Genre: Action Thriller Publication.Date March 29th 2011 Pages: 286 Where to get: Smashwords, Amazon, Published By: Ann Egan Publishers Website Brian Springer on Goodreads Highway to Vengeance - Goodreads My review copy: Received from the author (Thank you!)
For fans of Dennis Lehane, Lee Child, and George Pelecanos: When ex-Navy SEAL Thomas Highway's wife is murdered right in front of his eyes, he sets out to find the men responsible. His investigation leads to Ferdinand Montoya, the former kingpin of a powerful Mexican drug cartel, but before he can exact justice, the Department of Homeland Security steps in and orders him to back off. Despite the threats from the Homeland Security, Highway presses on, and soon finds himself caught up in a conspiracy involving Weapons of Mass Destruction, underground cross-border tunnels, and a shady government agency intent on using Highway to execute their own agenda. From the sun-drenched beaches of San Diego to the crime-ridden streets of Tijuana, HIGHWAY TO VENGEANCE combines a hard-boiled first-person Point Of View with modern thriller elements and a dash of real-life SEAL training to create a novel that explores the darkness within us all, the lengths one man will go to avenge his lost love, and the very nature of vengeance itself.
(goodreads.com)
Listen to you, going all Dirty Harry and shit.
Now, if you talk to me, the people that you're in bed with might find out, and they might catch up with you, and they might do some terrible things to you. I understand. But let me make something very clear. If you don't give me some information that I can use, I'll kill you. Right here. Right now. And it won't be quick.
Highway to Vengeance by Brian Springer is a fast-paced and gripping action thriller. Well written and with a solid plot, it's a perfect read for long summer evenings with a cuppa coffee!
The protagonist of this story, Thomas Highway is an ex-Navy SEAL. He decided to join the Navy ranks after the 911 attacks, but was forced to drop out not long after finishing his training, due to a life-threatening health issue. The story starts with Thomas and his wife, Josie, having their weekly lunch at a BBQ place in San Diego. It's a beautiful, sunny day, the food was fantastic and everyone is in a great mood, especially Tom and Josie, who seem to be as in love with each other as ever. Everything is just perfect. After the meal they separate, as Josie has an important meeting at her office. She leaves first and Tom, still sitting at the restaurant's patio, is watching her cross the street. That's when everything comes tumbling down. From where he sits, Tom witnesses Josie being hit by a speeding car. She dies in his arms few minutes later. Highway is convinced that the so-called car accident wasn't an accident at all, but a deliberate murder. Devastated and desperate for vengeance, he's set on doing everything he can to find the person behind Josie's murder. With help from his best friend, Willis (who owns a Security and Investigations Company), Thomas will do whatever it takes to avenge his wife's death.
As he goes deeper into his investigation, he realizes that the murder of his wife is actually a conspiracy on a much bigger scale than he ever expected. Before he knows it, he's caught up in a situation involving Homeland Security, Mexican drug cartels, Weapons of Mass Destruction and a suspicious government agency intent on using him as a pawn in their conspiracy game. Not knowing who to trust, Highway is going to have to make some tough choices. It will take everything he learned during his Navy SEAL training to get out of this alive.
Highway to Vengeance is a quick and pleasant read, which I enjoyed a lot, but would have enjoyed even more if it was a bit longer. I loved how gripping the story was and I definitely had a lot of fun with all the twists and turns in the plot, but at the same time I found myself wishing that the author would give us a little bit more insight into what was going on in Highway's head. It lacked the emotional depth. Don't get me wrong, the book really is a great piece of action thriller, packed with kick-ass adventures and life-threatening situations that will keep you on the edge of your chair, but I just couldn't get emotionally involved with it, as it didn't offer much of anything else but action. Nonetheless, Highway to Vengeance is no doubt a well-written and believable action thriller, with no loose ends. I liked the BUD/S training interludes, they made the whole thing a whole lot more interesting and dynamic.
Final verdict: It's a bad-ass story, that slams into you at full speed from the very start and takes you on a wild thrill ride. It tears along at breakneck speed, has plenty of obstacles, and the bad guys get what they deserve in the end. It might not be the most original story ever, after all vengeance is quite a popular subject in both movies and books, but it's definitely worth reading!
The protagonist of this story, Thomas Highway is an ex-Navy SEAL. He decided to join the Navy ranks after the 911 attacks, but was forced to drop out not long after finishing his training, due to a life-threatening health issue. The story starts with Thomas and his wife, Josie, having their weekly lunch at a BBQ place in San Diego. It's a beautiful, sunny day, the food was fantastic and everyone is in a great mood, especially Tom and Josie, who seem to be as in love with each other as ever. Everything is just perfect. After the meal they separate, as Josie has an important meeting at her office. She leaves first and Tom, still sitting at the restaurant's patio, is watching her cross the street. That's when everything comes tumbling down. From where he sits, Tom witnesses Josie being hit by a speeding car. She dies in his arms few minutes later. Highway is convinced that the so-called car accident wasn't an accident at all, but a deliberate murder. Devastated and desperate for vengeance, he's set on doing everything he can to find the person behind Josie's murder. With help from his best friend, Willis (who owns a Security and Investigations Company), Thomas will do whatever it takes to avenge his wife's death.
As he goes deeper into his investigation, he realizes that the murder of his wife is actually a conspiracy on a much bigger scale than he ever expected. Before he knows it, he's caught up in a situation involving Homeland Security, Mexican drug cartels, Weapons of Mass Destruction and a suspicious government agency intent on using him as a pawn in their conspiracy game. Not knowing who to trust, Highway is going to have to make some tough choices. It will take everything he learned during his Navy SEAL training to get out of this alive.
Highway to Vengeance is a quick and pleasant read, which I enjoyed a lot, but would have enjoyed even more if it was a bit longer. I loved how gripping the story was and I definitely had a lot of fun with all the twists and turns in the plot, but at the same time I found myself wishing that the author would give us a little bit more insight into what was going on in Highway's head. It lacked the emotional depth. Don't get me wrong, the book really is a great piece of action thriller, packed with kick-ass adventures and life-threatening situations that will keep you on the edge of your chair, but I just couldn't get emotionally involved with it, as it didn't offer much of anything else but action. Nonetheless, Highway to Vengeance is no doubt a well-written and believable action thriller, with no loose ends. I liked the BUD/S training interludes, they made the whole thing a whole lot more interesting and dynamic.
Final verdict: It's a bad-ass story, that slams into you at full speed from the very start and takes you on a wild thrill ride. It tears along at breakneck speed, has plenty of obstacles, and the bad guys get what they deserve in the end. It might not be the most original story ever, after all vengeance is quite a popular subject in both movies and books, but it's definitely worth reading!
9 comments:
Great review, Evie! It sounds like something I would enjoy, I am adding this book to my TBR list!
Thanks!
I love reading book with military men and conspiracy theories so I'm going to pick this up eventually. Awesome review.
Great review, I would pick it to my summer reading with cup of coffee - like you said. :D It sounds good and the cover is -- strange. :) I like it.
Nikita
Good review! Thanks for sharing your thoughts on what I sure is a good read.
The cover certainly looks intriguing. I better put this on my mounting to-reads list.
The name caught my eye i like the sound of it :D
sounds interesting
This book sounds a little too action-based for my taste, especially since you siad that you weren't emotionally involved with it, and that it offers little else other than the action. It still sounds pretty interesting, but it's like one of those books that I would love as a film, but not so much as a movie. Great review! (The cover DOES look intriguing though.)
I really don't think this one is for me. And I have no idea who those other authors are in the synopsis. I am glad that you enjoyed it though!
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