Official Review: Ring Knockers by Mike Nalley

[María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Ring Knockers" by Mike Nalley.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him
power.”
-Abraham Lincoln-
What started with a jammed copy machine becomes a quest to uncover a series of crimes
and corruption scandals in the U.S. Navy. Mike Lambert, a young man from Michigan, is not
a “ring knocker”, a term used to describe a graduate of a U.S. Military Academy. However,
he’s smart, analytical, driven, and won’t stop at anything to root out the bad weeds from his
little parcel in the U.S. Navy. Along the way, he finds love and a unique best friend: a lovely
dog named Kip.
There are several praise-worthy aspects in this book. The narrative voice is honest, and the
book can be a fascinating insight into life in the Navy and all the intricacies it entails. “Ring
Knockers” can also be read like a manual on leadership. Each chapter opens with inspiring
quotes, such as the one which with I opened the review. The author also includes tidbits of
wisdom on how Mike achieves that to which he sets his mind. For example, “if you’re going
to play this game called “Leadership,” then play it as if you have nothing to lose”. The pacing
starts strong and will fascinate anyone who loves intrigues and adventure. The book also
has some endearing moments, including a “K-9 alarm clock”, Mike’s sidekick, a rat terrier
named Kip. That was my absolute favorite part.
On the downside, “Ring Knockers” can be confusing for those of us who are not familiar with
military terms. Even when the author had the courtesy to include a list of military acronyms,
the reading can become tiresome due to the many terms about ships, their machinery, and
their crew. Also, for the sake of privacy (as is military custom), some things are left unsaid in
the dialogue. The problem with this is that these things are not said anywhere else either,
which can make the plot hard to decipher. Some things are left unsaid because the author is
planning a sequel, but it’s confusing nonetheless. The second flaw is that the main
character, Mike, is unlikable at the beginning. Like with any good book, the character grows
with the plot. However, Mike is arrogant and sexist for a large part of the book, which makes
it difficult for the reader to get involved in the story or truly root for him.
The book has over ten editing mistakes. They are minor but should be taken into
consideration. Considering that this is a well-developed and inspiring story but that it can
also be obscure for the uninitiated, I rate “Ring Knockers” by Mike Nalley 3 out of 4 stars.
I recommend “Ring Knockers” to readers interested in the military (especially the Navy),
those who want to learn more about maritime warfare or leadership strategies, readers who
like deciphering conspiracies, and those who like adventure. This is not the best pick for
those who look for deep character development, romance, or fantasy. Because of the many
profanities and some erotic scenes, I would recommend this book to a mature audience.
Survivors of sexual assault should note that this read includes passages that could be
triggering.
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Ring Knockers
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[Kavita Shah]

I liked the quotes that are in the book. I will let this one slip. Thanks for the review!

[Becca Olsson]

I’m intrigued with how a jammed copier turns into uncovering a world of scandal. Thanks for the great review!

[TheMazeRunner]

War book are not for me. I will skip this one. Awesome review!

[María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda]

I liked the quotes that are in the book. I will let this one slip. Thanks for the review!

It has great quotes! Thank you for your comment .

[María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda]

War book are not for me. I will skip this one. Awesome review!

I rarely pick a military book, but I'm trying to broaden my preferences. If it helps, the book is hardly focused on war, and more on everyday corruption in the US Navy. Thank you for your comment!

[María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda]

I’m intrigued with how a jammed copier turns into uncovering a world of scandal. Thanks for the great review!

It was one of my favorite parts: how a minute detail, in the proper setting, can cause a ripple effect. Thank you for your kind words!

[Mwatu]

The aspect of it being a possible leadership manual, I believe, makes it easier to not get totally lost in the military jargon. The storyline sounds interesting too. Thank you for a lovely review!

[María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda]

The aspect of it being a possible leadership manual, I believe, makes it easier to not get totally lost in the military jargon. The storyline sounds interesting too. Thank you for a lovely review!

The author gives advice that can be very useful to anyone who is in a position of command but, I, at least, still got lost in the terminology. Although that could be because my country doesn't have a strong military culture...
Thank you for your comment!

[Hunter Tester]

I like books with dog sidekicks! This sounds like a good one as well. Thanks for your review! I'm sure it would be hard for me as well to understand the military terminology.

[María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda]

I like books with dog sidekicks! This sounds like a good one as well. Thanks for your review! I'm sure it would be hard for me as well to understand the military terminology.

I know! Kip was the best part!
Thank you for your comment!

[Stephanie Runyon]

I have Army experience and found some of the terms in the book to be obscure. I stopped reading because of the lack of character developmemt. Great review!

[markodim721]

I like the fact that the author obviously thoroughly studied all aspects of military culture and applied that knowledge in the book. Great review.

[María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda]

I have Army experience and found some of the terms in the book to be obscure. I stopped reading because of the lack of character developmemt. Great review!

I wondered what you would think because I knew you had experience in the military. I'm glad to know it's not just my ignorance. And yes, the book is much more focused on intrigue than on character development. Thank you so much for your insight!

[María Andrea Fernández Sepúlveda]

I like the fact that the author obviously thoroughly studied all aspects of military culture and applied that knowledge in the book. Great review.

That's true. The only problem is that if one's not familiar with military life and aviation terms, the book can become hard to decipher. Thank you for your comment!