Pandora's Succession

First, I seriously don't know how I didn't know about auth

First, I seriously don't know how I didn't know about author Russell Brooks. He has dazzled me with his writing! I haven't been this close to the edge of my seat in such a long time! He writes action packed scenes full of suspense like a pro! Plain and simply...this dude can write! If you enjoy thrillers, mystery, and suspense you have to check out this book. It's like watching a Bond movie in your head. He pulls you in so deep into the description I swear you can hear the helicopters crashing, the explosions serenading the skies, the gunshots whizzing through the air! Even better there is action throughout the ENTIRE book. It's one thing after another! You wonder how is Ridley Fox going to get out of this one.
Ridley Fox is a bad ass. He's a CIA operative on a mission to stop the worse crime that could possibly plague the world. On a non-stop chase around the globe trying to decipher who is on the side of good or evil and trying to reach information before destruction hits the world, Fox is undeniably the man that is most wanted and hunted. He is known to be the man that wants to put a stop to the evil swirling around at the moment, so he is the first one on the hit list. Russell Brooks has designed an entire cast of characters that are so well written you picture them in your head perfectly! When I said a movie plays in your head, I wasn't lying! Pick this book up or try your luck with the giveaway below! Either way read it! I give this book my thumbs up!

Suspense filled!!

This book had so many twists and turns that I think I came out of it with whiplash! Just when I thought I had the ending figured out, something would happen to totally change how I thought it would end! Ridley Fox makes another appearance in this novel. His undercover CIA job leads him into another race towards finding his fiance's killers, The Arms of Ares. After being beaten and left for dead, he tracks his attackers and ends up in Tokyo chasing a highly coveted microbe called Pandora. Little known to him, he isn't the only one tracking Pandora. The CDC and Japanese Intelligence are also on the trail and in several instances prevent him from capturing and keeping Pandora in his possession. And that's only PART of the twists and turns in this novel! You will NEVER guess how it turns out! I could definitely see this book being turned into a movie, although I'm hoping that if it does, the producer doesn't "murder" the whole idea of the book. I'm not saying that I want it to be a movie, but if it happens I would definitely watch it! This book is definitely a must read!

Pandora's Succession

The thriller genre is one where the characters, both heroes and villains, tend to be larger than life, with plots that are over-the-top, at least when compared with the real world. Yet readers are trained to suspend their disbelief and are rewarded with a few hours of vicarious adventure and an escape from the real world. "Pandora's Succession" fits this formula well, with a clever, complex plot and ever-increasing tension. The character of Ridley Fox is a larger than life hero, yet has enough human foibles and emotions for us to like and identify with him.

Unfortunately, "Pandora's Succession" also suffers from the too common problem of insufficient copyediting. There are too many instances of typos, incorrect or missing words, and occasional clunky sentences. The big picture is good, but lack of attention to the nitty details dilutes the impact. Thriller fans with a high tolerance for mentally tripping over sentences should give "Pandora's Succession" a try.

**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **

Action packed!

Pandora's Succession is an action-packed tour de force. Author Russell Brooks takes the reader on a fantastic ride, starring Ridely Fox, a CIA operative who is the best at what he does. And what he does best is kill people -- even people he tries to protect. Fox is haunted by the death of his fiancé at the hands of The Arms of Ares, a weapons syndicate, and will stop at nothing to deal her killers justice.

The Arms of Ares has developed a flesh-eating microbe into a biological weapon called Pandora. Fox accepts the case, partially because he's the best qualified for the job and partially to exact revenge on his fiancé's killers. Following an informant's tip, Fox travels to Chechnya to stop Ares, and is captured -- this is where the story begins.

And what a story Brooks lays down. There are twists and betrayals galore as Fox and his team travel around the world, from Chechnya to Africa to Japan, tracking down Pandora. Pandora, being the deadly biological weapon it is, is coveted not just by the CIA and Ares; other organizations enter the story as Pandora gets passed around like a hot potato.

This title has everything: gun fights, explosions, double-crossing, and a bit of romance between Fox and another agent from his past. Between all the action there isn't any time for a love scene, though the two share a few tender moments together. There could have been more suspense; at times I felt the author gave too much information about the antagonists' intentions. Other than that, Brooks provides a great story with well-developed characters. A truck load of action and a few surprises makes this book difficult to put down.

Good Book Alert Review

In this thriller, there are several organizations trying to obtain a deadly microbe and get it under their control. This virus is known as Pandora. They're willing to kill for it, of course. The story starts out with Ridley Fox who recently lost his fiancé to the organization known as "The Arms of Ares" one of the groups after the virus. Because of his loss, this assignment has turned personal for Ridley. I also found this fact one of things that drew me in and made me rooting for Ridley in his goal to stop "The Arms of Ares." This story has all your classic thriller elements. There are double-agents, suspected 'moles' and it's hard to know who to trust. The action/fight scenes are detailed and very well written. You never know who might end up dead next. The action takes the reader to several different locations around the world. There is also some cool science in the story as far as the origin of the Pandora virus, which I won't give away. Ridley seems to be your typical operative in that he's known for having several short-term relationships. Like any good thriller, it has those twists that keep you guessing. Overall, this is a good solid thriller. I especially enjoyed the more personal scenes for Ridley that let me know him better I also enjoyed how he had to work with a woman that he had once stood up. My one criticism is that I thought the characterization of Ridley and Parris could've been fleshed out even more.

High tech, high excitement

Take one high-tech virus, a secret Russian base, spies, ex-spies, mysterious scientists and global corporations, stir and mix, then read Pandora's Succession by Russell Brooks. Agent Ridley Fox leads the kind of life that doesn't leave room for relationships. Love 'em and leave 'em and on to the next job. But this job sticks around, and the woman he's asked to work with is one he's met before. So how do you deal with love in a time of Pandora?

World domination, world destruction, rejection of the world as it is-they're all here, together with those truths in our pasts that we try to hide from, half-forgotten hurts that define who we are underneath the veneer of profession and character. Ridley Fox's foes have found a way to change who we are, turning friend into foe as a world spirals out of control, but truth and self have a way of determining themselves.

Pandora's Succession has many fast and detailed fight scenes, well-choreographed and convincingly explained-it should make a great movie. There are tidy back-stories like pages read from a file-and after all, secret agents do read, and remember many files. There are interesting characters with complex motivations. And there's the question of just how we let the past define the present.

Ridley Fox's job turns out to be just save-the-world and he accomplishes it with aplomb. Not quite James Bond, this young man will be an agent to look out for-high drama, great weapons, clever fights and complex loves. and if I'm not going to let the past define the present, perhaps I shouldn't be comparing him to Bond or anyone else. Fox, Ridley Fox. waiting for a sequel.



Disclosure: I won an e-copy of this book in a launch-party contest.

Non-stop action with an assortment of characters and twisting plots.

When I was given the opportunity to read Pandora's Succession, I have to be honest; I didn't think I would be that interested in it. Don't get me wrong, I love to watch action movies but I just never thought that reading an action sequence would be as good when reading in words and not seeing it on screen. Fact is, I never gave it the chance. Thankfully, I read Russell Brooks debut novel and I was not disappointed.

From the start of the first page you are thrown into the action of Ridley Fox. The details in the action scenes were fantastic. I felt as if I was standing next to Fox watching him effortlessly kick ass! I felt the plot was extremely well written and very detailed. I loved the fact that multiple agencies we involved and well as different terrorism groups and everyone was working towards getting their hands on Pandora- a highly toxic virus made to feed off protein which is found in humans and animals. It was absolutely bio-terrorism at its worst and I loved it!

The main characters, Ridley Fox and Doctor Nita Parris, held very strong characteristics. I loved Fox's character. You get little bits of his past in flashbacks which show how human he is and how many emotional situations he's been through. He's been through a lot and now he is out for revenge and won't stop till he gets it. I loved that Brooks made such a strong female lead character. Doctor Parris goes from a feisty agent to a shy and quiet worker when working in the labs as an undercover agent; then back to a kiss ass agent when she has to work with Fox. Fox and Parris have a little bit of a past which makes them feel a little awkward towards each other at first but it doesn't take long to see the chemistry build between the two of them while working together.

The ending was fantastic and I was perfectly satisfied. I would not have asked for it to end any other way. I could easily see this story on the "big screen" some day, what a great action movie this would make!

If you love non-stop action with an assortment of characters and twisting plots, I would highly recommend you giving Pandora's Succession a read. It's a fantastic debut novel and I look forward to reading Russell Brooks upcoming novels.

If only everything was the same

That's the dream of every mad scientist. Pandora is an ancient, deadly microbe that has been unearthed and exploited for the highest bidder's bio-weapon development pleasure. The only thing that stands in the way is Ridley Fox and his lovely, feisty, reluctant partner, Parris. Still reeling from the loss of his fiancé and on the verge of quitting the Special Ops business for good, this latest threat strikes home and reels him back in. Parris is a smart, clever doctor that can drop kick a thug in two seconds flat. I'm a sucker for a doomsday thriller. This story is an action-packed, fast-paced read. I wouldn't be surprised to see this in a theater soon!

Good Read

Pandora's Succession by Russell Brooks is a thrilling action-adventure novel in the style of the classic spy genre. Nicely written, this is a quick read that holds no punches and delivers on all the action it promises.

There is a very definite feel about this novel that brings back the world of the classic spy novel. The very defined contrast between good and evil is a big milestone of the genre where villains are easily distinguishable by their insane attempts to conquer the world for whatever nefarious reason. In this novel, the same tried and true premise continues with a woman bent on the extinction of the human race. To accomplish her goals she uses a microbe that after some scientific meddling only attacks DNA with human genetic markers. But, what is an evil genius without a daring secret agent that will stop at nothing to prevent their murderous plans from succeeding? Enter Ridley Fox, a troubled spy eager to avenge the death of his fiancee. However, while his vengeance may be pretty straight forward the complexities surrounding the group he's hunting and who is truly behind the murder, are not.

The story becomes quite complex as the situation unfolds. Mind control, pharmaceutical labs, and seemingly corrupt foreign officials all lead to a very action packed adventure as Fox continues to follow the leads wherever they take him. Brooks does a marvelous job at planning out the novel as the threads are painstakingly placed leading not only Fox but the reader on a journey to unravel who is behind the plot to unleash Pandora. With subtle clues pointing at the true master mind and little hints that point to how she accomplishes her goals, Brooks succeeded in making this a suspenseful mystery with well written action scenes packed in throughout.

The characters themselves, however, while nicely written fell a bit flat with me. Fox is a troubled agent bent on revenge for his murdered fiancee. There is a real lack of any real development in his character with his main thoughts being geared towards how to disarm the person in front of him and how to evade detection by the various factions bent on killing him before he can succeed in destroying them. There is little emotional appeal from his pain as we only see the tragedy that he suffered through in brief glimpses. Because of this and the overall disconnect of his personality, I was left a little disappointed, unsure of who Ridley Fox truly was. But, despite this, I actually did like him. He was a wonderfully intense character that I only wished was further explored. And what is a James Bond-like hero without his female counterpart? We as readers definitely need a heroine to offset all the action and add a little spice of female intrigue and thus we are given Dr. Nita Parris. I really found her character to be a bit better written then Fox, with more in depth thoughts about her feelings and thoughts towards not only Fox, but her mission. She's smart, resourceful and really a pretty tough woman. But, she still has a mystique about her as we aren't exactly sure where her loyalties lie at times, especially after being exposed to Clarity, a powerful drug used to brain wash its victims. And without going into much detail and spoiling the ending, let me just say the master mind behind it all is the epitome of insanity. The extent of the psychosis is wonderfully captured.

While a little lacking in character development, this is a perfect read for when you're on the go.

a thrilling race to save the world

"We're opening up a Pandora's box. Be careful what you wish for." - James Waters Ridley Fox works for the CIA. he is haunted by his fiance's death and vows to find her killers - The Arms of Ares. this sinister league has managed to obtain Pandora - a hyperdeadly microbe. Fox travels all over the world as he tracks and hunts down the consortium's members and their nefarious activities. he must stop the group from releasing Pandora in its bid for world domination.
i like it when main protagonists are portrayed as flesh and blood people and not as bullet-dodging superheroes. vulnerability is one trait that i find endearing in a character. for me, it makes him or her more real and therefore more interesting - just like Ridley Fox.
though adept at hand-to-hand combat and a skilled marksman, Fox is emotionally scarred and this is his biggest Waterloo. in order to save the world and heal himself, he finally realizes that the past is past and the dead stay dead. he then lets go of the heavy baggage he carries, sets aside his feelings and overcomes his weakness.
Pandora's Succession is an action-packed fast-paced thriller filled with assassins, double agents, mad scientists and covert operatives. do not be fooled by the labels though. who really were the good guys and the bad ones will keep you guessing until the end.
Russel Brook's first novel is a roller coaster ride guaranteed to make you stay glued to your seat till the last page. i bet the explosive conclusion will make your jaw drop as i have.

Excellent, Action Packed Read

Pandora's Succession is a great read especially if you like action novels. Russell Brooks does a fantastic job at describing high action activities. I loved reading it on my eReader as it was just the right type of read.

A must read action packed biological thriller

I was pleased to be asked to review this e-book, seeing as doing reviews is something that I've been wanting to do. I give credit to Russell Brooks for drawing in the reader from the very beginning, it's nice to start a book and not have to wait several chapters before the action starts. I have always been into action and adventure books, and this one fueled my love for all of that, as well as included some education on military and weapons. When I read a book, my imagination goes wild, and this book, with it's details and writing that flowed easily, helped my mind see what I was reading as if in a movie, the plot was fantastic and the ending was amazing, closing the book so that I didn't feel like I needed something else. It made that story close but still left it open to have more adventures with Ridley Fox and his cohorts.

Fun ride

My rating is really more a 3.5, but that's not a criticism.

This is an spy/action/suspenseful thriller with some science (or maybe SF) thrown in. It's not a genre I generally read; not sure it's one I've ever read before, in fact. Don't think it's going to get me to start reading a ton of action thrillers now but I enjoyed this ride.

The story moves along quickly and is an easy read. Our hero is a super(b) spy type and very likable. He goes from one tense situation to another, sometimes getting out of a jam on his own, sometimes with help. There are dastardly villain types, and they come from multiple opposing camps, which helps keep the action going and makes for a more complex and interesting storyline. A lot of research went into the development here: there are a technical details included, often helping keep the fantastic story plausible, though I found they made things drag a bit a few times, too.

I did notice a few glitches in the text; seemed like a word was missing a few times and in one spot seemed like a few words might be missing. This could be due to errors in the Nook version (conversion errors?), and it didn't bother me too much. There also seemed a few times when the flow of the writing bogged down, but mostly it just moved along.

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No text was provided for this review.

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No text was provided for this review.