Blog Tour: Book Review – Pandora’s Succession

Media Type: Ebook
Title: Pandora’s Succession
Author: Russell Brooks
Publisher: Self-published
Pages: Paperback; 282
Release Date: October 24, 2010
Source: Author
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Genre: Thriller / Suspense

HDB Rating: 4 Keys to My Heart

Recommended to: Readers who enjoy a thrill ride of a book with fabulous characters!

Add it on: Goodreads / Shelfari / Amazon / B&N

CIA operative, Ridley Fox, never stopped hunting his fiancé’s killers — a weapons consortium called The Arms of Ares. When an informant leads him to an old bunker outside of Groznyy, Chechnya, Fox is captured and left for dead. When the informant rescues him, Fox learns that his capture was no coincidence: someone had set him up—possibly another government agent. Fox barely escapes after learning that Ares has acquired a hyperdeadly microbe—called Pandora—that is believed to have wiped out ancient civilizations. The trail leads Fox to Tokyo where he discovers that other forces —including agents within Japanese Intelligence—want Pandora for themselves. The only ally Fox turns to is a woman from his past who he nearly got killed.

Lest you think that this book is completely out of the ordinary for me to review, let me tell you a secret. I used to read thriller books ravenously. When I was younger they made up about 60% of our home library, so of course I read whatever I could get my hands on. I learned a lot about CIA operatives, bio weapons, types of guns and even some choice “colorful language”. I was lucky enough to have parents who didn’t censor what I read, and so I was able to experience this exciting genre of books.

That being said, I can say with all honesty that Pandora’s Succession ranks up there with my favorite thriller books. Russell Brooks has a knack for vivid writing, and each word read just drew me further and further into the intrigue. The premise of this story is fantastic! The deadly microbe Pandora is being mass produced, and it is up to Fox to stop it. I wondered, would he be able to put aside his vengeful feelings long enough to do it? Trust me, I was hooked.

Speaking of Ridley Fox, someone really needs to make a movie that features this main character. Fox’s character has the perfect mixture of charisma, and the ability to push his feelings aside to complete his mission. As an “action hero” of sorts, I was impressed with how well written his character really was. Fox wasn’t presented to me as this two-dimensional character who simply exists to fulfill the story. Instead his character had a lot of depth, a lot of background, and I found myself invested in his struggle without even noticing that it was happening. His vengeance fueled me, and I read on.

The one thing I was a little disappointed about, and I’m sure this is just me, is that I was able to figure out who the “mastermind” behind the whole plot was early on. Maybe it is the copious amount of books I’d read in the past that helped me with this. I couldn’t say. I can say that what impressed me most, however, was that this fact still didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment of the story. It’s so action-packed, so fueled with emotion, that you just have to hold on for dear life and read.

I recommend this book to any of you out there who are fans of action or thriller movies, as well as those of you who are interested in diving into this genre. Pandora’s Succession is an amazing place to start your foray. Just be sure to strap yourself in for a wild ride!

FTC Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. I was not monetarily compensated for my opinion.