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A review by heabooknerd
Viral Justice by Julie Rowe
3.0
We finally got some resolution to this series and while I was happy with how it all ended I did find VIRAL JUSTICE a little too close to the format of the previous books. I felt like this could have been a repeat of the last one where our main characters get called into a refugee camp, try to diagnose the illness, deal with angry villagers trying to stop them, and dodge the psychotic Akbar. Part of the problem also comes from the fact that Akbar has already created two very deadly and contagious viruses in the previous books so why is he still looking for another?
Akbar's questionable motives aside, I was quickly swept up in the action and suspense that ensues once Max and Ali leave the base. We've followed Max from the beginning and now we finally have his story and for the most part I enjoyed his character. Max is extremely dedicated to his job and keeping his people safe. His intelligence and honest demeanor means he's not always the most cuddly of people but it's clear how much his work and saving lives means to him. As his counterpoint, we have Sergeant Alicia Stone who was everything I could want in a badass heroine. She trains Special Forces soldiers and she doesn't take crap from anyone, Max included. She essentially spends the whole book kicking butt left and right and I was rooting her on every second.
While these two are a good match I did feel their relationship was rushed. Ali has been assigned to be Max's bodyguard and apparently this has been going on for a while and they've developed a bit of a friendship. But this history wasn't developed or demonstrated enough before they quite suddenly jumped into bed. I never felt like I had a good handle on their working relationship before it suddenly changed to a sexual relationship. This made Ali's involvement seem odd because she puts a lot of emphasis on the high standards she's held up to. Not only is she a woman in the male only field of Special Forces, she's also General Stone's daughter so she's always under the microscope (pun intended). So when Max and Ali get together without the reader seeing much of their backstory it makes it seem like Ali doesn't care about all these obstacles that she spends the rest of the book worrying about.
I was hoping for a stronger series finish but didn't quite get it. I am intrigued by the hints dropped at the end of the book and I plan to give the spin off series a try.
Akbar's questionable motives aside, I was quickly swept up in the action and suspense that ensues once Max and Ali leave the base. We've followed Max from the beginning and now we finally have his story and for the most part I enjoyed his character. Max is extremely dedicated to his job and keeping his people safe. His intelligence and honest demeanor means he's not always the most cuddly of people but it's clear how much his work and saving lives means to him. As his counterpoint, we have Sergeant Alicia Stone who was everything I could want in a badass heroine. She trains Special Forces soldiers and she doesn't take crap from anyone, Max included. She essentially spends the whole book kicking butt left and right and I was rooting her on every second.
While these two are a good match I did feel their relationship was rushed. Ali has been assigned to be Max's bodyguard and apparently this has been going on for a while and they've developed a bit of a friendship. But this history wasn't developed or demonstrated enough before they quite suddenly jumped into bed. I never felt like I had a good handle on their working relationship before it suddenly changed to a sexual relationship. This made Ali's involvement seem odd because she puts a lot of emphasis on the high standards she's held up to. Not only is she a woman in the male only field of Special Forces, she's also General Stone's daughter so she's always under the microscope (pun intended). So when Max and Ali get together without the reader seeing much of their backstory it makes it seem like Ali doesn't care about all these obstacles that she spends the rest of the book worrying about.
I was hoping for a stronger series finish but didn't quite get it. I am intrigued by the hints dropped at the end of the book and I plan to give the spin off series a try.