Review of Without Redemption

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[i][Following is a volunteer review of "Without Redemption" by David Griffith.][/i]

[rwc=id415959-125]4 out of 4 stars.[/rwc][i]Without Redemption[/i] is the 3rd installment of the “Border Series” written by David Griffith. In this installment we find Lonnie Bowers, resident Cowboy/Intelligence Agent in the rodeo arena, competing for a win that will lead him to a most coveted spot in the National Finals.



When an injury derails his rodeo ambitions and finances, Lonnie’s boss Fredrick Roseman shows up on his doorstep. He’s come to offer Lonnie and his family a gift, a bonus, for all of Lonnie’s hard work for Stirling Associates. Complete with a family vacation to Costa Rica—and a “simple” courier job in nearby Nicaragua. Though he has reservations, Lonnie accepts and with wife and son in tow heads to his destination.



Meanwhile, on the streets of Mexico, we meet Paulo, a poor homeless boy. In his plight to survive the streets Paulo makes a mistake that lands him in hot water with the Cartel, his options- join them or die. With a choice that is really no choice at all, we follow Paulo’s journey as he climbs the ranks of the Sinaloa Cartel.



Two men, from two different countries, destined to cross paths. For either man, failure is not an option.



Despite adult themes throughout, this book contains no profanity, and there is only mere mention of sex and drugs. Given the nature of the story, it does contain violence, however, there is no overly-graphic descriptions of the subject material. There is one, barely erotic scene, and that is within the confines of marriage. That being said, you might be thinking this book is a bore, but that thought would be far from true as the story stands on its own merits and remains a page turner.



Noteworthy to mention is that this story contains Christian undertones in relation to character view-points of faith. Is it well placed or misplaced, what it means to take a life regardless of the circumstances. I would imagine that those of any faith/religion in the context it is written, would have similar viewpoints or at least understand the ponderings of the characters. Though for those who may have an aversion to this content, it is in small doses and not overwhelming.



What I really liked about this book is whether or not you have read the previous installments of the “Border Series” you will not be lost, it is easily read as a single story. You will have a decent grasp of who Lonnie is and the story that unfolds doesn’t seem to allude to any of the previous installments. I also really liked the authors writing style, simply stated sentences with just enough description to imagine the surroundings. You shouldn’t find yourself getting bored in the details. Another plus for me, though a smaller portion of the story line was the family dynamics and the humor it contained, I found myself giggle out loud at a few of the scenes.



Overall, [i]Without Redemption[/i] is a great read, I rate it [b] 3 out of 4 stars.[/b] I deducted 1 star for an action sequence that though necessary could have been a bit shorter to avoid being repetitive. Also, as a dual prospective story there is two instances closely tied together that I had to re-read to determine the time frame. Lastly, while I found the book to be well edited, I did come across a sentence that appeared as if it had started to be edited/re-worded without completely restructuring the sentence. I mention these points as part of a thorough review, though it hardly detracted from the overall composition, which is why it remains a 3 out of 4 stars rather than 2.



All things considered, I recommend [i]Without Redemption[/i] for mature readers who are fans of action/adventure and those looking for such content without profanity. Even though this book is cleanly written, I don’t recommend it for young readers due to the subject matter.

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[i]Without Redemption [/i]
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