This book starts off with heavy scenes. I mean… HEAVY. No mercy for the main character, Jon, as he is forced to see his family being killed in front of his eyes, by a Chinese gang leader, inside his house after his parents returned home from a work assignment gone right, or wrong. After the cruel scenes, the trauma and the “helping escort” out to safety, there was only one path for Jon as an 8 year old: Vengeance. – And 20$ bills –
Jackiem Joyner doesn’t hold back in the descriptions of the graphic scenes of this action-packed book, be it in the fight scenes or in emotionally charged situations. The bloody and gruesome images that he is “forced” to write in order to send his message across and/or give a more substantial, impactful atmosphere to the book , specially when it comes to the human-trafficking, the killing and kidnaping of young girls, is one of the things that will mark every reader of this book. This book will make a difference in the world.
We loved the original plot idea, a kid-assassin on a mission to avenge his family, and apparently all the other characters, including our well written cops that partake in much of the action and make a great contribution to this story, are as surprised as readers will be with the whole concept of a child assassin, although, we readers have a much easier time adjusting towards this whole concept.
The reactions of Jon, both as he fights and how he perceives things are typical to an 8 year old and it makes the story so much believable, love it! Throughout most of the book, you feel like you are reading about a kid, and the narrator is really the kid that our MC is presented to be.
The narrative isn’t “stylish”at all, there’s no… “flash” or “glam” to it, but THAT helps you keep focused and intensely anxious about what’s going to happen next, given that this is a thriller with action. We love how the chapters progress in this book, it’s something very cool, they start, what needs to be told is told and they end, making the story move along. No ramble. No unnecessary clutter. No filler. THAT’s how you do it, and that’s how you keep readers TOTALLY engaged with your book. VERY NICE!
The mystery that the style of narrative of Jackiem Joyner forces into the book is palpable. You only know what you are told, without any room for imagination. The author keeps total control of the book, and the reader is a passenger that can only look in front, hahahahaha, it’s so cool because you soon realize that you can just sit back, read, relax and enjoy this wild ride until the end, knowing that you are in good and experienced hands.
This book brings into context, with the appropriate seriousness, the problem of human trafficking around the world, and specially in the United States, and involves our main characters in the subject in order to drive the message home. The way Jackiem Joyner puts it, one cannot ignore or look away, and can feel the heavy hand of the world we live in, driving in the reader, the desire of doing something about it. That’s how you do it.
Another aspect that the author managed very well was the passage of time, on this book. A great example of this can be noticed in the training of Jon and the evolution of his abilities that is well detailed and it accomplishes the task of letting the reader have the sense that a lot of time has passed without being extremely brief or extensively long about it.
The fact that the main character, even although after all he went through, still had his flaws and wasn’t super-human or invincible was a really cool touch from the author, and that made the fight scenes realistic, and talking about fight scenes, there are lots to enjoy in this novel that gives out even more than it promises, so if you like action, this is definitely a book you should be reading.
This is one of those novels that are written with simplicity of plot, narrative and style and you we can do is wonder with amazement at the final result of it. A novel that you can read out in one sitting, given the very fast-paced and objective narrative that cuts to the chase, quite literally, as you will see. Great story.
Pros:
- EXCELLENT narrative. Swift, to the point, heavy, gripping!
- EXCELLENT way to stamp a much needed message to readers of a reality that is much ignored, excellent example of the use of writing right here, *claps*
- The pace is incredible and ON POINT, for an action thriller novel. LOVE IT
- Great fighting scenes and action scenes
- The emotional display of characters in their roles is a detail that wasn’t missed by our eye. Very well done. Subtle, but it was there, always present
- The fact that most of the MCs were mostly Black/Chinese/Japanese/Indian is totally a plus
- The research put into the book was noticeable, great job by Jackiem Joyner
- A great read in all overall senses
Cons:
None.
Scribble's Worth 