Andrew K. (kuligowskiandrewt) -
Why oh why do I sit down with an espionage novel? Murder mysteries are bad enough; authors keep throwing me red herrings, and while I may not fall for them all, I have to take too much time thinking about each â most of the time adopting the wrong one as my solution to the crime. But espionage novels? The ONLY guarantee I have is that I truly do NOT know which friends are really enemies, which enemies are really friends ⦠and when those relationships will suddenly change.
My most recent look into this genre was Taylor Stevens' âLiars' Legacyâ. Jack and Jill are brother and sister, brought into the trade young by their superspy mother. At least I know THEY won't betray each other!! At least I THINK they won't ⦠But then, there are multiple agencies involved here. Some seem to want to recruit them to their cause, some seem to want to eliminate them â and even then, I'm not sure that those 3rd parties won't change their minds / direction. And let's throw in another complication, the agencies seem to have separate teams with separate goals ⦠and there's this nasty âparentâ angle again â¦
Ms. Stevens does employ a writing technique which I see more in the various romance sub-genres than in mystery / suspense â switching viewpoints and narrators in each chapter. It does allow for the story to be told from multiple vantagepoints, and it eliminates the conceit of the omniscient 3rd person narrator. If the reader is familiar with this style of storytelling and likes it â awesome. If not, this may not be the novel for you.
I cannot clearly and coherently sum up this novel without providing massive spoilers. Heck, given its clandestine nature, I'm not sure I could do so even providing MASSIVE spoilers â spy novels just DO that to me. HOWEVER, I CAN tell you that I enjoyed every page of Ms. Stevens book and that I am looking forward to its sequel. There IS going to be a sequel, isn't there, Taylor??
RATING: 5 stars.
My most recent look into this genre was Taylor Stevens' âLiars' Legacyâ. Jack and Jill are brother and sister, brought into the trade young by their superspy mother. At least I know THEY won't betray each other!! At least I THINK they won't ⦠But then, there are multiple agencies involved here. Some seem to want to recruit them to their cause, some seem to want to eliminate them â and even then, I'm not sure that those 3rd parties won't change their minds / direction. And let's throw in another complication, the agencies seem to have separate teams with separate goals ⦠and there's this nasty âparentâ angle again â¦
Ms. Stevens does employ a writing technique which I see more in the various romance sub-genres than in mystery / suspense â switching viewpoints and narrators in each chapter. It does allow for the story to be told from multiple vantagepoints, and it eliminates the conceit of the omniscient 3rd person narrator. If the reader is familiar with this style of storytelling and likes it â awesome. If not, this may not be the novel for you.
I cannot clearly and coherently sum up this novel without providing massive spoilers. Heck, given its clandestine nature, I'm not sure I could do so even providing MASSIVE spoilers â spy novels just DO that to me. HOWEVER, I CAN tell you that I enjoyed every page of Ms. Stevens book and that I am looking forward to its sequel. There IS going to be a sequel, isn't there, Taylor??
RATING: 5 stars.
