Death Logs In by E J Simon : A Review

BOOK TITLE: Death Logs In

AUTHOR: E.J. Simon

ISBN/ASIN: B0789TC8Z8

GENRE: Fiction / Technothriller

NUMBER OF PAGES: 340

FORMAT: Digital

SERIES / STANDALONE: Michael Nicholas Book 2

HOW I GOT THIS BOOK: I thank iRead Book Tours for this review copy.

SUMMARY:

Some of the most powerful people in the world want to kill Michael Nicholas. Only his brother Alex can save him—the problem is that Alex is dead.

It’s been almost a year since Alex Nicholas, a Queens-based underworld boss, was gunned down. After Alex’s brutal murder, Michael inherited not only his brother’s business, but his enemies. Michael is now a key player in a world he once feared. By day, he is the head of a Fortune 500 company. By night, the CEO of Tartarus, one of the world’s largest illegal gambling operations.

Before his death, Alex invested heavily in breakthrough artificial intelligence software so that he could live forever. It worked. In his virtual form, Alex can communicate with Michael and monitor information—and people—in ways the NSA would envy.

It is Alex who discovers Michael’s life is in danger. He detects plots that reach from the darkest corners of Queens to the highest officials in the Vatican—and they all want Michael dead.

Michael is now in a race to save his life, but he is never alone. Alex is there to help him navigate through this maze of life and death. Also protecting Michael from the forces closing in around him is Sindy Steele, a beautiful and lethal bodyguard.

How far is Michael willing to go to save his own life and that of his family? Guided only by a familiar face on a computer screen, will the information Alex discovers allow Michael to go from being the hunted to the hunter?

FIRST IMPRESSION:

The concept of 'first impressions' does not really exist for series books, especially those read in quick succession. I have already given my first impressions about the author and his writing style when I read and reviewed the first book in the Michael Nicholas Series, Death Never Sleeps. So before I began the second book, Death Logs In, I had a pretty good idea about the writing and the author, not to mention the characters. There was even a hangover from that book, remnants of the story and certain scenes that stood out in my mind, while I began reading this book. So while the summary reveals more than enough about the story, it also only sets the scene for me to get familiar with the new twists and turns of this book. 

REVIEW:

Death logs in - is the tale of the reluctant leader. Someone who is chosen for the mantle against his wish but performs even better than the shoes he fills. In this case, Michael, who has very little idea about his brother Alex's activities as a bookie, goes through threats and unravels that side bit by bit (in Death Never Sleeps)until he takes up the role, also maintaining his image as a CEO of a famous company. With just Alex to guide him, Michael feels the heat of life threats that come as part of this world. He has powerful enemies and faces unnatural threats which he must overcome with the help of his brother Alex, who is a virtual AI form.

With technology that would probably shock the most powerful governments across the world, the book has enough twists and turns that keep the reader engaged throughout. The book does not match the intensity of book 1, where every character evoked mistrust until proven right, but still it manages to be a good sequel that does not disappoint the readers by veering off course. It is not an easy task to write an entirely new book with the same characters with unique threats and twists based on the same set of events that happened but the author has managed to pull that off. The book takes off from where the previous one ended, and it does so seamlessly.

The writing is smooth, with sparingly few errors, and the pace is fast, apt for a thriller. Michael's character undergoes a noticeable shift and this may make some readers wonder and revisit the initial description of the character. But with the writing, this seems more like a twist that tries to show the reader that those who inherit certain positions must also become one with the requirements of the position, including their family members in the game. This book will either make the readers take sides and justify the actions of the characters who undergo the shift, or make them feel that the twists make it more unbelievable and alien.

The book has just about enough explanation to make it possible to function as a standalone book, but would seem much more intense with the backstory from the first book, especially if read back to back. Overall, it is an interesting read that makes the reader hope the third book comes soon, but still a notch lesser than its predecessor. A good read.

WHAT I LIKED:

• The book has plenty of twists to keep the reader engaged and interested throughout
• The beautiful way in which Alex lives on after death is at once impressive and scary.
• The story is fast paced and does not lag anywhere.

WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER:

• Not as impressive as the first, but that is a cross all sequels have to bear.
• A few typos and character digressions exist, but they can be overlooked.
• Some character shifts may be disconcerting to readers.

VERDICT:

An interesting read, engaging narrative.

RATING: 3.8/5

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

E. J. Simon is the author of three commercial fiction thrillers, Death Never Sleeps, Death Logs In and Death Logs Out. He has just completed his fourth manuscript, Death in the Cloud.

He is a member of the Authors Guild, the Mystery Writers of America and the North Carolina Writer’s Network. He holds an M.A. in Corporate & Political Communications from Fairfield University and a B.A. in Journalism from the University of South Carolina. He lives with his family in Cary, North Carolina in the United States. For more information, visit his website: www.ejsimon.com.

EDITIONS AVAILABLE: Kindle, Paperback, Hardcover

PRICE $2.75 for Kindle, $14.99 for Paperback, $27.99 for Hardcover

BOOK LINKS: Amazon