A threat inside the government. A whistleblower’s life on the line. It’s up to Jon Reznick to bring justice.When hacker Trevelle Williams discovers documents that threaten national security and put his life in jeopardy, there’s only one person he can turn to—Jon Reznick. Williams has learned that Rosalind Dyer, a key congressional witness, is about to be killed in order to stop her testimony. She … her testimony. She has stumbled into the middle of a cover-up that goes deep into the United States government. Dyer knows her days are numbered, but that won’t stop her from doing what she has to do.
Trevelle Williams has helped Jon out of many a scrape in the past. Now, Jon is the only person he can turn to for help saving Rosalind’s life, as well as his own, and protecting national security in the process.
With enemies on all sides, including within the United States government, can Jon and Trevelle get to Rosalind in time? They’re her only hope to escape her pursuers and bring these secrets to light.
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A fast paced solid thriller. It might have been a bit rushed at parts, but it was a good read nonetheless.
I received a copy of this story from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I wanted to like this. I thought I was going to like this. Based on the summary, I thought this was going to be a story about political intrigue and government corruption, yes, but I also thought the hacker (Trevelle Williams) would feature more heavily than he did. I thought this would be a more high-tech, cyber-based action novel.
I could not have been more wrong. On all counts.
It was like a bad action movie. You know the type: the action movies that are so bad, they’re funny. Except this wasn’t even funny. The dialogue was incredibly unrealistic. It often made me cringe because people just do not talk like that in real life. And it was so circular. Reznick kept rehashing the same conversations with the same characters. It became redundant and didn’t further the story.
There was plenty of action but it was empty action. Any dramatic tension that was built up dissipated almost immediately after. Things were too easy. There was no mystery except what would happen to Rosalind. And the ending could have been great but it was a total waste because it wasn’t earned. An ending like that needs time, tension, and finesse. It only pays off after carefully building and stoking that fire. Because none of that happened, the ending was a massive disappointment. I skimmed the last bit of it because the aftermath wasn’t important at that point.
This one is a hard pass for me.
A page turning thriller!
This is my first book by JB Turner and I really enjoyed it from start to finish. It was fast-paced, with a hard-as-nails protagonist that has common sense, a strong moral compass, and loyalty. The story was filled with twist and turns, some you’d expect and others that will surprise you.
I found the characters interesting and likable, and the plot engaging. Definitely will be checking out more of JB Turner’s work.
I Couldn’t Put It Down
4.5 out of 5 stars
Hard Target felt different, I’m not 100% sure why but it was just different enough to really breath some life into this series (not that I think it needed it). In the last few books Reznick has had to deal with threats on his daughter and his not-girlfriend… girlfriend. This one he’s out to help Trevelle Williams, his hacker friend who is able to get him almost anything that he needs when a computer is involved.
Even as Turner was introducing the story in Hard Target I couldn’t have predicted where it was going to end up. I thought that the addition of helping out a friend was going to be the story but that was just the tip of the iceberg. Like the other stories in the Jon Reznick series – there is so much more than meets the eye.
I wasn’t sure even as the story progressed exactly how it was going to end, but I wasn’t even close to predicting the ending. I really thought that things were going to end up different but I should have known (anything more that I add here will be a spoiler). J.B. Turner is at the top of his game in Hard Target – writing an absolute page-turner. I couldn’t put Hard Target down even if I’d wanted to. I realized that I only had an hour left, so I figured I would stay up and finish it… that was at 1am last night. Oops. I just couldn’t wait to see what happened.
Obviously, I have to talk about the fantastic narration by Jeffrey Kafer. He’s able to voice Reznick perfectly and really has been the rock that’s been there for every book in this series. He is Jon in my book and I’m glad that such a great narrator has been there throughout Jon’s experiences.
Hard Target is the eight book in the series, but the first one by this author that I have read. I was able to follow along with the book even though I hadn’t read the previous books in the series. I would classical this as a political thriller, that was action packed from start to finish. Overall I found the book to be very well written, and one that kept you turning the pages.
I received an Advanced Readers Copy from NetGalley and the Publisher in exchange for my fair and honest review.
A very intense read. Reznick I drawn into another high octane plot that will keep you on the edge of your seats. This is dirty politics at the highest level where the stakes are deadly. Jon gets a call from one of his friends who is in danger and as they dig the mess just keeps piling up. It leads to the highest levels of government and people are getting killed for what they know. He has to try and keep two of these people alive while staying ahead of the bad guys as well as the FBI. It becomes a game of cat and mouse as they stay on the move and try to stay one step ahead.
Jon Reznick, a black ops specialist and occasional FBI asset, is once again in the middle of an op that could go either way. He’s contacted by hacker Trevelle Williams who is on the run with assailants ready to end his life. His only hope…Jon Reznick. Jon learns that a whistleblower has compiled information that may show the corruption and kickbacks involving the military and a private contractor. Can he keep Trevelle and the whistleblower safe? To go up against Jon is an enormous mistake, but they will try. He plays by his own rules and doesn’t hesitate to do what is right, whether it is approved or not. You can always count on a complex and breath-taking mystery when Reznick is involved. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)
Another great story in the Jon Reznik continuation series.
Every time I’m reading a new book it feels like actually seeing all the action on a screen and I’m always looking forward to it because it’s a great ability that not many writers have it and being on the edge of your seat at all times, turning the pages faster and faster just to read one more chapter it definitely makes you going up on my favourite authors list.
New characters, interesting plot and twists and turns, some unexpected and some predictable but necessary in my opinion, all together are adding up for a worthwhile couple of hours.
It’s compelling and it makes you think how far are some people willing to go and sacrifice for revealing the truth or taking the justice in their own hands with all the risks that are implied.
Some people are considered lucky to be still alive but who really knows what hides behind their facade? Any lost or grief is lived differently and I must admit that I like how the author is dealing with this topic and our main character.