11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A Decent First Book, October 11, 2011
Lockdown is the first book written by Sean Black, which sees main characther Ryan Lock working as a bodyguard to the CEO of a pharmaceutical company. The synopsis promises a story that sends Lock on a fast paced thrill ride around New York in the days approaching New Years Day. The story is actually quite well conceived, and it is particularly refreshing to see an protagonist that is in a different line of work to the usual detectives and police officers that appear in most series these days. As promised, the story does move along at a quick pace, keeping the reader very engaged with some unexpected twists and turns. This is however, where the good points of the book stop.
The storyline, however well conceived, is still littered with implausible events and rather cliched moments, which are still enjoyable to read, but detract from the realistic feel. The main downfall's concern the writing. It isn't written particularly well, which can be forgiven since this is Sean Black's first novel, but in some points it seems that there is a loop hole in the story that has been covered up with something that doesn't quite fit, or the story just rushed over it as though it isn't there.
The characters also don't seem very well developed, which brings me to the main problem I found with the book. The relationships between characters, in particular the interactions between characters, is not written well at all. The relationship between Ryan Lock and his girlfriend Carrie is uncomfortable to read, as though Sean Black decided as an afterthought to add a love interest. The book would be so much more enjoyable without her presence, as the story often slowed to a crawl whenever she was present (I have also read his second book,
Deadlock and the relationship, although slightly better, still feels tacked on and unnecessary). I believe the problem with this relationship in particular is that there is no emotion between the two when there clearly should be.
Although this book has some problems that detract from the overall feel of the story (which is by far its best asset) this is still worthy of a read. Just don't expect to be blown away, or emotionally attached to the characters, as you will be dissapointed.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Christmas Eve in New York, November 14, 2011
This fast-paced thriller opens on Christmas Eve in New York and climaxes in Times Square on New Year's Eve. Not quite as well written as the other books in the series, but a great introduction to tough guy Ryan Lock and his partner, wise-cracking Marine Ty Johnson. I'd imagine that if you like James Patterson's Alex Cross series, Lee Child's Reacher, John Sandford, Harlan Coben or Robert Crais then you'll have a good time with this too. It's also nice to see a thriller with almost no bad language or sexual content, although, as you would expect, there is quite a lot of violence. All in all a very enjoyable novel which ticks all the right boxes.
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4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Will Pass the Time But You'll Read the Same Plot in Many Other Books Where it is Done a Lot Better, December 31, 2009
This review is from: Lockdown (Hardcover)
If this book was a movie (and it could easily be turned into one) it would be a straight to weekly DVD release, the parts played by actors you have never heard of, then eventually midday or two o'clock in the morning when shown on TV action flick. It's a very simple plot, rich pharmaceutical company researcher's son is kidnapped along with his beautiful Russian nanny whose body shortly after surfaces. The father doesn't have much faith in the FBI to bring his boy back alive so approaches the head of the security team (Ryan Lock) of the company he recently quit to get him back. Lock is recovering from shot gun blast injuries that he took while trying to capture the assassins of an animal rights extremist who took a stray bullet while Lock's boss was delivering a speech. Lock is reluctant to takes on the job but predictably eventually does. The company he works for wants nothing to do with finding the kidnappers since the researcher quit two weeks beforehand, and the heir to the company hates him due to the treatment Lock gave him after walking in on him about to commit a rape.
The novel does start of well but nothing substantial really ever happens. You've read it all before. It's very predictable, what you assume is going to happen next does and the characters aren't written well or very believable at all. Plus we have scenes where things like Lock holsters his weapon and the next second we're told it is still pointed at the guy (roof scene with Stafford after preventing the rape p108) that should have been picked up by the editor. The same plot has been done so many times before and often at a level better than in this story's pages. If you like this sort of thing check out authors such as David Morrell who have mastered this genre.
If you've got a couple of hours to kill and nothing else to read by all means pick it up but borrow it from your library, don't pay money for it, Lock Down is nothing special!
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