Official Review: The Artemis File by Adam Loxley

lavellan · Post by **lavellan** » 07 Jul 2019, 18:16

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Artemis File" by Adam Loxley.]

3 out of 4 stars

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The Artemis File, written by Adam Loxley, opens with George Wiggins enjoying a Thursday night at a local bar. Suddenly, a female stranger breaks this peace. After spending the night conversing and drinking with her, George ends up in bed with her. Normally, this would be fine, but there’s one problem: George is married. He finds himself sucked into a plot out of a spy novel when a strange man blackmails him into creating a mysterious crossword. Switching to a seemingly unrelated plot, Craven is a British spy employed by Vector, a secret agency. He has been tasked with tracking down Damien Ross, an ex-American spy. Ross has reappeared after years of dormancy and was spotted conducting a brush-pass. It’s considered an urgent matter to find him. How does this reemerged spy fit in with the mysterious crossword? What secrets are being kept hidden by the governments of the world? All these questions and more are answered in The Artemis File.

Despite having numerous characters and their respective side plots to follow, I never found myself overwhelmed. I enjoyed watching the story unfold and the characters slowly colliding paths. Loxley does an excellent job of developing each of his characters and giving them a distinct personality. My favorite character was George; he tried to redeem himself after his unfortunate one-night stand and surprised me with his quick-wittedness. I also tend to have a soft spot for nerdy characters like him. As an American, I am not well-versed in the intricacies of British society. Loxley presents London in a way that even an American like me can easily visualize the setting and follow the plot. I also found the mystery surrounding Ross to be intriguing. I wanted to see how he fit into the puzzle with the enigmatic crossword.

At a lengthy 827 pages, The Artemis File is quite a book to undertake. I was engaged throughout the novel due to the exciting plot, but some readers may find the length to be taxing. Additionally, there were off-color statements about minorities said by some of the characters. While the intention may not have been to offend, their inclusion broke me from my immersion in the novel. The most egregious was when Craven said “[he] couldn’t tell one black kid from another.” Such a comment was not necessary, especially coming from a main character that we are supposed to be rooting for.

The Artemis File contained errors. While they weren’t numerous, there were enough to indicate that the book needs to undergo another round of editing. The most common mistake I noted dealt with the misuse of “it’s” instead of “its.” I also noticed that common nouns were capitalized throughout the novel. This could be a style difference between American and British English, but I found myself thrown at times because of this.

I rate The Artemis File 3 out of 4 stars. The book had me on the edge of my seat trying to figure out why Ross had suddenly reappeared and how the numerous side plots connected. However, the editing issues and problematic statements made by some of the characters prevent me from giving it a higher rating. Fans of action-packed novels and spy stories would definitely enjoy this book. More sensitive readers may be disconcerted by the depictions of violence and strong language that are present.

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The Artemis File
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Post by **kandscreeley** » 08 Jul 2019, 12:08

Wow. It definitely sounds like the author needs to take out some of the offensive statements. They are unnecessary. Otherwise, it sounds quite intriguing. Thanks!

Dee_218 · Post by **Dee_218** » 08 Jul 2019, 12:42

What a great review to read. It is a pitty that the author had some rudeness in the novel. Overrall the book sounds like a joy. Thank you for a great review.

Prisallen · Post by **Prisallen** » 08 Jul 2019, 19:27

I wonder why the author felt the need to include statements that are offensive. They could have been left out just as easily and appealed to a wider range of people. It always surprises me. Other than that and the problems with the errors, it sounds like a wonderful book. Thanks for a very informative and well-written review.

Post by **Ngozi Onyibor** » 09 Jul 2019, 06:20

The racism in the book is a turn off for me. I won't be reading. Thanks for your review

danielleamy · Post by **danielleamy** » 09 Jul 2019, 11:14

lavellan wrote: ↑07 Jul 2019, 18:16 However, the editing issues and problematic statements made by some of the characters prevent me from giving it a higher rating. Fans of action-packed novels and spy stories would definitely enjoy this book. More sensitive readers may be disconcerted by the depictions of violence and strong language that are present.

I do love reading mysteries so this was appealing. However, when you mentioned the negative comments made about minorities, that put me off! Thanks for a thorough review

Ekta Kumari · Post by **Ekta Kumari** » 09 Jul 2019, 13:29

This sounds like an engaging book with a suspenseful plot. I do not see the need to include the statement about minorities. However, I would like to commend the author on crafting a suspenseful book out of diverse sub-plots. Thank you for reviewing the book.

kdstrack · Post by **kdstrack** » 09 Jul 2019, 14:50

I hope the author follows up on your suggestions. The rest of the book sounds intriguing, and the author was able to hold your interest for 800+ pages. Thanks for such a thorough review.

Nisha Ward · Post by **Nisha Ward** » 10 Jul 2019, 20:46

Honestly? The length is a no go for me. This is a genre I have some interest in but not enough for over eight hundred pages. I did like your review of it though. Short but engaging.

Kelyn · Post by **Kelyn** » 12 Jul 2019, 22:04

Though I don't mind a really good book being lengthy, it sounds like this one would be a bit of a difficult read with the breaks in immersion because of racist comments. I've also never been a fan of the mystery/crime genre. I think I'll give this one a pass. Thanks for the thorough review!

Gabriel Merêncio · Post by **Gabriel Merêncio** » 13 Jul 2019, 00:25

This sounds like quite the undertaking, with more than eight hundred pages and several characters, but I do enjoy complex plots like these, especially if it involves crimes and spies. I can see how the problematic language could put people off, but I suppose it depends on the context. Thanks for the review!

lucia_kizas · Post by **lucia_kizas** » 14 Jul 2019, 12:06

More than 800 pages... Phew... No, I think I'll pass, even though the plot sounds interesting. I agree with you, insulting phrases should not come from the main character the readers are supposed to like.

janelwhite · Post by **janelwhite** » 14 Jul 2019, 14:13

I saw the cover and was interested in this book. Thank you for that review. The length of the book is a bit formidable, but if it is very well written it is regardless. The characters sound intriguing and the plot interesting. I do enjoy an exciting adventure!

LinaMueller · Post by **LinaMueller** » 14 Jul 2019, 14:17

lucia_kizas wrote: ↑14 Jul 2019, 12:06 More than 800 pages... Phew... No, I think I'll pass, even though the plot sounds interesting. I agree with you, insulting phrases should not come from the main character the readers are supposed to like.

Same here. More than 800 pages ... only if the book is a masterpiece.