Three days to live by James Patterson

 "Three days to live" by James Patterson - 3 stories. 

This book was published by Penguin (Cornerstone) in 2023 and has 448 pages.  

3 days to live

Samantha Bell was recruited by Quinton for CIA in her teens. Now, in her late twenties, she has retired. Kevin Drexel has sold his shareholding in his company to his partner, Bill. They have married and are on honeymoon to Germany. An unknown nerve agent kills Kevin and causes hospitalization of Samantha. Doctors tell her that she has three days to live. Samantha needs to find out who is behind this.

The story has a good buildup. Things start to get interesting and then suddenly, the story reaches the climax. It's so sudden that the anticipation of what Samantha can do in 3 days suddenly dies.

Women and children first

Chase, ex special forces, runs a security consulting firm that has a staff of two. He himself and his daughter. His wife is a lawyer in Avalon communications. With her connections, he lands a contract with Avalon. A series of deliberate accidents happen with Avalon facilities and Chase gets a ransom call. Owner of Avalon, Gillian, refuses to believe him and fires him. The random caller forces him to shoot his wife.

This is a good story. The offs are stacked against Chase. The story starts with Chase shooting his wife and then takes us back. Although the story is interesting, the downfall comes a little too easily. For a plot of such proportions, the downfall is not complex enough.

The housekeepers

Masha Poplov is an illegal Russian immigrant and works as cleaner at the house of Dr. Elizabeth Parks, a surgeon who runs a facility for terminally ill. Dr. Parks is divorced and has a son in rehab. Marsha's cousin Sofie is also an illegal immigrant and lives with her sons. 

The story is thoroughly confusing. Readers don't understand where it's going. First it appears like it's about data leak, then it is about Masha - the thief, then it's about illegal immigration, then about housebreaking and finally about philanthropy. Probably even the authors didn't know what they wanted to write. I wonder how this story made it into a published book.

Why I read this book? Was available in hand.

What did I like? 2nd story.  

What didn’t like? Third story.

Not worth reading just for one story.

Countdown by James Patterson & Brendan Dubois

"Countdown" by James Patterson & Brendan Dubois-Lady protagonist thriller!

This book is published by Century in 2023 and it has 480 pages. 

Emy Cornwall has joined CIA to avoid dishonorable discharge from army when she killed several Mexican drug cartel members to save her husband and daughter. She is on a mission in Lebanon in collaboration with British special services when she realizes that the British team has another secret mission planned without CIA knowledge. Amy bring Amy joints in uninvited and against orders. A terror plot is in the offing.

Why does Amy join? Why does she go against the others? What is the terror plot? Who is the mastermind?

Apparently a Saudi businessman, bastard child of a prince, Rishad Hussein, is going to be killed. He is an American asset.

The story takes us from Lebenon to France to England to America. MI6 and CIA are at loggerheads. Amy and Jeremy become persona non grata. It's up to them to stop the terrorists. Count down begins.

The terror plot appears to be too complicated. There are too many variables for the success of it. Author has realized it and shows the villain thinking that he will use a simple and direct plot next time.

The story is a typical thriller. However, author introduces a twist at the end to make it interesting. The story also ends at a turn where a sequel is imminent. But the author has stopped at such a point where several possibilities open up for the sequel. He can use the same villain, same protagonists, a different villain, new protagonist etc. This basically tells us that the author is undecided about how he wants to take the story forwarded.

Why did I read this book? James Paterson. 

What I didn't like? Deaths of Tom and Denise.

What did I like? The twist.

It's an OK read.

Tress of the emerald sea by Brandon Sanderson

"Tress of the emerald sea" by Brandon Sanderson - A new world! 

This book is published by Gollancz in 2023 and has 384 pages. This is Book1 of the Secret Projects.

Tress (a name she got due to her unruly hair) lives in an island made up of a single rock on a planet with 12 moons. She's a window washer. The island is ruled by The Duke and Tress loves Charlie, Duke's son. Not happy with this Union, Duke sends his son into midnight sea in the area of a wicked sorceress. The sorceress kidnaps him. Tress decides to rescue him.

What can a window washer do? Does she even know where midnight sea is? Who does she encounter? What does she learn? Does she get her love back? Will the journey change her?

It is interesting to choose a setting of another planet for the story. It gives the author a lot of latitude and lets his imagination run wild. So we have a sea without water. It's filled with deadly spores that explode when they come in contact with water. Salt and silver suppresses the spores. Waves in the sea come from natural air vents at the bottom. There are 12 moons and twelve seas. There's a dragon and a talking mouse. Etc. Author creates a new world.

The setting is exotic. However, despite the exotic setting, author has chosen to keep the things very simple. So Tress is fond of collecting cups. She is a window washer. Things are not said out loud, they are implied. She doesn't mind when she isn't treated well. She has a hidden talent that she discovers.

The story starts on her island in emerald sea and takes us on a boat ride through crimson sea, midnight sea and back to emerald sea. Majority of the story happens on the ship. The pirate ship has interesting crew. An evil lady captain. A mute man. A lady who is searching her father from one port to another. A vampire doctor. A stupid cabin boy. This stupid fellow is also the narrator of the story.

It's an interesting yet simple story. But it's not the end. This is just the first book of the series. Tress will continue her adventures.

Why did I read this book? It was available in hand.

What did I like? Authors imagination.

What I didn't like? Missed opportunity to make certain scenes more interesting.

Recommend reading.

Nano by Robin Cook

 "Nano" by Robin Cook -  Medical thriller continues! 

This book is published by Pan Macmillan India in 2019 and has 440 pages. This is Book 2 of Pia Grazdani series. 

After completing medical school, instead of doing internship, Pia has joined a research laboratory called Nano in Boulder - Colorado, doing research in Nano Technology. She finds a Chinese runner with cardiac arrest in the woods, she takes him to the hospital but her boss and a heavy security detail arrives and whisks-off the runner. Pia begins to get suspicious and she can't stop, when something bugs her, until she gets to the bottom of it.

Why is the runner sick? What is the Chinese connection? What is Nano doing? What is the real deal behind it?

Pia has a troubled childhood in foster care despite having a gangster father. She has no friends and can't love anyone. She is very intelligent and gorgeous. George Wilson, her friend from medical school, loves her. He is also her closest friend. Paul Coldwell is Head of ER at Colorado memorial hospital. He and Pia develop friendship. Paul is the only one ready to help Pia in her investigation. Zachary Berman is Owner of Nano. He is attracted to Pia and can't digest her refusal. Mariel Spallak is Pia's boss and head scientist. 

Well, as the title suggests, this story is about nano technology. It's about unauthorized human trials. What nanotechnology can do is limitless and has minimal oversight.

The story is not very interesting but you also don't lose interest. There are twists and turns. The Chinese connection is ominous.

Why did I read this book? First book was good.

What I didn't like? Sorry not very interesting. 

What did I like? Use of Nanotechnology.