely keep your nose buried in the book until the end.
It was refreshing to read a book in this genre where the characters are not enshrined with superhero status. Yes, protagonists Scott Brodie and Maggie Taylor excel in their roles as Warrant Officers, but they are not perfect. They make mistakes and bad things can happen to them. The storyline matches their skills, as the plot never jumps into uncharted waters with descriptions of an impossible plot that could never happen. There are multiple layers of misdemeanors and crimes, and Brodie/Taylor have to dig through all the clues to find the truth.
The book might seem overly lengthy at times, due to the deep description. Most of the time I didn’t notice the length as the details were laced with Brodie’s thoughts, much of them sarcastic or irreverent. Seeing the world through his viewpoint kept the book rolling. Without his constant interpretation of events, the book would have certainly bogged down under its own weight.
For those concerned, there is harsh language including f-bombs (more in the beginning than were probably necessary, though these thinned out as the book went on). One early scene had Brodie and Taylor in an embrace while hiding from the Caracas police, with sophomoric references to Brodie’s excited genitalia. One can only wince when an author stumbles down this path. Unfortunately, the DeMilles went from subtle hints concerning the sexual undertones to blatant high school double entendres. The unsaid internal dialogue from Scott Brodie was, at the very least, an unwelcome distraction. Although the number of instances slowed as the ending came closer, they never completely stopped.
Thankfully, none of these small bumps in the road were strong enough to destroy a powerful story. The majority of the descriptions and dialogues moved the story forward at a rapid pace and the ever-present danger kept me interested throughout the entire book. Definitely recommended. Four-and-a-half stars.
My thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an advance electronic copy of this book.