Publisher's Weekly Review
Bestseller Lee mixes high-concept technology and adventure in his exciting second novel featuring former Delta Ranger Sam Dryden (after 2014's Runner). Sam's off-the-grid life buying and selling houses he rehabs is interrupted when he receives a late-night call from former colleague Claire Dunham, who needs his immediate help on a secret mission. The two rescue four kidnapped girls held in a shack in California's Sierra Nevada foothills; yet the police and FBI earlier found the girls and their abductor dead. Claire has been working security for a firm that has built a machine that tells the future, giving those who own it a chance to change events-a power too seductive to those who want world domination. Sam and Claire team with skeptical FBI agent Marine Calvert, but those behind the machine predict their every move. A trained assassin with a double life, a presidential candidate, and shadowy thugs up the ante. A credible hero and a plot filled with nonstop cinematic action will leave thriller fans eager for the next installment. Announced first printing of 100,000 copies. Agent: Janet Reid, FinePrint Literary Management. (July) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
*Starred Review* Sam Dryden can't seem to stop running. Runner (2014), the first thriller starring the former Special Forces agent, grabbed readers by the collar and dragged them in its considerable wake as Dryden tried to protect a young girl with a phenomenal ability to read minds. Now he's running again, not just to avoid capture by some seriously bad guys but also to outrun or at least sidestep time itself. It starts with a former colleague, Claire Dunham, rousing Sam in the middle of the night to help her out of a jam right now. He does so, of course, and the lives of four kidnapped girls are saved. But there is a bigger problem: a Rod Serlingesque time machine which allows its users to listen to radio waves from the future as they jump around on some Einsteinian time-space continuum has fallen into the hands of an evil cabal (yup, another one) called the Group, which is doing some very nasty long-range planning. Evading the Group, not to mention squashing them, becomes a bit tricky for Dryden and Dunham, as all their adversaries need to do to figure out their next move is to turn on the radio. Two books into this series, and it's clear that Lee has hit the jackpot. He's combined a Lee Child-like ability to build momentum in an instant and keep it going for 350 pages with a nose for premises that run right up to the point of disbelief without quite diving over the edge (it helps that there's always a whiff of science supporting the craziness). Expect the horde of out-of-breath readers gasping to keep up with Lee's breakneck pace to keep growing exponentially with each new appearance of Sam Dryden. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: This one has a 100,000 first printing, and the movie rights to Runner were sold to Warner Brothers at auction.--Ott, Bill Copyright 2015 Booklist
Library Journal Review
Lee's second series installment (after Runner) is packed with all the hallmarks of a great thriller coupled with the additional wrinkle of time travel. Sam Dryden was supposed to be retired from Special Forces work, but a phone call from an old friend changes matters. His old pal Claire Dunham desperately needs his help to take down a dangerous group in possession of technology that allows them to know the future. Sam and his most trusted allies must find a way to stop the group and wipe the technology off the face of the earth. But how can Sam possibly take down a group of wealthy and influential individuals who have the ability to know the exact moves he will make? This novel presents a very good and unique story, but the twists and turns related to time travel can lead to moments of cloudiness for the listener. Actor Ari Fliakos's narration is smooth, and his voice is perfect for this genre. Verdict Recommended for both thriller fans and listeners who enjoy elements of sf. ["Lee's thriller featuring a loner hero compares to Lee Child's "Jack Reacher" series but with the added kick of technology": LJ 4/15/15 starred review of the Minotaur: St. Martin's hc.]-Sean Kennedy, Cleveland State Univ. Law Lib. © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.