Funny enough I just finished Lee Child's Killing Floor and just thought it was OK and not a patch on Scott Mariani Ben Hope although this could be because its the first book as I dont think the first ben Hope was the best in the series. What I doo like in the Ben Hope series you do feel if you read in order that there contnuity between storys although can bbe read out of order which I did (I started with The Armarda Legacy and read the next 3 but went and started with the first one and reading up to that one).
And of all things I'm about 75 pages into The American Assassin.
So far in this type of book my favorite characters are Ben Hope and Will Robie.
I think that's part of the issue with a lot of series, if you come to one later than another then you end up comparing it and seeing it as a "copy"
Lee Child really gave "men's books" a kick up the arse with Jack Reacher but Reacher was certainly not the first of his type. However outside of Nick Stone by McNab it was the first of that style of books I've read.
Guess some of the time it's a case of too much of the same thing. Possibly why I have up on American Assassin just under halfway. It was pretty much a clone of the last few books I have read having done the most recent McNab and Lee Child along with the first James Barringron. Also with American Assassin I found I really could not care less about Mitch Rapp who seemed a bit of a tosser in his intro.
I'm grateful for the Mariani recommendation as, whilst the character himself is very much the same as in other books I've read, the situation in background is completely different. Lee Child meets Dan Brown type thing. Guess closest I could compare are the Andy McDermott books but I was put off by the second, Atlantis, based one with the boyfriend / girlfriend arguing thing
One recommendation I would add is Matthew Reilly, start with Ice Station. They are so so over the top.The most full on action packed novels I've read, however again don't read too may too close together as the bizarreness and over the top nature will make your tiresome. Use them to once a year or so to just give yourself a break. The Michael Bay of novels
Yes I need to split my reading up again I was reading one of this genra and mixing with an historical and a David Baldacci even if not Will Robie I do find even if at the end of the book it lacking(some are great) do find his books sort of a comfort read.
I do like Mariani's Ben Hope he does have demons and screws his life up and far from perfect but basically a decent guy.
David baldaccis camel club are a good if small set.
I read his first one The Camel Club and I have problems following multi characters and this book has them and I had no problem at all the first I only read so far 5/5
P.S. not a Recher type of story but a conspiracy and dirty deeds. I have of the Camel Club series, The Collectors, Stone Cold and Hell's Corner,not read and still have to buy Divine Justice. Are any of them any good?
Think my big issue with American Assassin was I really did not like the central character. In all these books I know we are supposed to take everything with a pinch of salt regards the characters invulnerability and skills, but Mitch Rapp just seem such a cock womble
Was very much the character than if you said you had been to Tenerife he would have been to Elevenerife. Could run faster, fight harder (taking on this legend of an instructor and only loosing as the chap had to cheat) and do everything but shoot better than anyone else. And then half hour on shooting range he had turned into Chris Kyle
Big thing for me in these style of books, with just the one central character, is a need to at least like / believe the "hero" and I could not care less about Mitch Rapp. I had similar issues with the Mark Greaney "grey man" The book itself was not bad, it's just the hero seemed more invulnerable than superman ! I actually read it having smashed my collar up into five pieces after coming off pushbike at 12 miles an hour. The chap in this book would not only have bounced, he would have dented the tarmac !
I just got to the part where he's been on the shooting range.
As for Grey Man I thought oh no not an other one I have to read but checking found it was this.https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00G4LJE74/ref=oh_aui_d_detailpage_o01_?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I just finished this and was not over impressed, it does not start good when in the first chapter is whats happening in the last few chapters, and the rest of the books leading up to it. To me its a cliche and sometime for me says the story's that boring at the start we have to show you something interesting later on to hook you.
I did not mind the first part of the book apart from the above but for me there were too many plot-lines and characters.
There's even one chapter where Mitch is driving down the road and without warning jumps back in time for a couple of pages.
I'm not happy with multiple plot-lines and lots of character's. I think only David Baldacci the only one that done that, that I can follow.
I have some more of him I picked up cheap so will give him an other go and as it was his first book hope he improves.
2/5
You made it further than me. Did not take to Rapp at all
I'm 65% through latest "Tom Clancy" and loving it. Now Tom Clancy was a guy who could handle multiple characters and branching story and this new guy who taken over doing great job
Orphan X by Gregg Hurwitz
It's what Jack Reacher would be if Matthew Reilly wrote him and Bruckhiemer produced.
I was put off initially as thought was a teenage style book and also found the first couple chapters a little silly but then settled in for the ride
Yes it's been done before. Yes it is Jack Reacher mixed with Jason Bourne. Yes it's a bit silly and fanciful but it's bloody good fun.
Once I got those first few chapters out of the way I've been hooked and just at fifty percent in little over a day and half.
If stays like this it's defiantly a series I will stay with