Review of The Alex Cave Series Book 5. Pandora’s Eyes
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Review of The Alex Cave Series Book 5. Pandora’s Eyes
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Alex Cave Series Book 5. Pandora’s Eyes" by James M. Corkill.]
In this fifth installment of the Alex Cave Series, Pandora’s Eyes begins with a drama of secret alien artifacts stolen by a corporation out to profit from artificially induced severe weather. Former CIA agent Alex Cave is one of a handful that understands the alien technology in his possession. He must discover how the artifacts and two spaceships are related to the AI named Pandora and her decision to kill all the brown-eyed people on Earth. He is up against the obstacles of Hardin and his UFO enthusiast group and the profit-monger Preston, who owns a clean-up and salvage company.
James M. Corkill possesses the ability to create a sense of tension from the first page with the line “...the government’s most clandestine service is unaware of the alien spacecraft...” That tension continues at all the right moments, building with each chapter. He adds unexpected twists into the arc just when you think you know where the story is going. These tactics keep the reader going until the conclusion. He brings in representatives of an alien race sent to colonize Earth millions of years ago and uses their culture of genetic discrimination to design a tale of intrigue and action.
There are a few things Corkill could have done to make this book a true epic. Even though the “alien” race is actually considered to be the first “humans” to lay claim to Earth, the joy of reading about this alien presence is lost to the overused reference to a highly chaotic situation. Pandora is the name of both the alien ship’s artificial intelligence unit and the living alien woman the AI uses to interact with the people of Earth, and multiple times throughout the book, people refer to the opening of the mythical box from human lore.
Unfortunately, the trope of ALL the males seeing the female body as “sexy” and “attractive” and “a fox”, plus the jealousy of other female characters (Jadin, a member of the team, is jealous of the new woman’s blue eyes), to do a disservice to this story. Too many words are spent on this trope and not enough on developing the characters such as Seth, the alien male, and Hardin, the persistent UFO chaser.
I rated this story 2 out of 4 stars. I finished it, though several times I rolled my eyes at the tropes. I pushed through to find out how the overarching arc would play out. It was a quick read and works as an easy summer read
The Alex Cave Series Book 5: Pandora’s Eyes is intended for an adult audience of sci-fi fans who like a taste of CIA thriller. There is some profanity and reference to sexual activity. The story combines military, aliens, UFO enthusiasts, espionage, and a love story.
******
The Alex Cave Series Book 5. Pandora’s Eyes
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes | on Smashwords
In this fifth installment of the Alex Cave Series, Pandora’s Eyes begins with a drama of secret alien artifacts stolen by a corporation out to profit from artificially induced severe weather. Former CIA agent Alex Cave is one of a handful that understands the alien technology in his possession. He must discover how the artifacts and two spaceships are related to the AI named Pandora and her decision to kill all the brown-eyed people on Earth. He is up against the obstacles of Hardin and his UFO enthusiast group and the profit-monger Preston, who owns a clean-up and salvage company.
James M. Corkill possesses the ability to create a sense of tension from the first page with the line “...the government’s most clandestine service is unaware of the alien spacecraft...” That tension continues at all the right moments, building with each chapter. He adds unexpected twists into the arc just when you think you know where the story is going. These tactics keep the reader going until the conclusion. He brings in representatives of an alien race sent to colonize Earth millions of years ago and uses their culture of genetic discrimination to design a tale of intrigue and action.
There are a few things Corkill could have done to make this book a true epic. Even though the “alien” race is actually considered to be the first “humans” to lay claim to Earth, the joy of reading about this alien presence is lost to the overused reference to a highly chaotic situation. Pandora is the name of both the alien ship’s artificial intelligence unit and the living alien woman the AI uses to interact with the people of Earth, and multiple times throughout the book, people refer to the opening of the mythical box from human lore.
Unfortunately, the trope of ALL the males seeing the female body as “sexy” and “attractive” and “a fox”, plus the jealousy of other female characters (Jadin, a member of the team, is jealous of the new woman’s blue eyes), to do a disservice to this story. Too many words are spent on this trope and not enough on developing the characters such as Seth, the alien male, and Hardin, the persistent UFO chaser.
I rated this story 2 out of 4 stars. I finished it, though several times I rolled my eyes at the tropes. I pushed through to find out how the overarching arc would play out. It was a quick read and works as an easy summer read
The Alex Cave Series Book 5: Pandora’s Eyes is intended for an adult audience of sci-fi fans who like a taste of CIA thriller. There is some profanity and reference to sexual activity. The story combines military, aliens, UFO enthusiasts, espionage, and a love story.
******
The Alex Cave Series Book 5. Pandora’s Eyes
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes | on Smashwords
Latest Review: Fear Not, Dream Big, & Execute by Jeff Meyer
