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The Peri Reed Chronicles #2
The Operator
On-the-run ex-agent Peri Reed returns bigger and bolder than ever in the highly anticipated sequel in #1 New York Times bestselling author Kim Harrison’s new suspense trilogy, The Peri Reed Chronicles.
Peri Reed’s job eats away at her personal life, but for a special task agent in hiding, forgetting the past can be a blessing.
Betrayed by the man she thought she loved and the agency that turned her into the very thing she fought against, Peri abandoned the wealth and privilege of Opti for an anonymous life riddled with memory gaps and self-doubt. But when a highly addictive drug promises to end her dependency on those who’d use her as a tool for their own success, she must choose to either remain broken and vulnerable or return to the above-the-law power and prestige she once strong but without will—for whoever holds her next fix, will hold her loyalty.
Yet even now as then, a love based on lies of omission might still save her life “in this action-packed near-future urban fantasy novel” ( Locus magazine).
Peri Reed’s job eats away at her personal life, but for a special task agent in hiding, forgetting the past can be a blessing.
Betrayed by the man she thought she loved and the agency that turned her into the very thing she fought against, Peri abandoned the wealth and privilege of Opti for an anonymous life riddled with memory gaps and self-doubt. But when a highly addictive drug promises to end her dependency on those who’d use her as a tool for their own success, she must choose to either remain broken and vulnerable or return to the above-the-law power and prestige she once strong but without will—for whoever holds her next fix, will hold her loyalty.
Yet even now as then, a love based on lies of omission might still save her life “in this action-packed near-future urban fantasy novel” ( Locus magazine).
496 pages, Hardcover
First published November 22, 2016
433 people are currently reading
3258 people want to read
About the author
Kim Harrison
82 books18.8k followersKim Harrison is best known as the author of the New York Times #1 best selling Hollows series, but she has written more than urban fantasy and has published over two-dozen books spanning the gamut from young adult, thriller, several anthologies, and has scripted two original graphic novels. She has also published traditional fantasy under the name Dawn Cook. Kim is currently working on a new Hollows book between other, non related, urban fantasy projects.
Kim reaches out to her audience at Facebook https://www.facebook.com/KimHarrisons...
Instagram
https://instagram.com/kim_harrison_au...
and her blog http://kimharrison.wordpress.com/
other pseudonyms: Dawn Cook
Kim reaches out to her audience at Facebook https://www.facebook.com/KimHarrisons...
https://instagram.com/kim_harrison_au...
and her blog http://kimharrison.wordpress.com/
other pseudonyms: Dawn Cook
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 332 reviews
November 9, 2016
So disappointing.
I am going to be overusing the word trapped. You have been warned.
Peri the time shifter who can’t seem to stay out of trap after trap after trap. It was relentless, she was always on the edge of being trapped or trapped by her stupid actions. Her coworkers, lovers, even her cat trapped.
I tried hard to like this series, out of devotion to the author and her past work. I can’t, it is too random to unfocused with no direction. Peri is in the same situation she was in the beginning of the series at the end of book 2. They all ran around in circles, getting caught, killing, promising revenge, only to end up back at the beginning ? The people have changed some but this character is stuck in this endless loop of trapped, trapped, trapped. It was frustraiting, there was never enough time to connect with her or the other characters. There was an odd out of place character, Cam that didn’t fit into he sorry at all. Peri, is unlikable, one dimensional and uninteresting. All of them are really, we don’t get to know them only see them for a fraction of a second while they are trapped, being trapped, trying to get un-trapped. The theme of the story, trapped.
I’m done, this is the last book in this series I will read. I am a fan of Ms. Harrison’s previous series so I gave this one more effort than I normally would have.
I am going to be overusing the word trapped. You have been warned.
Peri the time shifter who can’t seem to stay out of trap after trap after trap. It was relentless, she was always on the edge of being trapped or trapped by her stupid actions. Her coworkers, lovers, even her cat trapped.
I tried hard to like this series, out of devotion to the author and her past work. I can’t, it is too random to unfocused with no direction. Peri is in the same situation she was in the beginning of the series at the end of book 2. They all ran around in circles, getting caught, killing, promising revenge, only to end up back at the beginning ? The people have changed some but this character is stuck in this endless loop of trapped, trapped, trapped. It was frustraiting, there was never enough time to connect with her or the other characters. There was an odd out of place character, Cam that didn’t fit into he sorry at all. Peri, is unlikable, one dimensional and uninteresting. All of them are really, we don’t get to know them only see them for a fraction of a second while they are trapped, being trapped, trying to get un-trapped. The theme of the story, trapped.
I’m done, this is the last book in this series I will read. I am a fan of Ms. Harrison’s previous series so I gave this one more effort than I normally would have.
October 2, 2016
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC!
Poor Peri got out of the interpersonal hell of the previous novel and quit her job without ever wanting to look back, and who can blame her? Not me.
Of course, when powerful people want something and resources are on the ebb, they always seem to find a way to drag a poor girl back in. And office politics were never quite as nasty as this.
I'm skipping a lot of the huge plot points because I'd rather not dim people's enjoyment of this novel, but I can very easily say that this second book in Kim Harrison's SF series has improved upon the characterizations of all the side characters by leaps and strides. It feels as if she's really gotten into the swing of things, now.
There isn't quite as much of the horrible interpersonal reversals, either, because I think Peri is probably never going to be as trusting again, and in her case, that's a very, very good thing. Her ability to have short time-reversals in reality at the cost of her memory isn't quite as pronounced, now, either, because of Bill's little invention, but if we can learn anything at all in this series, every advancement or advantage comes at a truly serious cost.
I loved Michael and Helen and Harmony. I missed having more women in the previous novel, and these two were a real delight. And Michael? There's truly nothing more interesting than having an antagonist that's close to our hero's in ability, if not disposition. It worked extremely well.
All in all, I liked this one much more than the first one, and I liked the first one a lot, so that's saying something. It has a different feel, too, and these little bouts of madness are very, very interesting. :) You could say that it's an improvement on her life after everything that happened, too. At least they're not *always* out to get her. :) Just mostly.
I am glad that I re-read the first book right before tackling this one, but I realize now it wasn't that necessary. The author is an old hand at throwing us back into the thick of things gently and interestingly enough that we don't get whiplash, even if the first book was dense with those reversals. This one is a bit more streamlined and I appreciate it. :)
I can't wait for the next! I'm really hooked!
Poor Peri got out of the interpersonal hell of the previous novel and quit her job without ever wanting to look back, and who can blame her? Not me.
Of course, when powerful people want something and resources are on the ebb, they always seem to find a way to drag a poor girl back in. And office politics were never quite as nasty as this.
I'm skipping a lot of the huge plot points because I'd rather not dim people's enjoyment of this novel, but I can very easily say that this second book in Kim Harrison's SF series has improved upon the characterizations of all the side characters by leaps and strides. It feels as if she's really gotten into the swing of things, now.
There isn't quite as much of the horrible interpersonal reversals, either, because I think Peri is probably never going to be as trusting again, and in her case, that's a very, very good thing. Her ability to have short time-reversals in reality at the cost of her memory isn't quite as pronounced, now, either, because of Bill's little invention, but if we can learn anything at all in this series, every advancement or advantage comes at a truly serious cost.
I loved Michael and Helen and Harmony. I missed having more women in the previous novel, and these two were a real delight. And Michael? There's truly nothing more interesting than having an antagonist that's close to our hero's in ability, if not disposition. It worked extremely well.
All in all, I liked this one much more than the first one, and I liked the first one a lot, so that's saying something. It has a different feel, too, and these little bouts of madness are very, very interesting. :) You could say that it's an improvement on her life after everything that happened, too. At least they're not *always* out to get her. :) Just mostly.
I am glad that I re-read the first book right before tackling this one, but I realize now it wasn't that necessary. The author is an old hand at throwing us back into the thick of things gently and interestingly enough that we don't get whiplash, even if the first book was dense with those reversals. This one is a bit more streamlined and I appreciate it. :)
I can't wait for the next! I'm really hooked!
November 6, 2025
The Operator is an intense sci-fi thriller and the second installment in The Peri Reed Chronicles.
Peri can jump time. Betrayed by the very people she put her trust in, Peri discovers that she has been manipulated, deceived and she is now become everything she thought she was fighting against.
On the run from those who wish to control her, Peri's past soon catches up with her, The powers to be are dangling a golden carrot that is almost too good to be true. They have a drug to help with her memory loss without destroying her mind, the only catch they made the drug so highly addictive that any one taking it will be under their control. Peri is intentionally injected with the new drug without her consent. Now she must face the addiction as well as running for her life.
Not knowing who to trust, Peri needs to get someone to reverse engineer the drug while weaving through the deluge of treachery and deceit before she is overcome by the addiction or is killed by a rival.
Past paced, intense action with mind bowing twists and turns, you can’t help but white knuckle read your way through this roller coaster adventure found in The Operator.
I received this ARC copy of The Operator from Pocket Books in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publication November 22, 2016.
Peri can jump time. Betrayed by the very people she put her trust in, Peri discovers that she has been manipulated, deceived and she is now become everything she thought she was fighting against.
On the run from those who wish to control her, Peri's past soon catches up with her, The powers to be are dangling a golden carrot that is almost too good to be true. They have a drug to help with her memory loss without destroying her mind, the only catch they made the drug so highly addictive that any one taking it will be under their control. Peri is intentionally injected with the new drug without her consent. Now she must face the addiction as well as running for her life.
Not knowing who to trust, Peri needs to get someone to reverse engineer the drug while weaving through the deluge of treachery and deceit before she is overcome by the addiction or is killed by a rival.
Past paced, intense action with mind bowing twists and turns, you can’t help but white knuckle read your way through this roller coaster adventure found in The Operator.
I received this ARC copy of The Operator from Pocket Books in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publication November 22, 2016.
September 16, 2020
[3.5/5 stars] The Operator was much stronger than The Drafter. I had a lot of specific criticisms of the first book but didn’t find any of those here. I feel like the series would’ve even received better had she started here. Or expanded the prequel because that was really good as well. Overall I’m glad I read these, but I’m a bit bummed there probably won’t be a continuation.
November 5, 2016
This series is very much a futuristic suspense that's fast moving and features a very unusual concept, that of being able to briefly turn back time known as 'drafting'. Peri has been lied to , manipulated and ultimately betrayed by the man she trusted most and as this book starts she's off the grid, determined to stay free of the crooked agencies that would use her and then scrub her memories . A peaceful life is too much to ask for though and Peri's past is catching up but this time they dangle a huge carrot! Whilst 'drafters'lose all memory of events that they change Opti have developed a drug that would enable the user to keep their memories . For Peri it's almost impossible to resist as relying on those who 'anchor' her hasn't exactly worked in her favour but the price is high. In order to be whole Peri would have to work for her enemies and oh yes there's that little side effect known as addiction! No more 'anchors' controlling her but Peri doesn't want to swap one prison for another , would you?
Well what a humdinger of a dilemma the author poses. Set in a futuristic Detroit ( yes there are amazing cars, natch!) it's an odd mixture of capitalism and savage poverty. Speaking of which, Peri and those around her seem obsessed with wealth and material possessions so it makes her quite hard to like initially. What strikes this reader though is the simple fact that Peri might lose chunks of memory due to her overworked brain but her possessions remain which probably help ground her.
The characters surrounding Peri are even more unlikable if I'm honest and it's hard to understand some of their motives. Those working for Opti are odious and one in particular is insane! The government types seem little better and yet there's one who shines but even then I just wanted a little more. So now I come to the romantic angle, Jack , whose treachery cost Peri so much and Silas who is pretty much a mystery when it comes to motives. Peri doesn't really know who to trust but with a killer on her tail and a drug messing up her system all she can do is keep going forward or maybe back if that's what's needed!
This is a complex idea but it's essentially good versus evil I guess. Whilst Peri is never warm and fluffy she does look out for those she thinks deserve saving. As this ended I was left with a conundrum as there are peripheral characters that I simply don't trust but that's the beauty of this series I think. So much is laid out in front of the reader and yet how much of it is smoke and mirrors? It's an easier book to read than the previous one ' The Drafter' as this time at least Peri has some idea what she really wants which enables the reader to get onboard much quicker. Definitely nothing like the Hollows books I associate this author with and best read in order but wow what a concept.
This is a voluntary review of an Advance Reader Copy
Well what a humdinger of a dilemma the author poses. Set in a futuristic Detroit ( yes there are amazing cars, natch!) it's an odd mixture of capitalism and savage poverty. Speaking of which, Peri and those around her seem obsessed with wealth and material possessions so it makes her quite hard to like initially. What strikes this reader though is the simple fact that Peri might lose chunks of memory due to her overworked brain but her possessions remain which probably help ground her.
The characters surrounding Peri are even more unlikable if I'm honest and it's hard to understand some of their motives. Those working for Opti are odious and one in particular is insane! The government types seem little better and yet there's one who shines but even then I just wanted a little more. So now I come to the romantic angle, Jack , whose treachery cost Peri so much and Silas who is pretty much a mystery when it comes to motives. Peri doesn't really know who to trust but with a killer on her tail and a drug messing up her system all she can do is keep going forward or maybe back if that's what's needed!
This is a complex idea but it's essentially good versus evil I guess. Whilst Peri is never warm and fluffy she does look out for those she thinks deserve saving. As this ended I was left with a conundrum as there are peripheral characters that I simply don't trust but that's the beauty of this series I think. So much is laid out in front of the reader and yet how much of it is smoke and mirrors? It's an easier book to read than the previous one ' The Drafter' as this time at least Peri has some idea what she really wants which enables the reader to get onboard much quicker. Definitely nothing like the Hollows books I associate this author with and best read in order but wow what a concept.
This is a voluntary review of an Advance Reader Copy
November 10, 2016
Much more solid book than #1. Less confusion going back and forth between who was betraying whom, and the plot felt like it had more framework. This one makes me really excited to read book three, and hope for the return of some specific characters - like Harmony, in particular, who was an excellent addition to the cast. I like her spunk!
I received a copy of this book in advance in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me read it!
I received a copy of this book in advance in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me read it!
November 16, 2016
I tried to like this. Kim Harrison wrote one of the best UF series ever. I had to give this series a chance. The Drafter was okay. I was hoping this would be better. It was more disappointing. It felt aimless and repetitive. It’s amazing that a book with lots of action can be so boring. Halfway through I realized I just don’t care about anything. The plot, the characters, none of it interests me.
Peri Reed is a character who is hard to relate to. Her mind has been so damaged from drafting that she has no idea what has happened to her. She doesn’t even know what she likes or what responses of hers are genuine or manufactured by her anchors. It’s hard to root for her. She’s not a bad person, but she’s done enough bad things that she’s not good either. Her desire to be her own person is admirable but constant self doubt makes her convictions less convincing. The biggest problem with Peri is that she’s a tool. She didn’t let others manipulate her as easily as she did in The Drafter, but when backed into a corner (which happens a lot) she reacts exactly how the enemy expects her to. She tends to be impulsive and gets stuck in one bad situation after another. The worst part is most of the time she is completely aware the situation is bad and walks right into it anyway.
Silas is the only character I like and the only one who isn’t heartless. Most of the other side characters are self serving and bad. There are no fascinating shades of gray to their personalities. Silas’s page time was minimal although his relationship with Peri was stronger. Peri’s relationship with Jack is aggravating. The way she feels about him reminds me of a woman in an abusive relationship because he’s done awful things to her and she tries to justify his actions since she still cares about him.
I won’t be reading anymore books in this series. There was some character development, but Peri’s situation didn’t change much from the beginning of the book. These books are too long to get through when the plot barely advances.
Thanks to Netgalley for giving me this in exchange for an honest review.
Peri Reed is a character who is hard to relate to. Her mind has been so damaged from drafting that she has no idea what has happened to her. She doesn’t even know what she likes or what responses of hers are genuine or manufactured by her anchors. It’s hard to root for her. She’s not a bad person, but she’s done enough bad things that she’s not good either. Her desire to be her own person is admirable but constant self doubt makes her convictions less convincing. The biggest problem with Peri is that she’s a tool. She didn’t let others manipulate her as easily as she did in The Drafter, but when backed into a corner (which happens a lot) she reacts exactly how the enemy expects her to. She tends to be impulsive and gets stuck in one bad situation after another. The worst part is most of the time she is completely aware the situation is bad and walks right into it anyway.
Silas is the only character I like and the only one who isn’t heartless. Most of the other side characters are self serving and bad. There are no fascinating shades of gray to their personalities. Silas’s page time was minimal although his relationship with Peri was stronger. Peri’s relationship with Jack is aggravating. The way she feels about him reminds me of a woman in an abusive relationship because he’s done awful things to her and she tries to justify his actions since she still cares about him.
I won’t be reading anymore books in this series. There was some character development, but Peri’s situation didn’t change much from the beginning of the book. These books are too long to get through when the plot barely advances.
Thanks to Netgalley for giving me this in exchange for an honest review.
April 4, 2017
I would actually rate this athreeand a half. It is a fast read full of action, but it seems like the same things happen over and over again. Caught by these people. Escape. Caught by these people. Escape. Etc. I still enjoyed it though. Kim Harrison is a terrific writer.
December 1, 2016
So excited, there will be a limited run of hardcovers for The Operator, including ones signed by Kim herself! See link for details!
http://fb.me/xXiCuUmM
The Operator, the second installment in the Peri Reed Chronicles, really showcases the immense talent of Kim Harrison. This series is quite different than her beloved Hollows series, but it's certainly got the bones to be just as good as that series.
Filled with futuristic gadgetry, shadowy government factions, and double agents aplenty, it's really difficult to tell at times who can be trusted. Much like Peri, even I have a hard time accepting many of the characters at face value. Having been betrayed on every level in the previous book, Peri is once again thrust into the world she wanted desperately to leave behind. And of course, the people who betrayed her are at the center of it all. Promising a drug that can stop memory loss during a draft, Peri is lured right back in, much like her enemies knew she would be. Still dealing with huge chunks of lost time from her stint in OPTI, the drug holds quite a lot of appeal for Peri. So does the job, for that matter. Although she's broken away from the shady government agency, the danger and the money and the power still call her name. Add a memory-retaining drug to the mix, and it'll take a miracle to keep Peri away.
It should be no secret by now that I love this series and I love Peri Reed. As I said before, it's so completely different than anything Kim Harrison has written before. Not only that, but the series is sheer brilliance. With a story centering around memory loss and time lapses and hallucinations, it's not an easy series to grasp in the moment. I'm often left feeling just as confused as Peri is, but Harrison deftly pulls all the threads together and slowly knits everything into one cohesive picture. That's not an easy feat, not at all, and especially when weaving in so many past events into the current story.
All in all, The Operator was a fantastic second installment in the Peri Reed Chronicles. Highly recommended and I can't wait to see what she brings to the table with the third installment of this series.
*eARC received via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
December 8, 2021
This review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I enjoyed this book. I liked it quite a bit more than the first book in the series. I remember being confused at times with all of the different memories when the characters drafted. That wasn’t really an issue with this book. I was hooked by this book right away and never felt any of the confusion that I did while reading the first in the series, The Drafter. I love the idea of drafting although there are some pretty major drawbacks for drafters like Peri. I found this to be a very entertaining story.
Peri is in hiding. She is running a coffee shop and just trying to lay low after the program that she had been working for almost destroyed her life in the previous installment in this series. She has always been good at what she does so there are people that still want to use her skills to their advantage. She has lost a lot of memories and she isn’t always sure what she can trust. I liked Peri and loved how good her instincts proved to be even when she couldn’t easily remember how things really happened.
I found this story to be incredibly exciting. There was seriously a lot of action so things were never dull. I had a hard time trying to figure out the real motives of some of the characters and was glad to go along with Peri as she navigated everything. With Peri and some of the other characters having the ability to rewrite time, I was never sure when a significant action would stick which only added to the excitement. I thought that the descriptions in the book were incredibly well done.
I listened to the audiobook and thought that January LaVoy did a fantastic job with the narration. She really brought Peri ad the other characters to life and I felt like she let the excitement of the story shine through. I loved the character voices that she used and feel like her narration added to my enjoyment of this story.
I would recommend this book to others. This book really does need to be read after The Drafter since so much of the story is set up in that book. I enjoyed this book and would definitely want to read more of this series if published, which seems rather unlikely at this point.
I received a digital review copy of this book from Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books via NetGalley and borrowed a copy of the audiobook from my local library.
I enjoyed this book. I liked it quite a bit more than the first book in the series. I remember being confused at times with all of the different memories when the characters drafted. That wasn’t really an issue with this book. I was hooked by this book right away and never felt any of the confusion that I did while reading the first in the series, The Drafter. I love the idea of drafting although there are some pretty major drawbacks for drafters like Peri. I found this to be a very entertaining story.
Peri is in hiding. She is running a coffee shop and just trying to lay low after the program that she had been working for almost destroyed her life in the previous installment in this series. She has always been good at what she does so there are people that still want to use her skills to their advantage. She has lost a lot of memories and she isn’t always sure what she can trust. I liked Peri and loved how good her instincts proved to be even when she couldn’t easily remember how things really happened.
I found this story to be incredibly exciting. There was seriously a lot of action so things were never dull. I had a hard time trying to figure out the real motives of some of the characters and was glad to go along with Peri as she navigated everything. With Peri and some of the other characters having the ability to rewrite time, I was never sure when a significant action would stick which only added to the excitement. I thought that the descriptions in the book were incredibly well done.
I listened to the audiobook and thought that January LaVoy did a fantastic job with the narration. She really brought Peri ad the other characters to life and I felt like she let the excitement of the story shine through. I loved the character voices that she used and feel like her narration added to my enjoyment of this story.
I would recommend this book to others. This book really does need to be read after The Drafter since so much of the story is set up in that book. I enjoyed this book and would definitely want to read more of this series if published, which seems rather unlikely at this point.
I received a digital review copy of this book from Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books via NetGalley and borrowed a copy of the audiobook from my local library.
September 15, 2017
It feels like it’s been a long wait since I finished the first book in the series. But it was worth the wait. I do think people who have not read The Drafter would I have a hard time jumping in with this second installment, though. It builds heavily on the events of book one which was very dense and full of twists and turns.
When you’re dealing with time travel and memory loss sometimes it’s hard to know which end is up. But at least now we have a better understanding of who is really on Peri’s side. She has been out from under the thumb of Omni for about a year, but her freedom is not meant to last. As the story begins, her hiding place is discovered and she is pulled back into the life she had nearly escaped. Now though, she has the temptation of a new drug which can allow her to remember all of the events her brain forced her to forget in a draft. She would no longer need an anchor, but instead she would need to rely on the drug that is an even tighter leash.
I really enjoyed the action of this book. Peri has a real race against time to deal with when she is injected with half of the cocktail against her will. That’s only compounded by the appearance another drafter who is a sociopath and bent on her destruction.
The supporting characters in this series are fantastic. From the crazy Michael to the politically savvy Bill to the street wise LB. But the ones to really shine here are Jack and Silas. Silas, because he is so clearly in love with Perry and because he is really a good guy in the middle of a terrible situation. But perhaps even more so Jack, because he is just so fascinating. He is a horrible guy, yet somehow at some points I wanted to believe otherwise. My mixed feelings about his character were only exacerbated by Peri’s hallucinations of him.
The only thing that I didn’t truly love was Peri, herself. I’m not looking for a Mary Sue, but her inner turmoil over the loss of her glamorous and powerful life as a drafter did not endear her to me. She was selfish at times and impetuous. I didn’t dislike her, but there were times where I wished she was a better person.
I did enjoy the book overall. And I was satisfied with the ending. I’m curious to see where Kim Harrison will take this series next. It seems wide open.
Rating: B+
When you’re dealing with time travel and memory loss sometimes it’s hard to know which end is up. But at least now we have a better understanding of who is really on Peri’s side. She has been out from under the thumb of Omni for about a year, but her freedom is not meant to last. As the story begins, her hiding place is discovered and she is pulled back into the life she had nearly escaped. Now though, she has the temptation of a new drug which can allow her to remember all of the events her brain forced her to forget in a draft. She would no longer need an anchor, but instead she would need to rely on the drug that is an even tighter leash.
I really enjoyed the action of this book. Peri has a real race against time to deal with when she is injected with half of the cocktail against her will. That’s only compounded by the appearance another drafter who is a sociopath and bent on her destruction.
The supporting characters in this series are fantastic. From the crazy Michael to the politically savvy Bill to the street wise LB. But the ones to really shine here are Jack and Silas. Silas, because he is so clearly in love with Perry and because he is really a good guy in the middle of a terrible situation. But perhaps even more so Jack, because he is just so fascinating. He is a horrible guy, yet somehow at some points I wanted to believe otherwise. My mixed feelings about his character were only exacerbated by Peri’s hallucinations of him.
The only thing that I didn’t truly love was Peri, herself. I’m not looking for a Mary Sue, but her inner turmoil over the loss of her glamorous and powerful life as a drafter did not endear her to me. She was selfish at times and impetuous. I didn’t dislike her, but there were times where I wished she was a better person.
I did enjoy the book overall. And I was satisfied with the ending. I’m curious to see where Kim Harrison will take this series next. It seems wide open.
Rating: B+
February 7, 2017
Kim Harrison always delivers a great ride and The Operator is another keep-your-hands-inside-the-cart ride you will want to be first in line to experience.
So I did a reread of The Drafter via audio before I started The Operator because this series is one that you need to remember the details for, so no you can't jump into this new series without reading the first book. Don't even try!
I really enjoyed listening to both (I read The Drafter the first time). January LaVoy does a fantastic job delivering the action and feelings involved in Peri's world. She managed to keep the pace at the correct speed for the scenes and interjected the perfect tones for each character and their personalities.
The Operator builds upon the storyline from The Drafter and takes many twists and turns. One turn I just knew was going to happen didn't, which I like because that means I didn't have the plot figured out within the first three hours of the audio like I do with most books I read/listen. I love it when an author can keep me guessing all the way up to the last word of the book.
I guess you could say The Operator ends on a cliffhanger of sorts. Peri is kind of back to point A when it comes to what future she will choose of herself. If there is only one more book in the series then this "trick" can be overlooked but if this is going to be the usual formula for more books to come I'm not sure I can over look it. But I did highly enjoy the sophomore book in Kim Harrison's Peri Reed Chronicles so I'll stick around for a third installment and as long as LaVoy narrates I will visit it on audio.
So I did a reread of The Drafter via audio before I started The Operator because this series is one that you need to remember the details for, so no you can't jump into this new series without reading the first book. Don't even try!
I really enjoyed listening to both (I read The Drafter the first time). January LaVoy does a fantastic job delivering the action and feelings involved in Peri's world. She managed to keep the pace at the correct speed for the scenes and interjected the perfect tones for each character and their personalities.
The Operator builds upon the storyline from The Drafter and takes many twists and turns. One turn I just knew was going to happen didn't, which I like because that means I didn't have the plot figured out within the first three hours of the audio like I do with most books I read/listen. I love it when an author can keep me guessing all the way up to the last word of the book.
I guess you could say The Operator ends on a cliffhanger of sorts. Peri is kind of back to point A when it comes to what future she will choose of herself. If there is only one more book in the series then this "trick" can be overlooked but if this is going to be the usual formula for more books to come I'm not sure I can over look it. But I did highly enjoy the sophomore book in Kim Harrison's Peri Reed Chronicles so I'll stick around for a third installment and as long as LaVoy narrates I will visit it on audio.
November 23, 2016
I thought this book would never come! After a short stint where I wasn’t sure this series was going to continue, I’m glad Kim Harrison got the chance to continue what she started in the first book of the series, THE DRAFTER.
This Peri Reed Chronicles series is vastly different from The Hollows. First off, it’s not Urban Fantasy, not really anyway. It’s more Sci Fi oriented, but I wouldn’t put it past Harrison to include some UF bits here and there because that’s what she does best.
Our heroine, Peri, has quite a lot going on in her life. She’s an ex-agent on the run, so you can just imagine the stuff she’s got trailing after her. Peri is a refreshing character because she’s quite practical. Although this series is far from being your typical Mystery, to me, it does have some characteristics of a good mystery and I feel like Peri’s character would very much fit in that genre as well. Despite all the twists and turns everywhere, she’s quite the level-headed and she thinks things out as best she can. I really like that about her character. Harrison has always written smart heroines but Peri really is an amazing one.
If you’re a fan of Richelle Mead’s Gameboard of the Gods series, then you’re absolutely going to fall in love with this one. I definitely sense that Harrison can go far with this new series.
December 16, 2016
This is the second book in the series and this story proved to be just as exciting as the first. Because of the way the author tells the story, it is definitely a must to read the first book, The Drafter. Even though she is extremely good at blending in the first book, your understanding of the story will be more in-depth by reading these books in order.
The author has an amazing imagination and tells the story from a future that is full of heart-pounding action, deception, plus twists and turns that leaves Peri struggling to know who to trust. With unique and strong character development, you think you are getting into the heads of those involved, but the author keeps the reader on our toes every step of the way.
In-depth detail, including some gore and dark aspects, makes this a book that is consuming and highly engaging. Not for the faint of heart, but a read that is powerful and memorable. I cannot wait for what part three will bring from this author’s vivid imagination.
full review - http://amidlifewife.com/operator-kim-...
The author has an amazing imagination and tells the story from a future that is full of heart-pounding action, deception, plus twists and turns that leaves Peri struggling to know who to trust. With unique and strong character development, you think you are getting into the heads of those involved, but the author keeps the reader on our toes every step of the way.
In-depth detail, including some gore and dark aspects, makes this a book that is consuming and highly engaging. Not for the faint of heart, but a read that is powerful and memorable. I cannot wait for what part three will bring from this author’s vivid imagination.
full review - http://amidlifewife.com/operator-kim-...
February 26, 2017
Good series: yes
Personal pet peeve: The focus on high end clothes and high end everything. It just irritates me when it feels forced and for some reason it did. It doesn't help that I could care less about anything like that, but if you tone that down its a great series.
Personal pet peeve: The focus on high end clothes and high end everything. It just irritates me when it feels forced and for some reason it did. It doesn't help that I could care less about anything like that, but if you tone that down its a great series.
December 21, 2016
It really pains me to rate this one star, but anything more would be dishonest. I've been a big fan of Kim Harrison and I've read the Hollows series as well as her YA trilogy. Even though a lot of her long time fans were critical of The Drafter, something about the book still interested me enough that before reading The Operator, I reread The Drafter, huge plotholes and all.
I gave The Drafter a 4 star rating after I read it when it first came out. In retrospect, the first part of The Drafter was what caught my attention, but about halfway through the book, the entire plotline just kind of devolved into random new characters showing up, nonsensical kind of decisions/actions, and really, stuff stopped making any sense whatsoever. This is why I reread The Drafter in the first place. I remembered that I lost track of what was going on toward the end of the book but after a reread, I can safely say that it's not because I wasn't paying attention or forgot, the pacing and plot is inherently flawed. However, I wanted to know whether Silas ever got back together with Peri (whether she ever remembers him & realizes what she/they sacrificed).
The Operator picks up where the Drafter left off, which goes a long way toward explaining why it took me over two WEEKS to finish this book when normally it would take a couple of days. In fact, I was so frustrated with this thing, I went and read three other books in the meantime. If it were any author other than Harrison, this would have been an DNF. As it was, I read and skimmed and read and just couldn't believe how much of a train wreck this novel was for me. Did I actually like Peri or Silas at one point? Did I ever care about what happens to Jack, Bill, or Opti? The nonsensical aspects of drafting+covert operations that were never really explained in The Drafter sort of blew up here.
So these drafters can rewrite time for about 45 seconds, at the cost of forgetting what happened/forgetting chunks of memory. I get that they can "erase" mistakes like getting shot, but I always had a hard time understanding why 45 seconds is all that crucial to super important world changing "Billion by 30" shady government activities and such. Still, at least I could see what The Drafter was trying to be or trying to do, and if I thought I missed it, the constant harping on corruption and corrupt agents/Opti/everything signals where the author's going.
In comparison, the Operator just went off on the deep end. What is this book supposed to be ABOUT? Book 1 was about Peri vs. Opti's corruption, which turned into Peri vs. herself in some aspects as she reclaims her memories/past and figures out what her real role is as a double agent sent to get proof of corruption. Ok. Book 2 is...Peri the addict who apparently has no real sense of self and may or may not be dumb enough to still trust Jack (or make constant excuses for him), may or may not be obsessed with luxury living enough to continue working for Bill, may or may not be hung up enough on remembering her drafts that she's willing to turn herself into a vegetable/addict to do it. It's never clear to me exactly why she's obsessed with remembering, because while Book 1 established that she lost big chunks of time, like months or years, it was artificially done to her in order to control her. Book 2 seems to establish that she only loses the time that she drafted, e.g. she comes out of a draft missing the last 45 seconds worth' of memory so she isn't entirely sure what is going on. But seriously, we're supposed to understand why Peri would risk completely insane or dying from addiction to recover 45 seconds of memory in a supposedly rarely occurring event? That seemed to be the whole plot of Book 2 in a nutshell. How can something with so much action feel so incredibly repetitive? It was just one mess after another.
I hated Jack and that translated back into irritation at Peri. Harmony was shaping up to be interesting but then she teamed up with Jack and disappeared toward the end, so I'm not sure what that was all about. This book would've had at least another star if Jack's totally unnecessary and frankly just irritating character wasn't in it.
I really tried to get into this series but after the chore it was to get through this book, I'm done with the series. I can't believe I'm saying that about a Harrison book but by the end, I realized I just don't care what happens to Peri.
I gave The Drafter a 4 star rating after I read it when it first came out. In retrospect, the first part of The Drafter was what caught my attention, but about halfway through the book, the entire plotline just kind of devolved into random new characters showing up, nonsensical kind of decisions/actions, and really, stuff stopped making any sense whatsoever. This is why I reread The Drafter in the first place. I remembered that I lost track of what was going on toward the end of the book but after a reread, I can safely say that it's not because I wasn't paying attention or forgot, the pacing and plot is inherently flawed. However, I wanted to know whether Silas ever got back together with Peri (whether she ever remembers him & realizes what she/they sacrificed).
The Operator picks up where the Drafter left off, which goes a long way toward explaining why it took me over two WEEKS to finish this book when normally it would take a couple of days. In fact, I was so frustrated with this thing, I went and read three other books in the meantime. If it were any author other than Harrison, this would have been an DNF. As it was, I read and skimmed and read and just couldn't believe how much of a train wreck this novel was for me. Did I actually like Peri or Silas at one point? Did I ever care about what happens to Jack, Bill, or Opti? The nonsensical aspects of drafting+covert operations that were never really explained in The Drafter sort of blew up here.
So these drafters can rewrite time for about 45 seconds, at the cost of forgetting what happened/forgetting chunks of memory. I get that they can "erase" mistakes like getting shot, but I always had a hard time understanding why 45 seconds is all that crucial to super important world changing "Billion by 30" shady government activities and such. Still, at least I could see what The Drafter was trying to be or trying to do, and if I thought I missed it, the constant harping on corruption and corrupt agents/Opti/everything signals where the author's going.
In comparison, the Operator just went off on the deep end. What is this book supposed to be ABOUT? Book 1 was about Peri vs. Opti's corruption, which turned into Peri vs. herself in some aspects as she reclaims her memories/past and figures out what her real role is as a double agent sent to get proof of corruption. Ok. Book 2 is...Peri the addict who apparently has no real sense of self and may or may not be dumb enough to still trust Jack (or make constant excuses for him), may or may not be obsessed with luxury living enough to continue working for Bill, may or may not be hung up enough on remembering her drafts that she's willing to turn herself into a vegetable/addict to do it. It's never clear to me exactly why she's obsessed with remembering, because while Book 1 established that she lost big chunks of time, like months or years, it was artificially done to her in order to control her. Book 2 seems to establish that she only loses the time that she drafted, e.g. she comes out of a draft missing the last 45 seconds worth' of memory so she isn't entirely sure what is going on. But seriously, we're supposed to understand why Peri would risk completely insane or dying from addiction to recover 45 seconds of memory in a supposedly rarely occurring event? That seemed to be the whole plot of Book 2 in a nutshell. How can something with so much action feel so incredibly repetitive? It was just one mess after another.
I hated Jack and that translated back into irritation at Peri. Harmony was shaping up to be interesting but then she teamed up with Jack and disappeared toward the end, so I'm not sure what that was all about. This book would've had at least another star if Jack's totally unnecessary and frankly just irritating character wasn't in it.
I really tried to get into this series but after the chore it was to get through this book, I'm done with the series. I can't believe I'm saying that about a Harrison book but by the end, I realized I just don't care what happens to Peri.
May 9, 2017
This review was originally posted on (un)Conventional Bookviews
The Operator is a very twisty tale, where Peri continues to try her best to do what's right, but with no idea who is telling her the truth, and who wants the same things she wants.
If you haven't read Sideswiped, The Drafter and Waylaid yet, you should stop reading this review right now! There are things that happens in The Operator that might spoil the prior books for you, and believe me, you don't want that to happen! This story is quite tense, because Peri has managed to live on her own for almost a year, managing her own coffee shop, and staying low so that Bill won't find her. Which works pretty well, until Silas approaches her at a car show, only for Peri to feel like things are unravelling, and fast. Especially when she learns that Bill had freed Jack, her old anchor.
I found the intrigue in The Operator to be even better than that in The Drafter, possibly because I know much more about the world and what exactly Peri can do now. I enjoyed the characters from the past - some who were there to help Peri, and other who wanted to use her for their own gain. There were also some new characters I loved, both LB and Harmony. Especially how Harmony didn't like or trust Peri at all in the beginning, but as they got to know each other, they both slowly started to trust each other. Having two strong women trying to go for a better world together was amazing.
There is a lot of second-guessing and betrayals going on in The Operator, both because Bill seems to be doing several different cons, and because Michael will stop at nothing to get the drug Peri has gotten her hands on. To be able to remember their own drafts without the help of an anchor who might end up lying to them is a lure no drafter can resist. There are several complications, and poor Peri really doesn't know who she can count on for being on her side. At all. And she was already paranoid to start with, so things really aren't easy for her.
Written in third person point of view, past tense, and mostly from Peri's perspective, the action unfolds in episodes that almost overlap. There is a lot going on, and with a race to make the most reliable and safe drug for Peri and other drafters, the tensions are high as well.
"I'm not your girl, Bill," she whispered breathily. Her pace to the van was slow to hide the effects of the sedative. The six men bracketing her followed at a respectful distance. She was free to kill and maim, and they had to hold without damaging her. Such was the rarity of her skill. Such was the pearl of his Peri.
"You're welcome," Bill said as he buttoned his jacket closed, but what he meant was, I own you.
Peri's faint smile grew as the unusual feeling of kinship drifted through her. Stretching the stiff hours from her, Peri got out as well, carefully shutting the door so the sound wouldn't carry. The cold woke her up fast. Two inches of new snow crunched underfoot, but it would likely be gone by noon.
LB sighed. "All five days," he admitted, and Silas groaned. "Enough to take care of Bill. She'll be back." Silas lowered his head, his fingertips pressing into his forehead hard. "If she remembers me," he whispered. Breath held, she carefully turned and headed for the surface. She'd be back, she vowed. If I remember him.
The Operator is a very twisty tale, where Peri continues to try her best to do what's right, but with no idea who is telling her the truth, and who wants the same things she wants.
If you haven't read Sideswiped, The Drafter and Waylaid yet, you should stop reading this review right now! There are things that happens in The Operator that might spoil the prior books for you, and believe me, you don't want that to happen! This story is quite tense, because Peri has managed to live on her own for almost a year, managing her own coffee shop, and staying low so that Bill won't find her. Which works pretty well, until Silas approaches her at a car show, only for Peri to feel like things are unravelling, and fast. Especially when she learns that Bill had freed Jack, her old anchor.
I found the intrigue in The Operator to be even better than that in The Drafter, possibly because I know much more about the world and what exactly Peri can do now. I enjoyed the characters from the past - some who were there to help Peri, and other who wanted to use her for their own gain. There were also some new characters I loved, both LB and Harmony. Especially how Harmony didn't like or trust Peri at all in the beginning, but as they got to know each other, they both slowly started to trust each other. Having two strong women trying to go for a better world together was amazing.
There is a lot of second-guessing and betrayals going on in The Operator, both because Bill seems to be doing several different cons, and because Michael will stop at nothing to get the drug Peri has gotten her hands on. To be able to remember their own drafts without the help of an anchor who might end up lying to them is a lure no drafter can resist. There are several complications, and poor Peri really doesn't know who she can count on for being on her side. At all. And she was already paranoid to start with, so things really aren't easy for her.
Written in third person point of view, past tense, and mostly from Peri's perspective, the action unfolds in episodes that almost overlap. There is a lot going on, and with a race to make the most reliable and safe drug for Peri and other drafters, the tensions are high as well.
"I'm not your girl, Bill," she whispered breathily. Her pace to the van was slow to hide the effects of the sedative. The six men bracketing her followed at a respectful distance. She was free to kill and maim, and they had to hold without damaging her. Such was the rarity of her skill. Such was the pearl of his Peri.
"You're welcome," Bill said as he buttoned his jacket closed, but what he meant was, I own you.
Peri's faint smile grew as the unusual feeling of kinship drifted through her. Stretching the stiff hours from her, Peri got out as well, carefully shutting the door so the sound wouldn't carry. The cold woke her up fast. Two inches of new snow crunched underfoot, but it would likely be gone by noon.
LB sighed. "All five days," he admitted, and Silas groaned. "Enough to take care of Bill. She'll be back." Silas lowered his head, his fingertips pressing into his forehead hard. "If she remembers me," he whispered. Breath held, she carefully turned and headed for the surface. She'd be back, she vowed. If I remember him.
November 22, 2016
PPoor Peri finds herself in hiding after leaving Opti fearing her handlers will erase her memories. Both Opti and the CIA want her on their team, but both have their own agendas making Peri very much a pawn. Peri may be the ultimate weapon, but she isn't going down without a fight.
While Harrison does an excellent job of refreshing readers, I recommend reading the titles by order of their release. The beginning started a little slow for me, but it was neat seeing what our girl Peri has been doing without Opti. The story began to take off at the thirty percent mark when Bill and his newest Drafter, Michael try to bring Peri back into Opti. Bill tries to lure her in with the promise of not being dependent on an Anchor. After a near escape, she reaches out to Silas, and the two soon find themselves unwillingly assisting the CIA. Peri wants out but both sides are determined to have her. Neither would be beneficial and both spell an end to her freedom. The tale that unfolds has twists, turns and hold your breath moments. Peri must use her wits against both opponents and time is running out.
I found the storylines to the Operator to be more intense than those of The Drafter. We have intrigue, treachery and action-packed scenes that will leave you breathless. Peri interacts with friends and co-workers from the past, and we meet new acquaintances as she tries to determine who is her ally and who has their own agenda. Allen, Bill, Helen and Michael are pretty obvious but then there is Jack. Jack the hallucination and Jack the man, her former Anchor, betrayer, and lover. Secondary characters are developed enough that readers will become emotionally involved. I found myself fearing, caring or utterly loathing them. Harrison provides some of their points of view which help validate Peri's concerns.
Peri is tested when Opti dangles a big carrot in front of her offering something she desires. We get a taste of Peri's strengths and her brilliant mind. The obstacles she faces only prove how truly badass she is. The last three-fourths of the book had me holding my breath as we faced trials, deceit, and danger. Harrison also fed my inner nerd with medical advancements, the Mantis, and drafts but she kept it simple enough that even non-science fiction fans will delight in the thrills of this suspenseful storyline.
Fans of the Hollows will be excited to learn there is a sneak peek at the back of the book of The Turn scheduled for 2017 release. The Operator wrapped up nicely but has me eager to return for more.
Copy provided by Publisher. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer
While Harrison does an excellent job of refreshing readers, I recommend reading the titles by order of their release. The beginning started a little slow for me, but it was neat seeing what our girl Peri has been doing without Opti. The story began to take off at the thirty percent mark when Bill and his newest Drafter, Michael try to bring Peri back into Opti. Bill tries to lure her in with the promise of not being dependent on an Anchor. After a near escape, she reaches out to Silas, and the two soon find themselves unwillingly assisting the CIA. Peri wants out but both sides are determined to have her. Neither would be beneficial and both spell an end to her freedom. The tale that unfolds has twists, turns and hold your breath moments. Peri must use her wits against both opponents and time is running out.
I found the storylines to the Operator to be more intense than those of The Drafter. We have intrigue, treachery and action-packed scenes that will leave you breathless. Peri interacts with friends and co-workers from the past, and we meet new acquaintances as she tries to determine who is her ally and who has their own agenda. Allen, Bill, Helen and Michael are pretty obvious but then there is Jack. Jack the hallucination and Jack the man, her former Anchor, betrayer, and lover. Secondary characters are developed enough that readers will become emotionally involved. I found myself fearing, caring or utterly loathing them. Harrison provides some of their points of view which help validate Peri's concerns.
Peri is tested when Opti dangles a big carrot in front of her offering something she desires. We get a taste of Peri's strengths and her brilliant mind. The obstacles she faces only prove how truly badass she is. The last three-fourths of the book had me holding my breath as we faced trials, deceit, and danger. Harrison also fed my inner nerd with medical advancements, the Mantis, and drafts but she kept it simple enough that even non-science fiction fans will delight in the thrills of this suspenseful storyline.
Fans of the Hollows will be excited to learn there is a sneak peek at the back of the book of The Turn scheduled for 2017 release. The Operator wrapped up nicely but has me eager to return for more.
Copy provided by Publisher. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Book Reviewer
January 2, 2017
2.5 stars
I so want to like this series and I really just don't. I think the base premise makes it very hard to like anyone in the series, including the MC, and the inability to trust anyone at all is fatiguing.
I have enjoyed most of what Kim Harrison writes, but this series just isn't ringing my bell.
I so want to like this series and I really just don't. I think the base premise makes it very hard to like anyone in the series, including the MC, and the inability to trust anyone at all is fatiguing.
I have enjoyed most of what Kim Harrison writes, but this series just isn't ringing my bell.
December 18, 2016
it was boring af
April 2, 2023
More coherent than the first, though still "painful" at times due to {trigger warnings for drug and physical abuse} potential loss of oneself via altered memories. Too bad there does not seem to be a third book to be published.
December 26, 2016
I wanted to love this book. I really enjoyed Harrison's Hollows series, and thought that Book 1 of this series (The Drafter) was brilliant.
Unlike several reviewers, I like Peri as a character. She's different from the usual kind of urban fantasy/sci-fi heroine: she's professional, she's good at what she does, and she doesn't fall in insta-lust with the first set of washboard abs to cross her path. And like me, she likes technology. :-)
I flew through Book 1: it had great characters, an interesting premise, and it was well-written - up to Harrison's usual high standards.
Book 2 is a different proposition entirely.
The first thing I noticed was the editing - or rather, the lack of it. There were a few basic spelling and grammar mistakes, but the whole thing read like a first draft. We head-hopped between characters in a scene. We ran through what had to be nearly every dialogue tag in the dictionary: people whispered, exclaimed, complained, etc, etc. Then there were the continuity errors - was somebody cooking bacon or sausages, or both? And Harrison's little writer's tics. Every author has them - the little words or phrases that they use a lot without thinking about it. One of Harrison's is that characters "didn't like" that somebody was doing something. It's a meh sort of phrase because it doesn't tell you anything about why the character doesn't like it - and it must have been used hundreds of times. I thought of trying to count them all, but decided not to. But once you've noticed how many times she uses that phrase, you can't not notice it.
Plus, characters. The bad guys are just so very bad - personally, I like a bit of complexity. It makes a story more interesting when the bad guy's sole reason for doing something isn't just "because he's the bad guy". Not that we ever find out what these guys' reasons actually are.
And plot. As far as I can see, there really wasn't much of a one. This was a McGuffin story, where everyone is hunting the McGuffin. Everybody wants this thing, but we're not really all that clear on why. In this case, Peri is the McGuffin: everybody's after her, but despite the multiple points of view, we never find out what these people's goals are, beyond "get Peri". To a great extent, Peri could have been swapped for a diamond tiara or a painting, and the story wouldn't have been much different. This really destroys much of the tension, because although we naturally want Peri to get away from the Bad Guys, we don't really know the ramifications of her going back to the Dark Side. Yes, she'd be made to do "stuff", but what "stuff"? Why is it important? What do the Other Guys want?
Most of the book was taken up with Peri running around escaping from people, or getting trapped by people. Much of this could have been avoided if the characters actually talked to each other, or listened when someone else was talking. I get that a book needs action, but it's a bit eye-rolling when the action could have been avoided by people actually communicating. You know, like intelligent adults.
And don't get me started on Harmony. Could have been a great character, but, Harmony love, you haven't hit the glass ceiling because you're female. It's because you're a loose cannon who can't be trusted to, in the old army phrase, pour piss out of a boot without screwing it up. Harmony is the kind of officer who gets mysteriously shot in the back as soon as the action starts, and who is held in equally low esteem by those above and those below.
On the other hand, I might be doing the poor woman an injustice: maybe she's actually pretty good, and she only came across as the complete idiot that she did because Harrison needed her to behave like an out-of-control, dangerous fool for plot reasons.
So, after all that, why three stars?
Because Harrison is still a good author. There was still enough there for me to give it three stars, although possibly more in hope that Book 3 in the series will improve.
Will I buy Book 3? Probably, yes. But it's not on my buy-immediately list.
Unlike several reviewers, I like Peri as a character. She's different from the usual kind of urban fantasy/sci-fi heroine: she's professional, she's good at what she does, and she doesn't fall in insta-lust with the first set of washboard abs to cross her path. And like me, she likes technology. :-)
I flew through Book 1: it had great characters, an interesting premise, and it was well-written - up to Harrison's usual high standards.
Book 2 is a different proposition entirely.
The first thing I noticed was the editing - or rather, the lack of it. There were a few basic spelling and grammar mistakes, but the whole thing read like a first draft. We head-hopped between characters in a scene. We ran through what had to be nearly every dialogue tag in the dictionary: people whispered, exclaimed, complained, etc, etc. Then there were the continuity errors - was somebody cooking bacon or sausages, or both? And Harrison's little writer's tics. Every author has them - the little words or phrases that they use a lot without thinking about it. One of Harrison's is that characters "didn't like" that somebody was doing something. It's a meh sort of phrase because it doesn't tell you anything about why the character doesn't like it - and it must have been used hundreds of times. I thought of trying to count them all, but decided not to. But once you've noticed how many times she uses that phrase, you can't not notice it.
Plus, characters. The bad guys are just so very bad - personally, I like a bit of complexity. It makes a story more interesting when the bad guy's sole reason for doing something isn't just "because he's the bad guy". Not that we ever find out what these guys' reasons actually are.
And plot. As far as I can see, there really wasn't much of a one. This was a McGuffin story, where everyone is hunting the McGuffin. Everybody wants this thing, but we're not really all that clear on why. In this case, Peri is the McGuffin: everybody's after her, but despite the multiple points of view, we never find out what these people's goals are, beyond "get Peri". To a great extent, Peri could have been swapped for a diamond tiara or a painting, and the story wouldn't have been much different. This really destroys much of the tension, because although we naturally want Peri to get away from the Bad Guys, we don't really know the ramifications of her going back to the Dark Side. Yes, she'd be made to do "stuff", but what "stuff"? Why is it important? What do the Other Guys want?
Most of the book was taken up with Peri running around escaping from people, or getting trapped by people. Much of this could have been avoided if the characters actually talked to each other, or listened when someone else was talking. I get that a book needs action, but it's a bit eye-rolling when the action could have been avoided by people actually communicating. You know, like intelligent adults.
And don't get me started on Harmony. Could have been a great character, but, Harmony love, you haven't hit the glass ceiling because you're female. It's because you're a loose cannon who can't be trusted to, in the old army phrase, pour piss out of a boot without screwing it up. Harmony is the kind of officer who gets mysteriously shot in the back as soon as the action starts, and who is held in equally low esteem by those above and those below.
On the other hand, I might be doing the poor woman an injustice: maybe she's actually pretty good, and she only came across as the complete idiot that she did because Harrison needed her to behave like an out-of-control, dangerous fool for plot reasons.
So, after all that, why three stars?
Because Harrison is still a good author. There was still enough there for me to give it three stars, although possibly more in hope that Book 3 in the series will improve.
Will I buy Book 3? Probably, yes. But it's not on my buy-immediately list.
November 24, 2016
THE OPERATOR—Like THE DRAFTER— was filled with a lot of action and suspense, but I had a hard time staying in the story and connecting with Peri in book two.
I really enjoyed THE DRAFTER, in fact, I gave it 5 stars. So when I got THE OPERATOR, I thought that it would be another fast paced, enjoyable read by Kim Harrison. For the most part it was, but I found myself getting bored and really disliking Peri at points throughout the book. I knew from book one that she was impulsive, but it seemed worse in THE OPERATOR and her impulsiveness lead her to some bad situations which was annoying. She was constantly in danger and there was plenty of chances to get the upper hand but she just didn't. It was one cluster after another. It just got to be too much by the end.
Let's talk about the relationships of the book. On one hand we have Silas. I really like Silas, and he really likes Peri. Peri unfortunately doesn't remember him like he remembers her but there was some development on this front and I really enjoyed that part of the story. Then we have Jack. We ALL know Jack from book one. I can't stand Jack and Peri says she can't, but for a lot of THE OPERATOR she had no problem standing him. It was very aggravating and I really could have done without his character all together.
I just don't know what to do about this series. It started out fantastically, but THE OPERATOR fell short for me. I will probably give book three a chance because i really love Kim Harrison's past work and that counts for something.
* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed THE DRAFTER, in fact, I gave it 5 stars. So when I got THE OPERATOR, I thought that it would be another fast paced, enjoyable read by Kim Harrison. For the most part it was, but I found myself getting bored and really disliking Peri at points throughout the book. I knew from book one that she was impulsive, but it seemed worse in THE OPERATOR and her impulsiveness lead her to some bad situations which was annoying. She was constantly in danger and there was plenty of chances to get the upper hand but she just didn't. It was one cluster after another. It just got to be too much by the end.
Let's talk about the relationships of the book. On one hand we have Silas. I really like Silas, and he really likes Peri. Peri unfortunately doesn't remember him like he remembers her but there was some development on this front and I really enjoyed that part of the story. Then we have Jack. We ALL know Jack from book one. I can't stand Jack and Peri says she can't, but for a lot of THE OPERATOR she had no problem standing him. It was very aggravating and I really could have done without his character all together.
I just don't know what to do about this series. It started out fantastically, but THE OPERATOR fell short for me. I will probably give book three a chance because i really love Kim Harrison's past work and that counts for something.
* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
November 5, 2016
*Source* Edelweiss
*Genre* Science Fiction
*Rating* 4.0
*My Thoughts*
The Operator is the second installment in author Kim
Harrison's The Peri Reed Chronicles. The story picks up a year after Peri decided to go into self imposed exile. She runs an upscale coffee shop catering to those she used to spy on, and steal secrets from. She is happy that nobody is around to attempt to erase her memories, but something is definitely off. It doesn't help that both Silas, and Allen both appear seemingly out of nowhere to warn her that she's being tracked. This is the time that the life she left behind decides to toss her back into the fray once again.
*FULL REVIEW @ GIZMOS REVIEWS 11/05/2016 - LINK FOLLOWS SHORTLY
Expected publication: November 22nd 2016 by Pocket Books
*Genre* Science Fiction
*Rating* 4.0
*My Thoughts*
The Operator is the second installment in author Kim
Harrison's The Peri Reed Chronicles. The story picks up a year after Peri decided to go into self imposed exile. She runs an upscale coffee shop catering to those she used to spy on, and steal secrets from. She is happy that nobody is around to attempt to erase her memories, but something is definitely off. It doesn't help that both Silas, and Allen both appear seemingly out of nowhere to warn her that she's being tracked. This is the time that the life she left behind decides to toss her back into the fray once again.
*FULL REVIEW @ GIZMOS REVIEWS 11/05/2016 - LINK FOLLOWS SHORTLY
Expected publication: November 22nd 2016 by Pocket Books
November 15, 2016
I started out liked the book better than the first, but after like 25% into the book I was not so sure anymore.
And to be honest even now after finishing it I’m still not sure what my feelings are about the book and the series.
The characters are a lot more in depth this book, more background more understanding to them. Except Peri. Sadly I had a really hard time with Peri. There is something about her that I cannot connect to and or relate to.
Buy I can’t really put my finger on what it is, that I don’t like about her. I hope I figure it out soon. Maybe it is her over confidence that I don’t like. I’m really not sure what it is.
You can find my full review here :
http://snoopydoosbookreviews.com/oper...
And to be honest even now after finishing it I’m still not sure what my feelings are about the book and the series.
The characters are a lot more in depth this book, more background more understanding to them. Except Peri. Sadly I had a really hard time with Peri. There is something about her that I cannot connect to and or relate to.
Buy I can’t really put my finger on what it is, that I don’t like about her. I hope I figure it out soon. Maybe it is her over confidence that I don’t like. I’m really not sure what it is.
You can find my full review here :
http://snoopydoosbookreviews.com/oper...
January 10, 2017
That's the trouble with timeline altering assassins - it gets repetitive. We're only on book 2 and I want to kill most of the characters. Don't get me wrong it's a good book based on a clever idea but it's going round in circles. Good guys,bad guys, drugs,cars,kill repeat etc etc
March 6, 2017
These books are so hard for me to read, but I'm not sure why. Good story, writing on point, but it just can't hold my attention.
April 17, 2017
Ugh I liked this less than the first book. Too many goofball plot twists and not really that interesting.
November 14, 2016
I received this eARC from the publisher via Edelweiss for a honest and voluntary review. I was in no way compensated for this review.
Kim Harrison returns to the Peri Reed Chronicles with The Operator and continues Peri’s journey as she tries to flee her enemies and a find a way to draft without losing her memories. Something that is next to impossible to accomplish. This series is definitely way different than Kim’s previous one and there’s zero supernatural or magical elements to it. But I find the whole writing time situation to be quite intriguing.
It’s been a year since the events of the first book, Peri has brought down Opti—to a point—and is living a nice, normal life. That is until Silas finds her to give her her journal back. Then Allen finds her to tell her Jack, who had previously been incarnated is now missing. And the CIA is involved and they want Peri to help find him. Basically wanting her to get back into the role she fought so hard to leave behind.
Add to that there’s a deranged and somewhat psychotic drafter named Michael who’s working for Bill who has it out for her. Bill is still trying to bring her back under his wing. And oh yes, there’s a dangerous new drug out there that is not only addicting, but can supposedly let you draft and remember what happened in both timelines.
So basically, a lot is going on! I once again have virtually no memory over the first book. Probably in part because the world is so different than my norm. It’s sometimes hard to focus on and figure out just what’s going on. This time, I didn’t have that same amount of confusion though, even though I can’t remember much at all of the first book. I was able to just roll with things and comprehended some of the science to this one rather well. Trying to explain said science in a spoiler free and comprehensive matter is another issue! LOL!
We do get multiple third person points of view in this one. Over the years, I’ve gotten used to pretty much all the usual routes of narration. Never really developed a favorite, but I just like to mention the narration type just to let you guys know how the story’s told. I must say I do enjoy getting inside the other characters’ heads! Seeing into the villains’ eyes is always a trip, because sometimes, they don’t really see themselves as a bad guy.
The pacing to this one was pretty good. It kind of had moments of slower pacing, but then burst with a few action scenes and then slowed back down. It was enough to keep me engaged because I was itching to see what would happen. This series is meant to be a trilogy, so at the same time I figured a HEA ending was not in Peri’s future, but there was still that wanting of hope for her!
There wasn’t much romance in this one. Take that as you will, though we do get some tantalizing moments between Peri and Silas, for as she reads her journal she is able to recall their past history. Which felt like a trip for me since I so couldn’t remember Silas much from the first book. Overloaded reader’s memory is a serious issue folks! LOL. But I liked seeing them care for one another. In a way it was like watching it all from the beginning.
The ending kind of left me with some questions. Things are wrapped up case wise, but as I said, this is a trilogy and all is not totally resolved. There are characters’ fates who remain unknown. And with how Bill hinted at one being not so honest, it has me wondering if we will see that character again. I kind of felt like we kept seeing this character a bit too often without really having said character involved. We shall just have to wait and see what the finale will bring, I guess!
I am a diehard Kim Harrison fan and I must say as a paranormal reader, I quite enjoyed her non-paranormal story here! The Operator is like the must see action/suspense flick of the year! It’s got a lot of secretiveness to it, engaging characters, sci-fi like elements involving rewriting time, and some sprinkles of romantic intrigue! Pretty much making it a must read, especially for Kim Harrison fans! And if you haven’t yet read this new series, I definitely recommend starting at the beginning!
Overall Rating 4/5 stars
The Operator releases November 22, 2016
November 16, 2016
Mon avis en Français
My English review
I liked the first book but it’s true that something was still missing for me. So I started this one while waiting to see what would be my feeling and I confess that I was a bit more taken by the story this time.
Peri Reed finally managed to flee Opti to try to build a simpler life even if it is still very difficult for her to deal with the betrayal and the consequences of the previous volume. Yet her memory holes remain a big problem and although she might prefer to remember everything, it is actually quite an unattainable dream. She suspected that the organization would not let her go that easily… But this time, their offer is quite attractive and they propose her an addictive drug which could help her remember everything, while enslaving her. As they alone hold the product. This is a very difficult choice that our heroine has to do but she knows that she can not trust Opti. Parallel to all this, we find all the characters of the first volumes including Michael who wants more than anything to get his hands on this drug and then have the power he thinks due to him. And for that, he’s really ready for anything!
It is true that I was easily carried away by the story while trying to understand how Peri was going to resolve all her problems. I must say that it is quite difficult and as if that was not enough, she begins to realize that her forgotten memories affect other characters that evolve around her and that she finally forgot some important events. Trying to oppose Opti, she will make new allies but also powerful enemies and this is how we enter a race against time where both parties will compete. I loved to learn more about our heroine and to see her realizing what she imposed on people she loved. Jake is here again and I admit that I was curious to see what she would do about him with all her contradictory feelings … It’s really not easy but the author has conducted her subject with a constant action throughout the novel.
To conclude, to me, this volume was a bit more than the first one and I admit that I’m curious to see what the author will offer us later. The idea is always original and it’s true that while Peri hopes to have a quiet life, she will realize that it is far from possible.
My English review
I liked the first book but it’s true that something was still missing for me. So I started this one while waiting to see what would be my feeling and I confess that I was a bit more taken by the story this time.
Peri Reed finally managed to flee Opti to try to build a simpler life even if it is still very difficult for her to deal with the betrayal and the consequences of the previous volume. Yet her memory holes remain a big problem and although she might prefer to remember everything, it is actually quite an unattainable dream. She suspected that the organization would not let her go that easily… But this time, their offer is quite attractive and they propose her an addictive drug which could help her remember everything, while enslaving her. As they alone hold the product. This is a very difficult choice that our heroine has to do but she knows that she can not trust Opti. Parallel to all this, we find all the characters of the first volumes including Michael who wants more than anything to get his hands on this drug and then have the power he thinks due to him. And for that, he’s really ready for anything!
It is true that I was easily carried away by the story while trying to understand how Peri was going to resolve all her problems. I must say that it is quite difficult and as if that was not enough, she begins to realize that her forgotten memories affect other characters that evolve around her and that she finally forgot some important events. Trying to oppose Opti, she will make new allies but also powerful enemies and this is how we enter a race against time where both parties will compete. I loved to learn more about our heroine and to see her realizing what she imposed on people she loved. Jake is here again and I admit that I was curious to see what she would do about him with all her contradictory feelings … It’s really not easy but the author has conducted her subject with a constant action throughout the novel.
To conclude, to me, this volume was a bit more than the first one and I admit that I’m curious to see what the author will offer us later. The idea is always original and it’s true that while Peri hopes to have a quiet life, she will realize that it is far from possible.
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