Official Review: Click Fraud @ Sinic Ping

joshfee77 · Post by **joshfee77** » 20 Nov 2019, 01:21

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Click Fraud @ Sinic Ping" by Orlando Stephenson.]

3 out of 4 stars

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Click Fraud @ Sonic Ping is "A Daryl Morgan and Rodger Truscott Thriller" by Orlando Stephenson. Daryl Morgan receives a call from a friend, Madeline (Maddy), who lost her husband, Brad, in a car accident on an icy road. Maddy's niece Jennifer (27) is kidnapped by someone who claims Brad borrowed two million dollars from them before he died. Now, they want their money back from Maddy, threatening to sell Jennifer into slavery if Maddy doesn't pay up. Daryl promises he will get Jennifer back. Fortunately, Daryl's best friend is Rodger Truscott, a computer genius, ex-Navy Seal, martial arts expert, and cool head in a crisis. After recovering Jennifer, Rodger helps Daryl investigate Brad's strange behaviour before he died, which doesn't gel with the friend they thought they knew...

This is the revised version of a novel originally written in 2011 as Sonic Ping. I found Stephenson’s writing style neat, simple, and conversational, making this book easy and enjoyable to read. His dry sense of humour featured a few in-jokes, such as Rodger’s ever-present “Plan B” – without which he, Daryl, and others would have often been in serious trouble. No matter the situation, Rodger always had a back-up plan.

The plot featured many exciting action scenes, with some awesome displays of Rodger’s exceptional martial arts skills. The protagonists also travelled to some interesting locations, giving the reader a taste of different cultures around the world. The story overall was solid and action-packed, with the central mystery revealed slowly over time. The characters developed nicely, including the relationships that formed between many of the male and female characters. On reflection, however, the pairings were a little too convenient for reality, with nine of the ten main protagonists forming three couples and a love triangle by the end.

The writing and editing were also a little substandard at times. Commas were regularly missing from essential places: “‘Sh*t,’ he grunted finally pushing himself...” There were some sloppy errors such as “swat” used instead of “SWAT” for a SWAT team. The wording of sentences was also occasionally a little odd: “When an agent’s safety is a serious likelihood, we do terminate an operation.” A better phrasing would be: “When an agent’s safety is in serious jeopardy...” or similar. You don’t terminate FBI operations because an agent is seriously likely to be safe.

Click Fraud @ Sonic Ping was a good read hampered by occasional sloppy editing. For this reason, I rate it 3 out of 4 stars. Even with perfect editing, I would still rate it 3 stars, given the somewhat manufactured feel to the male/female relationships, and the slightly overdone character of Rodger, who seemed a bit too indestructible at times. Never truly fearing for the safety of a character can lower the tension and emotional involvement for the reader. However, it was still an entertaining story, which I would recommend as a light read for crime and mystery fans. It did contain some profanity and a mid-level sex scene.

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Click Fraud @ Sinic Ping
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MsH2k · Post by **MsH2k** » 23 Nov 2019, 00:47

joshfee77 wrote: ↑20 Nov 2019, 01:21 Never truly fearing for the safety of a character can lower the tension and emotional involvement for the reader.

Good point. Even Superman has his kryptonite! Thanks for a great review.

La Cabra · Post by **La Cabra** » 23 Nov 2019, 08:12

Great review! I'm glad you enjoyed the book. I don't think I'd like this one too much as it seems a bit like a thriller novel check-list, so to speak. That might be a bit harsh, but I personally dislike too-perfect characters and plot lines. I'm just a skeptical reader really, I'm sure most readers would like this.

joshfee77 · Post by **joshfee77** » 24 Nov 2019, 22:11

MsH2k wrote: ↑23 Nov 2019, 00:47
joshfee77 wrote: ↑20 Nov 2019, 01:21 Never truly fearing for the safety of a character can lower the tension and emotional involvement for the reader.
Good point. Even Superman has his kryptonite! Thanks for a great review.

Thanks! I enjoy writers like Patricia Cornwell and Chelsea Cain because they often put their protagonists through hell! Nothing cements a thriller in the real world like believable characters going through realistic-sounding trials and growing because of it.

joshfee77 · Post by **joshfee77** » 24 Nov 2019, 22:13

La Cabra wrote: ↑23 Nov 2019, 08:12 Great review! I'm glad you enjoyed the book. I don't think I'd like this one too much as it seems a bit like a thriller novel check-list, so to speak. That might be a bit harsh, but I personally dislike too-perfect characters and plot lines. I'm just a skeptical reader really, I'm sure most readers would like this.

Definitely a fair comment. This one did seem a little "cartoonish" at times, especially with Rodger being basically indestructible and always having a successful back-up plan. Thanks for commenting!