4.0
The Rogue Retrieval
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Meet readers like you in the Fable For You feed, designed to build bookish communitiesThe Rogue Retrieval Reviews
4.0
“Mercedes Lackey meets military suspense... plus a witty Vegas magician.
Do I have to say more?”
“2.5 stars.
Quinn Thomas Bradley is an charming Vegas magician with name in neon and stardom on the strip dreams. That he has the talent to back the dreams, lands him a "job" with a mysterious "company" that all but kidnaps him to an undisclosed location and takes him to a whole other world - quite literally.
The premise is promising and Bradley's character just fun enough to keep you going. But for an adventure novel that marries magic with science fiction, shows us a different world, barely manages to either build a sense of urgency or any real purpose. So much for being on a mission.
The writing is clunky - amusing and indulgent in places and barely defined in others. There is little context about the mission, little clarity about repercussions of failure. Plots are introduced quicker than Quinn can charm his way out of them and never really touched upon again - let alone resolved. Perhaps this is set up to be a series - if yes then Koboldt has some learning to do on how to do that effectively.
Then again perhaps this was written to be sold as a script. (What else can explain the fact that most words used here are either dialogue or action words to describe technology and fighting) And I cannot help but imagine that a movie might actually be a much better use of one's time. It might even ensure sequels are eagerly awaited”
“This turned out to be quite a fun book subtly drawing inspirations from a lot of sources but retaining enough charm to differentiate it from the others. Charming, I think, thats the word for this book. The characters are not very complex but are extremely charming and good humored. There is a vein of darkness but that's mostly hidden away to an extent.
The classic fish-out-of-water scenario heres involves a Vegas magician being hired by a large faceless corporation to hunt a rogue scientist who has gone missing in another world, a world fuedal in set up but containing magic. Which gives our unlikely lead a chance to get involved in things beyond his control, in a world where impersonating magicians could sentence you to death. Quick with his feet and words, Bradley Quinn tries to charm, wheedle and negotiate his way out of the situations that he manages to land and make worse. The supporting cast is also adequately covered and has great chemistry.
There is a nice easy pace to the book and a great comfort level from the way it is written, the moment you pick it up. There is hardly a dull moment in the book. The ending however seemed a bit too pat and rushed. At a point in the book, around 80%, I was resigned to a sequel given how things were going but surprisingly enough, the threads all converge together, if too conveniently to let you off with a decent resolution even if there are enough ancillary threads to make you want to visit the world if there are any sequels planned (Please let there be)”
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