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Atticus Kodiak #7
Walking Dead
Atticus Kodiak knows where people go to hide. That’s why he and Alena Cizkova have come to a secluded Georgian town in the former U.S.S.R. What he doesn’t know is what his friend and neighbor Bakhar Lagidze was hiding from. Bakhar and his entire family have been viciously murdered—all except for Lagidze’s fourteen-year-old daughter, whose nightmare is just beginning. To rescue her, Atticus must enter a lethal web that stretches from Russia to Istanbul, from Dubai to Las Vegas, and into the very heart of evil. But what troubles Atticus the most is that Alena, once one of the world’s most fearless assassins, is clearly terrified of what Atticus will uncover—and what he’ll become when he does.
402 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 28, 2009
62 people are currently reading
455 people want to read
About the author
Greg Rucka
1,495 books1,924 followersGreg Rucka, is an American comic book writer and novelist, known for his work on such comics as Action Comics, Batwoman: Detective Comics, and the miniseries Superman: World of New Krypton for DC Comics, and for novels such as his Queen & Country series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
June 10, 2009
I used to love the Atticus Kodiak books back when they were about a struggling band of NYC bodyguards. They were tense, funny and sorta relatable.
Since Rucka killed off 90% of the cast and Kodiak became Jason Bourne, they're not so relatable. Atticus has turned from an indecisive amateur who cry-fucks his dead best friend's woman into a globe-trotting ace assassin who can take down a room full of armed Russkies without working up a sweat. Oh yeah, he also turns down hot-ass escorts looking to hop on his junk pro bono because he's SOOO in love with his faceless ex-assassin wife. YYYYYOOokay.
There is something to be said about Rucka's ability to change things up. If you don't kill off a major character or two in a long running series, well, you turn into Robert B. Parker. But when you kill them ALL, what's left for the reader to care about?
I'm not saying I don't like the Kodiak books anymore. I do. I just used to like them a whole helluvalot better.
Since Rucka killed off 90% of the cast and Kodiak became Jason Bourne, they're not so relatable. Atticus has turned from an indecisive amateur who cry-fucks his dead best friend's woman into a globe-trotting ace assassin who can take down a room full of armed Russkies without working up a sweat. Oh yeah, he also turns down hot-ass escorts looking to hop on his junk pro bono because he's SOOO in love with his faceless ex-assassin wife. YYYYYOOokay.
There is something to be said about Rucka's ability to change things up. If you don't kill off a major character or two in a long running series, well, you turn into Robert B. Parker. But when you kill them ALL, what's left for the reader to care about?
I'm not saying I don't like the Kodiak books anymore. I do. I just used to like them a whole helluvalot better.
May 10, 2012
Rucka does his research, and that's one of the things that gives his Atticus Kodiak books such appeal for me. Whether he's explaining how ricochet trajectories work (bullets behave weirdly) or, as in this book, detailing the horrors of the current trade in human beings (often for sex, but other kinds of slavery as well), he delivers the data with a swift authority that never yitches up the telling of his story. Which is to say: He's good and underappreciated. Clearly not everyone's cup of tea, but if you like this sort of thing, Rucka is aces.
December 20, 2010
I've been following Atticus Kodiak's story since the beginning...having picked up Keeper the first day it arrived in my store in the summer of 1996. As I read the inside of the jacket all those years ago, I realized the author was local. I read the novel over the next few days, then called the Rucka and had the privilege of hosting his first ever book signing. Over the last fourteen years I've read every book Rucka has written, most within days of publication. This all changed last year when Walking Dead was released.
As usual, I picked the novel up immediately upon it hitting the bookstore shelves, but upon reading the jacket and realizing the story centers around the kidnapping of a fourteen-year old girl, I paused in my haste to read this latest installment.
It was the topic that gave me pause, sex trafficking and slavery. I have a teenage daughter and as much as I wanted to know what Atticus was up to, I just couldn't bring myself to read a novel about this horrific business. So, I put it on the shelf and left it there for the past year and a half.
Rucka has since published his latest Queen & Country novel, which I loved, so I decided last week to pick up Walking Dead and attempt to read it. I'm so glad I did. If you know Atticus, he is a very complicated character and has always operated in the grey, between the line that separates good and bad. I knew going into this that it would be impossible to put down and it would be constant adrenaline from the first chapter on and that was definitely the case. I also knew Rucka's character's aren't super heroes (ok, some literally are, but not in this series), so there was a chance that the good guys would die and the ending would be tough. It was with this knowledge that I picked up the novel, not knowing where this ride would go.
What I found was one of his best Atticus Kodiak books to date. The book begins with Atticus and his ex-Soviet assassin girlfriend, Alena Cizhova, living in a Georgian town in the former USSR. Laying low and establishing a new life was all they wanted and they were well on their way to living a life of anonymity and peace, until their neighbor's are brutally murdered and their daughter, Tiasa, is kidnapped. Atticus and Alena probably should just let it go, but they are unable to do that and what follows is a pursuit into the dark work of sex kidnapping and slavery around the world - from Georgia, to Turkey, to Dubai and finally to Las Vegas.
Despite my fears, Rucka handled the topic with a lot of sensitivity and there was nothing graphic in regards to the subject he was bringing awareness to. What was at times graphic was the vigilante justice displayed by Atticus. If you're at all familiar with this all too real horrible business you will wish there were a thousand Atticus' out there, as this is a worldwide problem that is destroying millions of lives.
With Rucka you never know what he's going to do and until I closed the book I was nervous. I won't give away the ending, but I will tell you that justice for Tiasa is finally done and the novel ends with her in a place where she can heal. I came away glad I had finally read the book and satisfied with the justice dispensed for the truly evil characters who came between Atticus and an innocent child. I also set the novel down with an acute awareness that something has to be done. Whether you live in Portland or Las Vegas, the United States or Georgia, sex trafficking is a real issue that needs to be addressed and that needs more public awareness. I hope that those who read this book will take a second to think about what they can do to raise awareness of this modern day slavery. And let's hope for more Atticus who are willing to put their life on the line to stop this injustice.
OPD did a great job spotlighting the issue on the air - I believe you can download the show here - http://www.opb.org/thinkoutloud/shows...
As usual, I picked the novel up immediately upon it hitting the bookstore shelves, but upon reading the jacket and realizing the story centers around the kidnapping of a fourteen-year old girl, I paused in my haste to read this latest installment.
It was the topic that gave me pause, sex trafficking and slavery. I have a teenage daughter and as much as I wanted to know what Atticus was up to, I just couldn't bring myself to read a novel about this horrific business. So, I put it on the shelf and left it there for the past year and a half.
Rucka has since published his latest Queen & Country novel, which I loved, so I decided last week to pick up Walking Dead and attempt to read it. I'm so glad I did. If you know Atticus, he is a very complicated character and has always operated in the grey, between the line that separates good and bad. I knew going into this that it would be impossible to put down and it would be constant adrenaline from the first chapter on and that was definitely the case. I also knew Rucka's character's aren't super heroes (ok, some literally are, but not in this series), so there was a chance that the good guys would die and the ending would be tough. It was with this knowledge that I picked up the novel, not knowing where this ride would go.
What I found was one of his best Atticus Kodiak books to date. The book begins with Atticus and his ex-Soviet assassin girlfriend, Alena Cizhova, living in a Georgian town in the former USSR. Laying low and establishing a new life was all they wanted and they were well on their way to living a life of anonymity and peace, until their neighbor's are brutally murdered and their daughter, Tiasa, is kidnapped. Atticus and Alena probably should just let it go, but they are unable to do that and what follows is a pursuit into the dark work of sex kidnapping and slavery around the world - from Georgia, to Turkey, to Dubai and finally to Las Vegas.
Despite my fears, Rucka handled the topic with a lot of sensitivity and there was nothing graphic in regards to the subject he was bringing awareness to. What was at times graphic was the vigilante justice displayed by Atticus. If you're at all familiar with this all too real horrible business you will wish there were a thousand Atticus' out there, as this is a worldwide problem that is destroying millions of lives.
With Rucka you never know what he's going to do and until I closed the book I was nervous. I won't give away the ending, but I will tell you that justice for Tiasa is finally done and the novel ends with her in a place where she can heal. I came away glad I had finally read the book and satisfied with the justice dispensed for the truly evil characters who came between Atticus and an innocent child. I also set the novel down with an acute awareness that something has to be done. Whether you live in Portland or Las Vegas, the United States or Georgia, sex trafficking is a real issue that needs to be addressed and that needs more public awareness. I hope that those who read this book will take a second to think about what they can do to raise awareness of this modern day slavery. And let's hope for more Atticus who are willing to put their life on the line to stop this injustice.
OPD did a great job spotlighting the issue on the air - I believe you can download the show here - http://www.opb.org/thinkoutloud/shows...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
July 17, 2010This is my first time w/this author and I am totally intrigued by the characters and the story. It's obvious that I am coming in after a few books as the relationship between the hero and his girlfriend are already established.
Two people, one American and one Russian are living deep undercover in Georgia near a Black Sea resort. One of their neighbors and his family are brutally murdered and their 14 y/o daughter is raped and kidnapped. The hero is compelled to find and save her. Lots of bad guys getting killed so far. But the story is a thriller and I can't wait to get back to it.
I finished it very quickly. It was like reading an action flick. I could almost see it on the screen. If you like this genre, you will like this book
Two people, one American and one Russian are living deep undercover in Georgia near a Black Sea resort. One of their neighbors and his family are brutally murdered and their 14 y/o daughter is raped and kidnapped. The hero is compelled to find and save her. Lots of bad guys getting killed so far. But the story is a thriller and I can't wait to get back to it.
I finished it very quickly. It was like reading an action flick. I could almost see it on the screen. If you like this genre, you will like this book
August 20, 2023
Dear Randy -
Just a short two and a half years later, I finally finished the last of the Atticus Kodiak series. It definitely took some unexpected turns. This book helps close the loop a little bit with one character, but it is definitely nowhere near where it all started. (I actually think there is one final unwritten novel where Atticus is called to assist and rebuild ties with Erika. That would actually be a natural progression of sorts as a coda to where this book ends.)
The part of me that likes to make light of things wants to make a joke / pun something like "Atticus was really Taken for a ride in this final story," but parallels to his turn as Liam Neeson aside, that really is a cheap shot, since as self-reported by the author and also clear from reading the story, Rucka put in the work to develop an understanding of the global human trafficking world...and more importantly uses the story to highlight an issue rather than using it to create an exploitative story. That said, it is a tough world to try to shine a light on, because this issue has unfortunately made the leap from significant, ongoing problem, to a global conspiracy theory that is doing more actual harm than good.
Here's a couple over the top quotes from this book:
--"The number Arzu had given me was for a fuck factory off Marnixstraat."
--"Knives suck, and fighting someone who has one sucks even worse, because there's no way to survive without getting cut, and I already had one to show for it. For some reason, people think of knives as somehow less dangerous, less lethal than firearms, and it's a bullshit and very dangerous assumption, because, like guns, knives are lethal weapons. Knife fights are something that happen between the Sharks and the Jets, that's it. // Everywhere else, it's not a fight, it's just someone trying to goddamn kill you."
I'm still curious about Rucka's Queen and Country series, but need to clear the decks with one of the many other series that I'm working through before picking up a new series. Stumptown is still top of my Greg Rucka list. I hold out hope that there is a return for at least one final story arc to tie up the longer arc that he was building with Dex.
Randy, thanks again for the Greg Rucka recommendations.
Just a short two and a half years later, I finally finished the last of the Atticus Kodiak series. It definitely took some unexpected turns. This book helps close the loop a little bit with one character, but it is definitely nowhere near where it all started. (I actually think there is one final unwritten novel where Atticus is called to assist and rebuild ties with Erika. That would actually be a natural progression of sorts as a coda to where this book ends.)
The part of me that likes to make light of things wants to make a joke / pun something like "Atticus was really Taken for a ride in this final story," but parallels to his turn as Liam Neeson aside, that really is a cheap shot, since as self-reported by the author and also clear from reading the story, Rucka put in the work to develop an understanding of the global human trafficking world...and more importantly uses the story to highlight an issue rather than using it to create an exploitative story. That said, it is a tough world to try to shine a light on, because this issue has unfortunately made the leap from significant, ongoing problem, to a global conspiracy theory that is doing more actual harm than good.
Here's a couple over the top quotes from this book:
--"The number Arzu had given me was for a fuck factory off Marnixstraat."
--"Knives suck, and fighting someone who has one sucks even worse, because there's no way to survive without getting cut, and I already had one to show for it. For some reason, people think of knives as somehow less dangerous, less lethal than firearms, and it's a bullshit and very dangerous assumption, because, like guns, knives are lethal weapons. Knife fights are something that happen between the Sharks and the Jets, that's it. // Everywhere else, it's not a fight, it's just someone trying to goddamn kill you."
I'm still curious about Rucka's Queen and Country series, but need to clear the decks with one of the many other series that I'm working through before picking up a new series. Stumptown is still top of my Greg Rucka list. I hold out hope that there is a return for at least one final story arc to tie up the longer arc that he was building with Dex.
Randy, thanks again for the Greg Rucka recommendations.
May 4, 2025
I really appreciate Greg Rucka's writing and have read other books by him but I'm not familiar with his Atticus, Kodiak character.
The book is well written and does go into an interesting backstory for the main characters. I found myself learning about the ongoing human trafficking, trade that goes from Russia to Istanbul and from Dubai to Las Vegas. I wasn't even aware there was such a broad area that included the United States. In the acknowledges, at the back of the book, the author indicates, "... not a single scenario, as printed percentage herein was fabricated from whole cloth: everything is based in fact, to a greater or lesser extant gleam. I changed from publications, testimonials, interviews, and documentaries." I'm glad to know validity of the scenarios, but honestly, the subject matter was pretty depressing. I enjoy thrillers though I found I was coming to the point, near the last third of the book, where I wanted to be done with the story. How Atticus can keep going with hardly any downtime was beyond me, I was ready to decompress myself.
If you're looking for lots of action - this book has it in spades ♠️! I would have given it another star but I felt a bit of overload on the sex trade subject and the violence that comes with it. Also the storyline read a little choppy to me in parts.
At the end of the book, was the beginning of Greg's other novel, "The Last Run" (which I had read before) and to me it just seems like that storyline runs much smoother.
The book is well written and does go into an interesting backstory for the main characters. I found myself learning about the ongoing human trafficking, trade that goes from Russia to Istanbul and from Dubai to Las Vegas. I wasn't even aware there was such a broad area that included the United States. In the acknowledges, at the back of the book, the author indicates, "... not a single scenario, as printed percentage herein was fabricated from whole cloth: everything is based in fact, to a greater or lesser extant gleam. I changed from publications, testimonials, interviews, and documentaries." I'm glad to know validity of the scenarios, but honestly, the subject matter was pretty depressing. I enjoy thrillers though I found I was coming to the point, near the last third of the book, where I wanted to be done with the story. How Atticus can keep going with hardly any downtime was beyond me, I was ready to decompress myself.
If you're looking for lots of action - this book has it in spades ♠️! I would have given it another star but I felt a bit of overload on the sex trade subject and the violence that comes with it. Also the storyline read a little choppy to me in parts.
At the end of the book, was the beginning of Greg's other novel, "The Last Run" (which I had read before) and to me it just seems like that storyline runs much smoother.
January 23, 2018
Just to be up-front - 3 stars from me means I enjoyed reading it, but am unlikely to read it again. So - this is my second Atticus Kodiak book with the only previous one being Critical Space. A bit disorienting at first, as this is definitely a series where the protagonist, his supporting cast and his situation evolves. I did find myself wishing that I'd read the intervening novel, Patriot Acts. I'd suggest reading at least those two before this one, though it's not strictly necessary.
Walking Dead is a decent thriller that involves Atticus searching for a missing girl through the dark and all-too-real world of human trafficking. It upends the carefully cultivated cover story he and Drama have been living under and takes him to some very bad places, and we as readers are forced to come along. That much of the background is based on research Rucka did on real-life human trafficking makes it hard to dismiss, but also harder to enjoy as a story. There are plenty of young girls who don't have an Atticus Finch looking for them. There's plenty of bloody vengeance to be had and it's a satisfying tale, but I was left feeling like I stood on a black and bloody shore of a very deep and ugly ocean. Not sure when - or if - I'd be ready to go back.
Walking Dead is a decent thriller that involves Atticus searching for a missing girl through the dark and all-too-real world of human trafficking. It upends the carefully cultivated cover story he and Drama have been living under and takes him to some very bad places, and we as readers are forced to come along. That much of the background is based on research Rucka did on real-life human trafficking makes it hard to dismiss, but also harder to enjoy as a story. There are plenty of young girls who don't have an Atticus Finch looking for them. There's plenty of bloody vengeance to be had and it's a satisfying tale, but I was left feeling like I stood on a black and bloody shore of a very deep and ugly ocean. Not sure when - or if - I'd be ready to go back.
June 5, 2018
I will be reading more Atticus Kodiak. Starting with #7 is kinda weird, but it was a good read. I finished it in three days. I could hardly put it down - lots of action - interesting story telling. Unfortunate title when trying to find it on GoodReads thanks to the TV series The Walking Dead, but I found it searching on Atticus Kodiak.
I cannot comment on the first 6 books, and now that I have met Atticus and his significant other, I may not go backward but continue onward. I've had this book since last year, but that's what happens when a person has a long reading list and acquires books when they are free, which I suspect I did with this one. So in between library loans and must reads, I took a chance on Atticus Kodiak, #7, and found a gem. Warning: Violence and Language, but appropriate enough for the storyline, and not over the top. Atticus is a one man Seal Team boy scout combo. Jack Reacher fans are most likely Atticus Kodiak fans-to-be.
PS: I checked and I did pay a few dollars for this and another book I haven't yet read.
I cannot comment on the first 6 books, and now that I have met Atticus and his significant other, I may not go backward but continue onward. I've had this book since last year, but that's what happens when a person has a long reading list and acquires books when they are free, which I suspect I did with this one. So in between library loans and must reads, I took a chance on Atticus Kodiak, #7, and found a gem. Warning: Violence and Language, but appropriate enough for the storyline, and not over the top. Atticus is a one man Seal Team boy scout combo. Jack Reacher fans are most likely Atticus Kodiak fans-to-be.
PS: I checked and I did pay a few dollars for this and another book I haven't yet read.
August 29, 2022
Summary: This is a very straight-forward plot, very similar to the movie Taken with Liam Neeson. Atticus and his wife become friendly with their Georgian neighbors, and Alena provides dancing lessons to their neighbor's daughter. When that family is brutally murdered, and the daughter taken, Atticus swears to go get her. He moves from one human trafficker's (and locale) to another, all down the line of depravity. Things get seedier, but Atticus stays on mission.
This is the first Rucka novel I've read (technically I listened to it on Audible), and thus it was obviously the first Atticus Kodiak novel, too. I enjoyed the story, and the characters. The novel moved fairly quickly but I felt like it was a bit disjointed between the various segments. The transition from one scene/locale to the next just did not flow well for some reason. The use of flashbacks worked, though it wasn't smooth. I would probably give this 3.5 stars if I were able simply because it did not flow smoothly at various times. That said, I will read another Rucka novel and give Atticus another try.
This is the first Rucka novel I've read (technically I listened to it on Audible), and thus it was obviously the first Atticus Kodiak novel, too. I enjoyed the story, and the characters. The novel moved fairly quickly but I felt like it was a bit disjointed between the various segments. The transition from one scene/locale to the next just did not flow well for some reason. The use of flashbacks worked, though it wasn't smooth. I would probably give this 3.5 stars if I were able simply because it did not flow smoothly at various times. That said, I will read another Rucka novel and give Atticus another try.
July 1, 2017
I have missed reading Atticus Kodiak novels and am glad I finally found the time to read this harrowing story. Atticus has come a long way since the first book and is still living down the things circumstances have forced him to do. When his next door neighbor and his family are brutally killed, he learns the 14 year old has been taken and the hunt is on. Through this, Rucka takes us into the horrifying world of the child sex trade and the remorseless men behind it. he weaves us through an international hunt whole sickening us with the callous brutality on display. Some powerful writing and some strong character bits as Kodiak is forced to reexamine his priorities and goals.
March 11, 2022
This is the third in the Atticus Kodiak series I've read. I wondered where he might take the characters since the last book seemed to be a great place to conclude the series. He surprised me with an excellent twist - albeit dark and tragic.
Living in anonimity, all seems well until a neighbor's family is murdered and the teenage daughter, the only survivor, is kidnapped. The story that follows is not for the reader who cannot take the darkest aspect of the heart. (I can't imagine what it was like to research and write.)
I don't give away spoilers, but the reader will be as satisfied as one can be at the end.
Living in anonimity, all seems well until a neighbor's family is murdered and the teenage daughter, the only survivor, is kidnapped. The story that follows is not for the reader who cannot take the darkest aspect of the heart. (I can't imagine what it was like to research and write.)
I don't give away spoilers, but the reader will be as satisfied as one can be at the end.
June 9, 2018
Great action and suspense
I enjoyed the continuous fast paced action of Greg Rucka's "Walking Dead. A thrilling ride that is anything but "dead."
Rucka shared with his readers the horrible reality of human trafficking.The book made me realize how safe we must keep our young ones from the hands of merciless criminals.
I enjoyed the continuous fast paced action of Greg Rucka's "Walking Dead. A thrilling ride that is anything but "dead."
Rucka shared with his readers the horrible reality of human trafficking.The book made me realize how safe we must keep our young ones from the hands of merciless criminals.
February 3, 2018
By D.J. Bice
Fast-paced story line, well-drawn characters and plenty of action made this a fast read. The author drew from a depth of knowledge on human trafficking and its horrors. Plan to read all other books by Greg Rucka.
Fast-paced story line, well-drawn characters and plenty of action made this a fast read. The author drew from a depth of knowledge on human trafficking and its horrors. Plan to read all other books by Greg Rucka.
September 18, 2017
Didn't enjoy as much as the past ones...seems to maybe be running out of steam.
December 22, 2017
Wow what a read
Page turning, don't put me down, the action rolls on. Like nothing I've read before on a subject that is too important to let drop. Must read!
Page turning, don't put me down, the action rolls on. Like nothing I've read before on a subject that is too important to let drop. Must read!
August 7, 2018
Excellent
A well written, fast paced story. I have read the first couple of books in this series. This was one of the better ones.
A well written, fast paced story. I have read the first couple of books in this series. This was one of the better ones.
September 4, 2021
this book is super intense i like the style of the writer, all the pages just make me keep goin
January 3, 2026
Relentless pursuit.
September 5, 2011
Book 7, featuring Atticus Kodiak
This series and author is new to me, I realize starting with the 7th instalment is not ideal but with "Walking Dead" I was quickly hooked. Although it may have been most helpful to have read the previous books, I immediately felt comfortable in the story and found it could easily stand by its own.
Written in the first person in a clear and concise prose the story grabs the attention from the start with its action, timely plot and stone cold protagonists that have been tested over and over and pushed to the edge seemingly right into the abyss at times. Do not fear as in all great thrillers the characters are like the energiser bunny...they just keep on going...
This riveting storyline opens with Atticus and his lover Alena living in Kobuleti, Georgia, a place where they felt they could start a new life and distance themselves from the past. Their neighbours, the Lagidze family appear to have done the same. One day suddenly everything changes when the Lagidze family is slaughtered and Tiasa, the 14 year old daughter, is abducted. At this point Atticus swears to move heaven and hell to find Tiasa and give her a chance to live a life without fear. When Atticus discovers that Tiasa has been sold to sex traffickers to pay her father's debt, he becomes even more determined to find her; the trail takes him to Dubai, Amsterdam and Las Vegas.
While on the home front we see a second thread quickly developing one as important as the first: Alena narrowly escapes an attack and a terrible fire'..at this point I wondered if there was a possible link to the kidnapping or something from their past coming to back to haunt them? The suspense just kept on growing.
This thriller is very captivating and one of the best I have read in a long time. The storyline is well-crafted with plenty of brutal and never ending action that exploits the dark side of human trafficking and the political shenanigans that it often attracts. The scenes are crawling with details that are sure to raise goose bumps. I was emotionally invested in Atticus; I wanted him to succeed regardless. This cleverly written thriller will leave you on a reader's high.
This series and author is new to me, I realize starting with the 7th instalment is not ideal but with "Walking Dead" I was quickly hooked. Although it may have been most helpful to have read the previous books, I immediately felt comfortable in the story and found it could easily stand by its own.
Written in the first person in a clear and concise prose the story grabs the attention from the start with its action, timely plot and stone cold protagonists that have been tested over and over and pushed to the edge seemingly right into the abyss at times. Do not fear as in all great thrillers the characters are like the energiser bunny...they just keep on going...
This riveting storyline opens with Atticus and his lover Alena living in Kobuleti, Georgia, a place where they felt they could start a new life and distance themselves from the past. Their neighbours, the Lagidze family appear to have done the same. One day suddenly everything changes when the Lagidze family is slaughtered and Tiasa, the 14 year old daughter, is abducted. At this point Atticus swears to move heaven and hell to find Tiasa and give her a chance to live a life without fear. When Atticus discovers that Tiasa has been sold to sex traffickers to pay her father's debt, he becomes even more determined to find her; the trail takes him to Dubai, Amsterdam and Las Vegas.
While on the home front we see a second thread quickly developing one as important as the first: Alena narrowly escapes an attack and a terrible fire'..at this point I wondered if there was a possible link to the kidnapping or something from their past coming to back to haunt them? The suspense just kept on growing.
This thriller is very captivating and one of the best I have read in a long time. The storyline is well-crafted with plenty of brutal and never ending action that exploits the dark side of human trafficking and the political shenanigans that it often attracts. The scenes are crawling with details that are sure to raise goose bumps. I was emotionally invested in Atticus; I wanted him to succeed regardless. This cleverly written thriller will leave you on a reader's high.
August 25, 2009
Atticus Kodiak is a former bodyguard and an international fugutive. He and Alena Cizkova are hiding in Kobuleti, a Georgian town in the former U.S.S.R.
One night, his neighbor Bahkar Lagidze, wife and son are murdered. The killers take Bakhar's 14 year old daughter.
Atticus, using the alias, David Mercer, tells the police chief that he's going to find Bakhar's daughter. The chief of police tell him that they are classifying the case as if Bakhar killed his own family and won't be investigating.
At this point the story takes on a remarkable resemblance to Liam Neeson's excellent film "Taken."
Tiasa has been sold into a forced prostitution. Atticus finds that the man who killed his neighbor is named Karataev. Atticus does a little pay back to Karataev and his men and is told that the girl was taken to Dubai.
The action is swift and suspense excellent.
In Dubai, Atticus saves eight girls who had been forced into prostitution but learns that Tiasa is not among them.
When he returns, his home in Kobuleti has been burned to the ground but Alena is safe. He learns that Karataev worked for the Russian Mafia and since Atticus has cost them money, they want payback.
This is definately a page turner that the reader will not be able to put down. Ruca knows how to tell a story and he's at his best here.
Highly recommended.
One night, his neighbor Bahkar Lagidze, wife and son are murdered. The killers take Bakhar's 14 year old daughter.
Atticus, using the alias, David Mercer, tells the police chief that he's going to find Bakhar's daughter. The chief of police tell him that they are classifying the case as if Bakhar killed his own family and won't be investigating.
At this point the story takes on a remarkable resemblance to Liam Neeson's excellent film "Taken."
Tiasa has been sold into a forced prostitution. Atticus finds that the man who killed his neighbor is named Karataev. Atticus does a little pay back to Karataev and his men and is told that the girl was taken to Dubai.
The action is swift and suspense excellent.
In Dubai, Atticus saves eight girls who had been forced into prostitution but learns that Tiasa is not among them.
When he returns, his home in Kobuleti has been burned to the ground but Alena is safe. He learns that Karataev worked for the Russian Mafia and since Atticus has cost them money, they want payback.
This is definately a page turner that the reader will not be able to put down. Ruca knows how to tell a story and he's at his best here.
Highly recommended.
April 29, 2012
The latest Atticus Kodiak book opens some years after the first, with the bodyguard-turned-solo commando living apparently at peace with his lover, the assassin Alena, in the Republic of Georgia. When their neighbor’s family is brutally killed and their daughter sold into slavery, Atticus is drawn, despite himself, to find her. From Tbilisi to Turkey to Abu Dhabi to Amsterdam to Las Vegas, he questions and kills those who have seen the girl, learning far more than he ever wanted to about the global forced prostitution trade.
It’s a taut, fast-paced, dark and dangerous action movie of a book – Atticus has now, over the years, evolved from the rather injury-prone normal guy he was in Keeper and Finder to a sharp-edged killer who can and does take out four armed men with a little planning and some advance warning. I didn’t have a problem with that, given the arc of his characterization, but I paused a bit at some of the things Atticus seemed to do without any trouble, such as change identities and passports, acquire guns and cash in various countries, and so on. On the whole, I was extremely satisfied with this entry, much more so than the last one, and was left wanting an immediate sequel.
It’s a taut, fast-paced, dark and dangerous action movie of a book – Atticus has now, over the years, evolved from the rather injury-prone normal guy he was in Keeper and Finder to a sharp-edged killer who can and does take out four armed men with a little planning and some advance warning. I didn’t have a problem with that, given the arc of his characterization, but I paused a bit at some of the things Atticus seemed to do without any trouble, such as change identities and passports, acquire guns and cash in various countries, and so on. On the whole, I was extremely satisfied with this entry, much more so than the last one, and was left wanting an immediate sequel.
August 15, 2016
There's a lack of stakes here that feels boring, and a comfort that feels like pandering, and a self-righteousness that feels so so so middle-aged and white and college-educated-financially-secure-safe.
You know how I don't like my violence novels? Fucking safe.
Like, okay, look, we know you live in Portland. We know. You have a Tumblr? Really? We know. Human traffickers are sucky people. Whores have hearts of gold. The UAE: morally problematic? We know all this. Please, kill somebody already...
This is the one that broke the series. The straw on the camel's back.
This is the one that wasn't a thriller, it was a book in a series about characters the author assumes you want to hang out with.
This shit could be a CBS show, on after fucking Elementary.
In fact, I think the only really "thrilling" scenes are the knife fight on the boat where Atticus realizes that he's getting old and the part where you spend a chapter wondering if Rucka's gonna kill the dog*.
Everything else, its Taken 2.
And if you thought the bit in Dubai with the escort was bad, just wait, 'cause those nerds at the end were the fucking worst.
*p.s. He doesn't.
You know how I don't like my violence novels? Fucking safe.
Like, okay, look, we know you live in Portland. We know. You have a Tumblr? Really? We know. Human traffickers are sucky people. Whores have hearts of gold. The UAE: morally problematic? We know all this. Please, kill somebody already...
This is the one that broke the series. The straw on the camel's back.
This is the one that wasn't a thriller, it was a book in a series about characters the author assumes you want to hang out with.
This shit could be a CBS show, on after fucking Elementary.
In fact, I think the only really "thrilling" scenes are the knife fight on the boat where Atticus realizes that he's getting old and the part where you spend a chapter wondering if Rucka's gonna kill the dog*.
Everything else, its Taken 2.
And if you thought the bit in Dubai with the escort was bad, just wait, 'cause those nerds at the end were the fucking worst.
*p.s. He doesn't.
April 26, 2013
as always, Greg Rucka's brand of storytelling is gripping, gritty and compelling, and it's because of how well it's written that i must mention how tough it was to get through the book.
being the seventh in the Atticus Kodiak series, i can only recommend this to those familiar with the character and the world--frighteningly similar to ours--that he lives in [BUT if you enjoy thrillers that are well-paced and character driven, i highly recommend trying the first book in the series, 'Keeper']. even then, i offer some caution to fans of the series in that 'Walking Dead' dives into the subject of human trafficking. 'Walking Dead' is a modest 308 pages but i lost count of how many times i put the book down and needed time from it.
i do want to say that i enjoyed 'Walking Dead', though not nearly as much as Rucka's other works. i really care about Atticus and his world and only wish that Rucka would come back to it some day.
being the seventh in the Atticus Kodiak series, i can only recommend this to those familiar with the character and the world--frighteningly similar to ours--that he lives in [BUT if you enjoy thrillers that are well-paced and character driven, i highly recommend trying the first book in the series, 'Keeper']. even then, i offer some caution to fans of the series in that 'Walking Dead' dives into the subject of human trafficking. 'Walking Dead' is a modest 308 pages but i lost count of how many times i put the book down and needed time from it.
i do want to say that i enjoyed 'Walking Dead', though not nearly as much as Rucka's other works. i really care about Atticus and his world and only wish that Rucka would come back to it some day.
May 17, 2015
A Great Roller Coaster Read
Protagonist Atticus Kodiak is an ex-bodyguard with a past. When his next door neighbors are slaughtered, except for their daughter, and the crime is classified as a murder/suicide, the plot evolves into a page-turning, cat and mouse crime story with scheming and vile characters, a crooked detective, secrets and lies, and shocking revelations. What makes the story so intriguing is that the setting begins in a little town, in Eastern Europe, where characters go to remain out of sight, and then moves on to other countries, landing in America then Ireland, with cliff-handing scenarios and a curb ball ending. Although the narrative is fiction, it exposes serious global issues, the length that people will go to obtain a dream, which all too often becomes a nightmare and how money and power keeps illicit acts thriving. This is my first time reading works by Greg Rucka, but I am looking forward to reading more of his novels.
Protagonist Atticus Kodiak is an ex-bodyguard with a past. When his next door neighbors are slaughtered, except for their daughter, and the crime is classified as a murder/suicide, the plot evolves into a page-turning, cat and mouse crime story with scheming and vile characters, a crooked detective, secrets and lies, and shocking revelations. What makes the story so intriguing is that the setting begins in a little town, in Eastern Europe, where characters go to remain out of sight, and then moves on to other countries, landing in America then Ireland, with cliff-handing scenarios and a curb ball ending. Although the narrative is fiction, it exposes serious global issues, the length that people will go to obtain a dream, which all too often becomes a nightmare and how money and power keeps illicit acts thriving. This is my first time reading works by Greg Rucka, but I am looking forward to reading more of his novels.
June 7, 2009
SPOILER ABOUT ENDING OF THE BOOK
this book opens with a bang! atticus and elena have moved out of the country and are living (happily!) when their next door when the family next door is murdered and their young daughter kidnapped. of course atticus feels he has to rescue her- he travels from russia to dubai to the us (with a few stops in between) to get to the bottom of a child smuggling ring. at times, this book was hard to read. atticus lives a pretty dark life here and has changed a lot from the first book in the series. sadly, i think this is the last atticus book. of course he rescues the girl, leaving many dead bodies in his wake. bridget is back to help him as well as sister cashel. in the end, he , elena, their new baby(!), and the rescued girl live in canada. a (seemingly) happy ending for him!
this book opens with a bang! atticus and elena have moved out of the country and are living (happily!) when their next door when the family next door is murdered and their young daughter kidnapped. of course atticus feels he has to rescue her- he travels from russia to dubai to the us (with a few stops in between) to get to the bottom of a child smuggling ring. at times, this book was hard to read. atticus lives a pretty dark life here and has changed a lot from the first book in the series. sadly, i think this is the last atticus book. of course he rescues the girl, leaving many dead bodies in his wake. bridget is back to help him as well as sister cashel. in the end, he , elena, their new baby(!), and the rescued girl live in canada. a (seemingly) happy ending for him!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 9, 2009
While still a fast-paced and fun read, this one kind of fell a little flat for me as far as an Atticus Kodiak book goes. It was like jumping on a rocket-sled heading for a brick wall. Maybe it's from reading too many Andrew Vachss books that deal with similar subject matter in the past, I'm not sure. It was a well-written book but just seemed to be missing something for me. It's like it didn't quite go anywhere in character development and plot, and the ending just seemed rather anti-climactic and flat. I can see why Mr. Rucka is going to move on to other characters and projects for the foreseeable future. I know, one day, Atticus, Alena, Tiasa and Natalya will return better than ever. For now, I think everybody needs to rest up.
November 15, 2013
Greg Rucka is probably one of America's best writers, although mostly somewhat unknown outside of the comic book world, where he has had very successful runs on Batman, Queen and Country, and several others titles.One of the things I like best about Rucka is that he does not soften what could possibly happen; the protagonist does not always come away unscathed, and while he usually is successful in the end there is definitely some reality checks to deal with.
***Potential spoiler alert***
This book is no different, while Atticus tracks down his neighbor's daughter from the sex ring she was taken by, he does not get there before she has become "used merchandise" thus there is no cheesy happy Disney ending. The issues created in one book have repercussions in the following stories.
***Potential spoiler alert***
This book is no different, while Atticus tracks down his neighbor's daughter from the sex ring she was taken by, he does not get there before she has become "used merchandise" thus there is no cheesy happy Disney ending. The issues created in one book have repercussions in the following stories.
January 1, 2015
#7 in the Atticus Kodiak series. Finalist 2010 Barry Award for Best Thriller. Years ago, I read the first few novels in this series and remember Kodiak as a professional bodyguard. Having skipped over a decade and a number of series entries, I have no idea what life path Kodiak followed to arrive in ex-Soviet Georgia. The series feels like a new one, but it was exciting.
Atticus Kodiak is living with Elena under assumed names in ex-Soviet Georgia. When neighbor Bakhar Lagidze is slaughtered, with his wife and son, and his 14 year old daughter Tiasa is abducted, Atticus deals himself in. Acting on a lead from the corrupt local police, Atticus start tracing the girl through a chain of human traffickers in Turkey, Dubai and Nevada.
Atticus Kodiak is living with Elena under assumed names in ex-Soviet Georgia. When neighbor Bakhar Lagidze is slaughtered, with his wife and son, and his 14 year old daughter Tiasa is abducted, Atticus deals himself in. Acting on a lead from the corrupt local police, Atticus start tracing the girl through a chain of human traffickers in Turkey, Dubai and Nevada.
October 22, 2023
Probably the finale of the Atticus Kodiak series as I think Greg Rucka has moved on. If so, it is a fitting end.
It begins with the former bodyguard turned fugitive trying to live off the radar in eastern Europe with the woman who basically has become his common law wife. He drags himself back into action when a neighboring family is slaughtered in the middle of the night with the surviving daughter abducted.
It plunges Kodiak into the global sex trafficking "business" in a quest to rescue the young girl while enraging the criminal cartels that profit from it.
Those criminals are more than willing to strike at Kodiak's family causing him to seek the aid of a former friend who is not pleased with his return into her life.
It begins with the former bodyguard turned fugitive trying to live off the radar in eastern Europe with the woman who basically has become his common law wife. He drags himself back into action when a neighboring family is slaughtered in the middle of the night with the surviving daughter abducted.
It plunges Kodiak into the global sex trafficking "business" in a quest to rescue the young girl while enraging the criminal cartels that profit from it.
Those criminals are more than willing to strike at Kodiak's family causing him to seek the aid of a former friend who is not pleased with his return into her life.
March 5, 2016
I enjoyed Walking Dead on some levels. It is fast paced and relatively well-written. The protagonist, Atticus Kodiak, is a more socialized version of Lee Child's Jack Reacher: man of action and white knight rescuing those in distress. Kodiak also has a darker past than Reacher. All in all this is a good thriller. However, the plot centered around rescuing a girl taken by a human trafficking ring. That is too dark of a place for me to truly enjoy reading about even when the bad guys are brought to a very fatal and richly deserved justice.
Still I will probably listen to more Atticus Kodiak books as long as the plots do not go to this same dark place.
Still I will probably listen to more Atticus Kodiak books as long as the plots do not go to this same dark place.
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