Thursday, February 17, 2011

"Gretchen Greene", by CJ West


3rd book in the Randy Black series

The author is not one to take a formula and run with it, he is one who thrives on incorporating unpredictability; you never know what to expect. This latest is a prime example; fans will notice that the protagonist and the series have evolved tremendously.

Randy has undergone a major transformation, at first it was hard not to hate him, he was cunning and crafty in "Sin & Vengeance", but later in "Demon Awaits", he showed us another side that explained his tragic past, still not the side of a cuddly or loveable guy. In this latest adventure Randy plays the part of a hero when he encounters a young woman, Gretchen Greene, a researcher who is morally ambiguous and eco- obsessed.

Gretchen and her team are on the edge of developing a solar technology that could make fossil fuel obsolete but instead of developing the invention she decides to take the data and run. Unfortunately, a team of assassins with other ideas is also aware of the discovery and is determined to destroy everyone and everything connected to the research. With the aid of a fellow student, Gretchen manages to escape the attack. But in their haste to flee they are involved in a chaotic accident and find themselves trying to keep one step ahead of the assassins.

At this point, Randy becomes part of the action and finds himself in a dilemma, how can he save Gretchen and not attract the attention of the authorities; any attention could derail his long awaited pardon from the Governor.

I like this series, the topics are as varied as you can imagine. "Gretchen Greene" is very captivating, its starts with a bang and grabs your attention immediately and never lets go. The story is character driven, their depiction strong and unpredictable. The plot is well structured and the events dictate the next move in a most thrilling way. On the down side, it may be difficult to pick up this series mid-point, the author provides little background in his flashback of past events and it can be a bit confusing and challenging at times. In order to get maximum enjoyment from this series, I suggest starting at the beginning and read subsequent novels promptly.

So far I can truthfully say I have enjoyed this series and I am looking forward to Randy's next adventures

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