Customer Reviews

The Rook (Patrick Bowers Files, Book 2)

5 star:		(41)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

FBI Agent Patrick Bowers is baffled by his latest case in San Diego. An arsonist has been wreaking havoc on the city leaving no clues as to motive or identity. Meanwhile, a shark researcher from a local aquarium has been kidnapped by a sadistic madman who has only given Bowers a few hours to save her. The only clue left behind is a shocking video clip that reveals the torture the victim is enduring. Patrick races against time to not only save an innocent life, but also to apprehend the monster responsible.

Meanwhile, both cases take a startling turn when a top secret research facility is burned down at a nearby naval base. When the culprit is apprehended, more connections to both cases are brought to light. Soon Bowers discovers a device that was stolen from the naval base, and is shocked when its purpose is revealed. As more and more answers surface Patrick realizes he is in the middle of a grand conspiracy with far reaching implications. He must find the truth at all costs and try to stop the mastermind behind it all, the ever elusive Shade.

Steven James hooked me with his debut, The Pawn. Now in this explosive sequel he has absolutely blown me away. The Rook is thriller writing at its highest level. James is a top-notch storyteller that knows exactly how to hook readers with complex storylines, unexpected plot twists, and engaging characters. While reading The Rook, I was reminded of the works of Michael Connelly, James Patterson, and Harlan Coben among others. Yes, this guy is that good!

Patrick Bowers is now becoming one of my favorite literary characters and James does a masterful job of portraying a man who is both a genius in his profession and a novice as a father. Patrick's relationship with his step-daughter, Tessa, is emotional and real, bringing a welcome dose of family values and heart to the story. While Patrick and Tessa both struggle with their faith, their search for meaning and hope is heartfelt and inspiring.

Steven James is continuing to prove what an amazing talent he is. This one is not to be missed!

When Steven James threw "The Pawn" at us, it sent us reeling, and it slammed home! We met Patrick Bowers, watched his showdown against "The Illusionist," and we were amazed. Now Bowers is back in action, and the military is involved, and secrets just might be revealed! Steven James slam dunks this one, and sends the pieces flying everywhere. Do you think you're ready for "The Rook"? I was convinced I'd see everything coming, but I was far off, way off base. Lots of surprises, and lots of great action.

Patrick faces off against a foe, and this is one who knows a lot about fear. And Patrick is ready to expect the unexpected. That and fumbling through the relationship with his daughter, all the while considering another alternative that involves Lien-Hua. And this is all happening while investigating some fires that have been set, and this is all happening in San Diego. One of the main goals is to see what lies behind Project Rukh, and just maybe slip by this enemy's defenses. And as far as enemies go, Shade is as clever as they get, and he gets what he wants! Nothing personal against Patrick, of course. Right?

Get ready for the pages to flip in this one! Steven James is on his game, and I can't wait to see what he has in store for the likes of Patrick Bowers!

In THE ROOK, Steven James follows up the sensational THE PAWN with another great thriller featuring FBI Special Agent Patrick Bowers. Bowers is summoned to San Diego to help solve a string of 14 fires that had been set by an unknown arsonist. Bowers brings his step daughter along because he believes there is really no danger. While at the scene of a fire, Bowers and Tessa witness the dramatic suicide of a homeless person. Then the plot takes off from there. A mastermind named "Shade" recruits an evil ex-con named Creighton Melice to do his bidding. Victor Drake's technological firm is developing a top secret weapon for the government called "Project Rukh." Then there are fires and murders, backstabbing and betrayal, and plenty of twists and turns.

THE ROOK is a complex thriller filled with great characters and a twisting plot. This is one Christian novel that can stand up to the best in the thriller genre, Christian or not. Bowers is still struggling to raise the teenage Tessa, a step-daughter from a marriage that ended when his wife died. Tessa is a smart girl who longs for the family Bowers provides and needs the freedom and trust all teenagers desire. When not on the case, Bowers is having his own feelings about Lien-Hau, another agent on the case.

THE ROOK is full of violence and evil, but beneath it all is a layer of grace and peace. James takes the readers to the limit and then brings them back. This book might be too intense for fans of tamer Christian fictin. At times, the plot might be too comlex. Many times, Bowers takes in the evidence, comes the conclusion that something just isn't right, but doesn't do anything about it until later when it is convenient for the plot. Overall, this is a thrilling, fast paced novel. You'll get your money's worth on this one and I can't wait for the next one.

I'm a wimp, so I usually steer clear of thriller books. However I definitely loved this one, even though I may not sleep so well tonight. There are no graphic sex scenes. There is no profanity. There's just a beautifully written, edgy, scary thriller. How refreshing!

The characters are believable. They're not perfect; rather, they're flawed, just like you and me. Since the loss of his wife, FBI Special Agent Patrick Bowers struggles with Tessa, his independent stepdaughter. Tessa an intelligent seventeen year-old is a handful and a good sub-plot involves her antics. She's brilliant, and at one point presents a comparison/contrast of Edgar Allan Poe's Monsieur C. Auguste Dupin to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes. That discussion, in and of itself is intriguing enough to warrant the purchase price.

The author's research is amazing. The reader is introduced to technological weaponry, the study of sharks, and Congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis (CIPA) a rare disorder in which the afflicted feels no pain--ever. All of this is set in San Diego, where Bowers has been called in to investigate a series of fires. However, more evil takes place, and I can say no more.

If you usually figure out the ending, I think this one will give you the challenge you've been looking for.

Patrick Bowers is a special agent investigating a series of fires in San Diego, and he's stumped. Lien-hua Jiang, also a special agent with several years experieance as a profiler hasn't seen anything like it either. Every clue they follow seems to lead to a dead end. A homeless man commits suicide, and Patrick, who is the only witness discovers there's an ongoing investigation the police department doesn't want to share with him. Events escalate as Patrick and Lien-hua search for the elusive man known as Shade. They're in a race against time to save the lovely woman who is trapped in a desperate, life-threatening situation.This book is wall to wall suspense. Once I started reading, I hated to put it down. Steven James writes a great story that keeps the reader hooked from page one. If you like suspense, intrigue, and spine-tingling tension, don't miss The Rook

I loved the first book and this one was really good, too. I just didn't find it as addicting as the first one. I couldn't put The Pawn down, I read it in one day. This one kept my attention and the story was great and well written. It is worth reading if you liked the first one as it definitely continues the characters stories well.

Just when I thought I couldn't get enough of how different Patrick Bowers was in his debut story, things get... different even more. The first killer he fought was a killer who could blend in with the environment (in ways), this time it's an arsonist who uses unconventional means to what he does. And not because he wants to, but because he needs to. That and the fires don't make sense even to the sharp-minded Patrick at first, which is a baffler on its own. But when the investigation starts turning up some promising leads, it also turns up some strange concepts once thought to be only existent in science fiction. Patrick's history catches up with him to confuse him and a killer who's demanding something anyone could bring him but he just wants one person to do it, and it's something and someone no one expects. The methods for the fire, for the investigation, for the meaning behind it all, even behind the reasons are all captivating. And, once again, Steven uses a tight narrative in his story and, though I'm no grammar police, with how the story goes, not a single grammatical error in telling a really effective mystery. And when you find out why it's called The Rook, you'll kick yourself for not figuring it out sooner.

Yes, this book is worth reading: it's fast-paced, clever, and well-written. Having said that, there are times that the agent misses some pretty obvious clues or forgets things that a super-duper topnotch hotshot A-1 agent never would. Nonetheless, the first two books have been thoroughly enjoyable, and I will read the third, no doubt.

I keep seeing the "Christian" tag linked to the Patrick Bowers novels. They can in no way, shape, or form be construed as Christian novels, nor were they intended to be; that much is clear.

Steven James has a new fan. Without meeting Patrick Bowers and his unique family situation in The Pawn, I can assure you that I will be slamming it in reverse and picking up The Pawn as soon as I can. I loved so many things about The Rook. Deeply drawn and realistic characters. Issues beyond the horror of the crimes and the tense time frames involved, issues that are faced by a lot of readers. The investigative details were thoughtful and detailed without going-on-and-on over technical details that don't matter to the overall story. Plenty of sarcastic comments and humor are laced throughout.

The only people who might not want to go there are the squeamish, we are dealing with bad, bad guys, those bothered by kidnapping and unfolding clock's-a-ticking suspense, and those who want very clear gospel spelled out in the books produced by Christian fiction houses. Those who love good stories, crime novels, drama, tension, action, great characters and all around meaty reads need to look further into the Patrick Bowers series.

The Rook by Steven James is the second book in the Patrick Bowers files. Take an FBI agent, Patrick, with the intelligence of Charlie Eppes from Numb3rs and the social miscues of Tempe Brennan of Bones (the TV series, not the books). Give him a beautiful partner, Lien-hua ala Michelle Yeoh and a Gothy-cute step-daughter named Tessa, and you have the makings of a bang-up book. Patrick and Tessa witness a mysterious suicide while on an arson case in San Diego, and they are quickly drawn into a wild ride involving a secret government weapon, sharks, and long enmities. Patrick specializes in a form of looking at crimes spatially that gives this series a little something different than the other forensics procedurals on the market. He and Tessa's relationship forms the heart of the book as they try to figure out where they stand with each other, but his relationship with Lien-hua is also mesmerizing. The chemistry between them begs for the silver screen. James writes the action scenes in a way that they are easily readable. I followed every punch and bullet, and believe me, James doesn't pull any punches when it comes to dealing with the bad guys. The final chapter guaranteed that I will return for the next book; consider me a new fan!