Review: Pandora’s Succession by Russell Brooks

Filed in Russell Brooks , The Spellbound Lover Posted on February 18, 2011 @ 7:00 am 5 comments
Format Read: e-book from the author

Number of Pages:  267 pages
Release Date:  20th October 2010
Publisher:  Amazon Digital Services
Formats Available:  e-book
Purchasing Info:  Russell Brooks, Good Reads, Amazon

Book Blurb:

Where would you hide if you learned the CDC and a major pharmaceutical company unleashed a hyperdeadly microbe on the human race?

CIA operative, Ridley Fox, never stopped hunting his fiancé’s killers — a weapons consortium called The Arms of Ares. When an informant leads him to an old bunker outside of Groznyy, Chechnya, Fox is captured and left for dead. When the informant rescues him, Fox learns that his capture was no coincidence: someone had set him up—possibly another government agent. Fox barely escapes after learning that Ares has acquired a hyperdeadly microbe—called Pandora—that is believed to have wiped out ancient civilizations. The trail leads Fox to Tokyo where he discovers that other forces —including agents within Japanese Intelligence—want Pandora for themselves. The only ally Fox turns to is a woman from his past who he nearly got killed.

My Thoughts:
Pandora’s Succession starts right in the middle of action with Ridley Fox being captured and dragged to a room to die a paralysing and slow death.  He has never stopped hunting for the murderers of his fiance and it has led up to the point where Chapter One starts and he is lying in the room.  Thankfully someone comes to his aid.  She is part of the reason he is there in the first place and reveals vital information when come in contact with Ridley.  A bio weapon of mass destruction (I’ve always wanted to say that lol)

The story is complex with multiple viewpoints (the main being Ridley) and I found it helped to fill in alot of the blanks when a previous chapter ends and a new one starts.  Ridley is a very likable character.  Unlike some books where the main hero in the story seems arrogant and hard, Ridley has a soft spot for the underdog and steps in to help even though it could jeopardize his mission.

I did find a few times that the story’s pace lagged in places where there was a heavy amount of description.  I think if it were cut down a little the story would have flowed better.  But in saying that, there were only a few parts through the book where I actually sat back and took notice.

All in all, a well plotted book full of action, where you don’t know who can be trusted and will have you second guessing up until the end.  Fantastic read.

I give Pandora’s Succession  4 out of 5 bookies.

***FTC Disclaimer: Most books reviewed on this site have been provided free of charge by the publisher, author or publicist. Some books we have purchased with our own money and will be noted as such. Any links to places to purchase books are provided as a convenience, and do not serve as an endorsement by this blog. All reviews are the true and honest opinion of the blogger reviewing the book. The method of acquiring the book does not have a bearing on the content of the review.

About Melissa


Melissa is a vegemite eating, thong wearing (Thongs = native shoe found in most Aussie dwellings) Australian who loves to read!. When she's not immersed in a book, she can be found writing in between juggling a full time job and being a Mum of a three year old monster named Cruzito. She can be found at Spellbound By Books or at My Alter Ego Charlie.

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5 Comments

Join the Discussion
  • Russell Brooks February 18, 2011 at 12:20 pm

    Thanks for the review, Melissa. Just a little reminder for those that haven't signed up to the mailinglist on my website. The paperback edition for Pandora's Succession is coming out soon. Visit http://www.russellparkway.com for details.

    Russell

  • Sarah February 18, 2011 at 1:00 pm

    I love thrillers and this sounds like a good one! I've added it to my wishlist 🙂

    smaccall @ comcast.net

  • Russell Brooks February 18, 2011 at 1:09 pm

    Thanks, Sarah. Let me know what you think.

    Russell Brooks
    Author of Pandora's Succession

  • natalie23 February 26, 2011 at 8:32 am

    I've had my eye on this bok for a while, I've just been looking for reviews to see what people thought. Looks like this is another one for the wishlist.

  • Russell Brooks February 26, 2011 at 10:48 am

    Hello, Nathalie.

    If you want to see all the reviews, check out my website here.

    Russell Brooks
    Author of Pandora's Succession.

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