Review of Death Ray
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Joe Latler
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Review of Death Ray
[Following is a volunteer review of "Death Ray" by Tom King.]
Death Ray by Tom King is a thriller novel about a man named Mark Bronson who, while looking for a temporary job to make some quick money, accidentally stumbles into a world full of deadly political intrigue. This aforementioned job entails Mark falsifying positive reports to prove that a certain company's cell phones do not emit radiation harmful to humans, but when a certain frequency starts killing lab mice, he becomes concerned that he has found a "death ray", something that will end life on contact. Eventually, the government learns of this discovery, and they want to use it for themselves, which Mark lets them do under certain conditions. He will learn, however, that negotiating with the most powerful people in the country isn't as easy as he thought.
The main thing that I like about this book is that it keeps you interested. You're connected to this story from the beginning, and you want to see it through until it's finished. This is what all good thriller novels do, and this one is no exception. It's also clear that the author has done his research, and he can weave his knowledge into the story (with mixed results, but we'll get to that later). One thing that this novel does well that a lot of political thrillers get wrong is its characters. Moral dilemmas are presented to them, and they respond as rational people would. These characters feel like they're living in the modern world, and they think as modern people would. This seems a bit bare-minimum, but a lot of novels of Death Ray's ilk don't even meet this bar, so it feels worth mentioning.
All that being said, this book also has its flaws. As I mentioned before, the author has done his research, and he's not afraid to go on for a little too long about these different subjects. Sometimes, he also doesn't take the time to explain more complicated concepts, and he just expects the reader to understand what's going on. Sometimes you’ll have to read with a dictionary by your side, and sometimes you’ll feel the need to skip sections because everything is too meticulously explained. Without going into spoilers, there are two main plotlines in this novel that merge about 20% of the way through, and it is not done very smoothly. In my opinion, the more secondary plotline should have been introduced later in the novel once it became relevant. Finally, this is a bit nitpicky but the chapters tend to end at low points of tension, which for a thriller novel, doesn't entice the reader to keep going unless they're already invested in the story.
I give Death Ray by Tom King 2 out of 4 stars. The writing is a bit all over the place, and the story isn't as intriguing as it could be at times, which is why I have docked it a couple of points.
I would recommend this novel to people who are looking for a fun fast-paced romp in the political thriller genre, especially if you're not looking for anything mind-blowing. It's worth the read if you're in the mood for something like it, but otherwise, you're not missing a whole bunch.
******
Death Ray
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Death Ray by Tom King is a thriller novel about a man named Mark Bronson who, while looking for a temporary job to make some quick money, accidentally stumbles into a world full of deadly political intrigue. This aforementioned job entails Mark falsifying positive reports to prove that a certain company's cell phones do not emit radiation harmful to humans, but when a certain frequency starts killing lab mice, he becomes concerned that he has found a "death ray", something that will end life on contact. Eventually, the government learns of this discovery, and they want to use it for themselves, which Mark lets them do under certain conditions. He will learn, however, that negotiating with the most powerful people in the country isn't as easy as he thought.
The main thing that I like about this book is that it keeps you interested. You're connected to this story from the beginning, and you want to see it through until it's finished. This is what all good thriller novels do, and this one is no exception. It's also clear that the author has done his research, and he can weave his knowledge into the story (with mixed results, but we'll get to that later). One thing that this novel does well that a lot of political thrillers get wrong is its characters. Moral dilemmas are presented to them, and they respond as rational people would. These characters feel like they're living in the modern world, and they think as modern people would. This seems a bit bare-minimum, but a lot of novels of Death Ray's ilk don't even meet this bar, so it feels worth mentioning.
All that being said, this book also has its flaws. As I mentioned before, the author has done his research, and he's not afraid to go on for a little too long about these different subjects. Sometimes, he also doesn't take the time to explain more complicated concepts, and he just expects the reader to understand what's going on. Sometimes you’ll have to read with a dictionary by your side, and sometimes you’ll feel the need to skip sections because everything is too meticulously explained. Without going into spoilers, there are two main plotlines in this novel that merge about 20% of the way through, and it is not done very smoothly. In my opinion, the more secondary plotline should have been introduced later in the novel once it became relevant. Finally, this is a bit nitpicky but the chapters tend to end at low points of tension, which for a thriller novel, doesn't entice the reader to keep going unless they're already invested in the story.
I give Death Ray by Tom King 2 out of 4 stars. The writing is a bit all over the place, and the story isn't as intriguing as it could be at times, which is why I have docked it a couple of points.
I would recommend this novel to people who are looking for a fun fast-paced romp in the political thriller genre, especially if you're not looking for anything mind-blowing. It's worth the read if you're in the mood for something like it, but otherwise, you're not missing a whole bunch.
******
Death Ray
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Latest Review: Natural Relief for Anxiety and Stress by Gustavo Kinrys, MD
