I enjoyed the prior books in this series and this is another action packed volume.

Alix Nico, aka Scarlet, is a one-woman army… although demolition derby is perhaps more accurate. She is cybernetically and biologically enhanced, including self-administered pain medicines and calmers that she may be abusing. Alix is generally successful in her missions, working closely with her ExOps partner, Darwin, (a Patrick clone). However, her missions are more often than not messy with injuries and collateral damage.

The ExOps agency is suffering under sabotage and betrayal from a high-level mole. They know who it is but have been unable to locate him and shut him down while he continues to cause damage to the safety of United States and its international relationships. This super enemy now has his own super weapon – a rogue enhanced Level known as Talon. She has enhancements that even challenge Scarlet.

Scarlet and Darwin are off on a fast tract trip chasing Talon and her boss, enemy #1. The chase takes them to Germany, one of the four Great Powers, where havoc ensues. Can Scarlet live through the attacks of super villain Talon and get to the top enemy before he releases more chaos.

When I started to read this, I was glad that I recognized the characters and alternate world from the prior books that I read several years ago. I had to recall that the reader has to get used to the multiple character names or the reader could get lost. What I hadn’t recalled was the ugly language which makes this less enjoyable for me.

Another thing that I recall - and is consistent with this third book- is how busy and quick author Almasi moves the action, settings and characters. It is a wild ride full of fights, shoot outs and bombs. I recommend this fast-paced story to readers who enjoy non-stop action with enhanced characters.

Source: 2018 NetGalley.

I just couldn't get into this book. It was set in an alternate history where Germany won WW2 but other countries survived too. Clones were featured on both sides as far as I could tell. The whole thing seemed to have too much description of the circumstances yet there wasn't enough explanation to really understand it. All in all a frustrating read.

I love love love Alix Nico and her hilariously idiosyncratic voice and the crazy alternate universe she lives in (well, I love the rampant violence less, but it's a nice reminder that our own world could always be worse, so.) She's witty and damaged and reckless and loyal, and she's a great person to hang an action-packed series like this on. I do rather wish that there hadn't been four years between the pub dates of this and the preceding novel, as I feel like I forgot a lot more than in the two-year gap between the first two books in the series, but I did love so much how getting back into Alix's first-person narrative was like slipping into a dress that still manages to be comfy despite being sexy as hell.

What I didn't love was how prolonged some of the fighting got. I really do appreciate that G. T. Almasi is doing different styles of thriller with each novel in this series, but war chronicles, as this one was, can often drag as we race from battle to battle. While Alix's personality and resilience are enough to keep you going, things start to feel a little repetitive even with the myriad inventive ways Mr Almasi dreams up to spatter gore across the page. On the plus side, he'll be doing something different with Book 4! Which I assume is coming given the ending of Talon Of Scorpio? I'm really looking forward to it.

Oh, and kudos also to the way Mr Almasi deals with Alix's ongoing PTSD, as well as to the adorable relationship she has with Patrick. I haaaaaaaate how crappy and superfluous love triangles are thrown into popular fiction for fake emotional tension, so the strength of the bond between Alix and Patrick feels refreshing even as it convinces. More more more please!

Sorry, couldn't finish this book. Again, sorry. - could not get into the plot - did not connect with the characters. Found it slow to start.

Talon of Scorpio is the third installment in author G.T. Almasi's Shadowstorm series. The year is 1981. It is a world where in 1943, Germany came out of World War II as the victor. Now, an entire continent is under German control and calling itself Greater Germany. GG extends from England to the Middle East to Africa. Meanwhile, the US controls the Pacific and Japan, while the Nationalist Republic of China is allied with the USSR aka Russia. Rather than risk another all-out war, the four superpowers have poured their resources into creating superspies known as Levels.

These Levels are called Infiltrator, Protector, Interceptor, Vindicator, Malefactor & Liberator. The protagonist of the series is Alixandra Nico code named Scarlet. She is a level-10 Interceptor who works for an organization called Extreme Operations Division (ExOps for short). She has Modes and Enhances that able her to take on jobs that lead to plenty of ass-kicking, pain and destruction, and some off cut humorous situations with her partner Patrick aka Darwin. Scarlet's mission in this book is to capture Jakob Fredericks who is a traitor and creator of clones and bring him back to the US.

One of his creations, Talon, is just as badass and dangerous as Scarlet is. In fact, the first chapter in this book is packed with plenty of explosive action that leads Scarlet and Patrick across Greater Germany hunting Jakob and continuing their mission of keeping Greater Germany from allying with the USSR and China. Armed with her trusty Lion Ballistics LB-505 (Li’l Bertha), Scarlet is able to rise to the occasion time and time again. There are a bunch of new characters in this book, as well as others who have been introduced before. The author literally uses place that are historically important such as Dachau, Munich,

Alix began her covert ops training when she was only 12, and has never really been allowed to have any semblance of a normal childhood. She was also a world class gymnast. The psychological aspects of the past have really caught up to Alix in major ways. As a person who suffers from PTSD, I am glad that Almasi doesn't cover up Alix's issues including panic attacks, hallucinations, nightmares, and hysterical blindness. Also, for those who haven't read the first two installments, it was a very trying 8 years with not knowing what happened to her father. Now that he's back, things are slowly coming around to what is claimed to be normal in this world.

The author writes in a brash style of comic book superheroes to create a kick-ass alternate history that reimagines the Cold War as a clash of spies with biological, chemical, and technological enhancements. Though its roots lie in speculative fiction and alternate history, the novel reads like a mainstream spy thriller, full of thrills and action, giving it a true crossover appeal. The heroine’s brash, bold voice instantly draws the reader into the world, and the non-stop action keeps you flipping pages compulsively. The thoroughly researched and well-thought-out world behind the book not only gives it a stunning verisimilitude, but also offers infinite storytelling possibilities within the wider universe.

The author has gathered together a who's who of real life characters straight out of history. John F. Kennedy who was assassinated as President, but in this book, he is Ambassador to Ireland thanks to some Bill Clinton like shenanigans. Robert (Bobby) Kennedy who was a NY Senator until he was assassinated, is the new Director of ExOps. The author actually does really well with getting Bobby's inflection down pat. You will also find George H.W. Bush, who served his country in World War II, in the CIA and as President, as well as William Webster, former FBI and CIA director. Then you have Anne Frank who is named Garbo in this series.

I do have one tiny caveat. The first book, Blades of Winter, released in 2012. The second book, Hammer of Angels, was released in 2014. It has been 4 years between the second book and this one. I leave you with this; there is a definite cliffhanger ending that absolutely changes the course of where the author must go from her. My only hope is that he doesn't wait another 2-4 years to write a fourth book.

This non-stop action thiller takes place in an alternative universe where history ends in 1939. Germany controls Europe and a civil war with a rebellion with the Nazis. Elite enhanced and modified solders are killing machines for freedom. Excellent characters that are compelling to the readers. Irreverent language used by characters refer to enemy soldiers as dinks, eggsuckers, commie tsunamis. mooks , butthead stroganoff, twerp, hobo hoedown, and the list goes on forever.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Hydra/Random House Publishing for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. For the first time in quite a while, I could not finish a book. It's not poorly written or anything. It is part of a series and does not read well as a stand alone. I think they need to be read in order. It is an alternative reality book where Germany won WW2 and people who in the real world were fascinated but in the book are alive. I just couldn't figure out what was happening. I am going to rate it a 3. I really tried but just couldn't do it.

This is a good book. Strong characters. Lots of action. I enjoyed reading it.

- - Received copy through NetGalley - -
L

A decent story with plenty of action. Having not read other books in the series, it took me a while to get into the flow of the story.

I really wanted to like this book, but it simply failed to deliver for me. Veiwpoint shifts felt confusing for me and it just disconnected. Book could do well for others, Thanks to NetGalley and the Publishers for allowing me the chance on this book.

Almasi writes a vividly described world that jumps off the pages. Talon of Scorpio is a blending of political intrigue and super – spy meets scifi on steroids. Complex and sure to send your mind on a roller coaster thrill ride.

Alix, Scarlet, is an enhanced super-solider, fighting a cold war against enemies abroad and maybe within her own ranks. Not knowing who to trust, Alix is up against one of her toughest foes yet, Talon…a fellow enhanced super killing machine.

The struggle for power and secret machinations threaten to send this behind the scenes battle into a full blown war.

Somehow, Almasi made you feel like you were reading a futuristic, dystopian thriller all the while throwing you historical bones! I know that sound strange but it worked.

I received this ARC copy of Talon of Scorpio from Random House - Hydra. This is my honest and voluntary review. Talon of Scorpio is set for publication May 1, 2018.

My Rating: 4 stars
Written by: G. T. Almasi
Series: Shadowstorm
Sequence in Series: 3
Publisher: Hydra
Publication Date: May 1, 2018
Sold by: Random House LLC
Genre: "Hard Scifi"

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