Brutal Revenge (Book) - 1/28/2013 6:56:22 AM
Reader Reviews
“I did not expect to enjoy this book as much as I did. It's about a group of looters who go to a remote Scottish island to steal a hoard of treasure. But things turn bad and they find themselves at odds with the peace-loving islanders. It's a violent book with a simple plot, but it moves at a feverish pace and the characters are vividly drawn. I recommend it.”
Amazon reader.
“I downloaded this as a freebie because I liked the cover. I also liked the book. It was easy going and a bit different to the crime thrillers I usually read. It's basically about a robbery on a remote Scottish island that goes terribly wrong. The robbers then find themselves pitted against the peace-loving islanders. There's lots of action and a fair amount of violence and the book has plenty of pace.”
Amazon reader.
“A short somewhat brutal story. Made you think what would you do? I like James Raven's writing - four books I have read so far are all completely different. Look forward to reading more.”
Goodreads review.
“I really enjoyed this book......it's short, punchy and well written. I got through it in one sitting and was gripped from the start. It's pretty violent and not for the squeamish. It's also unusual in the sense that all the action takes place on a remote Scottish island. I've become a big fan of this author and highly recommended him.”
Amazon reader.
Arctic Blood (Book) - 1/28/2013 6:55:48 AM
Reader Reviews
“Really enjoyed this book. It's an above average thriller that I got through during one lazy afternoon. It offers up a good dose of escapism. I liked the Arctic setting and the action sequences are well written. It also made me think for the first time about how the Arctic region is becoming more and more important to the superpowers which are desperate to develop new energy resources. It's a short book but that suited me because I lose patience with long, wordy novels which seem to be all the rage right now.”
Amazon reader.
“Fast paced, excellent written and a great story line - what else can you ask for? Oh yeah, it was free on Kindle! Will be looking out for this author again!”
Goodreads review.
“This is a fairly short thriller and I read it in a couple of hours. The story is set in the Arctic region and the main character is an airline pilot who gets into serious trouble during a routine assignment. His problems begin after a man's body is found off the coast of Greenland. That's basically the cue for some non-stop action which doesn't let up until the end. It's an enjoyable book and an easy-going read.”
Amazon reader.
“I really enjoyed this book. I like it when a regular Joe gets involved in an exciting adventure that he is ill prepared to meet. He has to call on hidden reserves and become a hero. At the library where I worked, we would have called this a "man's" book like Robert Ludlum or Alistair MacLean. Exciting and would make a great movie.”
Amazon reader.
“Every now and then, one comes across a book, a story, a plot which makes the reader go "wow", and this is such a book. Set in the scenic environment near Greenland, the author tells the story in a beautiful free prose, vivid characterisation & thrilling plot that builds up with every turn of the page.There are many incidental pleasures to be had, not least the way the author combines deep knowledge of local geography, planes, boats etc with an absorbing plot line. It is clever, thoroughly researched and an engrossing read. I certainly found it compelling and exciting – just the thing to make even the most book-weary reviewer feel refreshed. Throughout, there's a sense of a novelist in total control of his material; the narrative is seeded with incidental detail that becomes crucial when you least expect it. It's a wonderfully atmospheric read from an author who gets better with every book (I can say this having read James Raven's other books). Highly recommended.”
Amazon Reader.
Red Blitz (Book) - 1/28/2013 6:55:04 AM
Reader Reviews
“In fiction anyway, the best terrorism is successful terrorism, or partially successful terrorism. Part of Venice is destroyed before things really get going, and that makes for a better story. The main detective, Cali, receives letters warning of a series of explosions but is too late to prevent the first, and when the other go off on time he is in frenzy to find the culprits. A very thoroughly detailed and easy narrative makes this book every bit as enjoyable as top list thrillers.”
Amazon Reader.
“I liked this book as you don’t have often have a book like this set in Venice. The setting alone made this book stand out for me - terrorists in Venice! The pace of the book was excellent as we learn more and more about the mystery behind the bombs. Mr Raven as an author continues to be one of my favourite new authors that I found in 2012. Red Blitz is another great read from a talented author.”
Amazon Reader.
“I started reading this book over the weekend and was amazed at how fast I was drawn into the story. The book is set in Venice and the characters are well defined. The descriptions throughout the story help to draw the reader in and introduce you to his world. There was a lot of action throughout the book, and it was so well written that it made it feel like you were there. This was great book that I would highly recommend to anyone.”
Amazon Reader.
“This is a thrilling book about a plot to blow up the beautiful city of Venice. The author keeps us guessing as to why it's happening and as the tension mounts so does the body count. The main character is a police officer named Armond Cali who I warmed to from the start. He reminded me of Donna Leon's protagonist Commissario Brunetti. I enjoyed the fast-paced story-line which is full of fascinating facts about Venice. Highly recommended.”
Amazon Reader.
“Red Blitz is a compelling and gripping read told by one of the most prolific storytellers of today..."James Raven." It will leave you mesmerized by the authors natural ability to write something this magnificent like it was effortless. His detailed descriptions are so crisp and clear it's like I can actually reach out and shake his characters hand. Most of the time I have to delve into a couple chapters to get the feel of a book before I decide if I really like it. But Raven took me before the first few line of the first chapter, I'd say not even 30 seconds. It's kind of like an Iron Mike Tyson fight only 30 second in the first round you have no choice but to hit the canvas. In Ravens case you have no choice but to be knocked clear across the page by every awe-inspiring word, oh yeah it's just that good...!”
Amazon Reader.
“I always love a story that starts with a conflict. James does not disappoint with the pace of things. He takes the reader through series of explosions and opens all eyes to the deepest psychotic side of greed. Although two thirds of the book through he takes pity and gives us the story behind what's veiled as a terrorist attack. Exquisitely written, wonderfully edited, definitely my favorite - however two questions: Wouldn't there be a whole lot more outside help to Venetians if there truly was terrorists blowing things up right and left? Wouldn't the off-duty cops be MUCH more cautious - when there's things being blown up along with people all around them? All in all this is a great action packed story, worth every minute. Thumbs up!”
Amazon Reader.
“I really enjoyed reading this book. The details that the author included drew me into the story from the first page. The brilliant descriptions of the places, people and events were excellent and really drew me into the story and helped me form images in my mind as I followed the story. The author's writing style made me want to keep turning the pages to see what would happen next. The pace of the story was excellent and exciting. There was intrigue, danger and drama throughout the story. The author is an awesome story teller who has a talent for building suspense. The brilliant wording allowed me to get into the heads of the characters and made me want to keep reading more. This is an excellent piece of fiction and I'm planning to look at his other books.”
Amazon Reader.
“Red Blitz is a compelling and gripping read told by one of the most prolific storytellers of today. His detailed descriptions are so crisp and clear it's like you can actually reach out and shake his characters by the hand. Most of the time I have to delve into a couple chapters to get the feel of a book before I decide if I really like it. But Raven took me before the first few lines of the first chapter, I'd say not even 30 seconds. It's kind of like an Iron Mike Tyson fight only 30 second in the first round you have no choice but to hit the canvas. In Raven's case you have no choice but to be knocked clear across the page by every awe-inspiring word, oh yeah it's just that good...!”
Amazon Reader.
Rollover (Book) - 1/28/2013 6:51:50 AM
Reader Reviews
"I found this story to be engaging, entertaining and extremely well written. It's got everything; gambling, illicit sex, murder and corruption. A genuine page-turner of a thriller with twists and turns right to the end!"
Newbooks Magazine Review
“Rollover is one of the best books I have ever read. I found it thrilling and exciting right from the first page. It jumped from one tense situation to the next and back again in each chapter leaving the reader breathless with anticipation I found the pace breath-taking and exhilarating. It was a great ending, far different from what I had imagined.”
Amazon reader.
“This is a thrilling book from start to finish. One of the best crime novels I've read in a long time. It has real pace and tension and the plot idea is a gem.”
Book Depository review.
“It's always enjoyable to discover a great novel and this was truly a reading pleasure. All the elements are here to satisfy even the most demanding critic. This great novel by James Raven could very well be on the road to "Best Seller" status as it deserves it! Rollover is a winner!”
Amazon reader.
“I have to say it's one of the best crime novels I've read. The pace is relentless from the opening page and it doesn't let up. The narrative is rich and full of details about an area of the UK I'm not familiar with. The story revolves around a huge lottery win and a journalist named Danny Cain who has to go on the run from both the police and a sadistic killer. It would make a great movie.”
Barnes and Noble US.
Stark Warning (Book) - 11/14/2012 3:43:40 PM
The back of “Stark Warning” by James Raven immediately caught my interest because of the subject matter. How often have you thought, “If I see that celebrity on tv one more time, I am going to poke my eyes out!” Well “Stark Warning” takes it a morbid dark step further.
Raven does an excellent job in bringing the pulp like murder fiction to life. Raven joins the ranks of the greats, previous Pulp Fiction writers such as Dashiell Hammett, and Ray Bradbury.
Told in a first person narrative, Sam Quinn is the lead detective on the “Celebrity Squad” A squad formed to investigate the rising number of serial like killings of the famous. After a tragedy that blindsides Sam, he falls into a depression and reverts to his old ways of gambling and losing( online poker too sheesh). When I came to this part of the story I was a little put off and thought, ”Is this the hero of the book?”( Yes I am old fashioned) Then I continued to read along and came across this passage;
Excerpt:
“As I stared down at the figure on the ground, I experienced an intense feeling of sadness. Life is so arbitrary, I thought. At the end of the day it’s all about luck. Maybe that is why I gamble. Everything I do is a risk, every day could be my last. So I try whenever I can to beat the odds.”-Sam Quinn from Stark Warning
This is me, being put in my place.
Sam just explained to me why he was addicted to gambling after his tragedy( since I didn’t figure it out on my own). I liked that the writer just then, gave a little more depth so Sam.
All in all Stark Warning is a quick ,fun ,dark read for fans of mystery and thrillers!
