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Overdrive #1
Cowboy Ending
Fans of JIM BUTCHER and JOHN CONROE agree, ADAM KNIGHT's Urban Fantasy "Overdrive" is a hit. Full of action, drama, relatable problems, pop culture goodness and enough humour to satisfy readers of all genres.
Women are disappearing in the City of Winnipeg, the police are at their wits end and the media is in an uproar. But Joe is too busy struggling to pay his bills as a Nightclub Bouncer to pay attention.
After a violent night at the city's hottest nightclub Joe's past and present will collide as he begins to notice strange things happening in the world around him. Electrical devices react to his presence in a supernatural way. His strength and awareness will expand. And dammit, he'll want to eat everything in sight!
As Joe tries to understand the changes in his life and body, he recognizes that one of the missing women is from his nightclub and he becomes compelled to learn everything he can about her disappearance. Along the way he discovers evidence of corruption, betrayal and ultimately murder.
Can Joe balance his need to learn the truth against the responsibilities he has to his family? Will the strange things happening to his body and surroundings help him find a way in the world or will he burn out the longer he spends living his life in Overdrive?
"Cowboy Ending" is the first book in Adam Knight's "Overdrive" series.
Women are disappearing in the City of Winnipeg, the police are at their wits end and the media is in an uproar. But Joe is too busy struggling to pay his bills as a Nightclub Bouncer to pay attention.
After a violent night at the city's hottest nightclub Joe's past and present will collide as he begins to notice strange things happening in the world around him. Electrical devices react to his presence in a supernatural way. His strength and awareness will expand. And dammit, he'll want to eat everything in sight!
As Joe tries to understand the changes in his life and body, he recognizes that one of the missing women is from his nightclub and he becomes compelled to learn everything he can about her disappearance. Along the way he discovers evidence of corruption, betrayal and ultimately murder.
Can Joe balance his need to learn the truth against the responsibilities he has to his family? Will the strange things happening to his body and surroundings help him find a way in the world or will he burn out the longer he spends living his life in Overdrive?
"Cowboy Ending" is the first book in Adam Knight's "Overdrive" series.
459 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 27, 2013
12 people are currently reading
50 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
September 15, 2013
Guest review by the monkey.
The wrestler has a mind.
When I picked up this book, I wasn't sure what to expect. What I found was a fasinating hero origin story.
I found this book very compelling and well written, the characters very well fleshed out. Being in Winnipeg myself, his way of describing the environment left me a little geeky ("I know that place!")
I have recommended this to a few friends and can hardly wait for a physical copy of it to show off.
The wrestler has a mind.
When I picked up this book, I wasn't sure what to expect. What I found was a fasinating hero origin story.
I found this book very compelling and well written, the characters very well fleshed out. Being in Winnipeg myself, his way of describing the environment left me a little geeky ("I know that place!")
I have recommended this to a few friends and can hardly wait for a physical copy of it to show off.
August 8, 2014
Overdrive: Cowboy Ending is the first installment of what I hope to be a long series. As such, it does take a bit of time for the plot to get set up, but with realistic, diverse characters and a well paced, interesting backstory you really don't even notice. I read the last 2 thirds in a sitting, and that doesn't happen often!
The narrator, Joe, is realistic and down to earth. He tells his story with excellent voice. He's someone I can relate to. And I love the 4th Wall breaks where he addresses me, the reader. I'm in this with him from the first page and I care because he's a real guy.
The backstory is absolutely captivating. With good delivery and timing, readers are given just enough, and in the right doses, to hold their interest as the story progresses. The same can be said for the mysterious, supernatural occurances - but no spoilers!
One of the features I found most appealing going into this story was the fact that it's set in Winnipeg! So often when sh*t gets real, it's New York or Los Angeles in the thick of it. But this story shows that strange things can happen anywhere! It was definiately a pleasure to read about local haunts and Canadian culture.
Above all, I appreciate Joe's pop culture references and sense of human interaction. For me, this was the icing on a gourmet cake.
The narrator, Joe, is realistic and down to earth. He tells his story with excellent voice. He's someone I can relate to. And I love the 4th Wall breaks where he addresses me, the reader. I'm in this with him from the first page and I care because he's a real guy.
The backstory is absolutely captivating. With good delivery and timing, readers are given just enough, and in the right doses, to hold their interest as the story progresses. The same can be said for the mysterious, supernatural occurances - but no spoilers!
One of the features I found most appealing going into this story was the fact that it's set in Winnipeg! So often when sh*t gets real, it's New York or Los Angeles in the thick of it. But this story shows that strange things can happen anywhere! It was definiately a pleasure to read about local haunts and Canadian culture.
Above all, I appreciate Joe's pop culture references and sense of human interaction. For me, this was the icing on a gourmet cake.
September 28, 2013
I'll admit, I got this book as a freebie from Adam the author (I'm from the UK and don't know him, so this isn't fake).
Who am I to turn down a free read. I have to say I really enjoyed this book. The lead character is very realistic (not heard much of in the genre) and the plot is grittely captivating. It's urban fantasy without being too steeped in the weird side.
I thought this was a great introduction to the series and I'm eagerly awaiting the next one - Dec 2013. The books, if the series evolves well, could end up sitting next to the big boys (& girls) of urban fantasy.
Give this a read if you like the Urban Fantasy genre, you wont be disappointed.
Who am I to turn down a free read. I have to say I really enjoyed this book. The lead character is very realistic (not heard much of in the genre) and the plot is grittely captivating. It's urban fantasy without being too steeped in the weird side.
I thought this was a great introduction to the series and I'm eagerly awaiting the next one - Dec 2013. The books, if the series evolves well, could end up sitting next to the big boys (& girls) of urban fantasy.
Give this a read if you like the Urban Fantasy genre, you wont be disappointed.
October 3, 2013
As with other reviewers, I received this free from the author (can't remember where I stumbled across the link). With some hesitation I started reading it having been burned by intro freebies before. Within 20 pages I was hooked. The hero at first seems like a bit of an anti-hero, but you soon start rooting for him. I do think I will be getting the next book in the series. Congratulations Mr. Knight - I *almost* want to visit Winnipeg.
January 29, 2022
Great start to a series that i could get into!
This book is well-written with an MC that could easily star in his own series. I see Gerard B or even Channing T casted in the role.
A raw & gritty read, action packed with great dialog. Well done.
This book is well-written with an MC that could easily star in his own series. I see Gerard B or even Channing T casted in the role.
A raw & gritty read, action packed with great dialog. Well done.
December 11, 2013
Excellent book with a good story from a new author. Slowly building to a satisfying kick-ass climax. Also a hero that is a bit older is more than welcome.
January 9, 2014
Great read! If you like suspence and action, you'll like this book! Super great story line and can't wait for th next one!
Want to read
November 5, 2021🎁 Books 1 & 2 in the Series are FREE on Amazon today (11/5/2021)! 🎁
February 24, 2021
A real page turner
Although this isn’t my typical genre, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series. The main character is amazing! I love how He is not the typical good-looking hero. I will recommend this to many of my friends.
Although this isn’t my typical genre, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series. The main character is amazing! I love how He is not the typical good-looking hero. I will recommend this to many of my friends.
March 28, 2022
Joe is a rather unremarkable dude at first glance. Soon though, you start to see he is just the opposite. He is a big guy with a big heart with a level of loyalty that one rarely sees. He always stands on the side of whats right, and goes out of his way to take care of and protect those who can't do so for themselves. There are woman going missing all over the place and Joe discovers it is happening right under his nose in the club he is a bouncer at. Through his rage at this, he starts to rattle cages and seek those who are in the wrong, and discovers something new about himself. Something so unreal, he cannot even grasp it for himself. Joe ends up being a regular guy with a superpower of sorts. A special relationship with electricity. It's a wild ride with lots of action. Full of laughs, lots of great pop culture references and some wonderful relationships with special people around Joe. I enjoyed the book from the first page clear to the end. I read it in record time and jumped right in to book two. Excited to see what Joe will do with his new found skills!
March 31, 2017
Enjoyable Read
I greatly enjoyed the story told in this book; however the grammatical errors were very difficult to ignore. It was the worst in the very beginning, but seemed to get better as the book went on, that or my powers of subconscious correction did. Very compelling story that wasn't as harlequinn in nature as the cover suggested (for which I was thankful)
I greatly enjoyed the story told in this book; however the grammatical errors were very difficult to ignore. It was the worst in the very beginning, but seemed to get better as the book went on, that or my powers of subconscious correction did. Very compelling story that wasn't as harlequinn in nature as the cover suggested (for which I was thankful)
September 8, 2016
Fun
First, a couple of things. The book needs editing. It's not non-stop action. BUT- the characters are awesome, the premise is awesome, and plotting very good. Definitely reading the next one!
First, a couple of things. The book needs editing. It's not non-stop action. BUT- the characters are awesome, the premise is awesome, and plotting very good. Definitely reading the next one!
February 24, 2017
A lot like the Dresden series.
Self depreciation humor abounds in this Dresden like series. Was a fun read and finished it in a day. Picking up the next one.
Self depreciation humor abounds in this Dresden like series. Was a fun read and finished it in a day. Picking up the next one.
October 30, 2016
This is regarding Cowboy Ending, Overdrive book 1 and Outlaw Justice, Overdrive book 2.
Someone put this forward (I think there was some kind of giveaway link or something, but I digress). I read a lot of urban fantasy so that I can steal ideas for my DFRPG group. As a result of this, I read a lot of BAD urban fantasy. This series was surprisingly good. I’m pretty wordy, so there’s a fair bit coming up and some of it may be spoilers for characters and style but I’ll try to keep the plot under wraps.
Likes:
-The main character isn’t a self-important god among men. This means that he spends a fair amount of time thinking about whether a thing should be done, rather than just steamrolling over the people around him.
-The story starts with the main character being a nobody, and then gaining the thing that makes him special. The fact that (from the point of view of our MC) this is a low-magic world means that the author doesn’t suffer from lightsaber syndrome.
-Putting the story in Winnipeg MB was neat and unusual. As a Winnipeg born SK guy, it was really nice to actually see some fiction I would like to read set there. 'The Painted Door’ this aint. And thank goodness for that.
-The author managed to make the MC a decent person without bashing us over the head with it. The hand-wringing is kept to a minimum. Even though he deals with some pretty crummy circumstances, he just deals with it and moves on, rather than taking 10 pages whining about it. There’s very little I dislike more than being stuck in the head of a whiner.
-There weren’t any major power jumps that didn’t make sense. By this I mean that the author made a point of putting Chekov’s gun on the wall a scene or two before someone grabs it and shoots someone.
-The mystery of the story is solvable. There aren’t any “Now that we’re in the final 50 pages, here’s the villain you couldn’t have guessed because you’re meeting him now for the first time. I grew up reading mystery novels, and you could always tell the bad ones by that trait.
-The author manages to ride the line between life being hard, and life being hopeless. The Alastair Stone books get hard to read because they’re so devoid of hope. Ditto for the Nate Temple series. They make a point of cutting the MC off from all of the things that give them hope and joy in order to give their character pathos and make the climax more powerful. This author doesn’t do that, and I appreciate it so much. The MC is in a tough position, but they don’t take away his joy and hope, such as they are. I really liked the use of his mother for this.
-The mom was a good touch. My mom died about a year ago from a terminal illness, and the MC’s mom is dying from one as well. I feel that the author did a great job of capturing the interactions you have with an ailing parent who despite not being able to ‘make everything better’ in your life, still needs to be involved in giving advice and worries about your safety (of various kinds). The author does a great job of modelling the weight that that relationship adds to your thinking and your life choices.
-The author is doing a slow-burn on the powers and monsters. I think this is great because it gives him lots of room to build and grow the mythos of his world. Making his point of view character a "normal person” at the beginning of book 1 makes this really work.
-The way the author managed to work it into the real-world problem of the missing aboriginal women. This is a real problem in this country, and it’s always nice to see a story 'ripped from the headlines.’
Dislikes:
-The slow burn on powers and monsters. While I also put this in the 'Likes’ list, it’s a bit of a bummer. One of the things I like most is worldbuilding, and it kinda-sorta feels like a copout sometimes. Although, (spoiler footnote 1).
-The constant sexual tension between the MC and his various friends who are girls. This isn’t an extreme case of it, but it happens enough that I bloody notice it. It makes sense that the MC isn’t going to make the moves on any of these girls because a) they have boyfriends in two cases and b) he was a big guy all his life until 20 pages or so into the first book.
-Actually, after those two I’m having trouble coming up with things I disliked. Seeing as I’ve been through two book now, that hopefully says something good about the author.
TLDR: I liked the first two books of this series, and am looking forward to reading the third when it’s released. This author is on to something good. Thanks for reading.
SF1: The addition of Connell makes me think that that’s coming along soon enough.
Someone put this forward (I think there was some kind of giveaway link or something, but I digress). I read a lot of urban fantasy so that I can steal ideas for my DFRPG group. As a result of this, I read a lot of BAD urban fantasy. This series was surprisingly good. I’m pretty wordy, so there’s a fair bit coming up and some of it may be spoilers for characters and style but I’ll try to keep the plot under wraps.
Likes:
-The main character isn’t a self-important god among men. This means that he spends a fair amount of time thinking about whether a thing should be done, rather than just steamrolling over the people around him.
-The story starts with the main character being a nobody, and then gaining the thing that makes him special. The fact that (from the point of view of our MC) this is a low-magic world means that the author doesn’t suffer from lightsaber syndrome.
-Putting the story in Winnipeg MB was neat and unusual. As a Winnipeg born SK guy, it was really nice to actually see some fiction I would like to read set there. 'The Painted Door’ this aint. And thank goodness for that.
-The author managed to make the MC a decent person without bashing us over the head with it. The hand-wringing is kept to a minimum. Even though he deals with some pretty crummy circumstances, he just deals with it and moves on, rather than taking 10 pages whining about it. There’s very little I dislike more than being stuck in the head of a whiner.
-There weren’t any major power jumps that didn’t make sense. By this I mean that the author made a point of putting Chekov’s gun on the wall a scene or two before someone grabs it and shoots someone.
-The mystery of the story is solvable. There aren’t any “Now that we’re in the final 50 pages, here’s the villain you couldn’t have guessed because you’re meeting him now for the first time. I grew up reading mystery novels, and you could always tell the bad ones by that trait.
-The author manages to ride the line between life being hard, and life being hopeless. The Alastair Stone books get hard to read because they’re so devoid of hope. Ditto for the Nate Temple series. They make a point of cutting the MC off from all of the things that give them hope and joy in order to give their character pathos and make the climax more powerful. This author doesn’t do that, and I appreciate it so much. The MC is in a tough position, but they don’t take away his joy and hope, such as they are. I really liked the use of his mother for this.
-The mom was a good touch. My mom died about a year ago from a terminal illness, and the MC’s mom is dying from one as well. I feel that the author did a great job of capturing the interactions you have with an ailing parent who despite not being able to ‘make everything better’ in your life, still needs to be involved in giving advice and worries about your safety (of various kinds). The author does a great job of modelling the weight that that relationship adds to your thinking and your life choices.
-The author is doing a slow-burn on the powers and monsters. I think this is great because it gives him lots of room to build and grow the mythos of his world. Making his point of view character a "normal person” at the beginning of book 1 makes this really work.
-The way the author managed to work it into the real-world problem of the missing aboriginal women. This is a real problem in this country, and it’s always nice to see a story 'ripped from the headlines.’
Dislikes:
-The slow burn on powers and monsters. While I also put this in the 'Likes’ list, it’s a bit of a bummer. One of the things I like most is worldbuilding, and it kinda-sorta feels like a copout sometimes. Although, (spoiler footnote 1).
-The constant sexual tension between the MC and his various friends who are girls. This isn’t an extreme case of it, but it happens enough that I bloody notice it. It makes sense that the MC isn’t going to make the moves on any of these girls because a) they have boyfriends in two cases and b) he was a big guy all his life until 20 pages or so into the first book.
-Actually, after those two I’m having trouble coming up with things I disliked. Seeing as I’ve been through two book now, that hopefully says something good about the author.
TLDR: I liked the first two books of this series, and am looking forward to reading the third when it’s released. This author is on to something good. Thanks for reading.
SF1: The addition of Connell makes me think that that’s coming along soon enough.
Want to read
March 4, 2019Synopsis: women are disappearing in Winnipeg. The police are at their wits end; Joe, a nightclub bouncer, recognizes one of the victims.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews