Review of Final Act

Post by **Stephen Christopher 1** » 01 Apr 2023, 03:19

[Following is a volunteer review of "Final Act" by Van Fleisher.]

5 out of 5 stars

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If you had a watch that could tell you how long you had to live, what would you do with those remaining days? That was the premise of Van Fleisher’s first book Final Notice. In the follow-up Final Act, things are taken a step further when watch owners’ data gets into the wrong hands and is used by criminals to force them to murder public figures.

Tech wizard Vijay Patel and FBI agent Zoe Brouet return in the sequel, and it’s up to them to track down who has the leaked data before anyone else gets killed.

It’s not often that a sequel is better than the original, but with Final Act, that really is the case. The plotlines and characters introduced in the first book have been further developed in the second one. I was delighted to see the return of the protagonists from the first book, even if it was only for one scene. The relationship between Vijay and Zoe and their significant others are compelling sub-plots to the story.

The primary difference between the first and second novels is that this one is tech-heavier and raises some rather important questions about internet privacy. It's also quite revealing how much data the FBI has on us all, although that shouldn’t surprise too many people.

This story was a page-turner for me. As things unraveled, it became more confronting about the dangers of people having access to too much data. The twists and turns had me second-guessing characters and their motives. It was a fun adventure from beginning to end.

The first book had some flaws in it, but it appears that Mr. Fleisher has taken readers’ and reviewers’ comments seriously, as none of them were in the sequel. He even mentions in the acknowledgments section how grateful he is for the feedback.

There is nothing I can fault with this book. The storyline was engaging, as well as thought-provoking. The novel was excellently edited, and there were no errors. As a result, this book deserves its 5 out of 5 stars rating.

Rape scenes, swearing, and graphic gun violence make this a novel for adults only. Anybody interested in crime fiction with a technology focus will love this story. As book two was better for me than book one, I’m incredibly excited about his future work, and I’ll be one of the first in line to read his next one.

******
Final Act
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

Catalina Isabel · Post by **Catalina Isabel** » 09 Apr 2023, 03:19

I am intrigued with the plot as it seems quite unique with great character development. I'd love to give this book a go, and am so glad to hear that it's better than the first, which I am yet to read also. Thanks for a great and thought-provoking review

Rob Carr · Post by **Rob Carr** » 09 Apr 2023, 04:05

Thanks for the great review. This is one I had been wondering about reading.

Post by **Stephen Christopher 1** » 09 Apr 2023, 05:17

Catalina Isabel wrote: ↑09 Apr 2023, 03:19 I am intrigued with the plot as it seems quite unique with great character development. I'd love to give this book a go, and am so glad to hear that it's better than the first, which I am yet to read also. Thanks for a great and thought-provoking review

Hi Catalina, thanks for reading my review. I would read them in order, as there are a lot of character and plot developments in the first one that helps to understand the second one better.

Eckhart Aurelius Hughes · Post by **Nisha DSouza** » 10 Apr 2023, 05:35

It is very rare for the sequel to be better than the prequel. So, I'm pleasantly surprised that the author was able to do that here. Thank you for this well-written review.

Post by **Stephen Christopher 1** » 10 Apr 2023, 21:39

Nisha DSouza wrote: ↑10 Apr 2023, 05:35 It is very rare for the sequel to be better than the prequel. So, I'm pleasantly surprised that the author was able to do that here. Thank you for this well-written review.

I was so happy for the author that he had worked on his style from the first to the second book, I'm anxiously waiting for his third now.

Shem Murundu · Post by **Shem Murundu** » 11 Apr 2023, 10:04

Wow, this is such a lovely review! The title of the two books had me confusing one for the other. I'm glad they are part of the same franchise and were written by the same author. I love the book's storyline, it is so interesting and engaging, especially the part where the tech for determining time left for one to die falls into the wrong hands--this is sure to be a pulsating story. I like the book's relevance and relatability too. Great work, well done, Stephen!

Anil G · Post by **Anil G** » 05 May 2023, 00:39

The FBI and other authorities have our data on a real-time basis and it's thrilling to know it but also understandable. I liked how the author took the suggestions seriously and corrected the mistake. Thank you for this great review!

Post by **Stephen Christopher 1** » 05 May 2023, 23:07

Blackstenius wrote: ↑11 Apr 2023, 10:04 Wow, this is such a lovely review! The title of the two books had me confusing one for the other. I'm glad they are part of the same franchise and were written by the same author. I love the book's storyline, it is so interesting and engaging, especially the part where the tech for determining time left for one to die falls into the wrong hands--this is sure to be a pulsating story. I like the book's relevance and relatability too. Great work, well done, Stephen!

Thanks for reading my review. I hope you enjoy the books as much as I did.

Post by **Stephen Christopher 1** » 05 May 2023, 23:08

Anil G wrote: ↑05 May 2023, 00:39 The FBI and other authorities have our data on a real-time basis and it's thrilling to know it but also understandable. I liked how the author took the suggestions seriously and corrected the mistake. Thank you for this great review!

Thanks for stopping by. Yes, both books make you question the decisions that the authorities make. I like this aspect of both stories.

Post by **Sarah Zain** » 15 May 2023, 03:54

Your review raises the enthusiasm for reading the book. The story seems to be coherent and interesting, and the idea that the sequel is written better than the first book arouses my interest, so I will add it to my bookshelf.

Post by **Stephen Christopher 1** » 15 May 2023, 09:41

Sarah Zain wrote: ↑15 May 2023, 03:54 Your review raises the enthusiasm for reading the book. The story seems to be coherent and interesting, and the idea that the sequel is written better than the first book arouses my interest, so I will add it to my bookshelf.

Thanks Sarah, I'm so happy that I inspired you to add another book to your list, I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did.

Post by **MAHAD BAIG MIRZA** » 30 May 2024, 01:02

This review artfully highlights the sequel, "Final Act," with its enhanced character development and engaging plotlines while appreciating the deeper exploration of technological themes, ultimately praising the author's responsiveness to feedback and delivering a flawless narrative deserving of a perfect rating.

Harshitha G B · Post by **Harshitha G B** » 01 Jun 2024, 02:29

I'm glad that this installment from book series have you clear picture of what's missing in the previous one. It will be only intersting when story delivers clear finishing and justify the initial storyline. Good review.

Kshitija Sonawane · Post by **Kshitija Sonawane** » 22 Oct 2024, 18:28

I am surprised with how much you are cheering for this series and how much you love them. I am also wondering why you have not reviewed the third book yet! I want to know what more ideas can there be based on this watch. Also, I am happy how the author accepted the feedback and improved his work, as we know some authors who can get very petty about it. Come on, we all know them.

Stephen Christopher 1 wrote: ↑01 Apr 2023, 03:19 [Following is a volunteer review of "Final Act" by Van Fleisher.]

5 out of 5 stars
Share This Review

If you had a watch that could tell you how long you had to live, what would you do with those remaining days? That was the premise of Van Fleisher’s first book Final Notice. In the follow-up Final Act, things are taken a step further when watch owners’ data gets into the wrong hands and is used by criminals to force them to murder public figures.

Tech wizard Vijay Patel and FBI agent Zoe Brouet return in the sequel, and it’s up to them to track down who has the leaked data before anyone else gets killed.

It’s not often that a sequel is better than the original, but with Final Act, that really is the case. The plotlines and characters introduced in the first book have been further developed in the second one. I was delighted to see the return of the protagonists from the first book, even if it was only for one scene. The relationship between Vijay and Zoe and their significant others are compelling sub-plots to the story.

The primary difference between the first and second novels is that this one is tech-heavier and raises some rather important questions about internet privacy. It's also quite revealing how much data the FBI has on us all, although that shouldn’t surprise too many people.

This story was a page-turner for me. As things unraveled, it became more confronting about the dangers of people having access to too much data. The twists and turns had me second-guessing characters and their motives. It was a fun adventure from beginning to end.

The first book had some flaws in it, but it appears that Mr. Fleisher has taken readers’ and reviewers’ comments seriously, as none of them were in the sequel. He even mentions in the acknowledgments section how grateful he is for the feedback.

There is nothing I can fault with this book. The storyline was engaging, as well as thought-provoking. The novel was excellently edited, and there were no errors. As a result, this book deserves its 5 out of 5 stars rating.

Rape scenes, swearing, and graphic gun violence make this a novel for adults only. Anybody interested in crime fiction with a technology focus will love this story. As book two was better for me than book one, I’m incredibly excited about his future work, and I’ll be one of the first in line to read his next one.

******
Final Act
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon