Cover Image: The Devil’s Breath

The Devil’s Breath

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

This was an interesting read. MI16 and their experiments with the latest technology, this story was engrossing. Xavier Baxter leads quite an interesting life as a DS until he was shot in the head. He wakes up six months later to find that his bodily functions - sleep and other things - are correct to a clockwork. He soon learns that a part of his brain was damaged during the shoot out and a chip has been inserted in place to take over the 'subconscious' actions of the body. As he is trained and sent as a spy, something goes wrong. Will this result in the end of the multi-million-dollar MI16 project?

I loved the concept! The first part of the story is about Xavier's rehabilitation while the second is about him infiltrating the agency. The second part looked a tad hurried-up and I wish there were more details as to Xavier's spying.

I do hope to read more of Xavier's adventures.

Overall Rating: 4.25/5

Was this review helpful?

Thank you Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was a pretty good spy, sfi thriller. Our hero is an ex cop who gets shot during the line of duty. He is reawakened by a secret faction in the government called MII6. The science unit. Our hero is now functioning through an implanted computer in his brain. He tries to run but he can't survive without powering up. He begins to trust the group of scientists who give him autonomy and learns how to strengthen his mind and body to fight against terrorism.
I thought it was a well written, action packed story that at times did stuck in too many details before diving into the action. Even so worth reading.

Was this review helpful?

This amazing thriller had me entrenched throughout the entire book it has a sufficient number of high-stakes moments to keep the tale suspenseful and engaging throughout. A well thought-out drama, full of intrigue and duplicity. Well done and highly recommend read !

Was this review helpful?

What if everyone in your life thought you were dead? What would you do? The Devil's Breath offers one answer:join a secret organization! The story is lively and thrilling. It kept my interest. The characters are likeable and engaging. This is a good read overall. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

OOO mystery and intrigue awaits those who read this series. Your dead or at least everyone in your life thinks you are, what do you do but join some mysterious underground secret agency. Full of surprises and twists that leave you wondering did I miss this somewhere ? Loved it.

Was this review helpful?

Interesting and catchy reading material..
The plot and the characters were interesting and I hope soon there will be another book in the series and we will learn more about Xavier and the Attic.

Was this review helpful?

"... if you hear the gunshot, you're still alive."
But DS Xavier Baxter didn't hear the gunshot. Essentially dead after trying to protect his partner during an arrest gone wrong, Xavier is involuntarily given a second chance at life and is "reborn into a strange new world." MI16, also referred to as "the Attic," is essentially Britain's "scientific intelligence" agency, and they have been working on a top secret augmented intelligence project. Xavier's near-death state is a perfect opportunity for the Attic to finally take their project to the application stage. Rather reluctantly at first, Xavier moves forward with training and accepting a gravely important investigation within MI6 to figure out why agents keep inexplicably defecting to Russia. But not only is he under pressure to save the Attic from being defunded, Xavier also finds himself trying to identify and apprehend a hidden enemy.
This story isn't a typical thriller for me, as I tend to like psychological suspense novels, but I wad pleasantly surprised by how quickly I read and became immersed in the plot. Most of the credit for this goes to the superb writing. The dialogue was believable, and even comical at times, while the telling of events moved along at a brisk pace. Because of this pace, the story never felt stale or slow-moving, especially once the final climax comes to a head.
The only aspect that the writing was missing was a better description of the characters. I felt this was lacking, except perhaps in the case of Xavier. I wish the writer would have delved more into the characters. It appears that this is a first in a series, though, and we will learn more in the following books.
I will be interested in reading more novels involving Xavier and the Attic, so I do hope more are to come. Overall, I'd recommend this book to readers who enjoy thrillers, especially if you are interested in technology and espionage. It was certainly an exciting and exceptionally readable book.
** Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and the publishers for providing me a copy of this book to read and review.**

Was this review helpful?