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The Tower by Hurwitz, Gregg Andrew (2001) Mass Market Paperback
See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil. A deadly warning in a deadly game.
In the bestselling tradition of The Silence of the Lambs comes The Tower, a novel of nail-biting suspense and heart-stopping terror played out in a psychological battle of wit, cunning, and pure evil between a diabolically clever killer and his determined hunter.
The Tower, nicknamed "Alcatraz II" by law enforcement officials, is infamous as the world's foremost airtight extreme maximum security prison. A futuristic building, it is located offshore of San Francisco, and built to be 100 percent escape-proof. The men who are condemned to spend the rest of their lives there are the most dangerous, violent offenders in the prison system -- men whose crimes have made it imperative that they be separated from society, from one another, and from hope -- forever.
Allander Atlasia, a psychopathic killer and himself the victim of a horrible sexual attack as a child, has been sentenced to the Tower for a series of gruesome crimes. But Atlasia manages to do the impossible -- he breaks out of the prison. He makes his way to the mainland and, armed with his own private agenda of hate and murder, begins his killing spree, intent on re-enacting and revenging the childhood tortures that turned him into a monster.
Jade Marlow is an ex-FBI agent who has been assigned to hunt down and capture Atlasia. A self-described "tracker," Marlow is relentless, fearless, and brilliant -- a loose cannon in a private struggle with his own demons. With a record of irrational behavior and violence, and a kind of genius for putting himself into the mind of a criminal predator that is itself a sort of madness, Marlow may just be the only man smart and diabolical enough to catch Atlasia.
Atlasia's victims are the unfortunate bystanders in this complex story of emotional and psychological horror, as they fall prey to this madman's twisted re-enactment of his own depraved past, as he rights the wrongs he feels have been visited upon him. His message to his pursuers is delivered in a particularly chilling manner, a literal realization of the old adage "See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil."
Two men -- one a sinister, inventive, pitiless serial killer, the other a brilliant sleuth and hunter who bears his own heavy burden of dark secrets and impulses -- play out a deadly game against a background of increasingly brutal murders, in which there are no rules but kill or be killed.
Superbly written, ingeniously plotted, and enormously entertaining, The Tower marks the debut of a stunning new writer.
Unknown Binding
First published April 7, 1999
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906 people want to read
About the author
Gregg Hurwitz
304 books6,835 followersGregg Hurwitz is the critically acclaimed, New York Times and internationally bestselling author of 20 novels, including OUT OF THE DARK (2019). His novels have been shortlisted for numerous literary awards, graced top ten lists, and have been published in 30 languages.
He is also a New York Times Bestselling comic book writer, having penned stories for Marvel (Wolverine, Punisher) and DC (Batman, Penguin). Additionally, he’s written screenplays for or sold spec scripts to many of the major studios, and written, developed, and produced television for various networks. Gregg resides in Los Angeles.
He is also a New York Times Bestselling comic book writer, having penned stories for Marvel (Wolverine, Punisher) and DC (Batman, Penguin). Additionally, he’s written screenplays for or sold spec scripts to many of the major studios, and written, developed, and produced television for various networks. Gregg resides in Los Angeles.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 164 reviews
February 3, 2020
Gregg Hurwitz is now an acclaimed author – largely due to his excellent “Orphan X” series, so I was interested to see what his debut novel – written back in 1999 – was like.
The Tower is, supposedly, the most secure part of a high security prison; half-submerged under the Pacific off the coast of central California. In the first section we’re given a guided tour of the Tower and introduced to its inmates, including a child-like psychopath called Allander Atlasia. Almost predictably, by the end of the section, Allander has escaped.
In the second section we meet the man hired to track Allander down. Former FBI Agent Jade Marlow, to put it mildly, is hardly the most diplomatic or gregarious of souls, although he does have an impeccable record of finding those who don’t wish to be found.
As the action progresses, Jade attempts to get inside the mind of his prey in order to predict where he’s going and what his next move will be. Also, we learn much more about Jade’s history and what motivates him. In doing so, this highly abrasive character becomes much more sympathetic.
Although there were a couple of times the author’s lack of writing experience were evident, overall I found this a very assured, promising and thrilling debut.
The Tower is, supposedly, the most secure part of a high security prison; half-submerged under the Pacific off the coast of central California. In the first section we’re given a guided tour of the Tower and introduced to its inmates, including a child-like psychopath called Allander Atlasia. Almost predictably, by the end of the section, Allander has escaped.
In the second section we meet the man hired to track Allander down. Former FBI Agent Jade Marlow, to put it mildly, is hardly the most diplomatic or gregarious of souls, although he does have an impeccable record of finding those who don’t wish to be found.
As the action progresses, Jade attempts to get inside the mind of his prey in order to predict where he’s going and what his next move will be. Also, we learn much more about Jade’s history and what motivates him. In doing so, this highly abrasive character becomes much more sympathetic.
Although there were a couple of times the author’s lack of writing experience were evident, overall I found this a very assured, promising and thrilling debut.
November 27, 2022
These days, Gregg Hurwitz (he’s since dropped the middle name on his covers) is best known as the author of the Orphan X thriller series (coming soon to a movie theatre near you, produced by and starring Bradley Cooper). I read the original book, really liked it, and hope to continue with the series soon.
But this was his debut novel, and you can feel him struggling to find his voice. It reads a bit like a Silence of the Lambs knockoff, but instead of a sympathetic young female FBI-trainee you’ve got a jaded, asshole ex-FBI dude-turned-tracker named, as if he’s some hard-boiled noir anti-hero, Jade Marlow.
And rather than being behind bars, Marlow’s antagonist, a psychopathic serial killer named Allander Atlasia (names are not the author’s strong suit) has escaped one of the most well-protected maximum-security prisons in the world and is now on a killing spree.
That extended, elaborately planned escape comes at the beginning, and it’s one of the most effective and best-written sequences in the entire novel. Hurwitz, who’s also a screenwriter and comic book author, knows how to create visually gripping and suspenseful scenes. And meeting the inmates in the eponymous “Tower” is creepy, shiver-inducing fun.
Alas, Marlow himself isn’t so much fun. He’s got serious anger issues and is a terrible communicator – he’s also a bit of a misogynist. (Passages depicting his attraction to an underwritten female FBI agent are almost laughably bad.) But he’s good at what he does. Hurwitz tries to elicit some sympathy for him by gradually revealing his painful childhood backstory; we come to see that Marlow and Atlasia aren’t so different in their obsessions and compulsions, they just manifest themselves in different ways. And, as any watcher of a true crime docudrama will know, in order to profile a killer you’ve got to get into their mind and start to think how they would.
A note of caution: this book is not for the squeamish. Atlasia’s crimes – and the harrowing incident that possibly turned him into a criminal himself – are written in gruesome, stomach-churning detail. There’s a lot of blood.
As with many first-time novelists, the writing is uneven; sometimes it’s vivid and evocative, at others overwrought, obvious and cliché-ridden. References to Freud and Shakespeare feel, at times, sophomoric.
I was struggling how to rate this. I’d give it 3 1/2 stars, but am rounding up because, in 1999, the young author obviously shows signs of talent.
But this was his debut novel, and you can feel him struggling to find his voice. It reads a bit like a Silence of the Lambs knockoff, but instead of a sympathetic young female FBI-trainee you’ve got a jaded, asshole ex-FBI dude-turned-tracker named, as if he’s some hard-boiled noir anti-hero, Jade Marlow.
And rather than being behind bars, Marlow’s antagonist, a psychopathic serial killer named Allander Atlasia (names are not the author’s strong suit) has escaped one of the most well-protected maximum-security prisons in the world and is now on a killing spree.
That extended, elaborately planned escape comes at the beginning, and it’s one of the most effective and best-written sequences in the entire novel. Hurwitz, who’s also a screenwriter and comic book author, knows how to create visually gripping and suspenseful scenes. And meeting the inmates in the eponymous “Tower” is creepy, shiver-inducing fun.
Alas, Marlow himself isn’t so much fun. He’s got serious anger issues and is a terrible communicator – he’s also a bit of a misogynist. (Passages depicting his attraction to an underwritten female FBI agent are almost laughably bad.) But he’s good at what he does. Hurwitz tries to elicit some sympathy for him by gradually revealing his painful childhood backstory; we come to see that Marlow and Atlasia aren’t so different in their obsessions and compulsions, they just manifest themselves in different ways. And, as any watcher of a true crime docudrama will know, in order to profile a killer you’ve got to get into their mind and start to think how they would.
A note of caution: this book is not for the squeamish. Atlasia’s crimes – and the harrowing incident that possibly turned him into a criminal himself – are written in gruesome, stomach-churning detail. There’s a lot of blood.
As with many first-time novelists, the writing is uneven; sometimes it’s vivid and evocative, at others overwrought, obvious and cliché-ridden. References to Freud and Shakespeare feel, at times, sophomoric.
I was struggling how to rate this. I’d give it 3 1/2 stars, but am rounding up because, in 1999, the young author obviously shows signs of talent.
June 6, 2019
Okay so this is not for the light hearted. This is a gritty hunt for an escaped serial killer and the tracker is a gruff, abrasive guy who pulls no punches. I liked the very inventive beginning and that the story was fast paced all the way through.
November 21, 2016
Both Allander and Jade have been drawn as larger-than-life titanic figures, each severely traumatised leading to polar opposites development. Another interesting thing is that we see Jade who can't control himself but does a great job catching killers, and we see Allander who carries himself fairly well, apart from the killings part. Obviously, it's not appearances that matter most in this world.
Gruesome but somehow captivating. With occasional notes of philosophic musings and lots of action. And... I still feel sorry for the boys with blown-out eardrums...
Gruesome but somehow captivating. With occasional notes of philosophic musings and lots of action. And... I still feel sorry for the boys with blown-out eardrums...
May 13, 2018
I loved the first third. The description of the main characters and the Tower is amazing. Allander, the murderer who escapes from the Tower, is seriously ill (psychopath). As for Jade, the detective and former FBI agent, he isn't much better.
I also liked the second third, which leads us little by little towards a confrontation. As for the last part, since I hate cliffhangers, I liked it a little less. I didn't understand why Allander Then I understood, it's to allow the author to write a sequel.
I found it confusing that the author goes from one point of view to another, from one MC to the other and even from present to past and vice versa inside each chapter and without demarcation points. At a certain time, I believed that the author was describing something that was happening to Allander in the present, but it was something that had happened to Jade in the past!
So I removed one star because of these unexpected jumps and for the cliffhanger. But overall, it's an excellent novel.
December 27, 2019
Mini-Notes:
4.5 Stars for Narration by Scott Brick
2.5 Stars for Story
2.5 Stars for Plot Progression
3.5 Stars for Concepts
Story started off well in a disjointed fashion but it dissolved into a pile of mush as it continued. A lot happens but I had a hard time seeing the characters as a whole. They all come across as rough sketches that never fill out.
This book would probably make a good B-Flick. Lots of action, corruption and dogged get that ___.
4.5 Stars for Narration by Scott Brick
2.5 Stars for Story
2.5 Stars for Plot Progression
3.5 Stars for Concepts
Story started off well in a disjointed fashion but it dissolved into a pile of mush as it continued. A lot happens but I had a hard time seeing the characters as a whole. They all come across as rough sketches that never fill out.
This book would probably make a good B-Flick. Lots of action, corruption and dogged get that ___.
March 20, 2019
Oh boy... It is difficult to think of how to even review this book. Initially I thought it was a.parody - and a killer one at that. But further into it I realized that it wasn't, it was just a badly written book.
Our hero is humorless, condescending, and arrogant. He is no Jack Reacher or Jason Bourne, and his douchiness is unearned and distracting in it's relentlessness. Speaking of reacher and bourne, Jade's exhaustive and spectacular skill set just makes them seem like a couple of bumbling losers. He is more talented, skilled, and effective then the FBI, the CIA, the DEA, the NTSB, the oceanography institute, the parks department, and the FDA put together.
The result of all of this, is that Jade winds up being an arrogant, condescending, dismissive, self-important asshat who can do absolutely anything and therefore treats anybody and everybody with utter disdain. Not much of a hero in my opinion, not even someone I want to spend more than a few page with.
Other characters fair no better. The villain is a draw by numbers psychopath/ tortured genius/relentlessly brilliant sociopath. His psychopathy is (of course) a boringly over the top story of childhood trauma delivered in one dense data dump, with all of the elegance of a technical report on Wi-Fi stability.
Supporting characters are walking cliches of their professions who robotically state things to illustrate how terrible they are and then vanish. All the women in this novel are of course absolutely smitten with Jade, and every colleague or superior is either immediately or eventually awed by his skill and brilliance.
I do not write reviews like this. But I finished this book legitimately angry and insulted. If this was some run-of-the-mill author I would never write something like this. But this is not the case. Gregg is an incredibly talented writer, who writes spectacular, gripping thrillers that I have enjoyed for years. His orphan x series may be one of the best in the genre, filled with fantastic, keenly observed, and well described characters.
When someone this talented delivers a product this substandard, fans whose expections have been deservedly high, will be legitimately and sadly disappointed.
Our hero is humorless, condescending, and arrogant. He is no Jack Reacher or Jason Bourne, and his douchiness is unearned and distracting in it's relentlessness. Speaking of reacher and bourne, Jade's exhaustive and spectacular skill set just makes them seem like a couple of bumbling losers. He is more talented, skilled, and effective then the FBI, the CIA, the DEA, the NTSB, the oceanography institute, the parks department, and the FDA put together.
The result of all of this, is that Jade winds up being an arrogant, condescending, dismissive, self-important asshat who can do absolutely anything and therefore treats anybody and everybody with utter disdain. Not much of a hero in my opinion, not even someone I want to spend more than a few page with.
Other characters fair no better. The villain is a draw by numbers psychopath/ tortured genius/relentlessly brilliant sociopath. His psychopathy is (of course) a boringly over the top story of childhood trauma delivered in one dense data dump, with all of the elegance of a technical report on Wi-Fi stability.
Supporting characters are walking cliches of their professions who robotically state things to illustrate how terrible they are and then vanish. All the women in this novel are of course absolutely smitten with Jade, and every colleague or superior is either immediately or eventually awed by his skill and brilliance.
I do not write reviews like this. But I finished this book legitimately angry and insulted. If this was some run-of-the-mill author I would never write something like this. But this is not the case. Gregg is an incredibly talented writer, who writes spectacular, gripping thrillers that I have enjoyed for years. His orphan x series may be one of the best in the genre, filled with fantastic, keenly observed, and well described characters.
When someone this talented delivers a product this substandard, fans whose expections have been deservedly high, will be legitimately and sadly disappointed.
August 5, 2013
I didn not like this book. I usually love crime/thriller/suspense books, but this just seemed poorly written to me. I really did not like the main hero/character. He was/is real butt & the character was never fully developed to have any depth or redeeming qualities. I think he was more of a 'man's man'.
Would not recommend.
Would not recommend.
dnf
April 25, 2023Audiobook.
I ❤️❤️❤️ Orphan X, this one I couldn't get into it.
DNF
I ❤️❤️❤️ Orphan X, this one I couldn't get into it.
DNF
April 6, 2021
In this book from 1999, The Tower is part of the Briggs Federal Penitentiary but out in the middle of water by itself. Twelve levels were built with two prisoners on each level. The security is the best in the world. Only the worst prisoners reside there, one being Allander Atlasia. He is a genius and a stone cold serial killer. Yeah, you guessed it, he escapes.
Jade Marlow is former FBI and known as The Tracker. He's a loner, doesn't get along well with people. He has great instincts but a quick trigger finger. He's the one you want to call when no one else can get the job done. He will track Allander.
I've always said if an author gives me a flawed character then I'll will have someone to root for. However, I had a hard time being in Jade's corner because he was so abrasive and uncaring about other people. I realize the author drilled this point over and over for a reason and I understand the background information at the end. Hurwitz truly developed a master serial killer and the perfect master hunter. Since this is a standalone novel, I don't have to worry about Jade again.
Note: it's a serial killer story and full of graphic violence.
This is Hurwitz's debut novel and I like his most recent books much better (the Evan Smoak series). I'm not sure how I will like all his over novels in between these years but I intend to read every one and I'll let you know.
Jade Marlow is former FBI and known as The Tracker. He's a loner, doesn't get along well with people. He has great instincts but a quick trigger finger. He's the one you want to call when no one else can get the job done. He will track Allander.
I've always said if an author gives me a flawed character then I'll will have someone to root for. However, I had a hard time being in Jade's corner because he was so abrasive and uncaring about other people. I realize the author drilled this point over and over for a reason and I understand the background information at the end. Hurwitz truly developed a master serial killer and the perfect master hunter. Since this is a standalone novel, I don't have to worry about Jade again.
Note: it's a serial killer story and full of graphic violence.
This is Hurwitz's debut novel and I like his most recent books much better (the Evan Smoak series). I'm not sure how I will like all his over novels in between these years but I intend to read every one and I'll let you know.
April 18, 2019
It's very, very much of its time. I probably would have loved this if I'd read it back then, but now, not so much. It's not awful, it's just ... stupid at times. Also, the "extreme alpha male who can do it all" just meh. There's even a sex scene for no apparent reason that is interrupted because the guy suddenly realizes something, and then that is completely dropped. Although it was thoroughly ridiculous anyway so no loss. The motivation for Jade to be such an utter asshole was thin at best, and always annoying. Plus, there's a plot point that requires that Jade follow police procedures when he's spent the rest of the book ignoring them at will, and really all that did was make the book longer. I'm actually getting more annoyed as I write this so I'm just going to stop here.
Narrator was okay, but didn't do much to change voices enough for me. There was an occasional accent thrown in, but that was about it.
Narrator was okay, but didn't do much to change voices enough for me. There was an occasional accent thrown in, but that was about it.
April 15, 2020
This book started well but after one third it was so annoying and stupid that it was a real struggle for me to finish it. Here are my main complaints:
1) I know it is fiction but some resemblance to the real-life would make this book much better.
2) All support characters (especially FBI agents) are so dumb that it is beyond me.
3) The main character Jade is acting so stupid that it is a wonder why is he even the one chosen to lead the investigation. There is no logic whatsoever in most of what he does. It is a great wonder that he somehow finds the killer but then again (10th time in a row) he acts like a total douche because "I want to catch him by myself".
4) yeah, I know that the best main characters "should have some flaws" but Jade is so arrogant and again - stupid - that it is very hard to follow or root for him. Brrr...
Long story short: if you haven’t read this book yet then it would be wise to stay away from it.
1) I know it is fiction but some resemblance to the real-life would make this book much better.
2) All support characters (especially FBI agents) are so dumb that it is beyond me.
3) The main character Jade is acting so stupid that it is a wonder why is he even the one chosen to lead the investigation. There is no logic whatsoever in most of what he does. It is a great wonder that he somehow finds the killer but then again (10th time in a row) he acts like a total douche because "I want to catch him by myself".
4) yeah, I know that the best main characters "should have some flaws" but Jade is so arrogant and again - stupid - that it is very hard to follow or root for him. Brrr...
Long story short: if you haven’t read this book yet then it would be wise to stay away from it.
September 27, 2012
If it wasn't for this book, I would not have read much of anything in my life, nor would I be a GoodReads member today. This book reeled me in from the beginning and never let go, and it took that kind of experience to convince me that books have as much, and much more in many cases, power than a movie.
I have read this book twice since my initial read, and it still makes me cringe. The imagery is outstanding and the mindset Mr. Hurwitz must have had at the time he wrote this book is almost disturbing, but that is essentially why I can't put his books down. They all take you boldly outside of the box and make you want to stay out there.
Excellent read for anybody who likes a good thriller.
I have read this book twice since my initial read, and it still makes me cringe. The imagery is outstanding and the mindset Mr. Hurwitz must have had at the time he wrote this book is almost disturbing, but that is essentially why I can't put his books down. They all take you boldly outside of the box and make you want to stay out there.
Excellent read for anybody who likes a good thriller.
May 22, 2011
Probably a 3.5. A convicted serial killer escapes from a maximum security prison, modelled loosely after Alcatraz. A former FBI agent, Jade Marlow, who is now a "tracker" is called upon to track him down. Entertaining, but a bit far fetched as Marlow has to think like the killer to figure out how to apprehend him.
July 27, 2017
Jade Marlow is a bad guy. A hair pin temper, very little self control, and an animal instinct of kill or be killed is the credo Marlow lives by. Former FBI agent and now tracker for hire Jade Marlow is the protagonist in author Gregg Gurwitz' first thriller, "The Tower". Marlow likes to think of himself as a "T&Der", (Tracker AND Destroyer). If the FBI has called Marlow in it's because one the worst of the worst is loose and needs to be stopped. Near San Francisco the "Tower" prison (AKA Alcatraz #2), contains the absolute worst of criminals known to human kind. The newest inmate at the Tower is Allander Atlasia. Molested at age 7 and turned into a monster Atlasia is cruel, sadistic, and completely without empathy. Atlasia is also as brilliant as he is criminal. Without much time under his belt at the Tower Atlasia knows how to beat the system to escape. Leaving several dead inmates, and guards Allander is free and loose near San Francisco. The FBI hires Marlow and agrees to each of his demands of resources and conditions in getting Allander back. With an action packed plot that winds along in the wake of bodies Allander leaves behind, Jake just can't seem to make that final connection catching Allander. Tense dialog featuring some strange and over the top characters this book has no brake pedal. Plenty of action sequences are peppered throughout that get a bit too gory at times. Coming in at over 425 pages this one really ran far too long. One major flaw in this yarn was that Hurwitz made his protagonist someone who just doesn't ever let the reader get close enough to root for. I kept thinking the ending would have Allander and Jake killing each other in a blaze of gun fire on the last page. Also Hurwitz gives Marlow a female FBI agent to tag along with. However, no relationship develops, personal or professional. Overall for his first book it was an okay read as thrillers go. "The Tower" gets three stars out of a possible five stars. (2.75 Stars more realistic). Future Gregg Hurwitz books are all far better efforts than this. Except for being curious on this author's first thriller I'd leave this one on the shelf.
April 19, 2025
Every time I pick up a novel by Gregg Hurwitz, I can’t help but feel confident that it’s going to be an excellent read. His first novel, “The Tower,” is a fast-paced and suspenseful story that perfectly captures the essence of the genre I love. It features a high-security prison, a sadistic serial killer, and an ex-FBI agent, all elements that make for a thrilling and engaging read.
The Tower, a maximum-security prison situated off the coast of San Francisco, operates similarly to Alcatraz. Its primary objective is to house the most notorious and dangerous offenders, ensuring their escape-proof confinement. Beyond its physical isolation, the Tower also segregates its inmates from each other. Allander Atlasia, abducted and subjected to severe sexual abuse as a child, transformed into a psychopathic murderer. He manages to escape from the inescapable prison, seeking vengeance against those he holds responsible for his childhood trauma.
Jade Marlow, a former FBI agent turned tracker, has been hired to find and capture Atlasia. Despite his tough exterior, horrible attitude, and lack of people skills, Marlow is highly skilled in his job and trusted by the FBI’s higher-ups. He possesses an unusual talent for infiltrating the mind of the killer.
The quest to find Atlasia intensifies as the psychological suspense and gruesome murders escalate. The Tower, an excellent psychological thriller with a healthy dose of horror, kept me on the edge of my seat. The book’s emotional ending provides closure for each of the main characters.
I bought the audiobook of The Tower using my Audible membership. Scott Brick’s narration was exceptional; he’s one of my favorite narrators.
I have photos and additional information that I'm unable to include here. It can all be found on my blog, in the link below.
A Book And A Dog
The Tower, a maximum-security prison situated off the coast of San Francisco, operates similarly to Alcatraz. Its primary objective is to house the most notorious and dangerous offenders, ensuring their escape-proof confinement. Beyond its physical isolation, the Tower also segregates its inmates from each other. Allander Atlasia, abducted and subjected to severe sexual abuse as a child, transformed into a psychopathic murderer. He manages to escape from the inescapable prison, seeking vengeance against those he holds responsible for his childhood trauma.
Jade Marlow, a former FBI agent turned tracker, has been hired to find and capture Atlasia. Despite his tough exterior, horrible attitude, and lack of people skills, Marlow is highly skilled in his job and trusted by the FBI’s higher-ups. He possesses an unusual talent for infiltrating the mind of the killer.
The quest to find Atlasia intensifies as the psychological suspense and gruesome murders escalate. The Tower, an excellent psychological thriller with a healthy dose of horror, kept me on the edge of my seat. The book’s emotional ending provides closure for each of the main characters.
I bought the audiobook of The Tower using my Audible membership. Scott Brick’s narration was exceptional; he’s one of my favorite narrators.
I have photos and additional information that I'm unable to include here. It can all be found on my blog, in the link below.
A Book And A Dog
June 7, 2019
3 1/2 Estrellas..... I love a Hurwitz novel, however this one kind of lost me at times, and the characters were not that likeable. Jade was almost there..... but lacked something..... Being a Hurwitz Fan - I'm looking forward to the next - good Hurwitz novel.
February 25, 2022
A fun and fast read. Excellent action and interesting Oedipal angle.
June 2, 2023
Whoa! This is definitely not the Orphan X series! It is a good book, but nothing like I was expecting!
February 18, 2022
Not a bad book.
March 17, 2017
This is not the type of book I normally like, so very, very violent but it was so compelling! The "hero" is a first class jerk, although I suppose Hurwitz hints at reasons for this...but still, he's an asshole! The pace is so emphatic and urgent that you just have to keep reading. I haven't felt this need to finish a book quickly since I read Helter Skelter years and years ago. I'm looking forward to his other books!
May 2, 2010
A psychotic killer escapes from a maximum security facility and a troubled ex FBI agent is called in to track him and bring him to justice. With this premise author Gregg Hurwitz has created a very fast paced and disturbing first novel. Using graphic violence and an over the top macho cop this book is sure to please those interested in the most disturbing books of the mystery genre. This book reminds me of a good horror movie where you want to close your eyes at some parts because you know it is going to scare your shorts off, yet somehow you keep your eyes glued to the screen. There are some graphic scenes in the book that may be upsetting to some but overall it is a delicous dish of almost to much over the top violence.
December 18, 2019
I like Gregg Hurwitz as an author but this is not his best book. It started out pretty well in its building of an antagonist, but the development of the protagonist was annoying. I believe he wanted it to be that way as no character in the book liked the hero, however the people reading the book need to have some sympathy for him. Luckily this was a one and done book and I will not have to buy book 2. This book is full of Sigmund Freud and his Oedipus complex theories which I could do without. In the end it's a 2 star for me. I will stick with his Orphan X series.
★★☆☆☆ Not good. Why did I waste my time?
★★☆☆☆ Not good. Why did I waste my time?
April 16, 2013
It took the first 1/3 of the book to get over the characters' names, as they didn't feel natural. Jade for a hard nose man? Atlasia? Was the author just looking around his dorm room? The story flowed well. I loved how it jumped around in perspective and place. The conclusion left me somewhat unsatisfied, but I won't put any spoilers. Maybe I just prefer a grander sense of closure.
June 20, 2018
I didn't think this book was well-written at all. It was compelling, but it was tough to buy into much of the dialogue and some of the character names. Many of the plot points seemed unnecessary, too. I got this book for free and it was obvious why. I would probably read another Hurwitz book because it held me, but I can only hope his writing improved from his first novel.
April 20, 2015
An emotional rollercoaster.
February 16, 2016
The climatic ending was not !
March 9, 2022
Love the excitement of the story but had a little too much violence for me. Hurwitz if a very descriptive writer and makes the words come alive.
April 13, 2023
I thought the book was a little long. But it was good.
December 4, 2024
I did enjoy this book! If you are looking for a crime & mystery book with some detailed, gory scenes - this is the book!!
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