Official Review: The Devil's Handshake by Michael Reagan

gali · Post by **gali** » 07 Aug 2014, 09:15

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Devil's Handshake" by Michael Reagan.]

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"The Devil's Handshake" is a fast paced political thriller and a first of a series featuring Sir Thomas Litchfield. Spanning three decades and set up just after the annexation of Crimea, the book follows the trials of an ex SAS soldier turned oligarch. Penned in the third point of view, the novel encompasses multiplies countries and colorful characters. The author weaves a tangles web of intrigue and pulls the reader in from the first lines.

You thought the "cold war" was over? Think again. Both USA and Russia are engaged in a new "cold" war over oil and resources interests and don't hold barrels to achieve supremacy. Power and politics weave a tangled web and Thomas finds himself stuck between the bear and the eagle.

Meet Sir Thomas Litchfield, an Anglo-Russian billionaire who isn't your ordinary oligarch. He has conscience for one and doesn't care for money or power, though he got both. Fluent in seven languages and full of charisma, he is well stepped in the worlds of criminal and political alike. He lives in England with his companion, Gunara, 36 years old Muslim woman from Turkmenistan, their 12 years old daughter Victoria and his best friend and bodyguard Mikhail. Thomas has both Russian and English citizenship and doesn't feel any particular loyalty to either country. He has strong ties to Russia though due to his business interests over there. Thomas is actually a pawn of Russia and serves its interests, albeit unwillingly.

The story vacillates between the present and the past as it describes global events and political and business conflicts. After leaving the army service, Thomas starts to build up his Empire in the ashes of Yeltsin's Russia. As time goes by, his business takes off and he becomes a man to be reckoned with.

A power struggle between Russia and USA over the control of a new Africa state makes things delicate. Thomas is drawn into the political games and is in danger of losing his wealth, if not his life, in the process. Another War is in the winds and it will be up to our Thomas to defuse it. Corruptions, treachery, regime change, oil resources, murders and havocs are just parts of this intriguing book.

Overall I quite enjoyed the story. The setting and descriptions were very well done, the characters were well drawn and the story came to life for me. I had a few issues with the books alas. The alternation between past and present confused me at first and it took some using to. The writing was rife with poor punctuation, inconsistent grammar and awkward sentences which interrupted the flow of the story. I am not a stickler for perfect grammar and give allowances for typos, but the awkward grammar distracted me. I had to reread some sentences several times to understand the meaning of them.

It is clear that the author knows what he is talking about. The book was full of useful information about past and current events. A lot of meticulous attention has been paid to mundane details in the story, but sometimes the author went overboard. There were many tiny details, too many, that didn't contribute to the story much. The author gives backgrounds of every minor character, even ones which just appeared once or twice. Cutting of some details and explanations and tightening up the plot, would improve the book. A better editing is recommended as well.

On the positive note, the story kept my interest and I loved the characters and found their personal story interesting. The author managed to bring together a whole bunch of colorful characters. You got to know the characters and what they went through mattered to you. I found myself immersed into the lives of the characters and tensing up when things would take an ominous turn, though some business choices of Thomas weren't really to my liking.

Despite my misgivings above, overall I have enjoyed the story and found it a great read. With intriguing situations coming left and right, the book managed to nettle my interest. I rate the book 3 out of 4 stars and recommend it to all lovers of the genre.

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Buy "The Devil's Handshake" on Amazon

honestreviewer · Post by **honestreviewer** » 10 Aug 2014, 05:08

Well Done, you have done a very good review.

Wonder why it is called Devil's handshake when it come to USA and Russia?

Nothing to do with Devil?

Many thanks

gali · Post by **gali** » 10 Aug 2014, 08:29

honestreviewer wrote:Well Done, you have done a very good review.

Wonder why it is called Devil's handshake when it come to USA and Russia?

Nothing to do with Devil?

Many thanks

Thank you

For that, you better read the book.

Sunjay · Post by **Sunjay** » 14 Aug 2014, 20:01

Omg,thank you for the review gali

gali · Post by **gali** » 14 Aug 2014, 22:51

Sunjay wrote:Omg,thank you for the review gali

Thank you.

KittyFluff · Post by **KittyFluff** » 19 Aug 2014, 11:01

I feel like this book is awesome. This is creative thinking.

gali · Post by **gali** » 19 Aug 2014, 11:13

KittyFluff wrote:I feel like this book is awesome. This is creative thinking.

Eve-Olsen2005 · Post by **Eve-Olsen2005** » 21 Aug 2014, 11:42

Thanks for the great review! It sounds well worth reading!!

gali · Post by **gali** » 21 Aug 2014, 11:46

Eve-Olsen2005 wrote:Thanks for the great review! It sounds well worth reading!!

Thank you.

brightquart · Post by **brightquart** » 22 Aug 2014, 12:33

The second book is up on the system if anybody would like to review it. Regards TC (Brightquart Rights)

DATo · Post by **DATo** » 04 Sep 2014, 17:19

Excellent review. Makes me want to read this book.

gali · Post by **gali** » 05 Sep 2014, 05:16

DATo wrote:Excellent review. Makes me want to read this book.

Thank you for your kind words

amybo82 · Post by **amybo82** » 19 Sep 2014, 16:01

What a great review! While this doesn't sound like the type of book I would enjoy, I have several people in mind who I think will enjoy it. I will be sure to recommend it to them!

gali · Post by **gali** » 19 Sep 2014, 22:38

amybo82 wrote:What a great review! While this doesn't sound like the type of book I would enjoy, I have several people in mind who I think will enjoy it. I will be sure to recommend it to them!

Thank you for your kind words.