ARA Review by MARK WALKER 3 of Cowboy

[MARK WALKER 3]

[Following is an OnlineBookClub.org ARA Review of the book, Cowboy.]

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4 out of 5 stars

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In Cowboy, the second book of Disrupted Equilibrium, evil men and women fight to rule the world. The Group is the center of action. They control companies such as Cantor.

In Cantor is a laboratory in which staffers hold human test subjects in captivity. They inject the subjects with chemcals that would bring about a contagion and change them into creatures The Group will use for world domination.

Central to their goals is an alien object known as the Artifact. With it, the Group wishes to control the subjects more completely. It is also called the Cube.

The Cube has the interest of another organization. This one hates The Group, and seeks to destroy all its work. They plan to raid the facility and take the Artifact. While Andre and his friends do not think they can destroy it, they can at least hide it.

Cowboy is a veteran, mercenary, and now, hitman. He gets assignments from Deena, and some include Group members. Not that he cares. He just does his job. He uses his earnings to build shelters, to prepare for the coming disaster.

Carly heads Cantor. Her job is to produce the effects on the subjects on time, and bring them out into the world. Genevieve and Conrad are in The Group. They are ruthless and would kill to keep power. Carly must release the test subjects into the world at a certain time. Genevieve is in charge of the Mountain Project, which would protect some Group members from the world turmoil they intend.

The Group and its workers make an assumption brought out by Dr. Chin, about the subjects: "Mindless automatons." Angelika, subject number 47, does have agency, however, and helps her fellow captives as well, putting a violent foil in The Group's efforts. Also, Angelika draws power from the Cube. What The Group also does not ask is this: Does the Cube have agency? Is it sentient? Another possible foil to their plans.

I like the interaction between Angelika and The Group. There is irony here. The Group seeks to control the subjects, while the subjects seek to control the Group.

So far, all the main characters are ruthless, and would kill each other, if necessary. Yet there is a sane family, headed by Charles Sr. The family does unremarkable things, until later, when The Group's machinations will affect them.

This is not a book to be read at bedtime. By the time the author shows--not tells--the horror in the story, it is far too late. Nightmares are certain.

I give the book 4 out of 5 stars. An irritating problem is that the author will provide spoilers as to what will happen to a characcter, with far too much specificity.

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