The Sum of Things

by Tony McManus

Picture the mess of the world. A world driven by greed and corruption, racked by terror and mindless war brought about by a few ruthless, pitiless villains. Sound familiar?
Enter James Fallon, founder, and CEO of Global Solutions International. Fallon, an ex-SAS hard man turned bounty hunter for whom nothing is off limits. From sea piracy to black ops he’s up for it. Anytime. Anywhere.
The first in a series and written with the reader in mind.

392 pages, Paperback

Published January 7, 2018

About the author

After graduating from Shrewsbury Public School, Tony sought a life of adventure and travel, and joined the British Merchant Marine service. Dissatisfied, he signed off in Cape Town, South Africa. After serving as a teenage Special Forces mercenary soldier in Central Africa in 1964, he returned home and joined the British Parachute Regiment (2 PARA). He saw combat in the 74 day Falklands War and was severely wounded in the 14 hour battle to take Goose Ridge. Invalided out, he moved to Canada to re-build his health. He designed and built a log-home in Quebec Province.

Tony pursues and advocates good health, via diet and exercise. An outdoors man, sailor, sea-kayaker and canoeist, he also loves scuba-diving, hiking, back-country skiing and snowshoeing.

Reviews

[Eric J. Gates · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Sum of Things”, the first novel in author Tony McManus’ James Fallon series, is a rollercoaster ride of non-stop action very much in the vein of Chris Ryan and Andy McNab’s own action thrillers. It follows the last mission of the protagonist, Fallon, as a Special Air Service Special forces operator who then goes on to form his own private security company, Global Solutions, in conjunction with several of his ex-comrades from the SAS. The story then becomes far more complex as Fallon’s people take on Somali pirates, terrorists, and ruthless Chinese businessmen in a tense tale of interrelated intrigue that will keep readers glued to the page.

McManus’ writing style is very reminiscent of the aforementioned Chris Ryan, peppered with snippets of facts that add authenticity to the events and skirmishes as the pace propels the story to a climatic conclusion. Plenty of interesting characters, especially some of the villains of the piece, stand out and lend a very human element to the unceasing action scenes.

Definitely recommended for fans of well-written, solid action thrillers, this book shows all the promise of developing into a very addictive series, right up there with the aforementioned Ryan and McNab’s bestsellers.

[John Dolan · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like your action novels fast and furious, you are going to have trouble putting down 'The Sum of Things'. Beginning with the raising of a Libyan Embassy siege in Tunisia, and ranging across the Middle East and Europe, Tony McManus' narrative encompasses terrorist outrages, an art heist, piracy, murder, and a whole lot more besides. The characters are as varied and surprising as they are sometimes ruthless: a Somalian with a heart of gold on the 'most wanted' list, a crooked Chinese billionaire, a Russian yacht-owner with a penchant for repaying debts, and ex-Special Services personnel - some of whom are not above playing both sides. In fact, the moral ambiguity which swirls around many of this book's inhabitants is a welcome change from the more simplistic 'good vs bad' offerings of this genre. And, I must confess, it made me look at Somalian pirates in a new light! Highly recommended.

[Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad read

I wasn’t thrilled with this book but it had its good points. For one, the language was tolerable. There’s a lot to be said for a thriller with tolerable language! It sounded British so there was that bit of language barrier although I’ve read enough British authors that I hardly notice. The story was a bit over the top.

[Jefrois · Rating 1 out of 5]

.
I quit reading at P 121.

Is this the only bullsht you could think of?

Sex, drugs, and more drugs?

Is that what’s important in your life?

WEED?????? Is that your bottom-line ????

Weed ????

I wish I could give this “BOOK” a lower score.

BOOK kept getting dummer and dummer. Stoopider.

YOU HAVE LEARNED NOTHING !
.

[Philip Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good story

A really good tale of special forces types. The story is well told,topical and includes some really good and strong characters.

[Barclay S. Wales · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall I enjoyed this book though it took me a few chapters to get into the authors slightly formal style. Having said that, I’ve downloaded the follow up book 👍🏻

[Gerard Riley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished 'The Sum Of Things '--Took me three days to read it. It simply is unputdownable.
The style is rapid , terse , minimalist . In a sense it fits in perfectly with what I imagine military life and the people in it are like!
The narrative flows beautifully . It is the tale of an ex SAS officer who starts his own security agency, after a very successful career in his SAS regiment.
The action is non stop, the theatre of operations International. We are taken to the Middle East, to the Mediterranean,to Thailand. The characterisation is brilliant you can picture all of the characters in your minds eye as the writer skillfully sketches their strengths and weaknesses.
What makes each of them tick, what makes them vulnerable. The regimental bonhomie is beautifully evoked. It's obvious that the writer has military experience. What else can you say? The ending is open ended and without giving anything away it's obvious that powerful forces are about to be unleashed . I can't wait for the sequel ! A tour de force ! Mr McManus!
Well done .
G Riley