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Logan Booth #1
De vergelding
In de ijzersterke thriller De vergelding van Matt Rogers maakt huurmoordenaar Logan Booth de wereld een betere plek. Hij legt slechte mensen om, namens een schimmige maar rechtvaardige organisatie. Althans... dat dacht na tien jaar 'trouwe dienst' wordt hem verteld dat hij al die tijd voor de CIA heeft gewerkt. De onthulling zet zijn wereldbeeld op zijn kop en verscheurt hem vanbinnen. Dan wordt zijn beste vriend, onderzoeksjournalist Jorge Romero, bruut vermoord. Waar werkte hij aan, en wie of wat was hij op het spoor? Logan moet zichzelf herpakken en een genadeloze strijd aangaan...
De vergelding is een spannende thriller voor fans van David Baldacci en Terry Hayes. Ideaal voor liefhebbers van scherpe actiethrillers in de stijl van John Wick en Jason Bourne.
'Rogers dompelt de lezer vakkundig onder in een New York waar pijn en geweld de boventoon voeren, en schreef met Logan Booth een onvergetelijk personage.' - Kyle Mills, bestsellerauteur
De vergelding is een spannende thriller voor fans van David Baldacci en Terry Hayes. Ideaal voor liefhebbers van scherpe actiethrillers in de stijl van John Wick en Jason Bourne.
'Rogers dompelt de lezer vakkundig onder in een New York waar pijn en geweld de boventoon voeren, en schreef met Logan Booth een onvergetelijk personage.' - Kyle Mills, bestsellerauteur
359 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 3, 2025
133 people are currently reading
381 people want to read
About the author
Matt Rogers
61 books196 followersMillion-copy bestseller Matt Rogers is a prolific thriller author intent on blurring the lines between hard-hitting action and mind-bending philosophy. An avid runner and mountain trekker, he leans on real world experience to craft edge-of-your-seat thrill rides with staggering plot twists. His breakout novel, BE SOMEBODY, was lauded by IndieReader industry professionals, who praised the "impeccable writing" and "air-tight plot construction." Dive into the Dante Jacoby Series to see what all the fuss is about.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
March 4, 2025
This one was nonstop from the get go, it didn't let up and kept me me on my toes the whole time and wanting to know what happens next.
For 10 years Logan Booth was a contract killer for the CIA... he just didn't know it. He struggles to come to terms the revelation. When Logans longtime friend Jorge is found brutally murdered, Logan is pulled back from the brink, hes powered by anger and vengance to find who was responsible for his friends death.
Unlikely duo Alice Mason, a homeless witness that Logan takes a warming to decide to work together to deliver justice. We learn their backstory as they confront theirs pasts and demons.
As the truth unfolds, powerful people are exposed it becomes a dangerous game. Both Alice and Logan are flawed, raw characters I absolutely loved. Cant wait for the next book in this series.
Thanks so much to the team at Simon & Schuster Australia for my copy of this book for review. I loved it!
For 10 years Logan Booth was a contract killer for the CIA... he just didn't know it. He struggles to come to terms the revelation. When Logans longtime friend Jorge is found brutally murdered, Logan is pulled back from the brink, hes powered by anger and vengance to find who was responsible for his friends death.
Unlikely duo Alice Mason, a homeless witness that Logan takes a warming to decide to work together to deliver justice. We learn their backstory as they confront theirs pasts and demons.
As the truth unfolds, powerful people are exposed it becomes a dangerous game. Both Alice and Logan are flawed, raw characters I absolutely loved. Cant wait for the next book in this series.
Thanks so much to the team at Simon & Schuster Australia for my copy of this book for review. I loved it!
June 24, 2025
A book that only Tom Cruise could love (derogatory).
This book has no real plot, the characters are cookie cut thriller agrotypes with nothing interesting or unique about them and at no point to they undergo any sort of development. There's one female main character and honestly I'm not even sure why she was in this book except to give the mc someone to save (since he certainly didn't manage to save any men).
It feels like this book was an excuse to write a bunch of averagely executed action scenes vaguely strung with some semblance of a plot.
The writing it average at best and even the very premise is so absurd that the story falters straight out of the box. I mean the idea that he would be unwittingly working as a contract killer for the United States Government and then one day they would just randomly decide to tell him this? Instantly making him a huge liability who could cause untold damage by going public with this information. Let's be so for real if they were done with this services then they'd have ordered he killed off by another contract killer.
Also some of the language is just a bit.....weird.... I mean idk is it really necessary to be referring criminal groups by their ethnicity? and the way some of these characters were characterised idk... I'm not calling it racist but I am calling it a bit odd! Also the overuse of the word junkie was soooooooo unnecessary. Again not saying it shouldn't have been used at all but it was thrown in very heavily, which is either bad writing or just the author being weird.
This book has no real plot, the characters are cookie cut thriller agrotypes with nothing interesting or unique about them and at no point to they undergo any sort of development. There's one female main character and honestly I'm not even sure why she was in this book except to give the mc someone to save (since he certainly didn't manage to save any men).
It feels like this book was an excuse to write a bunch of averagely executed action scenes vaguely strung with some semblance of a plot.
The writing it average at best and even the very premise is so absurd that the story falters straight out of the box. I mean the idea that he would be unwittingly working as a contract killer for the United States Government and then one day they would just randomly decide to tell him this? Instantly making him a huge liability who could cause untold damage by going public with this information. Let's be so for real if they were done with this services then they'd have ordered he killed off by another contract killer.
Also some of the language is just a bit.....weird.... I mean idk is it really necessary to be referring criminal groups by their ethnicity? and the way some of these characters were characterised idk... I'm not calling it racist but I am calling it a bit odd! Also the overuse of the word junkie was soooooooo unnecessary. Again not saying it shouldn't have been used at all but it was thrown in very heavily, which is either bad writing or just the author being weird.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 21, 2025
The Forsaken is an adrenaline rush from start to finish.. don’t forget to breathe while you are reading it!
Non stop action in this dark crime thriller from Matt Rogers that keeps you turning the pages into the night. It is a story of revenge, betrayal and power. Logan Booth is a broken man after finding out the last 10 years of his life have been a lie. He is in a deep depression, drinking too much, taking drugs and sleeping all day. He is right on the brink when his only friend Jorge is murdered. This pulls him out of his misery to seek revenge on whoever did this to his friend. Along the way he meets Alice, a homeless drug addicted woman who becomes a witness and needs his protection.
Logan is one angry man and I would not want to be on his bad side. He uses his abilities to track down his friend’s killer and finds himself caught up in much more than he could possibly imagine. He really is battling his demons and trying to help Alice with hers. You never know what is going to happen next and who they can trust which makes this a very entertaining read.
Thanks to Dan Pilkington and Simon and Schuster for my advanced copy to read. Finally published on July 2nd
Non stop action in this dark crime thriller from Matt Rogers that keeps you turning the pages into the night. It is a story of revenge, betrayal and power. Logan Booth is a broken man after finding out the last 10 years of his life have been a lie. He is in a deep depression, drinking too much, taking drugs and sleeping all day. He is right on the brink when his only friend Jorge is murdered. This pulls him out of his misery to seek revenge on whoever did this to his friend. Along the way he meets Alice, a homeless drug addicted woman who becomes a witness and needs his protection.
Logan is one angry man and I would not want to be on his bad side. He uses his abilities to track down his friend’s killer and finds himself caught up in much more than he could possibly imagine. He really is battling his demons and trying to help Alice with hers. You never know what is going to happen next and who they can trust which makes this a very entertaining read.
Thanks to Dan Pilkington and Simon and Schuster for my advanced copy to read. Finally published on July 2nd
March 5, 2025
Logan Booth has been a contract killer for the CIA for 10 years but never knew it. He is fighting very dark demons and learning his life has been lie destroys him
When his only friend Jorge is killed, Logan is spurred into vengeance to avenge his death
He meets Alice, a homeless witness who becomes an unlikely ally as he works to avenge Jorge’s death he also must fight to keep Alice alive before her drug addiction takes over
The relationship formed between Logan and Alice adds hope throughout as they see the good in each other while battling their own demons
Filled with a giant web of lies, drugs and violence, The Forsaken is dark but action packed crime story
Thank you to the author & publisher for my ARC copy to review
When his only friend Jorge is killed, Logan is spurred into vengeance to avenge his death
He meets Alice, a homeless witness who becomes an unlikely ally as he works to avenge Jorge’s death he also must fight to keep Alice alive before her drug addiction takes over
The relationship formed between Logan and Alice adds hope throughout as they see the good in each other while battling their own demons
Filled with a giant web of lies, drugs and violence, The Forsaken is dark but action packed crime story
Thank you to the author & publisher for my ARC copy to review
June 30, 2025
I was excited to get my hands on this ARC as the elements of the plot seemed right in my wheelhouse for a great thriller.
Contract killer Logan Booth has just found out he's been working for the very people he despises - the CIA. He has unknowingly been blindsided into this role by his handler, James and is not, in fact, a rogue vigilante. Now Logan finds himself on the brink of self-destruction when his only friend, Jorge, gets inexplicably murdered.
Alice Mason is a drug addict. She is in the throes of addiction and isn't lasting more than hours before her next hit. She helps Logan with information about Jorge's whereabouts and what was happening. Alice becomes an unlikely ally to Logan as he seeks justice, not only for his friend, but for the 10 years of his own life he's unknowlingly dedicated to the enemy.
I loved the premise of this book but felt the execution was off. I enjoyed the very start but then it became confusing. The jumping between what was happening in the present and the back information was very clunky and was leaving me disoriented.
I didn't really believe in Logan and Alice's friendship as being genuine or real. When he'd been this cliche lone ranger for 10+ years on the brink of breaking and was suddenly opening up to her about things he'd never talked to anyone about. Then he magically convinced her to get clean in 24 hours seemed a bit too convenient for the story. I'm not sure if it was the ARC with kindle formatting, but it was a weird set up to read and I unfortunately wasn't itching to sit down with this every night.
In saying that, there have been several great reviews posted on this one, so it may have been my busy week that made me struggle to appreciate the details. If a CIA / vigilante contract killer book is your vibe, you might have better luck with this one.
Expected Publication Date: 2 July, 2025.
Thank you to Simon and Schuster Australia for providing me with this ARC through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
Contract killer Logan Booth has just found out he's been working for the very people he despises - the CIA. He has unknowingly been blindsided into this role by his handler, James and is not, in fact, a rogue vigilante. Now Logan finds himself on the brink of self-destruction when his only friend, Jorge, gets inexplicably murdered.
Alice Mason is a drug addict. She is in the throes of addiction and isn't lasting more than hours before her next hit. She helps Logan with information about Jorge's whereabouts and what was happening. Alice becomes an unlikely ally to Logan as he seeks justice, not only for his friend, but for the 10 years of his own life he's unknowlingly dedicated to the enemy.
I loved the premise of this book but felt the execution was off. I enjoyed the very start but then it became confusing. The jumping between what was happening in the present and the back information was very clunky and was leaving me disoriented.
I didn't really believe in Logan and Alice's friendship as being genuine or real. When he'd been this cliche lone ranger for 10+ years on the brink of breaking and was suddenly opening up to her about things he'd never talked to anyone about. Then he magically convinced her to get clean in 24 hours seemed a bit too convenient for the story. I'm not sure if it was the ARC with kindle formatting, but it was a weird set up to read and I unfortunately wasn't itching to sit down with this every night.
In saying that, there have been several great reviews posted on this one, so it may have been my busy week that made me struggle to appreciate the details. If a CIA / vigilante contract killer book is your vibe, you might have better luck with this one.
Expected Publication Date: 2 July, 2025.
Thank you to Simon and Schuster Australia for providing me with this ARC through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
February 12, 2025
Thank you to Matt Rogers for this advance copy, which I won.
Matt Rogers writing is so detailed without an overrun of unnecessary information.
Drugs, murder, this book is intense, following Logan and Alice's story, an unlikely friendship of two people who appear from very different worlds but as the story progresses you realise they aren't that different. Both have fears, vices they are struggling to break, and a past they are running from.
The graphic descriptions of the drugs and their outcomes, the beatings of the victims, and aftermath to the body of the survivor is not for the faint hearted but it's a powerful part of Logan's story.
The adereline of the high from taking the life of scum to the slump of the low from the constant impact to the body, from the crippling battles, it takes Logan to survive each fight. His mindset incredibly tough yet logical in the face of adversity and betrayal, sharp even considering he's so broken, his will powerful, so it's a surprise when he says he never hit the hard stuff because he knew he wouldn't have had the strength to pull himself off it.
The attention to detail about Alice before her life on the streets and after is vivid. A lost soul feeling worthless and just craving her next hit.
Daniel, the wealthy businessman, running on a high from killing someone to dropping to a massive low. Developing a self hated of his wealth. His incessant need for more, to achieve more driving him headlong into the path of Logan.
Losing main characters takes this book to another level, Matt Rogers takes risks and keeps the plot going without the characters you don't want to die but somehow need to for the plot to unfold.
The descriptions are vivd, they draw you in, take you on a rough and violent journey riding roughshod with Logan.
This is phenomenonal writing from an author I've never read before. I read a lot, but this was next level. I highly recommend this book when it's released in March.
I look forward to reading more of Matt Rogers books.
Matt Rogers writing is so detailed without an overrun of unnecessary information.
Drugs, murder, this book is intense, following Logan and Alice's story, an unlikely friendship of two people who appear from very different worlds but as the story progresses you realise they aren't that different. Both have fears, vices they are struggling to break, and a past they are running from.
The graphic descriptions of the drugs and their outcomes, the beatings of the victims, and aftermath to the body of the survivor is not for the faint hearted but it's a powerful part of Logan's story.
The adereline of the high from taking the life of scum to the slump of the low from the constant impact to the body, from the crippling battles, it takes Logan to survive each fight. His mindset incredibly tough yet logical in the face of adversity and betrayal, sharp even considering he's so broken, his will powerful, so it's a surprise when he says he never hit the hard stuff because he knew he wouldn't have had the strength to pull himself off it.
The attention to detail about Alice before her life on the streets and after is vivid. A lost soul feeling worthless and just craving her next hit.
Daniel, the wealthy businessman, running on a high from killing someone to dropping to a massive low. Developing a self hated of his wealth. His incessant need for more, to achieve more driving him headlong into the path of Logan.
Losing main characters takes this book to another level, Matt Rogers takes risks and keeps the plot going without the characters you don't want to die but somehow need to for the plot to unfold.
The descriptions are vivd, they draw you in, take you on a rough and violent journey riding roughshod with Logan.
This is phenomenonal writing from an author I've never read before. I read a lot, but this was next level. I highly recommend this book when it's released in March.
I look forward to reading more of Matt Rogers books.
November 10, 2025
An adrenaline-fueled, action-packed, thrilling read.
Logan Booth thought he has been a rogue assassin for a group of vigilantes for the past decade. He is devastated to learn he has been used by the CIA as a contract killer to further government interests. When his long-time friend and investigate journalist Jorge Romero is murdered for attempting to uncover political corruption, Logan seeks vengeance in the only way he knows how. An unlikely friendship of desperation develops between Logan and Alice, a homeless, drug-addict who becomes embroiled in the chaos of murder and violence.
The writing is vivid, propulsive and cleverly intertwines philosophy, greed, corruption, violence, guilt and politics. Logan Booth is a memorable and morally complex character. I am interested to read what comes next for him.
If you enjoy cinematic fast-paced, action thrillers, then give this one a go.
I was fortunate enough to win a paperback copy from Simon & Schuster, through a StoryGraph giveaway.
Logan Booth thought he has been a rogue assassin for a group of vigilantes for the past decade. He is devastated to learn he has been used by the CIA as a contract killer to further government interests. When his long-time friend and investigate journalist Jorge Romero is murdered for attempting to uncover political corruption, Logan seeks vengeance in the only way he knows how. An unlikely friendship of desperation develops between Logan and Alice, a homeless, drug-addict who becomes embroiled in the chaos of murder and violence.
The writing is vivid, propulsive and cleverly intertwines philosophy, greed, corruption, violence, guilt and politics. Logan Booth is a memorable and morally complex character. I am interested to read what comes next for him.
If you enjoy cinematic fast-paced, action thrillers, then give this one a go.
I was fortunate enough to win a paperback copy from Simon & Schuster, through a StoryGraph giveaway.
December 3, 2025
3.5★
Review to follow.
Review to follow.
December 13, 2025
The pages had a pulse in this fast paced and action packed read.
Matt gave a heads up to think of a combined version John Wick and True Detective and I fully endorse that flavour.
The intensity, danger and web of intrigue flows into just over a 24 hour period.
I liken the experience to a literary rollercoaster.
Logan kills for a living and after a decade a transparency reveals who he has been doing this for.
The repercussions of this illuminated truth sparks rage and sets off a chain events.
The murder of his best friend, finding a destitute druggie and a race for survival and revenge sets the speed of the narrative.
The tenderness, lack of judgement and determination to save Alice is a special element that threads throughout.
I have it on good authority that this author is only 28 and has written over 30 books.
The depth and maturity of the writing style coupled with the ability to realistically set a book abroad is a testimony to the talent.
Logan is a character that embodies a professional killer has emotional dimensions that make him memorable and likeable.
Matt gave a heads up to think of a combined version John Wick and True Detective and I fully endorse that flavour.
The intensity, danger and web of intrigue flows into just over a 24 hour period.
I liken the experience to a literary rollercoaster.
Logan kills for a living and after a decade a transparency reveals who he has been doing this for.
The repercussions of this illuminated truth sparks rage and sets off a chain events.
The murder of his best friend, finding a destitute druggie and a race for survival and revenge sets the speed of the narrative.
The tenderness, lack of judgement and determination to save Alice is a special element that threads throughout.
I have it on good authority that this author is only 28 and has written over 30 books.
The depth and maturity of the writing style coupled with the ability to realistically set a book abroad is a testimony to the talent.
Logan is a character that embodies a professional killer has emotional dimensions that make him memorable and likeable.
March 6, 2025
When Logan Booth learns that his decade long career as a vigilante assassin has been in service to the CIA he spirals into a pit of self-loathing. He thought he had been making a difference, now he wonders if he did any good at all. Logan is on the brink of ending it all when his college roommate and only friend Jorge Romero, an investigative reporter on the trail of a political corruption scandal, is brutally murdered. Filled with righteous fury Logan decides his last act will be to make whoever was involved pay.
I really enjoyed this action-packed and fast paced thriller from Matt Roger that sees Logan utilise his unique skills to avenge the death of his friend, and protect Alice, a young drug addict caught up in the chaos.
Logan is a deeply flawed character, as any contract killer must be no matter his motives, he is broken yet disciplined and somehow likeable. His skills are certainly impressive, he cuts down his enemies as easily as any action hero, shrugging off the damage to his body, determinedly making his way through the gauntlet of bad guys thrown at him.
Alice is also flawed but surprisingly self aware and perceptive for a homeless drug addict. Roger has given her a sense of vulnerability and as she battles her demons, you can’t help but root for her. The connection she forms with Logan is born of desperation, but changes into something more equal as the story progresses, despite their differences.
The violence can be quite graphic but Roger’s descriptions are generally cinematic and it’s easy to visualise this being played out on screen.
The Forsaken is to be the first in a series featuring Logan Booth and I look forward to
Roger’s next thrilling instalment.
I really enjoyed this action-packed and fast paced thriller from Matt Roger that sees Logan utilise his unique skills to avenge the death of his friend, and protect Alice, a young drug addict caught up in the chaos.
Logan is a deeply flawed character, as any contract killer must be no matter his motives, he is broken yet disciplined and somehow likeable. His skills are certainly impressive, he cuts down his enemies as easily as any action hero, shrugging off the damage to his body, determinedly making his way through the gauntlet of bad guys thrown at him.
Alice is also flawed but surprisingly self aware and perceptive for a homeless drug addict. Roger has given her a sense of vulnerability and as she battles her demons, you can’t help but root for her. The connection she forms with Logan is born of desperation, but changes into something more equal as the story progresses, despite their differences.
The violence can be quite graphic but Roger’s descriptions are generally cinematic and it’s easy to visualise this being played out on screen.
The Forsaken is to be the first in a series featuring Logan Booth and I look forward to
Roger’s next thrilling instalment.
March 28, 2025
I am not always struck on books that are CIA-focused; sometimes they can become unvaried. However, this one was brilliant! Totally fascinating, full of adventure. I was hooked immediately.
The storyline was incredible and extremely engrossing. I felt as though it was playing out in real time in my mind. It is unique, vivid, detailed, and quite literally terrifying.
Logan, the male protagonist of this tale, takes you on one heck of a ride! If you are intrigued to read this one, buckle your seatbelts! Vicky was a compelling character, and I was intrigued by her side story.
Lots of events happen in this book, woven within each character's backstory. It is very well portrayed and read seamlessly. It had depth, meaning, and a detailed understanding of corruption.
The writing style was captivating, with a vast amount of description and intricate detail. I personally adored the epigraph separating every part of the book. It was very clever and beautifully crafted.
It takes a very skillful author to make you question your morals. Well, this book really did make me question mine! What a whirlwind of a book this is! I felt so strongly about Logan's character that I was cheering him on. Which, let's face it, is basically cheering a serial killer on 🤣 but when it is on the terms of "for the greater good?" Then it really gets your cogs turning!
I would highly recommend this book if you like action-packed, fast-paced storylines with suspense and mystery. It really kept me on my toes. I am very pleased to know that this is the first tale of Logan and will be looking forward to more!
The storyline was incredible and extremely engrossing. I felt as though it was playing out in real time in my mind. It is unique, vivid, detailed, and quite literally terrifying.
Logan, the male protagonist of this tale, takes you on one heck of a ride! If you are intrigued to read this one, buckle your seatbelts! Vicky was a compelling character, and I was intrigued by her side story.
Lots of events happen in this book, woven within each character's backstory. It is very well portrayed and read seamlessly. It had depth, meaning, and a detailed understanding of corruption.
The writing style was captivating, with a vast amount of description and intricate detail. I personally adored the epigraph separating every part of the book. It was very clever and beautifully crafted.
It takes a very skillful author to make you question your morals. Well, this book really did make me question mine! What a whirlwind of a book this is! I felt so strongly about Logan's character that I was cheering him on. Which, let's face it, is basically cheering a serial killer on 🤣 but when it is on the terms of "for the greater good?" Then it really gets your cogs turning!
I would highly recommend this book if you like action-packed, fast-paced storylines with suspense and mystery. It really kept me on my toes. I am very pleased to know that this is the first tale of Logan and will be looking forward to more!
September 18, 2024
An absolute thriller! Logan Booth rivals Jack Reacher as the action hero we all need more of. I cannot wait to see what’s next.
September 25, 2025
DNF at 75%.
July 29, 2025
Exhilarating! Fast-paced
August 15, 2025
3.5 stars.
In the twilight of his career, Logan learns he has been a vessel for furthering government interests, not a rogue hitman for a band of vigilantes. The revelation destroys him. But when Jorge Romero – an investigative reporter and Logan's oldest friend – is brutally and inexplicably murdered, Logan allows his fury to deliver him from despair.
This was a straight-up action suspense, with high adrenaline rush from the beginning till the end. Logan was your usual almost-perfect hero, with fit physicality, special skills and certain ideals to make the world a better place. The only ‘flaw’ he had was that he got deceived by his former employer who he thought was good but turned out to be evil.
Alice was an unusual damsel in distress. Far from an innocent bystander, she was an addict who wanted to do better but couldn’t help getting sucked in to the dark world over and over again. To be honest, she intrigued me more than Logan. I wish she had more involvement in the main fight together with Logan.
I’d recommend this if you’re after a movie-like, action-packed suspense with simple storyline.
(Thanks to Simon & Schuster Australia for a gifted review copy)
See my bookstagram review.
In the twilight of his career, Logan learns he has been a vessel for furthering government interests, not a rogue hitman for a band of vigilantes. The revelation destroys him. But when Jorge Romero – an investigative reporter and Logan's oldest friend – is brutally and inexplicably murdered, Logan allows his fury to deliver him from despair.
This was a straight-up action suspense, with high adrenaline rush from the beginning till the end. Logan was your usual almost-perfect hero, with fit physicality, special skills and certain ideals to make the world a better place. The only ‘flaw’ he had was that he got deceived by his former employer who he thought was good but turned out to be evil.
Alice was an unusual damsel in distress. Far from an innocent bystander, she was an addict who wanted to do better but couldn’t help getting sucked in to the dark world over and over again. To be honest, she intrigued me more than Logan. I wish she had more involvement in the main fight together with Logan.
I’d recommend this if you’re after a movie-like, action-packed suspense with simple storyline.
(Thanks to Simon & Schuster Australia for a gifted review copy)
See my bookstagram review.
February 22, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
Logan Booth, a very cool name for a semi suicidal contract killer.
Logan comes across Alice Mason, a homeless drug addicted person who witness a few things that can get her killed. I think she’s the best character in the book because she is social aware of her vices and surroundings. I like her interactions and conversation with Logan. I feel like they kept each other accountable over their addictions.
Logan is a killer but when she goes to his house she straight up calls him disgusting because of how his house smelled and looked. I’m assuming his house is litter with alcoholic bottles and it probably smells like a bar in there. Alice is literally a drug addict living on the street most of the time. I don’t think a lot of things can phase her but she was truly disgusted by Logan’s house 🤣. LOL
So Logan was a little suicidal and was 90% ready to “move” to heaven until some idiots decided to kill his only friend.
Now he sends them to heaven.
I would definitely recommend this book if you are looking for an action pack adventure and reading about how two messed up people function for a day. So it’s a pretty fun and quick read.
Thank you Matt Rodgers and his team for the ARC which I won in a giveaway.
Logan Booth, a very cool name for a semi suicidal contract killer.
Logan comes across Alice Mason, a homeless drug addicted person who witness a few things that can get her killed. I think she’s the best character in the book because she is social aware of her vices and surroundings. I like her interactions and conversation with Logan. I feel like they kept each other accountable over their addictions.
Logan is a killer but when she goes to his house she straight up calls him disgusting because of how his house smelled and looked. I’m assuming his house is litter with alcoholic bottles and it probably smells like a bar in there. Alice is literally a drug addict living on the street most of the time. I don’t think a lot of things can phase her but she was truly disgusted by Logan’s house 🤣. LOL
So Logan was a little suicidal and was 90% ready to “move” to heaven until some idiots decided to kill his only friend.
Now he sends them to heaven.
I would definitely recommend this book if you are looking for an action pack adventure and reading about how two messed up people function for a day. So it’s a pretty fun and quick read.
Thank you Matt Rodgers and his team for the ARC which I won in a giveaway.
May 15, 2025
The Forsaken tells the tale of Logan Booth, who worked as a contract killer for the CIA, which is the first in a new series by Matt Rogers. The series opens with Logan finding out that his employment as a rogue hitman for a group of vigilantes was all a lie, with him really being used by the CIA for covert purposes. This turns his life upside down where he begins drinking and being absent from the world. The premise of the Forsaken is one of Logan’s closest friends is murdered before Logan can save him and he becomes responsible for the homeless witness Alice. The two of them join up to try and find out who murdered his friend and to get revenge, while overcoming their own personal issues.
The book started really well with vivid imagery, allowing you to picture the events that were occurring. For me, the middle of the book was a bit slow, with some confusion about what was happening and trying to pull it all together. However, the pace picked back up at the end and I didn’t want to stop reading to find out if Logan would avenge his friend’s death and save Alice. I will definitely be looking out for the next instalment of this series and would love to know more about the life of Alice.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review.
The book started really well with vivid imagery, allowing you to picture the events that were occurring. For me, the middle of the book was a bit slow, with some confusion about what was happening and trying to pull it all together. However, the pace picked back up at the end and I didn’t want to stop reading to find out if Logan would avenge his friend’s death and save Alice. I will definitely be looking out for the next instalment of this series and would love to know more about the life of Alice.
Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review.
May 16, 2025
The Forsaken by Matt Rogers is an action movie in print. Logan Booth is a rugged antihero with a philosophical bent who has been tricked by the US government into life as an assassin. He has always been proud of the integrity of his personal code of ethics so upon the discovery of this manipulation Logan spirals and is living a bleak, whiskey drenched life as the book begins. As those close to him become under threat he becomes his old self again, a fighter of epic abilities.
The descriptions of the fight scenes are great - this is a real strength of the book. This is not my usual genre but I enjoyed it. The resolution of the book did not seem quite as well developed as earlier on, but this didn’t really distract from my overall experience of the book. The Forsaken really gives a night at the movies experience.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy.
The descriptions of the fight scenes are great - this is a real strength of the book. This is not my usual genre but I enjoyed it. The resolution of the book did not seem quite as well developed as earlier on, but this didn’t really distract from my overall experience of the book. The Forsaken really gives a night at the movies experience.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy.
July 13, 2025
I first heard of The Forsaken by Matt Rogers at BAD Sydney Crime Writers Festival late last year when Rogers spoke on a panel. He's not exactly a debut author as he's had a successful self-published career before getting picked up by Simon and Schuster. I LOVE Gregg Hurwitz's
Orphan X series
and I believe Rogers gives him a shout-out or hat-tip here by referencing his creation - the black ops government program using orphaned children. And Rogers's lead Logan Booth is reminiscent of Orphan X (Evan Smoak) himself. There's the brawn and fancy weaponry but also cunning street smarts.
Alice and Logan are our main narrators so we know how broken both are. They form an alliance of sorts, trying to keep each other sober (or at least functional) and alive. Their character development is impressive as they are both complex, deeply flawed, but very likeable leads. They also feel very real.
I'm not a huge fan of 'action' scenes and, like in the Orphan X series, there are a lot here and Rogers shares them effortlessly, indicating he knows his stuff or has done his research.
This is a well-written thriller and very nearly a 4.5 star read for me though I confess I'm not really a fan of books featuring white collar or organised crime (ie. those motivated by money rather than madness).
Read my review here: https://www.debbish.com/books-literat...
Alice and Logan are our main narrators so we know how broken both are. They form an alliance of sorts, trying to keep each other sober (or at least functional) and alive. Their character development is impressive as they are both complex, deeply flawed, but very likeable leads. They also feel very real.
I'm not a huge fan of 'action' scenes and, like in the Orphan X series, there are a lot here and Rogers shares them effortlessly, indicating he knows his stuff or has done his research.
This is a well-written thriller and very nearly a 4.5 star read for me though I confess I'm not really a fan of books featuring white collar or organised crime (ie. those motivated by money rather than madness).
Read my review here: https://www.debbish.com/books-literat...
May 2, 2025
If you're after a complex and intriguing thriller with a tiny dash if love and a whole lot of philosophical thinking then this is for you!
Logan's (MMC) description and almost superhuman strength and ability to deal with pain definitely gave me Jack Reacher vibes and I was rooting for Alice to overcome her demons from the get go.
The action/violent scenes were done so well that I could literally visualise them as I was reading.
It's gritty, emotional and the character development is amazing.
Yet another series to add to my neverending TBR pile 😂
Logan's (MMC) description and almost superhuman strength and ability to deal with pain definitely gave me Jack Reacher vibes and I was rooting for Alice to overcome her demons from the get go.
The action/violent scenes were done so well that I could literally visualise them as I was reading.
It's gritty, emotional and the character development is amazing.
Yet another series to add to my neverending TBR pile 😂
October 19, 2025
It might just not be the book for me, but I struggled to connect with the storyline and characters
June 18, 2025
Logan Booth wordt gezien als een geduchte huurmoordenaar. Hij probeert van de wereld een betere plek te maken. Hij legt slechte mensen om, namens een schimmige maar rechtvaardige organisatie. Althans.. dat dacht hij. Na tien jaar trouwe dienst wordt hem verteld dat hij al die tijd voor de CIA werkte. Deze onthulling zet zijn leven op zijn kop en verscheurt hem van binnen. Wanneer zijn beste vriend, onderzoeksjournalist Jorge Romero, op brute wijze wordt vermoord, moet Logan zichzelf herpakken om een genadeloze strijd aan te gaan. Waar werkte hij aan? Wie of wat was hij op het spoor?
Mijn ervaring:
Wat een onwijs spannende, actievolle en krachtige thriller. Matt Rogers heeft een krachtige, levendig en bij tijden wat filosofische schrijfstijl, wat het totaal tot een pakkend en intrigerend verhaal maakt. Het is echt een erg actievol en spannend verhaal met veel geweld waardoor Matt Rogers de spanningsboog gedurende het hele verhaal echt gespannen houdt. Daarbij weet hij ook ontzettend goed een duistere sfeer in het verhaal te stoppen en deze vast te houden.
We volgen het verhaal van Logan Booth, een geduchte huurmoordenaar die gevaar opzoekt maar ook nadenkt over zijn daden en plek in het leven. Hierdoor is het een realistisch, intrigerend en tof personage. Ook de andere personages waaronder Alice met haar drugsverslaving maar wanhopig wil afkicken en James zijn 'ex-'collega's zijn uniek, excentriek en op sterke wijze neergezet. Zeker ook de dynamiek tussen de drie zorgt voor een origineel en indrukwekkend verhaal.
Het verhaal begint met een actievol en spannend proloog, waardoor je direct nieuwsgierig gemaakt wordt en het verhaal wordt ingezogen. Het verhaal zit erg goed in elkaar, hoewel het in de eerste instantie alleen actie en geweld lijkt, zit er een diepere laag in de verhaallijn over een intriges en politiek (macht)spellen, de impact van de Amerikaanse overheid en hoe ver ze hier in gaan, maar ook de filosofische strijd die Logan heeft over het maken van de juiste keuzes en de juiste persoon zijn in het verhaal. Dit alles zorgt voor een indrukwekkend en boeiend verhaal wat je niet los kan laten.
De vergelding is een spannende, actievolle en indrukwekkende thriller. Direct vanaf het proloog wordt je het spannende en vlotte verhaal ingezogen. De personages zijn intrigerend, scherp en erg goed uitgewerkt. Er zit een vlot tempo in de verhaallijn, waardoor de wendingen en gebeurtenissen zich vlot opvolgen. Toch kent het verhaal ook een indrukwekkende diepere laag met intriges, politieke machtsspel maar ook het filosofische vraagstuk waar Logan mee worstelt: het maken van de juiste keuzes in het leven en een goed persoon zijn. Erg indrukwekkend.
Mijn ervaring:
Wat een onwijs spannende, actievolle en krachtige thriller. Matt Rogers heeft een krachtige, levendig en bij tijden wat filosofische schrijfstijl, wat het totaal tot een pakkend en intrigerend verhaal maakt. Het is echt een erg actievol en spannend verhaal met veel geweld waardoor Matt Rogers de spanningsboog gedurende het hele verhaal echt gespannen houdt. Daarbij weet hij ook ontzettend goed een duistere sfeer in het verhaal te stoppen en deze vast te houden.
We volgen het verhaal van Logan Booth, een geduchte huurmoordenaar die gevaar opzoekt maar ook nadenkt over zijn daden en plek in het leven. Hierdoor is het een realistisch, intrigerend en tof personage. Ook de andere personages waaronder Alice met haar drugsverslaving maar wanhopig wil afkicken en James zijn 'ex-'collega's zijn uniek, excentriek en op sterke wijze neergezet. Zeker ook de dynamiek tussen de drie zorgt voor een origineel en indrukwekkend verhaal.
Het verhaal begint met een actievol en spannend proloog, waardoor je direct nieuwsgierig gemaakt wordt en het verhaal wordt ingezogen. Het verhaal zit erg goed in elkaar, hoewel het in de eerste instantie alleen actie en geweld lijkt, zit er een diepere laag in de verhaallijn over een intriges en politiek (macht)spellen, de impact van de Amerikaanse overheid en hoe ver ze hier in gaan, maar ook de filosofische strijd die Logan heeft over het maken van de juiste keuzes en de juiste persoon zijn in het verhaal. Dit alles zorgt voor een indrukwekkend en boeiend verhaal wat je niet los kan laten.
De vergelding is een spannende, actievolle en indrukwekkende thriller. Direct vanaf het proloog wordt je het spannende en vlotte verhaal ingezogen. De personages zijn intrigerend, scherp en erg goed uitgewerkt. Er zit een vlot tempo in de verhaallijn, waardoor de wendingen en gebeurtenissen zich vlot opvolgen. Toch kent het verhaal ook een indrukwekkende diepere laag met intriges, politieke machtsspel maar ook het filosofische vraagstuk waar Logan mee worstelt: het maken van de juiste keuzes in het leven en een goed persoon zijn. Erg indrukwekkend.
September 4, 2025
This book was such a surprise, I was lucky enough to receive an ARC but didn't get to it and then managed to pick up the physical copy in the library. So many chapters left me on the edge of my seat, it was genuinely fast paced and the mix of action scenes and character development left me not wanting to put it down. So much so that I used some of my spotify audiobook minutes when I was out and about and in the car because I was so locked in.
The characters are flawed, morally grey and they know the choices they are making are poor but have to be done. I appreciated that as part of, it wasn't grandiose in why these choices had to be made, it was purely a result of the environment.
I loved Logan as a character and cannot wait to read more.
The characters are flawed, morally grey and they know the choices they are making are poor but have to be done. I appreciated that as part of, it wasn't grandiose in why these choices had to be made, it was purely a result of the environment.
I loved Logan as a character and cannot wait to read more.
January 12, 2025
This is an action-packed thriller with several intense triggers, including graphic violence and drug use, to name a couple. But what a read—it keeps you turning page after page!
Logan Booth is a contract killer for the CIA, but he doesn’t even realize it at first. When his best friend is brutally murdered, Alice, a homeless witness, gets dragged into a battle she’ll never forget.
I loved the dynamic between Logan and Alice—both addicts, both lost, yet finding an unexpected connection. The short chapters make it hard to put down; you keep telling yourself, “Just one more,” and before you know it, you’ve finished the book.
June 27, 2025
I love this author's back story, a story I didn't know until I Googled him. This is not Matt Rogers' first book. He has authored and self-published 36 novels and 13 novellas, but in some ways this could be considered his debut novel because it's his first book to be released through a traditional publisher (Simon & Schuster). He has independently achieved 'bestselling thriller author' status, having sold more than a million copies of his books through Amazon's Kindle direct publishing format, which makes this next step in his career super exciting given he already has a huge fan base.
The Forsaken is the first instalment in a three-part series which takes up the story of professional hitman Logan Booth after he finds out he’s been working for the CIA, not the vigilante group he thought he was serving. The discovery destroys him and has him contemplating the end, but a series of events conspire to pull him out of his wallowing. After his best friend, an investigative journalist, is brutally murdered in front of him, and Alice Mason, a recovering drug addict, becomes a witness to a murder plot, Logan declares war, becoming a one-man army against some of the country's most powerful forces.
This book is go, go, go from page one to done. The pages are full of bloody fist fights, flying bullets and action scenes so detailed that I sometimes forgot I was reading. The cinematic quality of the writing is so good that it played out in my mind like a film (which I have no doubt is in this book's future). If you hadn't already guessed, this is a dark and gritty story. The drug use is explicit and the glimpse into the seedier side of town is penned so convincingly, I really felt like I was there.
I was shocked at Rogers' show of no mercy when it came to who he killed off and when. Shocked! In a good way, though, because it immediately told me that this was not your predictable kind of action story. Another surprise was the revealing of Logan's character, shattering my assumptions of him as a hard and unfeeling killing machine. Yes, he's as tough as they come but there is a soft and philosophical side to his nature, which I did not expect. It didn't entirely feel natural, if I'm honest, but I suspect that's because it's breaking a stereotype, which I'm all for.
I'd describe this book as a HIIT workout – bursts of high-intensity activity, followed by an interval of rest to allow the heart rate to recover. The only reason I didn't give it five stars was because I would have liked those moments of relief to last just a tad longer. Mind you, I say the same thing at the gym. 😂
The Forsaken is due for release on July 2. Get your snacks ready and your work up to date because you may not put this explosive and addictive book down once you start.
The Forsaken is the first instalment in a three-part series which takes up the story of professional hitman Logan Booth after he finds out he’s been working for the CIA, not the vigilante group he thought he was serving. The discovery destroys him and has him contemplating the end, but a series of events conspire to pull him out of his wallowing. After his best friend, an investigative journalist, is brutally murdered in front of him, and Alice Mason, a recovering drug addict, becomes a witness to a murder plot, Logan declares war, becoming a one-man army against some of the country's most powerful forces.
This book is go, go, go from page one to done. The pages are full of bloody fist fights, flying bullets and action scenes so detailed that I sometimes forgot I was reading. The cinematic quality of the writing is so good that it played out in my mind like a film (which I have no doubt is in this book's future). If you hadn't already guessed, this is a dark and gritty story. The drug use is explicit and the glimpse into the seedier side of town is penned so convincingly, I really felt like I was there.
I was shocked at Rogers' show of no mercy when it came to who he killed off and when. Shocked! In a good way, though, because it immediately told me that this was not your predictable kind of action story. Another surprise was the revealing of Logan's character, shattering my assumptions of him as a hard and unfeeling killing machine. Yes, he's as tough as they come but there is a soft and philosophical side to his nature, which I did not expect. It didn't entirely feel natural, if I'm honest, but I suspect that's because it's breaking a stereotype, which I'm all for.
I'd describe this book as a HIIT workout – bursts of high-intensity activity, followed by an interval of rest to allow the heart rate to recover. The only reason I didn't give it five stars was because I would have liked those moments of relief to last just a tad longer. Mind you, I say the same thing at the gym. 😂
The Forsaken is due for release on July 2. Get your snacks ready and your work up to date because you may not put this explosive and addictive book down once you start.
April 26, 2025
So this is going to be a real 'pros' and 'cons' type review, because I feel like The Forsaken is the sort of book that if its your thing, you're really going to enjoy it, but if not - well then the opposite...
(thanks Netgalley for the ARC copy)
The Pros
Forsaken is a very "Jack Reacher" kind of story, Logan our protagonist, is big, brutal, smart but hulk smashes with an ethical purpose. I did enjoy the started twist of the story where Logan has effectively been operating as a CIA hitman for 10 years, but under the deception that he was working for a rogue vigilante group.
The action of the story is visceral and popping, and I think Rogers really sells the character, its hard to pull-off a Reacher-style hero and I think it works in this book. The story is fast paced, and rarely boring and is a killer action piece.
The Cons
On the other side - if the above isn't your cup of tea I don't think this book will be for you. Personally while the character of Logan was done pretty well there was a point where the story and character just became an bit too try-hard for me. It wasn't so much that the MC Logan was an unstoppable physical force, its just that the constant references to his 'clarity' and 'purpose' just got a bit too cheesy, even the villains of the story seem to worship Logan in their descriptions of him - and when he refenced using Bitcoin because its untraceable I think I might have groaned out loud.
The story also suffers that weird trope where the backstory is actually better than the story, story. The first scene where we discover Logan has been duped into working for the CIA is absolute gold, but in the end doesn't actually have really any relevance to the rest of the story - Logan could have been a retired commando, a vagabond Marine, a spy on holiday all the story needed was a tough guy to get mixed up the situation and blast their way through it.
I would have loved to read a book which actually covered Logan's past exploits and then had the twist say in the middle of the book and then the fallout from that would have been intriguing. Instead our story is fairly whoa-to-go violence with a few cutaways to the villain to see some generic look how bad he is stuff, and then back to the fights.
There's also a very very silly twist towards the end of the book which just helps launch the plot into the stratosphere.
All in all, its a fun book very much in the vein of John Wick, Taken, Nobody type movies. I wouldn't pick this up for depth, but for a blast... yep!
(thanks Netgalley for the ARC copy)
The Pros
Forsaken is a very "Jack Reacher" kind of story, Logan our protagonist, is big, brutal, smart but hulk smashes with an ethical purpose. I did enjoy the started twist of the story where Logan has effectively been operating as a CIA hitman for 10 years, but under the deception that he was working for a rogue vigilante group.
The action of the story is visceral and popping, and I think Rogers really sells the character, its hard to pull-off a Reacher-style hero and I think it works in this book. The story is fast paced, and rarely boring and is a killer action piece.
The Cons
On the other side - if the above isn't your cup of tea I don't think this book will be for you. Personally while the character of Logan was done pretty well there was a point where the story and character just became an bit too try-hard for me. It wasn't so much that the MC Logan was an unstoppable physical force, its just that the constant references to his 'clarity' and 'purpose' just got a bit too cheesy, even the villains of the story seem to worship Logan in their descriptions of him - and when he refenced using Bitcoin because its untraceable I think I might have groaned out loud.
The story also suffers that weird trope where the backstory is actually better than the story, story. The first scene where we discover Logan has been duped into working for the CIA is absolute gold, but in the end doesn't actually have really any relevance to the rest of the story - Logan could have been a retired commando, a vagabond Marine, a spy on holiday all the story needed was a tough guy to get mixed up the situation and blast their way through it.
I would have loved to read a book which actually covered Logan's past exploits and then had the twist say in the middle of the book and then the fallout from that would have been intriguing. Instead our story is fairly whoa-to-go violence with a few cutaways to the villain to see some generic look how bad he is stuff, and then back to the fights.
There's also a very very silly twist towards the end of the book which just helps launch the plot into the stratosphere.
All in all, its a fun book very much in the vein of John Wick, Taken, Nobody type movies. I wouldn't pick this up for depth, but for a blast... yep!
May 8, 2025
I had little idea of what to expect - an urban adventure I guess. The book has a few rough edges but generally reads like Die Hard or The Professional - an urban setting, with a tough antihero who has a troubled and highly competent violent past, and complex reasons for all his actions.
It was very much an action story, so if you are looking for character development there isn't any. I think the main character has so much happening that I got bored - he is basically a superhero, through his own fanatical devotion to training and mind-over-matter for years. If that is to be believed, then apparently that sort of training can make you ignore broken bones, dislocations, concussion and gunshot wounds. [yeah, sure] While hungover. [yeah, double sure].
I did like how the author connected a lot of strands, to say that every action and choice actually ended up related, even though they didn't at the start, which was kinda cute. But the bad guy was ultimately unbelievable. The author made him too much of -all-the-opposite- to the hero, which is just a caricature.
It seems there is an opening to make a whole series about this main character, which I predict will be how he gets dragged into all kinds of trouble unwillingly but then saves the day while hungover, shot, with a broken bone somewhere. It's like watching the whole Die Hard series in one long go.
It's an airport read, something that doesn't purport to be anything different. It needs more than that for it to be a series, the main character needs more development and the bad guy needs to be less of a caricature and more of a real challenge.
I received an ARC from netgalley in return for an honest review.
#TheForsaken #NetGalley
It was very much an action story, so if you are looking for character development there isn't any. I think the main character has so much happening that I got bored - he is basically a superhero, through his own fanatical devotion to training and mind-over-matter for years. If that is to be believed, then apparently that sort of training can make you ignore broken bones, dislocations, concussion and gunshot wounds. [yeah, sure] While hungover. [yeah, double sure].
I did like how the author connected a lot of strands, to say that every action and choice actually ended up related, even though they didn't at the start, which was kinda cute. But the bad guy was ultimately unbelievable. The author made him too much of -all-the-opposite- to the hero, which is just a caricature.
It seems there is an opening to make a whole series about this main character, which I predict will be how he gets dragged into all kinds of trouble unwillingly but then saves the day while hungover, shot, with a broken bone somewhere. It's like watching the whole Die Hard series in one long go.
It's an airport read, something that doesn't purport to be anything different. It needs more than that for it to be a series, the main character needs more development and the bad guy needs to be less of a caricature and more of a real challenge.
I received an ARC from netgalley in return for an honest review.
#TheForsaken #NetGalley
May 16, 2025
A surprisingly perfect blend of brutal violence, genuine relationships, and philosophy.
Multiple POV. Logan is the best of the best assassin the country has. Thinking he was working for the greater good, he finds out he's been kept in the dark his whole career. His vigilante streak firmly settles into place after learning how deep the manipulation of the controlling parties reaches in his own drug riddled neighborhood. Enter Alice, the catalyst to his personal redemption.
They simultaneously try to heal themselves while putting a violent end to the corruption running wild around them.
Logan really grew on me. At the start I had him pegged as a guy that's seen some shit, went off the deep end, and covers it up with all this self serving existential noise. I was quite annoyed for the first half of the book, to be honest. And then his personality did a severe 180 and suddenly he's selflessly helping people to the severe detriment to himself. There wasn't too much flow to his character in these moments. As soon as Thoreau entered the mix, I found everything settled in. There was a surprisingly perfect blend of brutal violence, genuine relationships, and philosophy.
I REALLY would've liked a bigger insight to the relationship between Logan and Alice. "They met and they kept each other around" just didn't really cut it for me. Not even in a romantic way but a bit more work building some sort of foundation to back up the pull they had to each other would've made this a better book for me.
Disclaimer - CIA/political action is not something you'd usually find in my wheelhouse but I was intrigued by the description.
Multiple POV. Logan is the best of the best assassin the country has. Thinking he was working for the greater good, he finds out he's been kept in the dark his whole career. His vigilante streak firmly settles into place after learning how deep the manipulation of the controlling parties reaches in his own drug riddled neighborhood. Enter Alice, the catalyst to his personal redemption.
They simultaneously try to heal themselves while putting a violent end to the corruption running wild around them.
Logan really grew on me. At the start I had him pegged as a guy that's seen some shit, went off the deep end, and covers it up with all this self serving existential noise. I was quite annoyed for the first half of the book, to be honest. And then his personality did a severe 180 and suddenly he's selflessly helping people to the severe detriment to himself. There wasn't too much flow to his character in these moments. As soon as Thoreau entered the mix, I found everything settled in. There was a surprisingly perfect blend of brutal violence, genuine relationships, and philosophy.
I REALLY would've liked a bigger insight to the relationship between Logan and Alice. "They met and they kept each other around" just didn't really cut it for me. Not even in a romantic way but a bit more work building some sort of foundation to back up the pull they had to each other would've made this a better book for me.
Disclaimer - CIA/political action is not something you'd usually find in my wheelhouse but I was intrigued by the description.
August 8, 2025
The Forsaken would make a great action movie, with a good balance of explosive action and quieter moments. On the page some aspects didn’t quite work for me, but many will find it a good read.
The basic plot idea is interesting and well executed. I did have a question about why his handlers told Logan they’d tricked him – why not just dump him without giving him this information? I felt those scenes lacked credibility. However, the overall idea was strong enough to carry me past this reservation.
The action pieces are well choregraphed and strongly depicted. It’s one of the reasons I say this would make a good action movie: it was easy to see these playing out as I read.
Another of my reservations about the novel is that Logan didn’t seem a fully believable character to me, and the philosophizing he and his mentor engage in didn’t really work for me. It seemed self indulgent and frankly, didn’t ring true at all.
None of the characters felt completely real. Each seemed to be a “type”, the sort of shorthand you use to tell a reader/viewer who this person is without going into detail. Partly as a result of this, none really felt distinctive either. Still, they fill their assigned roles well.
For those who can skate over these things, it’s a good read. The action is fast paced and well depicted, the overall plot idea is interesting and reasonably original, and it’s not too hard to turn a blind eye to the weaker aspects of the novel.
If you enjoyed this review, please visit www.otherdreamsotherlives.home.blog to read more.
The basic plot idea is interesting and well executed. I did have a question about why his handlers told Logan they’d tricked him – why not just dump him without giving him this information? I felt those scenes lacked credibility. However, the overall idea was strong enough to carry me past this reservation.
The action pieces are well choregraphed and strongly depicted. It’s one of the reasons I say this would make a good action movie: it was easy to see these playing out as I read.
Another of my reservations about the novel is that Logan didn’t seem a fully believable character to me, and the philosophizing he and his mentor engage in didn’t really work for me. It seemed self indulgent and frankly, didn’t ring true at all.
None of the characters felt completely real. Each seemed to be a “type”, the sort of shorthand you use to tell a reader/viewer who this person is without going into detail. Partly as a result of this, none really felt distinctive either. Still, they fill their assigned roles well.
For those who can skate over these things, it’s a good read. The action is fast paced and well depicted, the overall plot idea is interesting and reasonably original, and it’s not too hard to turn a blind eye to the weaker aspects of the novel.
If you enjoyed this review, please visit www.otherdreamsotherlives.home.blog to read more.
June 16, 2025
Action-packed, gritty, and relentlessly fast-paced — The Forsaken grabs you from page one and doesn't let up. Matt
Rogers delivers a high-octane thriller with a protagonist you can't help but root for, even when the odds are stacked sky-high.
Unbeknownst to Logan, he has spent the past ten years working as a contract killer for the CIA. When he uncovers the truth, it sends him spiraling toward self-destruction. After the murder of his only friend, Jorge, Logan forms an unlikely
bond with a witness, Alice—a homeless drug addict. United by pain and a thirst for justice, they join forces to seek
revenge and, in the process, become each other's lifeline out of the darkness they’ve both come to know.
I loved the raw intensity and vivid combat scenes. The writing is lean and cinematic, perfect for fans of Jack Reacher-style lone wolves. While I wished for a bit more depth in character development, it absolutely delivered on suspense and adrenaline. I imagine the characters will continue to evolve in subsequent books.
If you're into dark revenge stories, conspiracies and corruption thrillers with bite, this one’s for you.
Thank you to @simonschusterau, @mattrogersauthor and #netgalley for the #gifted copy.
This is the first book in a new series featuring Logan Booth. I look forward to seeing what new adventures awaits him.
This book will be published on 2 July 2025.
Rogers delivers a high-octane thriller with a protagonist you can't help but root for, even when the odds are stacked sky-high.
Unbeknownst to Logan, he has spent the past ten years working as a contract killer for the CIA. When he uncovers the truth, it sends him spiraling toward self-destruction. After the murder of his only friend, Jorge, Logan forms an unlikely
bond with a witness, Alice—a homeless drug addict. United by pain and a thirst for justice, they join forces to seek
revenge and, in the process, become each other's lifeline out of the darkness they’ve both come to know.
I loved the raw intensity and vivid combat scenes. The writing is lean and cinematic, perfect for fans of Jack Reacher-style lone wolves. While I wished for a bit more depth in character development, it absolutely delivered on suspense and adrenaline. I imagine the characters will continue to evolve in subsequent books.
If you're into dark revenge stories, conspiracies and corruption thrillers with bite, this one’s for you.
Thank you to @simonschusterau, @mattrogersauthor and #netgalley for the #gifted copy.
This is the first book in a new series featuring Logan Booth. I look forward to seeing what new adventures awaits him.
This book will be published on 2 July 2025.
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