Gerald Brandt
THE OPERATIVE
Daw Books
Science Fiction
I discovered Gerald Brandt by pure accident. I'd won a copy of THECOURIER on Goodreads. The cover was what caught my eye, initially. Once I
started reading, however, I knew this would be an author I'd keep tabs on.
Having just finished reading THE OPERATIVE, Book 2 in the San Angeles Series, I
mean literally just finished reading it, I wanted to dive right in and write my
review.
THE OPERATIVE
takes place about a year after THE COURIER. Kris Merrill has joined ACE, and is
in Canada for boot camp. That's how the book opens. Kris in boot camp. And
then, everything goes completely crazy, just absolutely nuts.
Jeremy Adams, of
the Meridian company, cannot forgive Kris for ruining his plans a year ago. She
has not just crippled everything he's dedicated his life toward accomplishing,
she'd demolished his every dream. All he has left is his hate, and desperate
need for revenge. He will stop at nothing until he has Kris in his hands.
When the ACE boot
camp training center is attacked, the few survivors are flown by transport to
Santa Barbara. The transport is attacked, and legendary ACE agent Ian Miller is
captured. Miller is Kris' lover. Her best friend. The reason she joined ACE in
the first place. And she was helpless to stop the abduction, she was unable to
keep him safe from the assailants.
Bryson Searls is
the son of "Doc" Searls, and the founder of the Quantum Jump Drive.
His invention of transporting things from here to there will revolutionize the
world. Despite serious bugs discovered after the first test on humans, Kadokawa
(one of the 3 major corporations), insists on moving forward. Taking all of his
research data, and wiping clean any remnants on Kadokawa systems, Bryson makes
a break for it. In doing so, he put his life in jeopardy. Kadokawa doesn't just
want his information, so do SoCal, and IBC (the other 2 major corporations).
And they will stop at nothing to obtain the sensitive data, including going to
war with each other.
The insurgents
have suspected something was wrong with ACE since its inception. While the
company was started to hinder the overall control and power of the Big 3,
things have changed. Kai, a restaurant owner is part of the movement, and
lifelong friends with Kris. A war has been started. The poor are revolting. The
crashed transport shuttle left an opening in the wall. Teams move into place to
systematically bring down the upper class levels. Together, and with the help
of some other trusted allies, they may also be the only chance Ian Mill has to
survive the kidnapping.
In this taut
three-hundred-page novel, so much is happening. The action does not let up.
Brandt writes in a way that keeps the tale clear, and easy to follow. He gives
readers an even deeper, indepth look into who Kris is, but more than that, we
get detailed lines into the lives of the other supporting characters in the
novel. Quick, and violent, engaging, and intense, I loved THE OPERATIVE as much
as I loved THE COURIER, and have developed an even deeper appreciation for
author Gerald Brandt.
Phillip Tomasso
Author of the
Severed Empire Series, and
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