Customer Reviews

Necessary Evil

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is a well-paced, action packed, and intelligent thriller. A very impressive first novel. Without giving away too much of the plot, Necessary Evil is set in the rugged, desolate mountains of Northern California (yes, there are still whole stretches of Northern California that are essentially wild and uninhabited). A plane crashes in the night; there's some awful bio-engineering secrets on board. Those secrets are discovered by a female FBI agent and Kier Wintripp--a successful vetinarian and the de facto leader for the local Indian tribe. From there, a chase ensues that's pretty much unrelenting in its intensity, with various sub-plots and surprises. As is the case with most good thrillers, Mr. Dun's book works on a number of levels. It's packed with interesting discussions regarding genetic engineering; it contains a believable love story; and it even reveals various (and, no doubt, well-researched) wilderness survival skills. As if that's not enough, Dun begins each chapter with an Indian proverb and steeps the entire book in Indian lore. The whole thing makes for an adrenaline charged reading experience. I highly recommend this book and am very much looking forward to Mr. Dun's next book, which I'll know better than to start at midnight.

There are two heroes in this book: Kier, a smart, physically impressive veterinarian from the Tilok Indian tribe, and Jessie, a determined and resourceful female FBI agent. City-dweller Jessie decides to visit her sister in the mountains in order to evaluate her continued employment with the FBI, and meets Kier, who does veterinarian work for Jessie's sister. Shortly after they first meet, a plane crashes nearby during a blinding snowstorm. Jessie and Kier rush to investigate, find that the passengers are dead, but discovery some nasty things on board. This scene sets up a chase in the wilderness that makes up the rest of the book.

Necessary Evil is one of those rare books that straps you in quickly and doesn't let go until the last page. The characters are nicely developed, there are several subplots to provide various layers of interest, and the pace is relentless. Clive Cussler calls it "Escapist fiction of the first order" and his review is precisely right. If you want to read an absorbing book, one that will create a different reality for you for a few days, this is a very good choice.

Thriller readers have been looking for a new torchbearer. I'm hoping that Dun's first effort, which is already a best seller, signals more good things to come.

FBI computer crime specialist Jessie Mayfield leaves her New York office to "hide" at the home of her sister in Wintoon County, California. Jessie is entangled in a nasty situation involving her boss. As a snowstorm blankets the High Country, veterinarian Dr. Kier Wintripp is also at the home of Jessie's sister tending to a horse when a jet explodes nearby.

Jessie and Kier go to investigate and find death and vials apparently filled with diseases along with volumes of notes. Before they can leave the area of the crash, non-government militia arrives blanketing the vicinity. Jessie and Kier fight to survive against an evil being who believes in a genetically chosen master race. To achieve his goal, Dr. Tillman understands that future history will condemn him as a NECESSARY EVIL because he will have committed genocide on a scale that make Stalin and Hitler look like school children. Only, a Native American vet with some survival skills and a FBI agent never in the field stand in his way, but not for long.

NECESSARY EVIL is an entertaining, non-stop action medical thriller. The story line never slows down for a second once it goes into hyper-speed. Though readers have to accept Kier's skills and how scientifically advanced Tillman's team is compared to the world, action thriller fans will not care because the plot is entertaining and fun to read.

Harriet Klausner

This is some of the best "edge of your seat" thriller action I have read in the last few years. I love to read action packed thrillers and usually don't try new authors but the cover and summary of this one grabbed by attention. I was not disappointed, Dun's book is as good as any Clancy or Cussler novel I have read. Looking for more to come from Dun... Can't wait to read the next one. What a great title "Necessary Evil!"

-Joe

This is a terrific first novel by a California attorney who loves the mountains and has a real flair for wilderness writing. In this novel a group of really bad people work overtime to kill an experienced Native American mountaineer and a female FBI agent. The combination of winter snowstorms, mountain adventures, and action scenes of real speed and complexity make for a very fast read.

Dun has a sense of survival in the winter in high mountains that makes the book worth reading just on those terms. His portrait of a very smart but urban FBI agent interacting with a Native American medical doctor who grew up in the area and really understands how to get around and how to survive is just a terrific story.

The bad guys are ruthless enough and serious enough that even with all the doctor's survival skills and the FBI training the duo faces very long odds in surviving. How they survive and then win will keep you turning the pages.

David Dun is off to a great start as an action writer. He has a quote from Clive Cussler on the cover, "escapist fiction of the first order," and he may well prosper in acquiring new readers as Cussler has.

I admit I bought this book because of the cover. But as far as action thrillers go, David Dun's first, NECESSARY EVIL, does not disappoint.

I couldn't go all the way and give it the full five stars. There's not a whole lot that separates this book and makes it more remarkable than any other thriller out there, but the story is well thought out and you get what you are looking for. There's conspiracy and intrigue, good bits of violence in the form of a hunt of sorts. A lot of emphasis is placed on the continually growing sexual tension between Jessie, the female FBI agent on leave, and Kier, the Native American veterinarian and mountain man. Perhaps a little too much emphasis--Dun creates situations where Jessie and Kier need to get naked in the interest of eluding their pursuers. Due to the circumstances, not a total stretch, but close to it.

Kier is a fascinating character, and Dun finds opportunity to interject some insight into Native American culture and tradition that keeps things interesting. There are twists of the mystical and spiritual nature, but thankfully Dun doesn't resort to some supernatural gimmicks that would cheapen the story.

Good drama and suspense, and some of the hiking and chase scenes in the snowbound mountains and caves of northern California are nothing short of breathtaking. A strong effort by Dun.

I could not put the book down once I started. It was a real page-turner as promised. Dun is destined to take his place as one of the top ten best fiction writers. Thrills..chills...spills and some enthralling mental and physical romance to boot. This well written story with its believable plots and twits kept me entertained and wanting more.

Take your usual strong male leading figure who can kill like the best Navy Seal (but doesn't want to) and a strong female character who has no choice but to fall in love with the lead, and you have this book. It's somewhat formula for an action / suspense but it definitely kept me reading. It's worth the time.

this man right here knows how to write an extremely fast paced action novel. this book is the hardest book to put down ever because the action never stops. from the very first page to the last one there is action and characters that would blow your mind. i havent read his second one yet but am extremely looking foreward to it. if you like action novels with a hint of romance this is the author for you. but dont take the romance part wrong its not some sappy love story that you'd see some old lady reading. this book is nonstop action and i would definately read it again although it would take me about 10 minutes because of its intense speed. BUY THIS BOOK RIGHT NOW!!!

The suspense never lags. Kier a peace loving veterinarian and wilderness expert meets Jessie Mayfield at a mountain ranch. Sparks of all sorts start to fly when a jet full of horrendous stuff including evidence of serious crimes, crashes on the mountain. In the middle of a blizzard Kier and Jessie set out to discover the crash and help any survivors. They discover the secrets of one Mr. Tillman and his cohorts. He comes after them with a small army and thus the plot begins. This book has it all. The author packed a lot into a medium sized book. Action, suspense, romance, some interesting and timely genetic science, all work together to make a very enjoyable read. I think this will be one of the five most entertaining books I read this year. So far it's been the best of this genre.