Review of To Snare El Zorro

[Ebele Ekelobi]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "To Snare El Zorro" by James Mackie.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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James Mackie’s To Snare El Zorro is an action, mystery, thriller novel filled with hatred, passion, and dedication, following two men with vastly opposing beliefs and morals. Jim Douglas is a special agent of the United States DEA hooked on the chase and capture of, by every standard, his polar opposite, the Fox, El Zorro, a mysterious figure of the drug world and the most wanted trafficker of narcotics around the globe. Jim’s first real-life encounter with the Fox was after a lengthy chase down by the US DEA and Customs. After many spy operations that eventually presented the Fox to the secret agent along with his then partner, Sam Pollard, they were exposed and shot multiple times, failing the mission. Jim Douglas survived the incident after six months of surgical operations and recuperative therapy. He was determined to capture this man who ruined his life, his relationship with his wife and daughter, and his late partner, Sam, whose dying ears heard Jim promise to avenge his death.

The author clearly researched a lot while writing this book. Some of the information dished out during conversations and important scenes, as well as artefacts, were very well thought out and researched. The brutality of the Fox, the author’s antagonist, fits his character perfectly. He never strayed from who he was written to be, and some scenes, as grotesque as they were, just provided more credibility to the author’s writing of the Fox; it was almost as if he knew the man. I liked that the use of curse words was mostly in realistic scenarios; they frequently appeared during violent emotional outbursts and very scarcely in everyday interactions, and they didn’t seem unnecessary in scenes.

One thing I didn't like about this book was the unrealistic dialogue, especially at key plot points. The characters seemed to say things and go along with certain narratives solely for the plot, thereby going against what you would think the characters would do based on past events throughout the story, though it might have been intentional.

I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. The author’s writing was superb and easy to read and understand, with nothing too complicated. Characters were referenced many times throughout the story to remind us who they are and what part of the story they fit into; there wasn’t much confusion about this. Although there were many typographical and grammatical errors, and I wouldn't consider the book to have been professionally edited, the story made up for it tremendously. In certain parts of the book, I had to slow down to read because I was enjoying it so much; the thrill of the chase and the adrenaline seemed to jump out of the characters into my own body. Not many authors can write a mystery thriller this well.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys action series and murder thrillers, which should, quite frankly, be a large demographic. They will get a good read out of this. Though the gore is intense, it contributes to why I love the book so much. The only dent in the book is the errors I found in it.

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To Snare El Zorro
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[Amy Luman]

This is my kind of book! I am very interested when one part of a partnership (Jim) vows revenge for another part’s (Sam) death. It can lead to fascinating occurances.

[Jennifer Coxon]

Thanks for such a great review. This is definitely one of my kind of books. The fact that you felt you had to slow yourself down is a good read in my opinion.

[Kendal Low]

While I'n not usually a big fan of action novels (outside of the fantasy genre) this book sounds greatly captivating! I may just have to give it a try. Well done for a great review!

[Itz Savaga]

Anyone that enjoys action series and murder thriller will have a time of their life reading this story. I could it's an intriguing story from your review. Great job.

[Toolzjane]

An action, mystery, thriller novel filled with hatred, passion, and dedication will be a beautiful read, no doubt.

[nwankwo chibuchi]

I'm curious to find out if Jim was able to capture this man who ruined his life, his relationship with his wife and daughter, and his late partner, Sam, whose dying ears heard Jim promise to avenge his death.

[Alexander C Schmoock]

The title of this book already draws me to it. It has a unique and I hope it has a unique storyline to go with that

[NetMassimo]

This seems like a well-constructed thriller full of suspense that might just need some more editing to improve the dialogues and correct the errors. Thank you for your great review!

[CrossK]

This seems like a beautiful thriller story. I’d love to know Jim was able to get back at Fox.

[Prosper2000]

Murder thrillers are always a great read. I wouldn't mind adding this to my library. I'll check it out when im free enough to do so.