Columbus is back and as deadly as ever. But the hunter has now become the hunted, in this sequel to the national bestseller The Silver Bear . He told you not to like him. To get close to Columbus, the Silver Bear, means death. Exactly whose death remains to be determined in Derek Haas’ highly anticipated new thriller.
Recouping in Europe after loosing his fence and best friend during his mission to assassinate his father, Columbus now finds his reverie interrupted by multiple assassins searching for the elusive Silver Bear. As Columbus eliminates each killer, more and more appear―a hydra effect he can only eliminate by finding the origin of the hit, a source connected to his own past. Racing across the globe, as both hunter and hunted, Columbus’ travels take him to Italy, where he meets a mysterious woman named Risina. A woman with her own secret past, she may be Columbus’ only hope of salvation.
Derek Haas is the author of five books about an assassin and one about a spy. He co-created the show CHICAGO FIRE, and executive produces PD and MED. He also co-wrote the screenplays for 3:10 TO YUMA, WANTED, and 2 FAST 2 FURIOUS. Derek lives in Los Angeles.
I read the Silver Bear series some time ago, finishing the series either last year or maybe the year before. I see that I haven't rated them and without going into details, this is a good, good book.
★★★★☆ (4 out of 5 stars) I picked up Silver Bear on a whim from a discount shelf and lowkey glad I did. No expectations, just vibes, and it delivered. It’s bingeable, fast, and legit suspenseful.
The main character is wild and messed up in the best way. If you’re into sniper/killer tropes and morally gray leads, this will stick with you. Worldbuilding and backstory felt solid and gave the plot real texture. Haas writes cinematic scenes that keep you flipping pages.
Heads up, you need to be cool with an unhinged protagonist. If that’s your jam, you’ll have a blast. If not, skip it. For me it was tight, entertaining, and exactly the kind of dark thriller I didn’t know I needed. Four stars.
Bottom line: entertaining, well-crafted, and bingeable. Four stars because it delivers exactly what it promises — great for readers who enjoy dark, stylish thrillers with an uncompromising lead.
Great second book in the series. You really have to enjoy an evil and twisted main character for this series to resonate, but Haas is an amazing writer. The pace is great, as usual, and the symbolism is always on point. Sometimes, you might struggle with the fact that the twists and turns are far more sadistic than your mind is comfortable contemplating. The dark and mysterious mind of Derek is once again on full display.
Second book in the series - solid effort. Liked the first a bit more , but still cold, hard and brutal. Haas writes very well and sucks you in to a very black world. 4 stars and awaiting the next one!
Very good thriller, about a professional assassin. The writing style, like the action it depicts, is lean and effective. The story is as long as it needs to be, but no longer. Early in the narrative, the protagonist tells the reader, "I told you not to like me." I did anyway.
The plot is nothing special, but Derek Haas' writing, for the most part, is superb. I felt the end game was a little bit boiler plate, but other than that it was a pretty good novel about a hit man. Haas keeps the dialogue (story is in the first person) moving and injects a little back story for some of the supporting characters. That is more of a case of being a page filler, but it was interesting anyway.
In my review of The Silver Bear, the first of the trilogy, I mentioned that Columbus was not a very likeable character. In the first chapter of this continuation, Haas has the character verbalize that with "I told you not to like me".
Excellent; Continuing character: Columbus; while he contemplates leaving the life of a hitman for a woman he's falling for, other hitmen are after Columbus
My god i love this series my favorite along with the will robie series by david baldacci....i read them in m fast pace because their are so well written authors 5 star