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Chronicles of Inspector Thomas Sullivan #1
The Predator and the Prey
Everyone has a past they'd like to forget. Inspector Thomas Sullivan has a past that is about to catch up with him.
Sent to the developing planet Beta Prime to clean up its corruption and crime, Sullivan is saddled with a wet behind the ears rookie detective for a partner. An already difficult job is made more so by the haunting presences of a mysterious young woman.
A crazed serial killer and the theft of life saving drugs are just the start of Sullivan's troubles. Betrayal by his own police force just might finish him off.
Faced with solving multiple crimes at once to save himself, who can Sullivan trust in his new home, the eternally cold Capital City?
-- an ex-con cabbie
-- a priest who knows too much about crime
-- the owner of a neighborhood tavern and diner with a shady past
-- a mysterious beauty who haunts Sullivan from his past
-- his idealistic and naive young partner
Desperate for redemption for mistakes in his past, can Sullivan even trust himself?
The debut novel from K.C. Sivils, The Predator and The Prey is a crime thriller set in the gritty urban setting of Capital City 200 years in the future. Fans of cross genre storytelling such as Joss Wheadon's space westerns and Alex P. Berg's Urban Fantasy/Crime noir stories should enjoy the adventures of Inspector Thomas Sullivan as he seeks to deliver justice to the innocent citizens of Capital City and the planet Beta Prime.
Sent to the developing planet Beta Prime to clean up its corruption and crime, Sullivan is saddled with a wet behind the ears rookie detective for a partner. An already difficult job is made more so by the haunting presences of a mysterious young woman.
A crazed serial killer and the theft of life saving drugs are just the start of Sullivan's troubles. Betrayal by his own police force just might finish him off.
Faced with solving multiple crimes at once to save himself, who can Sullivan trust in his new home, the eternally cold Capital City?
-- an ex-con cabbie
-- a priest who knows too much about crime
-- the owner of a neighborhood tavern and diner with a shady past
-- a mysterious beauty who haunts Sullivan from his past
-- his idealistic and naive young partner
Desperate for redemption for mistakes in his past, can Sullivan even trust himself?
The debut novel from K.C. Sivils, The Predator and The Prey is a crime thriller set in the gritty urban setting of Capital City 200 years in the future. Fans of cross genre storytelling such as Joss Wheadon's space westerns and Alex P. Berg's Urban Fantasy/Crime noir stories should enjoy the adventures of Inspector Thomas Sullivan as he seeks to deliver justice to the innocent citizens of Capital City and the planet Beta Prime.
276 pages, Paperback
First published January 31, 2017
82 people are currently reading
729 people want to read
About the author
K.C. Sivils
39 books215 followersScience fiction and classic crime novels have long been favorites of author K.C. Sivils. A fan of past noir masters such as Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler, Sivils also enjoys the current generation of storytellers like Matt Abraham, Renee Pawlish and Alex P. Berg.
The combination of film noir and science fiction in director Ridley Scott’s adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s sci-fi classic Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep into the masterful Harrison Ford vehicle Blade Runner encouraged him to consume as much of both genre’s as possible.
When not working at his real job, Sivils enjoys his family, his dogs, writing and rocking out to classic rock bands like the Rolling Stones, New Wave rockers The Cars, and the Godfathers of Punk, the Ramones.
Follow Author K.C. Sivils on BookBub at https://www.bookbub.com/profile/k-c-s...
The combination of film noir and science fiction in director Ridley Scott’s adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s sci-fi classic Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep into the masterful Harrison Ford vehicle Blade Runner encouraged him to consume as much of both genre’s as possible.
When not working at his real job, Sivils enjoys his family, his dogs, writing and rocking out to classic rock bands like the Rolling Stones, New Wave rockers The Cars, and the Godfathers of Punk, the Ramones.
Follow Author K.C. Sivils on BookBub at https://www.bookbub.com/profile/k-c-s...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
July 14, 2017
Inspector Thomas (Sully) Sullivan has had a hard life, but he is very good at what he does. He has recently been sent to Beta Prime to clean up the corruption within the planet police force. The local government officials believe he is a screw-up that they will be able to use as a scapegoat for their crimes. To make his job as difficult as they can, Sully has been given a newly appointed and over eager Detective Sergeant named Josephson.
Capital City harbors many secrets including the identity of a serial killer. Sully believes the killer is somehow tied to the theft of drugs used to keep the miners from getting the Cough. If he unravels one of these crimes the other is sure to follow.
Being new in town, Sully doesn’t know whom he can trust nor do the folks he encounters know if they can trust him. Having a cop that isn’t bent is about as rare as a warm, snow free day on Beta Prime. His acquaintances are a priest with a shady past, a cabbie trying to keep his nose clean, a bar owner who knows more than he’s willing to tell, and a waitress who wears her heart on her sleeve. Then there is the mysterious woman who hides in the shadows that remind Sully of something in his past he’d rather forget.
Sivils’ first novel in The Chronicles of Inspector Thomas Sullivan, The Predator and The Prey, is reminiscent of the dime store detective novels of the past. The main character, Sully, is vividly described and well developed. The world of Beta Prime and Capital City are brought to life in such a way that I even felt chilled.
Unfortunately, the novel is riddled with typographical errors that are very distracting. In a self-published novel, I allow 5 errors before it changes the rating. This book went well beyond that number. The author really needs a good proofreader or an advance reader group to help ferret out these mistakes before he goes live.
Also, in a who-done-it, the killer is usually a significant character with clues leading up to their identity. It was rather disappointing that he was a minor character who only showed up to kill. The rest of the story was written in such a way that everything was very complex and tied together well.
3 out of 5 stars.
I received this book for free from the author for review consideration. This in no way affected my opinion of the book, or the content of my review.
Capital City harbors many secrets including the identity of a serial killer. Sully believes the killer is somehow tied to the theft of drugs used to keep the miners from getting the Cough. If he unravels one of these crimes the other is sure to follow.
Being new in town, Sully doesn’t know whom he can trust nor do the folks he encounters know if they can trust him. Having a cop that isn’t bent is about as rare as a warm, snow free day on Beta Prime. His acquaintances are a priest with a shady past, a cabbie trying to keep his nose clean, a bar owner who knows more than he’s willing to tell, and a waitress who wears her heart on her sleeve. Then there is the mysterious woman who hides in the shadows that remind Sully of something in his past he’d rather forget.
Sivils’ first novel in The Chronicles of Inspector Thomas Sullivan, The Predator and The Prey, is reminiscent of the dime store detective novels of the past. The main character, Sully, is vividly described and well developed. The world of Beta Prime and Capital City are brought to life in such a way that I even felt chilled.
Unfortunately, the novel is riddled with typographical errors that are very distracting. In a self-published novel, I allow 5 errors before it changes the rating. This book went well beyond that number. The author really needs a good proofreader or an advance reader group to help ferret out these mistakes before he goes live.
Also, in a who-done-it, the killer is usually a significant character with clues leading up to their identity. It was rather disappointing that he was a minor character who only showed up to kill. The rest of the story was written in such a way that everything was very complex and tied together well.
3 out of 5 stars.
I received this book for free from the author for review consideration. This in no way affected my opinion of the book, or the content of my review.
May 22, 2017
“The noir hero is a knight in blood caked armor. He's dirty and he does his best to deny the fact that he's a hero the whole time,” Frank Miller.
Predator and the Prey has its noir hero, Inspector Sullivan. The time is in the future; things have changed, but people haven’t. A serial killer is loose on the streets of Capital City. It’ll take another predator to take out this predator. Sullivan gets on the case and “perps” wind up in body bags.
A kindly priest, Fr. Nathan, is a character who balances the fist with the heart. Sarah is a mysterious character walking through this cold shadowland. Josephson is Sullivan’s trusty sidekick. Then there are the street urchins. All characters skillfully woven into the story to add dimension.
I enjoyed this story because I dig noir. I read all of Jim Thompson I could get from the library at one time. (Thompson wrote the book for the Steve McQueen movie The Getaway, two thumbs up). Noir was written when being a man’s man wasn’t “toxic.” I’m glad to see that the genre isn’t in a body bag and someone is still carrying it forward. The sci-fi/noir fusion worked in the Predator and the Prey.
The author, K.C., has written book 2 in this series, and I would like to see more of Sullivan bringing down the bad guys. After all, someone has to keep the streets of corrupt Capital City safe.
Predator and the Prey has its noir hero, Inspector Sullivan. The time is in the future; things have changed, but people haven’t. A serial killer is loose on the streets of Capital City. It’ll take another predator to take out this predator. Sullivan gets on the case and “perps” wind up in body bags.
A kindly priest, Fr. Nathan, is a character who balances the fist with the heart. Sarah is a mysterious character walking through this cold shadowland. Josephson is Sullivan’s trusty sidekick. Then there are the street urchins. All characters skillfully woven into the story to add dimension.
I enjoyed this story because I dig noir. I read all of Jim Thompson I could get from the library at one time. (Thompson wrote the book for the Steve McQueen movie The Getaway, two thumbs up). Noir was written when being a man’s man wasn’t “toxic.” I’m glad to see that the genre isn’t in a body bag and someone is still carrying it forward. The sci-fi/noir fusion worked in the Predator and the Prey.
The author, K.C., has written book 2 in this series, and I would like to see more of Sullivan bringing down the bad guys. After all, someone has to keep the streets of corrupt Capital City safe.
February 23, 2017
The Predator and The Prey is the story of police Inspector Thomas Sullivan’s efforts to catch a serial killer and stop the theft of living-saving medicine on a distant mining planet, Beta Prime, 200 years in the future. If you’re familiar with the fictional characters of Philip Marlow, Mike Hammer, or Sam Spade, and you put one of them in a future, outer-space setting, then you have a pretty good idea of the feel of this book.
Like the characters from the hard-boiled literary genre mentioned above, Inspector Thomas Sullivan is an antihero, more interested in justice than the letter of the law. He’s also damaged, riddled with remorse for his failures. To accommodate a character like Sullivan, Beta Prime is not a sleek, technologically advanced world – his ‘lead with your fists, rather than your badge’ attitude would not fit easily in an advanced society. Rather, Beta Prime is lawless and corrupt, again somewhat paralleling the typical setting of the hard-boiled genre – the 1920-30s prohibition era and organized crime. For me, recasting the typical hard-boiled crime story into a future, outer-space setting worked quite well.
The book, however, did have some shortcomings. First, there were some small but quite persistent tics in the author’s writing. Word repetition was particularly problematic. At one point, the author uses the word ‘evil’ five times in six, consecutive sentences. Certain themes and thoughts are also repeated unnecessarily. Some occurrences of either of these minor missteps is understandable, but the frequency of them made staying immersed in the story difficult for me.
Second, the author tended to take what should have been subtle nuances in a character’s make up and push them to the point of breaking. Sullivan’s tendency toward feeling remorse is one example. By the end of the book, he is blaming himself for just about everything that goes wrong. An initially complex character became distorted by unnecessary emphasis on one trait. The character of the serial killer took a similar route, as he seems almost supernatural by the end.
The interested reader should also note that this book contains somewhat graphic violence against children.
So, for fans longing for the days of Philip Marlow, Mike Hammer, and Sam Spade, you may be able to satisfy that urge with The Predator and The Prey, if you’re not easily distracted by minor writer’s tics and some rather heavy-handed character development.
Like the characters from the hard-boiled literary genre mentioned above, Inspector Thomas Sullivan is an antihero, more interested in justice than the letter of the law. He’s also damaged, riddled with remorse for his failures. To accommodate a character like Sullivan, Beta Prime is not a sleek, technologically advanced world – his ‘lead with your fists, rather than your badge’ attitude would not fit easily in an advanced society. Rather, Beta Prime is lawless and corrupt, again somewhat paralleling the typical setting of the hard-boiled genre – the 1920-30s prohibition era and organized crime. For me, recasting the typical hard-boiled crime story into a future, outer-space setting worked quite well.
The book, however, did have some shortcomings. First, there were some small but quite persistent tics in the author’s writing. Word repetition was particularly problematic. At one point, the author uses the word ‘evil’ five times in six, consecutive sentences. Certain themes and thoughts are also repeated unnecessarily. Some occurrences of either of these minor missteps is understandable, but the frequency of them made staying immersed in the story difficult for me.
Second, the author tended to take what should have been subtle nuances in a character’s make up and push them to the point of breaking. Sullivan’s tendency toward feeling remorse is one example. By the end of the book, he is blaming himself for just about everything that goes wrong. An initially complex character became distorted by unnecessary emphasis on one trait. The character of the serial killer took a similar route, as he seems almost supernatural by the end.
The interested reader should also note that this book contains somewhat graphic violence against children.
So, for fans longing for the days of Philip Marlow, Mike Hammer, and Sam Spade, you may be able to satisfy that urge with The Predator and The Prey, if you’re not easily distracted by minor writer’s tics and some rather heavy-handed character development.
April 13, 2017
For some reason, I pictured Harry Dresden, of the Dresden Chronicles, as the futuristic Inspector. I know they have nothing in common, but as soon as the action hit the ground, I pictured Dresden doing the running. Obviously, it's just me. I probably still have Jim Butcher's book world residue dancing in my head. But just like Butcher, author K.C. Sivils knows how to start a series!
Within the first few pages, someone has died, and there's been some sort of cover-up, throw in a handful of dirty cops, and in the thick of it all is Inspector Thomas Sullivan. The book goes back and forth between his point of view, to that of a serial killer on the loose and his victims, and a mix of power hungry Elitists. This was such a fun read. I thought I knew who the killer was, and knew where the story was headed, but I was surprised at the outcomes.
If you're looking for a quick read, this is a page turner. It is set in a futuristic, and distant world but the author won't let you get confused and be bogged down with new jargon. I read this on a kindle app, and at the beginning, there were some words that were underlined, which then took you to a link explaining the makeup of Beta Prime. Treat this as any other crime thriller, with an almost episodic action in each chapter but it works. I got sucked into this world and wanted to see when, and how Sullivan could catch the Predator and save the Prey.
*I received this book in exchange for an honest review. However, these thoughts and opinions are my own. I'm not required to write a positive review.
Within the first few pages, someone has died, and there's been some sort of cover-up, throw in a handful of dirty cops, and in the thick of it all is Inspector Thomas Sullivan. The book goes back and forth between his point of view, to that of a serial killer on the loose and his victims, and a mix of power hungry Elitists. This was such a fun read. I thought I knew who the killer was, and knew where the story was headed, but I was surprised at the outcomes.
If you're looking for a quick read, this is a page turner. It is set in a futuristic, and distant world but the author won't let you get confused and be bogged down with new jargon. I read this on a kindle app, and at the beginning, there were some words that were underlined, which then took you to a link explaining the makeup of Beta Prime. Treat this as any other crime thriller, with an almost episodic action in each chapter but it works. I got sucked into this world and wanted to see when, and how Sullivan could catch the Predator and save the Prey.
*I received this book in exchange for an honest review. However, these thoughts and opinions are my own. I'm not required to write a positive review.
October 30, 2018
This book is written in classic Crime Noir, but set 200 years in the future. Inspector Thomas Sullivan is a knight in dark armor as he enters the planet Beta Prime to root out corruption and crime in the space colony. All of the characters in the story are interesting and provide great mental imagery as the story plays out. It would seem that the baser parts of human nature continue into the future to provide a story that could have taken place in Chicago in the 1930s. Yet the world of the future is handled so well it adds to the story rather than diverting. I enjoyed everything about this book, despite being a little put off by the devices used to keep the identity of "the cowboy," a vicious serial killer, a secret. I enjoyed the suspense, the realism and the interaction between the characters. I hope to read more in this vein.
September 17, 2021
I reward myself with a K. C. Sivils novel. A little Si-Fi, some outer-world stuff, good guys, really bad guys, strong women, all smished together into a noir package that will keep you up late. And this series is going to be another not to be missed. If you aren't already a fan, try a Thomas Sullivan novel. Sivils works remind me of 1960s P.I. paperback novels, the gritty kind with lots of challenges and a tired hero.
Sully is an ex-Space Marine currently running federation interference with outer-planet police squads mired down with dirty cops. The Predator and the Prey is the first of this series, with six more already in print so you can binge at will. They are currently available on Kindle Unlimited.
Reviewed on June 4, 2021, at Goodreads, AmazonSmile, and Barnes&Noble.
Sully is an ex-Space Marine currently running federation interference with outer-planet police squads mired down with dirty cops. The Predator and the Prey is the first of this series, with six more already in print so you can binge at will. They are currently available on Kindle Unlimited.
Reviewed on June 4, 2021, at Goodreads, AmazonSmile, and Barnes&Noble.
April 23, 2017
Didn't see that coming.
When I started reading this book I almost bailed.didn't think it was going to be something I'd like,but I kept reading. After the first chapter, I was in for the long haul .
It is easy to stay engaged,and hard to put down.
When I started reading this book I almost bailed.didn't think it was going to be something I'd like,but I kept reading. After the first chapter, I was in for the long haul .
It is easy to stay engaged,and hard to put down.
May 24, 2017
The Predator and the Prey by K.C. Sivils Review 5/23/17
Everyone has a past they'd like to forget, hopefully it won't catch up or at least not like this!!
The debut novel from K.C. Sivils, The Predator and The Prey is a crime thriller set in the gritty urban setting of Capital City 200 years in the future. Fans of cross genre storytelling such as Joss Wheadon's space westerns and Alex P. Berg's Urban Fantasy/Crime noir stories should enjoy the adventures of Inspector Thomas Sullivan as he seeks to deliver justice to the innocent citizens of Capital City and the planet Beta Prime.
Inspector Thomas Sullivan has a past that is about to catch up with him. Sent to the developing planet Beta Prime to clean up its corruption and crime, Sullivan is saddled with a wet behind the ears rookie detective for a partner. An already difficult job is made more so by the haunting presences of a mysterious young woman. A crazed serial killer and the theft of life saving drugs are just the start of Sullivan's troubles. Betrayal by his own police force just might finish him off. Faced with solving multiple crimes at once to save himself, who can Sullivan trust in his new home, the eternally cold Capital City? -- an ex-con cabbie -- a priest who knows too much about crime -- the owner of a neighborhood tavern and diner with a shady past -- a mysterious beauty who haunts Sullivan from his past -- his idealistic and naive young partner? Desperate for redemption for mistakes in his past, can Sullivan even trust himself?
What did I like? My second love is Science fiction and this one fits the bill to a tee! The first thing that I liked about the story was the main character, Inspector Thomas Sullivan, Sully. He is this really tough guy and scary as heck but has the biggest heart you have ever seen plus he is carrying a LOT of baggage! This is the first book that I have read from this author but my list of awesome writers grows again. I like the writing style and the way that he develops his characters. The attention to detail without going over board or drowning you in mush.
What are you going to like? Some science fiction books don’t really have a complete storyline. You won’t find that to be true with this series. Sully and the other characters grow with each page and the story is the same way. It is carried on into book two and grows even more. Sully and Sarah grow on each other with real emotions. The details and descriptions are very precise and you can almost feel the cold of the planet. The mystery and intrigue that he includes is really interesting and even though it is Syfi it follows the real rules of police work, of course you will see the Sully way of handling things too. You can see the research that he did to make it this way, I think that is the real reason that I liked this series. I hope that the author will continue with more books in this series and not stop with book two!
Everyone has a past they'd like to forget, hopefully it won't catch up or at least not like this!!
The debut novel from K.C. Sivils, The Predator and The Prey is a crime thriller set in the gritty urban setting of Capital City 200 years in the future. Fans of cross genre storytelling such as Joss Wheadon's space westerns and Alex P. Berg's Urban Fantasy/Crime noir stories should enjoy the adventures of Inspector Thomas Sullivan as he seeks to deliver justice to the innocent citizens of Capital City and the planet Beta Prime.
Inspector Thomas Sullivan has a past that is about to catch up with him. Sent to the developing planet Beta Prime to clean up its corruption and crime, Sullivan is saddled with a wet behind the ears rookie detective for a partner. An already difficult job is made more so by the haunting presences of a mysterious young woman. A crazed serial killer and the theft of life saving drugs are just the start of Sullivan's troubles. Betrayal by his own police force just might finish him off. Faced with solving multiple crimes at once to save himself, who can Sullivan trust in his new home, the eternally cold Capital City? -- an ex-con cabbie -- a priest who knows too much about crime -- the owner of a neighborhood tavern and diner with a shady past -- a mysterious beauty who haunts Sullivan from his past -- his idealistic and naive young partner? Desperate for redemption for mistakes in his past, can Sullivan even trust himself?
What did I like? My second love is Science fiction and this one fits the bill to a tee! The first thing that I liked about the story was the main character, Inspector Thomas Sullivan, Sully. He is this really tough guy and scary as heck but has the biggest heart you have ever seen plus he is carrying a LOT of baggage! This is the first book that I have read from this author but my list of awesome writers grows again. I like the writing style and the way that he develops his characters. The attention to detail without going over board or drowning you in mush.
What are you going to like? Some science fiction books don’t really have a complete storyline. You won’t find that to be true with this series. Sully and the other characters grow with each page and the story is the same way. It is carried on into book two and grows even more. Sully and Sarah grow on each other with real emotions. The details and descriptions are very precise and you can almost feel the cold of the planet. The mystery and intrigue that he includes is really interesting and even though it is Syfi it follows the real rules of police work, of course you will see the Sully way of handling things too. You can see the research that he did to make it this way, I think that is the real reason that I liked this series. I hope that the author will continue with more books in this series and not stop with book two!
December 23, 2021
Unexpected thriller in a far off asteroid belt - 5 stars
The action starts as the hero, Inspector Sullivan, exits the starliner on his arrival at Beta Prime and sees a young man trying to slit the throat of a young woman. Bang. Just one shot. The young man is dead and the woman is only shaken up. And thus the novel starts in high gear.
Inspector Thomas Sullivan (Sully) is a hardened investigator who has been sent to root-out violence and corruption. He senses that he is not welcome by the local authorities who offer to help him leave in short order.
At the mining export center of Beta Prime, only the well-connected are safe. Aside from needing space ships to arrive or leave and some medical improvements, Beta Prime could have been just a brutal backwater regency in the early 21st century, not the setting for a fast-paced science fiction thriller.
A highly placed bureaucrat dubbed "the monster" believed that his mission was to weed out the weak. He learned that he "needed" to kill. He branded his kills. Then he upped his "game" becoming more brutal and taking trophies of his kills. The monster was evolving, not in a nice way.
While corruption of the police was immediately evident, pillaging of the health of the planet's miners is not immediately evident until people start dying and medical supplies are found missing.
As the pace of killings escalates, a Catholic priest tries to protect children on the street. Sully befriends the priest and the employees of Joe's Earth Food Diner because the police are incompetent and his partner is clueless. A back-story of a frightened girl whom Sully seems to recognize adds a mystery that is not resolved until the story's conclusion.
The people in power share their plans for ambushing Sully and use surveillance cameras to keep tabs on his whereabouts, rounding up and killing people who know too much.
This book is a quick read that will give you lots to remember. You might want to have a warm coat handy as Beta Prime is cold. The chill seeps out of every page.
The action starts as the hero, Inspector Sullivan, exits the starliner on his arrival at Beta Prime and sees a young man trying to slit the throat of a young woman. Bang. Just one shot. The young man is dead and the woman is only shaken up. And thus the novel starts in high gear.
Inspector Thomas Sullivan (Sully) is a hardened investigator who has been sent to root-out violence and corruption. He senses that he is not welcome by the local authorities who offer to help him leave in short order.
At the mining export center of Beta Prime, only the well-connected are safe. Aside from needing space ships to arrive or leave and some medical improvements, Beta Prime could have been just a brutal backwater regency in the early 21st century, not the setting for a fast-paced science fiction thriller.
A highly placed bureaucrat dubbed "the monster" believed that his mission was to weed out the weak. He learned that he "needed" to kill. He branded his kills. Then he upped his "game" becoming more brutal and taking trophies of his kills. The monster was evolving, not in a nice way.
While corruption of the police was immediately evident, pillaging of the health of the planet's miners is not immediately evident until people start dying and medical supplies are found missing.
As the pace of killings escalates, a Catholic priest tries to protect children on the street. Sully befriends the priest and the employees of Joe's Earth Food Diner because the police are incompetent and his partner is clueless. A back-story of a frightened girl whom Sully seems to recognize adds a mystery that is not resolved until the story's conclusion.
The people in power share their plans for ambushing Sully and use surveillance cameras to keep tabs on his whereabouts, rounding up and killing people who know too much.
This book is a quick read that will give you lots to remember. You might want to have a warm coat handy as Beta Prime is cold. The chill seeps out of every page.
June 8, 2018
The Predator and the Prey - a review by Rosemary Kenny
Inspector Thomas Sullivan is the narrator and eponymous protagonist in this exciting noir thriller, that starts the excellent series by Prince of the Noir Thriller Genre, KC Sivils.
The Inspector is sent to planet Beta Prime's Capital City by his 'superiors', ostensibly to stamp out corruption on the mining planet and in reality as intended fall-guy for murder, fraud and anything else they can come up with by the crooked Police Chief and his cronies. Unfortunately for the villains, they're ignorant of his cybernetic enhancements and that far from being a 'screw-up', he's in fact doggedly determined to catch 'The Cowboy', a psychopathic serial killer and stick to his integrity when it comes to championing the underdogs, who suffer under the evil that pervades the City.
Who does Sullivan confront before leaving the Beta Prime airport? What backlash does this cause? Who has witnessed the events in the airport? Why is this person important to the case?
Who is Josephson? Who are the Cowboy's victims? Why are they easy prey for him?
What mark does he put on this corpses? How does Father Nathan help Toby and the others?
Who is Ralph? What does he do for Sullivan? Why are miners becoming terminally ill?
As a character, Sullivan is a futuristic Dirty Harry, whose ideals and dour characteristics make a respectful homage to that genre of films. In plot, this brilliant first novel resembles the Terminator films, as Sullivan is hell-bent on catching the perpetrator of these hideous crimes - and if the opportunity arises, blowing him to Hell where he belongs - no matter who gets in his way!
You won't want to miss this and all KC Sivils' other books at any cost, so grab your copy today and get aboard for the 5 star ride of your life!
Inspector Thomas Sullivan is the narrator and eponymous protagonist in this exciting noir thriller, that starts the excellent series by Prince of the Noir Thriller Genre, KC Sivils.
The Inspector is sent to planet Beta Prime's Capital City by his 'superiors', ostensibly to stamp out corruption on the mining planet and in reality as intended fall-guy for murder, fraud and anything else they can come up with by the crooked Police Chief and his cronies. Unfortunately for the villains, they're ignorant of his cybernetic enhancements and that far from being a 'screw-up', he's in fact doggedly determined to catch 'The Cowboy', a psychopathic serial killer and stick to his integrity when it comes to championing the underdogs, who suffer under the evil that pervades the City.
Who does Sullivan confront before leaving the Beta Prime airport? What backlash does this cause? Who has witnessed the events in the airport? Why is this person important to the case?
Who is Josephson? Who are the Cowboy's victims? Why are they easy prey for him?
What mark does he put on this corpses? How does Father Nathan help Toby and the others?
Who is Ralph? What does he do for Sullivan? Why are miners becoming terminally ill?
As a character, Sullivan is a futuristic Dirty Harry, whose ideals and dour characteristics make a respectful homage to that genre of films. In plot, this brilliant first novel resembles the Terminator films, as Sullivan is hell-bent on catching the perpetrator of these hideous crimes - and if the opportunity arises, blowing him to Hell where he belongs - no matter who gets in his way!
You won't want to miss this and all KC Sivils' other books at any cost, so grab your copy today and get aboard for the 5 star ride of your life!
June 22, 2018
Kudos for Inspector Thomas Sullivan series premier! I have seen many reviews comparing this series favorably to other authors/series of the noir/detective/thiller genres, where I agree with most of those comments, I say, this work stands entirely on its own merit.
K. C. Sivils characters, who may at first glance seem to be simple, a few even characaturish in nature, are actually well thought out and developed. They are met and uncovered slowly, as one would get to know an aquaintance in real life. His writing technique takes advantage of modern technology, with links to his website providing more in depth information. He has a gift for environment building. Rather than an entire fantasy world, as some authors attempt with varying degrees of success, Mr. Sivils gives us a futuristic planet and allows one to experience the forbidding environment that Sully and the citizens must endure on this fozen outpost, and does so superbly.
Inspector Thomas Sullivan, excellelent crime fighter, tireless defender of innocent citizens, fighter for justice, sometime fall guy of the system, here on a new assignment. Who will Sully be on this new planet? What sort of allies and foes will he meet? Get this book today to find out! If this is your genre, you definitely won't regret it.
Kindle Unlimited edition.
K. C. Sivils characters, who may at first glance seem to be simple, a few even characaturish in nature, are actually well thought out and developed. They are met and uncovered slowly, as one would get to know an aquaintance in real life. His writing technique takes advantage of modern technology, with links to his website providing more in depth information. He has a gift for environment building. Rather than an entire fantasy world, as some authors attempt with varying degrees of success, Mr. Sivils gives us a futuristic planet and allows one to experience the forbidding environment that Sully and the citizens must endure on this fozen outpost, and does so superbly.
Inspector Thomas Sullivan, excellelent crime fighter, tireless defender of innocent citizens, fighter for justice, sometime fall guy of the system, here on a new assignment. Who will Sully be on this new planet? What sort of allies and foes will he meet? Get this book today to find out! If this is your genre, you definitely won't regret it.
Kindle Unlimited edition.
July 9, 2018
Excellent Futuristic Crime-Noir
This book is a blend of a serial-killer detective story and science-fiction, and true to its hard-boiled genre, the setting is a gritty mining planet which is still being developed. In Capital City, crime is rife, life is cheap, homeless kids populate the streets, and upper echelons of government and the police are corrupt. The dark, claustrophobic atmosphere is enhanced by constant cold, snow and heavy fog that sweeps over the city.
Inspector Thomas Sullivan—newest police transfer to Beta Prime—is the perfect hard-boiled detective who has angst enough for a dozen soft-boiled crime fighters. He doesn’t avoid violence, so prepare for graphic depictions of violence.
I enjoyed the fast-paced storyline and side-stories, but most of all I liked it because it’s a well-written book. Furthermore, Author K.C. Sivils makes this cross-genre book believable, and does so very skillfully.
I enjoyed this book well enough to purchase a copy of my own, instead of having to re-borrow via Kindle Unlimited.
This book is a blend of a serial-killer detective story and science-fiction, and true to its hard-boiled genre, the setting is a gritty mining planet which is still being developed. In Capital City, crime is rife, life is cheap, homeless kids populate the streets, and upper echelons of government and the police are corrupt. The dark, claustrophobic atmosphere is enhanced by constant cold, snow and heavy fog that sweeps over the city.
Inspector Thomas Sullivan—newest police transfer to Beta Prime—is the perfect hard-boiled detective who has angst enough for a dozen soft-boiled crime fighters. He doesn’t avoid violence, so prepare for graphic depictions of violence.
I enjoyed the fast-paced storyline and side-stories, but most of all I liked it because it’s a well-written book. Furthermore, Author K.C. Sivils makes this cross-genre book believable, and does so very skillfully.
I enjoyed this book well enough to purchase a copy of my own, instead of having to re-borrow via Kindle Unlimited.
June 18, 2024
Sully Is A Trouble Magnet
Thomas Sullivan is picked time and again to clean up crime messes throughout the Alliance. But because he will not compromise his basic beliefs, he has a constant target on his back from those who have decided to make money however they can. Even if they know the source of the money is illegal, or questionable, at the very least.
Add to all this the haunting memory of the death of a beautiful woman that died because Sulluy hesitated in taking the shot that could have saved her.
Now Sulluy is dealing with a serial killer called the Cowboy. He's hunting the same beautiful woman that Sulluy wants to save. There are elements in Sully's Police department that are switching anti-infection meds the miners need on Beta Prime that are being switched out for placebos and the real drugs are being sold black market off planet. Did you get all that? How do you suppose Sulluy is going to get through all of THAT?
Thomas Sullivan is picked time and again to clean up crime messes throughout the Alliance. But because he will not compromise his basic beliefs, he has a constant target on his back from those who have decided to make money however they can. Even if they know the source of the money is illegal, or questionable, at the very least.
Add to all this the haunting memory of the death of a beautiful woman that died because Sulluy hesitated in taking the shot that could have saved her.
Now Sulluy is dealing with a serial killer called the Cowboy. He's hunting the same beautiful woman that Sulluy wants to save. There are elements in Sully's Police department that are switching anti-infection meds the miners need on Beta Prime that are being switched out for placebos and the real drugs are being sold black market off planet. Did you get all that? How do you suppose Sulluy is going to get through all of THAT?
August 7, 2018
Thomas Sullivan is a Detective Inspector cut from the cloth of the old Texas Rangers. (One Riot, One Ranger). Medically discharge from the Space Marines, now an inspector with the Interplanetary Alliance Police Force. He’s good at his job, and doesn’t put up with what he doesn’t want to. Including his superiors. He does what it takes to get justice for those wronged.
If you ever get the feeling that everyone is out to get you? In Thomas Sullivan’s place, they probably are, and not just the bad guys. His specialty is to clean up dirty police departments. Along with serial killers.
This is a fun story. Plenty of intrigue, well defined characters, a good bit of humor. It has drama, sci-fi, thriller, and a very good mystery that takes place on another world, possibly galaxy.
If you ever get the feeling that everyone is out to get you? In Thomas Sullivan’s place, they probably are, and not just the bad guys. His specialty is to clean up dirty police departments. Along with serial killers.
This is a fun story. Plenty of intrigue, well defined characters, a good bit of humor. It has drama, sci-fi, thriller, and a very good mystery that takes place on another world, possibly galaxy.
October 8, 2021
Everything has a price.
Past experiences come back to push you forward, at least it does in some way. Sullivan has the scars to prove that experience also makes a cruel dictator. Moved to another assignment, Sully is once again chasing evil and faulty morals with mortal results to the ones playing the game of Hunter and Prey. Sully has a secret, although physically scared, he also is improved. Life isn't fair. The snow planet he is assigned to " clean up. some problems " also traps him in a game of hide and seek. Very different from some novels in being placed in a future world like a Blade Runner environment and despair reeking through the story line .I loved the start of new series I will be following.
Past experiences come back to push you forward, at least it does in some way. Sullivan has the scars to prove that experience also makes a cruel dictator. Moved to another assignment, Sully is once again chasing evil and faulty morals with mortal results to the ones playing the game of Hunter and Prey. Sully has a secret, although physically scared, he also is improved. Life isn't fair. The snow planet he is assigned to " clean up. some problems " also traps him in a game of hide and seek. Very different from some novels in being placed in a future world like a Blade Runner environment and despair reeking through the story line .I loved the start of new series I will be following.
February 28, 2018
Very well written. It is an urban sci-fi/crime noir/thriller that keeps you riveted. Many secrets and back stories to provide for prequels and sequels but this book contains the whole story so you are not left hanging. Inspector Sullivan is a great detective that you know something bad happened in his past but he strives to maintain justice for the innocent. Keeps your imagination looking for clues and wanting more. Not a good review writer but I couldn't put the book down, it kept me wanting more!
March 12, 2018
A dark gritty tale of murders on a dark gritty planet....plenty of "noir" to go around.Also a tale of a heroic ex-space marine,now a inter planetary inspector with a rough past,and a attitude when it comes to getting the job done,Really came to like inspector "SULLY" SULLIVAN,and his drive to find the bad guys.The plot is detective spot-on,and the cast of supporting characters are well-formed.A real gem of detective novels,and a character i'm going to keep reading of in future stories...A strongly recommended read!
March 28, 2018
Don't read much science fiction, but I must say that this one stood out.
I thought it damned good. To give it 5 stars is not usual for me, so it must be good!
This author is writing basically police/thriller stories, but without the handicap of having to follow earth-bound rules; that is, knowledge of guns, having far-out prosthetics, super-fast healing, etc.
Otherwise it's much like a detective story from Kansas - or; somewhere. Doesn't matter, he makes good use of the freedom.
Pretty good stuff.
I thought it damned good. To give it 5 stars is not usual for me, so it must be good!
This author is writing basically police/thriller stories, but without the handicap of having to follow earth-bound rules; that is, knowledge of guns, having far-out prosthetics, super-fast healing, etc.
Otherwise it's much like a detective story from Kansas - or; somewhere. Doesn't matter, he makes good use of the freedom.
Pretty good stuff.
August 8, 2018
Riveting
This is a fascinating noir set in outer space. Sullivan is a detective who is sent from planet to planet to expose corruption in the police and to stop monsters that prey on others. He has been relocated to Beta Prime for just such a purpose. The action starts as soon as his feet hit the planet when he kills a man to save a woman's life. This puts him in the crosshairs of several corrupt officials. He makes friends and powerful enemies from day one of his arrival. This book has a riveting story that is very hard to put down.
This is a fascinating noir set in outer space. Sullivan is a detective who is sent from planet to planet to expose corruption in the police and to stop monsters that prey on others. He has been relocated to Beta Prime for just such a purpose. The action starts as soon as his feet hit the planet when he kills a man to save a woman's life. This puts him in the crosshairs of several corrupt officials. He makes friends and powerful enemies from day one of his arrival. This book has a riveting story that is very hard to put down.
February 27, 2019
I did not know what to expect from this book. It really got my attention and kept it to the last page. We are following the story of a disgraced detective from earth being sent off world to take up a post there. Along the way, he makes friends with a local priest who is more than he appears to be, a clone, a restaurant owner with a dubious past, some street children and a few others. He also comes up against his new police superiors. I will absolutely be reading more about Inspector Sullivan.
July 16, 2021
The author leads the reader to Beta Prime - a new world settled by people from earth. It's a rough place, but the author does an awesome job introducing the main characters. He does a great job drawing us into these people. The downside is that evil is here. Just when the reader really gets attached to a character they might die from this evil. You will be on the edge of your seat, you will not want to put this story down.
This is extremely well written and the reader is drawn in. Read this one.
This is extremely well written and the reader is drawn in. Read this one.
May 28, 2017
I won this in a Goodreads giveaway! I don't know that I've ever read a detective novel, but I felt drawn to this one because of the heavy sci-fi theme. I saw a review that says it's very Firefly-esque, but I would challenge that by saying it's more like Ghost in the Shell. Set far into the future, with mechanical enhancements, strong likeable characters matched perfectly with the corrupt government. I'm looking forward to the next journey with Sully!!
July 4, 2018
Science Fiction or Thriller
It is my belief that any good science fiction novel is also a good thriller. That’s the premise of The Predator and The Prey. Although the story is located on a futuristic, fictional Beta Prime, this Scifi thriller could be located in Minneapolis or Chicago. With a psycho serial Killer on the loose, our hero, Sullivan is determined to capture him, unlike the corrupt police he is surrounded by.
It is my belief that any good science fiction novel is also a good thriller. That’s the premise of The Predator and The Prey. Although the story is located on a futuristic, fictional Beta Prime, this Scifi thriller could be located in Minneapolis or Chicago. With a psycho serial Killer on the loose, our hero, Sullivan is determined to capture him, unlike the corrupt police he is surrounded by.
June 27, 2019
What an awesome story. Sure, it had some editing and formatting issues, but I wasn't going to let that stop me from an entertaining read. Sullivan kicks ass. The supporting good characters are all interesting, sympathetic people. Of course, the villains are particularly slimy and vile. And of course, it ends well with the central plot wrapped up. There are still threads that need tying up, though. Onward to the sequel!
September 11, 2020
Thomas Sullivan is a cop with a dark disturbing past. A past which won't let him go. Injuries that meant he had to get cybernetic implants. An eye that can record and a mechanical hand is just the start. Sent to Beta Prime to fix the mess 9f crime and corruption. Little does he know he has been sent there as a scapegoat, but will things go as planned?
Interesting storyline 🤔 that captured my interest instantly. Writing style is spot on and I am keen to learn more about Thomas Sullivan.
Interesting storyline 🤔 that captured my interest instantly. Writing style is spot on and I am keen to learn more about Thomas Sullivan.
March 21, 2024
Review through Voracious Readers Only
This was a good story. It took me a while to get through because ...life, but every time I picked it up, I was drawn into the story completely. Loved the characters. Sullivan and Father Nathan are strong characters. Loved the innocence of Josephson. Sarah was intriguing, especially once we learned her story. But every character was good right down to Joe. Loved being able to click on links, which took me to back stories about locations.
This was a good story. It took me a while to get through because ...life, but every time I picked it up, I was drawn into the story completely. Loved the characters. Sullivan and Father Nathan are strong characters. Loved the innocence of Josephson. Sarah was intriguing, especially once we learned her story. But every character was good right down to Joe. Loved being able to click on links, which took me to back stories about locations.
July 17, 2025
Good read.
There are minor typos like the foreman name change from Paul to Tim & Adam. And some others like
'So much prey and no time to enjoy a quick hunt.' maybe the author meant 'Such a prey and no time to enjoy a quick hunt.' since he meant for this one specific person? Or maybe i understood it wrong.
Anyway i enjoy it. Although i wish the murders have more details and the killer's identity .
There are minor typos like the foreman name change from Paul to Tim & Adam. And some others like
'So much prey and no time to enjoy a quick hunt.' maybe the author meant 'Such a prey and no time to enjoy a quick hunt.' since he meant for this one specific person? Or maybe i understood it wrong.
Anyway i enjoy it. Although i wish the murders have more details and the killer's identity .
March 16, 2018
Chalk one up for the good guys!
Loved this story. I found Insp. Sully in a box set called Eight in the Chamber and needed to know more about him. Absolutely love his character actually, I really like all the characters that have been introduced so far. Looking forward to seeing how they mature and grow in the next few books.
Loved this story. I found Insp. Sully in a box set called Eight in the Chamber and needed to know more about him. Absolutely love his character actually, I really like all the characters that have been introduced so far. Looking forward to seeing how they mature and grow in the next few books.
July 13, 2018
A true story from the future
My Uncle Tom, a space marine, turned special forces police officer was individually in charge of bringing law and order to a rogue planet. His new found friends, allies and co-workers are developed well in his recollections when he time traveled back to our family reunions. A must read even if weren't related.
My Uncle Tom, a space marine, turned special forces police officer was individually in charge of bringing law and order to a rogue planet. His new found friends, allies and co-workers are developed well in his recollections when he time traveled back to our family reunions. A must read even if weren't related.
January 16, 2024
I’ve only read the Kindle version of this book, so I can’t speak for any other editions, but… the author weaves a good (maybe even great) story, but ruins it by lazy writing and editing, poor grammar, and extremely frequent spelling and punctuation mistakes.
FWIW, with proper editing this coulde have been an easy 4-star rating or better.
FWIW, with proper editing this coulde have been an easy 4-star rating or better.
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