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The Tyrant #2
Black Scorpion: The Tyrant Reborn
The next adventure of The Seven Sins' Michael "The Tyrant" Tiranno, Jon Land's Black Scorpion is a pulse pounding action-thriller as he takes on a worldwide human trafficking cabal.
Five years have passed since Michael Tiranno saved the city of Las Vegas from a terrorist attack. And now a new enemy has surfaced in Eastern Europe in the form of an all-powerful organization called Black Scorpion. Once a victim of human trafficking himself, the shadowy group's crazed leader, Vladimir Dracu, has become the mastermind behind the scourge's infestation on a global scale. And now he's set his sights on Michael Tiranno for reasons birthed in a painful secret past that have scarred both men.
Already facing a myriad of problems, Michael once more must rise to the challenge of confronting an all-powerful enemy who is exploiting and ravaging innocents all across the globe and has set nothing less than all of America as its new victim. Black Scorpion has also taken the woman Michael loves hostage: Scarlett Swan, a beautiful archaeologist who was following the dangerous trail of the origins of the ancient relic that both defines and empowers Michael, a discovery that could change history and the perception of mankind's very origins.
With the deck and the odds stacked against him, Michael must come to learn and embrace his true destiny in becoming the Tyrant reborn as a dark knight to triumph over ultimate evil and stop the sting of Black Scorpion from undermining all of the United States and plunging Las Vegas into chaos and anarchy.
A major production for a feature film is in active development in Hollywood based on the franchised character of Michael Tiranno, the Tyrant. The film will be based on the blended adaptation of Black Scorpion and its predecessor, The Seven Sins, which both have also been licensed to DC Comics for comic books and graphic novels publications worldwide.
Five years have passed since Michael Tiranno saved the city of Las Vegas from a terrorist attack. And now a new enemy has surfaced in Eastern Europe in the form of an all-powerful organization called Black Scorpion. Once a victim of human trafficking himself, the shadowy group's crazed leader, Vladimir Dracu, has become the mastermind behind the scourge's infestation on a global scale. And now he's set his sights on Michael Tiranno for reasons birthed in a painful secret past that have scarred both men.
Already facing a myriad of problems, Michael once more must rise to the challenge of confronting an all-powerful enemy who is exploiting and ravaging innocents all across the globe and has set nothing less than all of America as its new victim. Black Scorpion has also taken the woman Michael loves hostage: Scarlett Swan, a beautiful archaeologist who was following the dangerous trail of the origins of the ancient relic that both defines and empowers Michael, a discovery that could change history and the perception of mankind's very origins.
With the deck and the odds stacked against him, Michael must come to learn and embrace his true destiny in becoming the Tyrant reborn as a dark knight to triumph over ultimate evil and stop the sting of Black Scorpion from undermining all of the United States and plunging Las Vegas into chaos and anarchy.
A major production for a feature film is in active development in Hollywood based on the franchised character of Michael Tiranno, the Tyrant. The film will be based on the blended adaptation of Black Scorpion and its predecessor, The Seven Sins, which both have also been licensed to DC Comics for comic books and graphic novels publications worldwide.
448 pages, Hardcover
First published April 7, 2015
6 people are currently reading
370 people want to read
About the author
Jon Land
129 books408 followersJon Land is an American author of thriller novels and a screenwriter. He graduated from Brown University in 1979 Phi Beta Kappa and Magna cum Laude. He often bases his novels and scripts on extensive travel and research as well as a twenty-five year career in martial arts. He is an associate member of the US Special Forces and is an emeritus board member the International Thriller Writers. John currently lives in Providence, Rhode Island.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
April 9, 2015
REVIEW: BLACK SCORPION: THE TYRANT REBORN by Jon Land and Fabrizio Boccardi
Jon Land has published 36 books but his wild imagination is still unstoppable. Here he delivers a new novel whose protagonist is philanthropist and superhero Michael Tiranno, noted for protecting Las Vegas from terrorism. This time, the character created by Fabrizio Boccardi, battles a covert organization, Black Scorpion, whose leader has targeted Michael Tiranno himself. Unrelenting thrills and chills ensue.
Jon Land has published 36 books but his wild imagination is still unstoppable. Here he delivers a new novel whose protagonist is philanthropist and superhero Michael Tiranno, noted for protecting Las Vegas from terrorism. This time, the character created by Fabrizio Boccardi, battles a covert organization, Black Scorpion, whose leader has targeted Michael Tiranno himself. Unrelenting thrills and chills ensue.
January 11, 2018
Just to let you know, Jon Land is one of my favorite authors and has been since the early 90's. This is the 2nd Tyrant book and I have enjoyed reading them both and will certainly be on the look-out for the third. Lots of action and mystery involved. Great characters, great villains, and a pretty darn good plot.
April 9, 2015
#BlackScorpionBlogTour
Black Scorpion is a fairly hefty book, weighing in at nearly 450 pages. It is also quite complex, with multiple points of view, featuring a large cast of characters. There are also some flashbacks, especially near the beginning of the book. So all in all, you will have to set aside a fairly good chunk of time to fully enjoy Black Scorpion. But since you won’t want to put it down, it will go quicker than you might think.
Mr. Land has a good grip on this type of storytelling. He knows how to write a complex book with multiple major characters and tie everything together in a tight, fast-paced adventure thriller. He keeps you on the edge of your seat. Even though the characters are well-developed, there is a kind of comic book feel to them. It feels like the storyline would work equally well on the pages of a Marvel or DC graphic novel, and could make a great action movie.
I enjoyed the fast-paced feel of Black Scorpion. It was a fun book to read. I was surprised how quickly time passed when I was reading it. I give it 4 stars out of 5, and A Big Thumbs Up! I recommend it to anyone who likes a fast-paced action adventure story. It will work especially well for someone who also likes the comic based movies along the lines of The Punisher, The Dark Knight, or Watchmen.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
Black Scorpion is a fairly hefty book, weighing in at nearly 450 pages. It is also quite complex, with multiple points of view, featuring a large cast of characters. There are also some flashbacks, especially near the beginning of the book. So all in all, you will have to set aside a fairly good chunk of time to fully enjoy Black Scorpion. But since you won’t want to put it down, it will go quicker than you might think.
Mr. Land has a good grip on this type of storytelling. He knows how to write a complex book with multiple major characters and tie everything together in a tight, fast-paced adventure thriller. He keeps you on the edge of your seat. Even though the characters are well-developed, there is a kind of comic book feel to them. It feels like the storyline would work equally well on the pages of a Marvel or DC graphic novel, and could make a great action movie.
I enjoyed the fast-paced feel of Black Scorpion. It was a fun book to read. I was surprised how quickly time passed when I was reading it. I give it 4 stars out of 5, and A Big Thumbs Up! I recommend it to anyone who likes a fast-paced action adventure story. It will work especially well for someone who also likes the comic based movies along the lines of The Punisher, The Dark Knight, or Watchmen.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
November 15, 2019
Far fetched and completely over the top. Even if you look at Michael as a “superhero “, the story doesn’t make much sense. And talk about skipping around! Current time, five years ago, Las Vegas, China, Sicily...just too much
October 29, 2019
+Really enjoy the Tyrant character although many of the exploits are so far fetched as to be not believable. This is another attack on Vegas targeting the Seven Sins Casino above all others with the ultimate domination of the US and then the world in mind. Michael Tiranno finds and loses Scarlett Swan , gains a half brother he'd rather not have and makes up with his sister Raven Khan. Lights out (literally) action, corruption in high places locally & worldwide, Black Scorpion fact or rumor, armed men involved in rape, kidnappings, human trafficking, torture, and murder.+
May 26, 2017
Entertaining, but super schlocky and contrived. And ridiculous. But entertaining.
May 6, 2015
Michael Tiranno, also known as The Tyrant, is the imposing force behind The Seven Sins, the most luxurious resort and casino in Las Vegas. Born into poverty in rural Italy, Michael – then Michele Nunziato – was taken under the wing of mafia powerhouse Don Lucciano after the murder of his family, and from there he became Michael Tiranno: Italian for “tyrant”. A larger-than-life persona across the pages, the character first appeared in Jon Land’s The Seven Sins in collaboration with The Tyrant’s creator, Italian investor Fabrizio Boccardi. While “The Tyrant” is in some ways Boccardi’s alter-ego, he’s also something of a superhero for the Vegas set – James Bond meets Tony Stark with a Sin City vibe. Boccardi’s creation comes to literary life through author Jon Land’s timeless skill, resulting in a high-octane thriller that keeps readers on the edge of their seat.
While The Seven Sins introduces readers to the man behind the moniker, Black Scorpion reveals how Michael Tiranno is finally able to fully realize himself as The Tyrant. When his casino is once again under threat, Michael’s investigation leads him to an Eastern European organization that even the most well-informed government entities thought to be a myth: Black Scorpion. And as Michael works to discover the identity of whomever controls Black Scorpion, he’ll find that the sinister organization’s endgame hits shockingly close to home. Caught up in the danger is Michael’s girlfriend Scarlett Swan, a skilled archaeologist on the cusp of a discovery that could change the course of history and unravel the secret behind the medallion Michael has treasured since it was handed down to him by his father. Inscribed with a Latin script that translates as “To Dream, To Dare, To Win”, the medallion has become something of a good luck totem to Michael; he even attributes the slogan of his casino and business brand to the Latin words. But he soon discovers that the mysterious piece of gold may hold greater power and value than he could ever imagine, and it could drive some men to murder at the chance of possessing it.
Land captures the drama and decadence of Vegas superbly in both The Seven Sins and Black Scorpion, the pages humming with the vibrations of a city steeped in decadence and mystery. In a style reminiscent of his other books, he takes the reader across time and into the throes of history as he weaves a story that’s both intricate in its details and lightning fast in its pace. He utilizes short chapters – sometimes pages long, sometimes only a few paragraphs – in a way that makes the reader feel as though they’re locked into a film reel, seeing scenes play out at the speed of a thrill ride. And throughout the different points in history, there’s one thing that connects the story as a whole: the medallion. In The Seven Sins readers are first taken back to the time of Julius Caesar where Caesar acquires the very medallion from Cilician pirates, while other points in the story hint that Michael’s gold piece may actually have gotten the Midas touch. In The Seven Sins readers also meet a modern-day pirate with her sights set on the gold: the elusive and fascinating Raven Kahn. After revelations are made at the end of that book, she returns to the story in Black Scorpion as well, this time with a vengeance. The central plight at the heart of Black Scorpion is the global devastation of human-trafficking and it’s in her empowered determination to free enslaved women and children that we see the true heart of Raven take hold.
Joining Michael on his adventures in both novels are his greatest allies both in the business of Vegas and, it would seem, in the business of saving the world: whip-smart lawyer Naomi Burns and warrior-turned-bodyguard Alexander Koursaris. While Land has a knack for surrounding his protagonists with colorful supporting characters, Naomi and Alexander are especially intriguing; they’re both well drawn and terrific fun to read about. As for The Tyrant himself, it’s no wonder that Boccardi has also brokered deals for comic book and graphic novel interpretations of the Vegas would-be superhero, as well as talk of a film that would adapt both novels for the big screen. Tiranno is an exuberantly likable character with panache as well as heart, equal parts ruthless grit and a do-good attitude; under Jon Land’s literary handling, the character becomes a worthy center for a collection of explosive adventures that will hopefully continue for a long time to come.
(Review © Casee Marie, originally published on LiteraryInklings.com. A copy of the book was provided for the purpose of review.)
While The Seven Sins introduces readers to the man behind the moniker, Black Scorpion reveals how Michael Tiranno is finally able to fully realize himself as The Tyrant. When his casino is once again under threat, Michael’s investigation leads him to an Eastern European organization that even the most well-informed government entities thought to be a myth: Black Scorpion. And as Michael works to discover the identity of whomever controls Black Scorpion, he’ll find that the sinister organization’s endgame hits shockingly close to home. Caught up in the danger is Michael’s girlfriend Scarlett Swan, a skilled archaeologist on the cusp of a discovery that could change the course of history and unravel the secret behind the medallion Michael has treasured since it was handed down to him by his father. Inscribed with a Latin script that translates as “To Dream, To Dare, To Win”, the medallion has become something of a good luck totem to Michael; he even attributes the slogan of his casino and business brand to the Latin words. But he soon discovers that the mysterious piece of gold may hold greater power and value than he could ever imagine, and it could drive some men to murder at the chance of possessing it.
Land captures the drama and decadence of Vegas superbly in both The Seven Sins and Black Scorpion, the pages humming with the vibrations of a city steeped in decadence and mystery. In a style reminiscent of his other books, he takes the reader across time and into the throes of history as he weaves a story that’s both intricate in its details and lightning fast in its pace. He utilizes short chapters – sometimes pages long, sometimes only a few paragraphs – in a way that makes the reader feel as though they’re locked into a film reel, seeing scenes play out at the speed of a thrill ride. And throughout the different points in history, there’s one thing that connects the story as a whole: the medallion. In The Seven Sins readers are first taken back to the time of Julius Caesar where Caesar acquires the very medallion from Cilician pirates, while other points in the story hint that Michael’s gold piece may actually have gotten the Midas touch. In The Seven Sins readers also meet a modern-day pirate with her sights set on the gold: the elusive and fascinating Raven Kahn. After revelations are made at the end of that book, she returns to the story in Black Scorpion as well, this time with a vengeance. The central plight at the heart of Black Scorpion is the global devastation of human-trafficking and it’s in her empowered determination to free enslaved women and children that we see the true heart of Raven take hold.
Joining Michael on his adventures in both novels are his greatest allies both in the business of Vegas and, it would seem, in the business of saving the world: whip-smart lawyer Naomi Burns and warrior-turned-bodyguard Alexander Koursaris. While Land has a knack for surrounding his protagonists with colorful supporting characters, Naomi and Alexander are especially intriguing; they’re both well drawn and terrific fun to read about. As for The Tyrant himself, it’s no wonder that Boccardi has also brokered deals for comic book and graphic novel interpretations of the Vegas would-be superhero, as well as talk of a film that would adapt both novels for the big screen. Tiranno is an exuberantly likable character with panache as well as heart, equal parts ruthless grit and a do-good attitude; under Jon Land’s literary handling, the character becomes a worthy center for a collection of explosive adventures that will hopefully continue for a long time to come.
(Review © Casee Marie, originally published on LiteraryInklings.com. A copy of the book was provided for the purpose of review.)
April 8, 2015
Black Scorpion
By Jon Land,
Created by Fabrizio Boccardi
Reviewed by Russell Ilg
I don’t know how he does it. Jon Land’s latest novel Black Scorpion: The Tyrant Reborn is just more proof of his ability to take the reader on the greatest ride of his or her literary life. The depth and complex nature of the characters takes you well beyond fiction to the point that you are carried into a world that is so real you become part of the book in every sense.
It’s been five years since the book’s hero Michael Tiranno, aka “the Tyrant,” saved Las Vegas from terrorists in the blockbuster The Seven Sins. Now he, along with the entire country and world, are facing an even greater enemy in the form of Black Scorpion, an international criminal organization that fancies human trafficking above all else. When Michael’s girl friend Scarlet Swan runs afoul of them while on an archaeological dig in Romania, Michael drops everything to embark on a mission that will ultimately define who and what he is. Black Scorpion’s mysterious leader, Vladimir Dracu, is the yin to his yang. Opposite sides of the same coin, in more ways than one as it turns out.
Both men are obsessed with power and Michael alone seems every bit Dracu’s equal in dispensing good as opposed to evil. This is a much less ambiguous Tyrant than the one we met in The Seven Sins. We seem to have caught Michael in the middle of some kind of spiritual awakening, the physical journey he embarks on to rescue his one true love an apt metaphor for the metaphysical one that explains the book’s subtitle, The Tyrant Reborn. Indeed, Black Scorpion introduces us to a man in the midst of a metamorphosis that can come none too soon for either Scarlett or the world as a whole.
The action scenes that follow Michael’s and his deadly sidekick Alexander’s arrival in Transylvania of all places are staged with such fluidity and ferocity that they feel like movie set pieces spooling through our imaginations. You have to wonder if the Transylvanian setting wasn’t chosen specifically for its own connotations in folklore where monsters, like Dracu himself, are hatched. It’s also the perfect setting for Michael to confront some age-old truths about the mystical medallion handed down by his father that helps explain a quest he’s just beginning to grasp himself. Scarlet, it turns out, was on the trail of that medallion’s mysterious origins and its existence explains Dracu’s massacre of the rest of her archaeological team.
Michael seems the only one poised to stop him and the crazed plot he’s hatched in concert with a Hedge Fund billionaire who’s even more villainous than Black Scorpion in many ways. And the truth behind that billionaire’s legacy forms only one of a seemingly endless succession of jaw-dropping twists and turns. I read a lot of books during the year, close to 100-150. Most are in the mystery/suspense/thriller genre, so I’ve gotten to the point that no matter who the author is I have a good idea of where the story is going well before the end.. Not so here. This book stayed ahead of me at every turn in an ever-shifting tapestry where the landscape kept changing so fast I could barely keep up. Truly adrenaline-charged reading entertainment that saves its biggest and most powerful punch for last and left me craving the next installment in this off-the-charts series.
And that’s the thing. Black Scorpion is so ambitious, so broad and bracing, that it transcends genre in becoming a masterwork of storytelling prowess and structure. One of those rare books you experience more than read, a literary gut-smack that will leave you trying to find the breath it stole.
By Jon Land,
Created by Fabrizio Boccardi
Reviewed by Russell Ilg
I don’t know how he does it. Jon Land’s latest novel Black Scorpion: The Tyrant Reborn is just more proof of his ability to take the reader on the greatest ride of his or her literary life. The depth and complex nature of the characters takes you well beyond fiction to the point that you are carried into a world that is so real you become part of the book in every sense.
It’s been five years since the book’s hero Michael Tiranno, aka “the Tyrant,” saved Las Vegas from terrorists in the blockbuster The Seven Sins. Now he, along with the entire country and world, are facing an even greater enemy in the form of Black Scorpion, an international criminal organization that fancies human trafficking above all else. When Michael’s girl friend Scarlet Swan runs afoul of them while on an archaeological dig in Romania, Michael drops everything to embark on a mission that will ultimately define who and what he is. Black Scorpion’s mysterious leader, Vladimir Dracu, is the yin to his yang. Opposite sides of the same coin, in more ways than one as it turns out.
Both men are obsessed with power and Michael alone seems every bit Dracu’s equal in dispensing good as opposed to evil. This is a much less ambiguous Tyrant than the one we met in The Seven Sins. We seem to have caught Michael in the middle of some kind of spiritual awakening, the physical journey he embarks on to rescue his one true love an apt metaphor for the metaphysical one that explains the book’s subtitle, The Tyrant Reborn. Indeed, Black Scorpion introduces us to a man in the midst of a metamorphosis that can come none too soon for either Scarlett or the world as a whole.
The action scenes that follow Michael’s and his deadly sidekick Alexander’s arrival in Transylvania of all places are staged with such fluidity and ferocity that they feel like movie set pieces spooling through our imaginations. You have to wonder if the Transylvanian setting wasn’t chosen specifically for its own connotations in folklore where monsters, like Dracu himself, are hatched. It’s also the perfect setting for Michael to confront some age-old truths about the mystical medallion handed down by his father that helps explain a quest he’s just beginning to grasp himself. Scarlet, it turns out, was on the trail of that medallion’s mysterious origins and its existence explains Dracu’s massacre of the rest of her archaeological team.
Michael seems the only one poised to stop him and the crazed plot he’s hatched in concert with a Hedge Fund billionaire who’s even more villainous than Black Scorpion in many ways. And the truth behind that billionaire’s legacy forms only one of a seemingly endless succession of jaw-dropping twists and turns. I read a lot of books during the year, close to 100-150. Most are in the mystery/suspense/thriller genre, so I’ve gotten to the point that no matter who the author is I have a good idea of where the story is going well before the end.. Not so here. This book stayed ahead of me at every turn in an ever-shifting tapestry where the landscape kept changing so fast I could barely keep up. Truly adrenaline-charged reading entertainment that saves its biggest and most powerful punch for last and left me craving the next installment in this off-the-charts series.
And that’s the thing. Black Scorpion is so ambitious, so broad and bracing, that it transcends genre in becoming a masterwork of storytelling prowess and structure. One of those rare books you experience more than read, a literary gut-smack that will leave you trying to find the breath it stole.
April 11, 2015
Jon Land in his new book, “Black Scorpion” The Tyrant Reborn Book Two in the Michael Tiranno The Tyrant series published by Forge Books gives us a new adventure with Michael Tiranno.
From the back cover: The next adventure of The Seven Sins‘ Michael “The Tyrant” Tiranno, Jon Land’s Black Scorpion is a pulse pounding action-thriller as he takes on a worldwide human trafficking cabal.
Five years have passed since Michael Tiranno saved the city of Las Vegas from a terrorist attack. And now a new enemy has surfaced in Eastern Europe in the form of an all-powerful organization called Black Scorpion. Once a victim of human trafficking himself, the shadowy group’s crazed leader, Vladimir Dracu, has become the mastermind behind the scourge’s infestation on a global scale. And now he’s set his sights on Michael Tiranno for reasons birthed in a painful secret past that have scarred both men.
Already facing a myriad of problems, Michael once more must rise to the challenge of confronting an all-powerful enemy who is exploiting and ravaging innocents all across the globe and has set nothing less than all of America as its new victim. Black Scorpion has also taken the woman Michael loves hostage: Scarlett Swan, a beautiful archaeologist who was following the dangerous trail of the origins of the ancient relic that both defines and empowers Michael, a discovery that could change history and the perception of mankind’s very origins.
With the deck and the odds stacked against him, Michael must come to learn and embrace his true destiny in becoming the Tyrant reborn as a dark knight to triumph over ultimate evil and stop the sting of Black Scorpion from undermining all of the United States and plunging Las Vegas into chaos and anarchy.
Somehow I missed the first book that introduced Michael Tiranno. That is an oversight that I will quickly make up for. However Jon Land is such an exceptional author that, if you are like me and also missed the first book, he has set it up so that you will not feel left out. Michael Tiranno is Bruce Wayne and Batman simultaneously which is quite a feat. He also has a very dark past. “Black Scorpion” is one huge action-packed thriller practically from page one. The bad guy is Vladimir Dracu the head of Black Scorpion and he has got it in for Michael. He kidnaps Scarlett and is holding her hostage to get Michael to do his bidding. And Black Scorpion is an international human trafficking cabal coming to America. No need to drink coffee this is pure excitement and more than enough to keep you awake. Mr. Land obviously likes to tell a good story,and this one is as good as it gets. You will not be disappointed with “Black Scorpion”. I am so looking forward to the next adventure with Michael Tiranno.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from PR by the Book. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
From the back cover: The next adventure of The Seven Sins‘ Michael “The Tyrant” Tiranno, Jon Land’s Black Scorpion is a pulse pounding action-thriller as he takes on a worldwide human trafficking cabal.
Five years have passed since Michael Tiranno saved the city of Las Vegas from a terrorist attack. And now a new enemy has surfaced in Eastern Europe in the form of an all-powerful organization called Black Scorpion. Once a victim of human trafficking himself, the shadowy group’s crazed leader, Vladimir Dracu, has become the mastermind behind the scourge’s infestation on a global scale. And now he’s set his sights on Michael Tiranno for reasons birthed in a painful secret past that have scarred both men.
Already facing a myriad of problems, Michael once more must rise to the challenge of confronting an all-powerful enemy who is exploiting and ravaging innocents all across the globe and has set nothing less than all of America as its new victim. Black Scorpion has also taken the woman Michael loves hostage: Scarlett Swan, a beautiful archaeologist who was following the dangerous trail of the origins of the ancient relic that both defines and empowers Michael, a discovery that could change history and the perception of mankind’s very origins.
With the deck and the odds stacked against him, Michael must come to learn and embrace his true destiny in becoming the Tyrant reborn as a dark knight to triumph over ultimate evil and stop the sting of Black Scorpion from undermining all of the United States and plunging Las Vegas into chaos and anarchy.
Somehow I missed the first book that introduced Michael Tiranno. That is an oversight that I will quickly make up for. However Jon Land is such an exceptional author that, if you are like me and also missed the first book, he has set it up so that you will not feel left out. Michael Tiranno is Bruce Wayne and Batman simultaneously which is quite a feat. He also has a very dark past. “Black Scorpion” is one huge action-packed thriller practically from page one. The bad guy is Vladimir Dracu the head of Black Scorpion and he has got it in for Michael. He kidnaps Scarlett and is holding her hostage to get Michael to do his bidding. And Black Scorpion is an international human trafficking cabal coming to America. No need to drink coffee this is pure excitement and more than enough to keep you awake. Mr. Land obviously likes to tell a good story,and this one is as good as it gets. You will not be disappointed with “Black Scorpion”. I am so looking forward to the next adventure with Michael Tiranno.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from PR by the Book. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
April 22, 2015
Ancient Mysteries. Las Vegas Casinos, and Human Trafficking
Michael Tirano, owner of the Seven Sins Hotel and Casino, is looking to expand, but he has run afoul of the Nevada Gaming Control Board, or is someone out to take over his empire? Scarlett Swan, the love of his live, is an archaeologist working in Transylvania. She finds a mysterious document that someone is trying to keep from exposure. His sister, Raven Kahn, has become involved with Saltuk, a crime kingpin. A ship she boards as a pirate turns out to be carrying women and children, a product of human trafficking.
The three strands of the plot are cleverly woven together to keep the story moving at a rapid pace. Each strand builds on the findings from the other until the novel reaches it's exciting conclusion. Although there are three separate plot lines. It's not hard to follow. Each plot is distinct. The chapters are short and although there are many characters, because they are attached to each plot line it's not hard to remember who they are.
Michael Tirano is a heroic protagonist. He wields great power, but he also has compassion. One of the early scenes, shows him buying the home of a couple who are being evicted and leasing it back to them at favorable terms. He, like Las Vegas, has a bright exterior covering dark secrets.
The other characters act primarily in the service of the plot. This is an action novel, not one with serious character development. If you enjoy fast paced action, you'll enjoy this book.
I reviewed this book for PR by the Book.
Michael Tirano, owner of the Seven Sins Hotel and Casino, is looking to expand, but he has run afoul of the Nevada Gaming Control Board, or is someone out to take over his empire? Scarlett Swan, the love of his live, is an archaeologist working in Transylvania. She finds a mysterious document that someone is trying to keep from exposure. His sister, Raven Kahn, has become involved with Saltuk, a crime kingpin. A ship she boards as a pirate turns out to be carrying women and children, a product of human trafficking.
The three strands of the plot are cleverly woven together to keep the story moving at a rapid pace. Each strand builds on the findings from the other until the novel reaches it's exciting conclusion. Although there are three separate plot lines. It's not hard to follow. Each plot is distinct. The chapters are short and although there are many characters, because they are attached to each plot line it's not hard to remember who they are.
Michael Tirano is a heroic protagonist. He wields great power, but he also has compassion. One of the early scenes, shows him buying the home of a couple who are being evicted and leasing it back to them at favorable terms. He, like Las Vegas, has a bright exterior covering dark secrets.
The other characters act primarily in the service of the plot. This is an action novel, not one with serious character development. If you enjoy fast paced action, you'll enjoy this book.
I reviewed this book for PR by the Book.
April 24, 2015
Black Scorpion by Jon Land
This book has action, adventure and in spades! I'm guessing Land does 5 Hour Energy chased with Red Bull and washed down with Jolt and espresso when he writes. This is a thriller on steroids with a wealthy protagonist and an even wealthy psychopathic villain.
This is the second in a series featuring Michael Tiranno, the Tyrant, as the protagonist. Michael is a benevolent tyrant. He is a wealthy businessman pandering to the vices of Vegas. Familial discoveries open his eyes to some shocking aspects of his family tree and his past.
The Tyrant persona might be compared to that of Tony Stark in Iron Man, a overwhelming ego and a pathological need to succeed at all costs. His drive for success may not be as egocentrically driven as he may think.
The plot is intricate and colorful. There doesn't appear to be any connection to reality with the exception of computer vulnerability. The mores on many of the characters are aptly illustrated by many of the greed driven arrestees of the past decade. I guess in that aspect, there is a relationship to reality.
A drive for justice and a compassion for fellow human beings brings some relief from the Black Scorpion's unmitigated evil. Land tosses in plenty of twists and some very interesting characters.
This was a very entertaining read.
I did not find a site for Land but this interview was interesting.
Site: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mark-ru...
This book has action, adventure and in spades! I'm guessing Land does 5 Hour Energy chased with Red Bull and washed down with Jolt and espresso when he writes. This is a thriller on steroids with a wealthy protagonist and an even wealthy psychopathic villain.
This is the second in a series featuring Michael Tiranno, the Tyrant, as the protagonist. Michael is a benevolent tyrant. He is a wealthy businessman pandering to the vices of Vegas. Familial discoveries open his eyes to some shocking aspects of his family tree and his past.
The Tyrant persona might be compared to that of Tony Stark in Iron Man, a overwhelming ego and a pathological need to succeed at all costs. His drive for success may not be as egocentrically driven as he may think.
The plot is intricate and colorful. There doesn't appear to be any connection to reality with the exception of computer vulnerability. The mores on many of the characters are aptly illustrated by many of the greed driven arrestees of the past decade. I guess in that aspect, there is a relationship to reality.
A drive for justice and a compassion for fellow human beings brings some relief from the Black Scorpion's unmitigated evil. Land tosses in plenty of twists and some very interesting characters.
This was a very entertaining read.
I did not find a site for Land but this interview was interesting.
Site: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mark-ru...
February 2, 2017
I jumped back into this series after finding the first installment over the top but entertaining nonetheless. This one starts of the unbelievably same, as Michael is saving the homes of his employees from foreclosure while beating up MMA heavyweight champions inside the octagon. It is easier to stomach all of this if you look at Michael Tiranno more as a superhero than a conventional protagonist. The story takes place after a five year jump - a necessary leap that draws things closer to current events, helping this story overcome how dated the previous book felt at times. Unfortunately, the frequency of my eye rolls increased within this second installment as we learn how Michael trained to become a total bad-ass while meeting/saving his love interest. We are also given a glimpse into the life of his mysterious father, who we learn was a Nazi-hunter and how that incredibly ties into how Michael is connected to the James-Bondish titular big bad of this story. Over the top is an understatement, far-fetched comes closer to the mark as this book globe-trots but didn't really go anywhere in terms of generating my interest. I shouldn't have been surprised that this has been optioned into both a movie and a comic book series, so Michael can go full-blown superhero with the medallion he wears around his neck acting as his magic power ring and explaining away how The Tyrant can pull off everything he does. The ending is a tease more than a cliffhanger, and despite my reservations about the series, I may stick with this series long enough to learn how it all plays out.
April 21, 2015
I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
This was the first book I’d read by this author. I have to say the author is quite the writer. Reading his book is like watching a major motion picture. You are along for the ride of your life. It is fast paced and the adventures just keep going. To think all of this suspense is due to one small gold coin. Check out his book. I will definitely be finding time this summer to read the first book in this series.
This was the first book I’d read by this author. I have to say the author is quite the writer. Reading his book is like watching a major motion picture. You are along for the ride of your life. It is fast paced and the adventures just keep going. To think all of this suspense is due to one small gold coin. Check out his book. I will definitely be finding time this summer to read the first book in this series.
June 5, 2015
Excellent book... very engaging read for me... literally could not put it down! I enjoy Michael T... and all of his gains and losses... the next one should be very interesting... just hope we don't have to wait as long...
June 11, 2015
great and fast paced. could not put it down.
April 9, 2015
Read my review this week on bookreporter.com .
April 16, 2016
Good read
Nice entertaining book with this book I have read all of his books one of my favorite authors, waiting for next book
Nice entertaining book with this book I have read all of his books one of my favorite authors, waiting for next book
April 13, 2015
Great thriller about human trafficking and Las Vegas!!!
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