Action-packed, gritty, and relentlessly fast-paced — The Forsaken grabs you from page one and doesn't let up. Matt Rogers delivers a high-octane thriller with a protagonist you can't help but root for, even when the odds are stacked sky-high.

Unbeknownst to Logan, he has spent the past ten years working as a contract killer for the CIA. When he uncovers the truth, it sends him spiraling toward self-destruction. After the murder of his only friend, Jorge, Logan forms an unlikely bond with a witness, Alice—a homeless drug addict. United by pain and a thirst for justice, they join forces to seek revenge and, in the process, become each other's lifeline out of the darkness they’ve both come to know.

I loved the raw intensity and vivid combat scenes. The writing is lean and cinematic, perfect for fans of Jack Reacher-style lone wolves. While I wished for a bit more depth in character development, it absolutely delivered on suspense and adrenaline. I imagine the characters will continue to evolve in subsequent books.

If you're into dark revenge stories, conspiracies and corruption thrillers with bite, this one’s for you.

A fast paced, edge of your seat, nail biting thriller packed with high octane action from start to finish. One of the most gripping books I have read so far this year.

For ten years, Logan Booth served as a contract killer for the CIA - he just never knew it. At the end of his career, Logan learns he has been furthering government interests and the revelation destroys him and sets him on a spiral of self-loathing.

When Logan’s oldest friend, Jorge Romero, is brutally murdered, Logan allows his fury to deliver him from despair.

Logan is once again back at war, but this time the enemy is a powerful force close to home. With only Alice, a homeless drug addict caught in the crosshairs, Logan must face his demons just to survive.

This was so interesting and I loved the close timeline, how everything happens pretty much over the course of a night. I also really enjoyed the relationship between Alice and Logan. Very much a trauma bond, they hold each other accountable and I think it gives a bit of humanity back to Logan which he is desperately searching for at the start of the book.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Australia, NetGalley and the author for my copy of this book in exchange for a review

An adrenaline-fueled, action-packed, thrilling read.

Logan Booth thought he has been a rogue assassin for a group of vigilantes for the past decade. He is devastated to learn he has been used by the CIA as a contract killer to further government interests. When his long-time friend and investigate journalist Jorge Romero is murdered for attempting to uncover political corruption, Logan seeks vengeance in the only way he knows how. An unlikely friendship of desperation develops between Logan and Alice, a homeless, drug-addict who becomes embroiled in the chaos of murder and violence.

The writing is vivid, propulsive and cleverly intertwines philosophy, greed, corruption, violence, guilt and politics. Logan Booth is a memorable and morally complex character. I am interested to read what comes next for him.

If you enjoy cinematic fast-paced, action thrillers, then give this one a go.

This book is fast paced and big on murderous intent, action and a fair amount of violence keeps the reader’s attention.
The storyline is either a love it or hate it cycle, at times I felt lost in what was happening and why it mattered and other times I was caught up in the action.
The main character Logan is devastated to hear that his career wasn’t what it seemed, killing was much more orchestrated by others.
Logan is messed up, seeking to make sense of his life and he becomes more involved with corruption than before,
Murder and Mayhem is the name of the game, but I failed to really connect with the characters fully.

Thanks to Simon and Schuster, NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Firstly, thanks to NetGalley for the ARC! It took me so long to finish this one that I’ve officially fallen behind on my Goodreads reading challenge by 6 books!

I really wanted to enjoy The Forsaken, but unfortunately, it fell completely flat for me. The plot was a recycled mess of clichés — tough guy goes rogue, kills a bunch of bad guys, rinse and repeat. There was barely any character development, and everyone felt like a cardboard cutout of better action-thriller archetypes.

The pacing dragged in parts and then lurched forward without any real buildup. And while I don't expect literary prose in a book like this, the writing felt rushed and uninspired, like it was cranked out without much editing. I also found the dialogue stiff and unrealistic, often bordering on cringe.

If you’re looking for something with depth, originality, or even just a bit of nuance, I’d look elsewhere. This felt like a knockoff of better books in the genre, with just a nothing storyline.

Disappointed, and won’t be picking up the next one.

Rogers has flown under my radar for the last 10 years, but he is definitely on my radar now!

Rogers writing style is so engrossing and vivid that it feels like you are watching a movie or standing right in the middle of the action and drama. This fast paced, action thriller is perfect for those who love characters like Ethan Hunt or Jack Reacher. Even the author wrote that Logan Booth can be: 

      "...deaf, disoriented, concussed, grievously injured: it really doesn't matter. So long as he can will himself to crash forward, that's what he'll do until it's over."

Apart from the compelling action scenes, there is the emotional undercurrent from the main characters that draws you in and takes a strong hold over you. From the past and vices that they are struggling to break away from, to the unlikely friendship that Logan and Alice find in each other. Not to mention the unique characteristics within this cast of players, it will have you not only rooting for the heroes, but some of the bad guys too. But the only drawn back is the main villain was very bizarre to say the least. 

Overall, this is a series that will I strongly keep an eye on and await more adventures from Logan and Alice. 

Thank you to NetGallery and Simon & Schuster for this amazing ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Logan Booth out-Reachers Reacher
For ten years Logan Booth was contracted by a vigilante group to rid the world of truly bad guys. Or so he thought. When it is revealed he had been duped by the CIA, he goes into a deep tailspin of self destruction. And then his best, and only, friend is murdered; suddenly he's on the road to vengeance. But murderer or cleaner, he's a man with a conscience, and recues a homeless drug addict from certain death at the hands of the very people he is after. And so it begins.
The action is white hot and searing, and outrageously over the top. But the pacing of the novel is off - too much pschyco-babble as Booth tries to justify and reconcile his past, his anger, and his desperate need to save himself and others. This 'backstory' is setting the reader up for further episodes of full-on action and mayhem from Booth as he reignites his vigilante aspirations.
If you are into gung-ho action thrillers and near-unstoppable heroes, this book (and new series) might just be perfect for you.
But I'm not in a hurry to jump back into that world just yet.
With thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Australia for the advanced book to review read and review.
Three stars

Although this is not a genre I usually enjoy, there was a lot to like about this novel. There is plenty of action, but more importantly, the underlying story is deep. Logan and Alice's stories reflect thought and self analysis. The back story of gangs and housing development is clever, as is the role of the President. The theme of doing the right thing runs through this. Although, despite being perhaps a little unbelievable in places, it does make for a good read, and sets up for a sequel. There is enough in Logan and Alice to want to know what happens next. Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC to read and review this book.

The Forsaken by Matt Rogers is an action movie in print. Logan Booth is a rugged antihero with a philosophical bent who has been tricked by the US government into life as an assassin. He has always been proud of the integrity of his personal code of ethics so upon the discovery of this manipulation Logan spirals and is living a bleak, whiskey drenched life as the book begins. As those close to him become under threat he becomes his old self again, a fighter of epic abilities.

The descriptions of the fight scenes are great - this is a real strength of the book. This is not my usual genre but I enjoyed it. The resolution of the book did not seem quite a well developed as earlier on, but this didn’t really distract from my overall experience of the book. The Forsaken really gives a night at the movies experience.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy.

Disclaimer - CIA/political action is not something you'd usually find in my wheelhouse but I was intrigued by the description.

Multiple POV. Logan is the best of the best assassin the country has. Thinking he was working for the greater good, he finds out he's been kept in the dark his whole career. His vigilante streak firmly settles into place after learning how deep the manipulation of the controlling parties reaches in his own drug riddled neighborhood. Enter Alice, the catalyst to his personal redemption.

They simultaneously try to heal themselves while putting a violent end to the corruption running wild around them.

Logan really grew on me. At the start I had him pegged as a guy that's seen some shit, went off the deep end, and covers it up with all this self serving existential noise. I was quite annoyed for the first half of the book, to be honest. And then his personality did a severe 180 and suddenly he's selflessly helping people to the severe detriment to himself. There wasn't too much flow to his character in these moments. As soon as Thoreau entered the mix, I found everything settled in. There was a surprisingly perfect blend of brutal violence, genuine relationships, and philosophy.

I REALLY would've liked a bigger insight to the relationship between Logan and Alice. "They met and they kept each other around" just didn't really cut it for me. Not even in a romantic way but a bit more work building some sort of foundation to back up the pull they had to each other would've made this a better book for me.

The Forsaken tells the tale of Logan Booth, who worked as a contract killer for the CIA, which is the first in a new series by Matt Rogers. The series opens with Logan finding out that his employment as a rogue hitman for a group of vigilantes was all a lie, with him really being used by the CIA for covert purposes. This turns his life upside down where he begins drinking and being absent from the world. The premise of the Forsaken is one of Logan’s closest friends is murdered before Logan can save him and he becomes responsible for the homeless witness Alice. The two of them join up to try and find out who murdered his friend and to get revenge, while overcoming their own personal issues.

The book started really well with vivid imagery, allowing you to picture the events that were occurring. For me, the middle of the book was a bit slow, with some confusion about what was happening and trying to pull it all together. However, the pace picked back up at the end and I didn’t want to stop reading to find out if Logan would avenge his friend’s death and save Alice. I will definitely be looking out for the next instalment of this series and would love to know more about the life of Alice.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to review.

‘I killed people for the government …. That’s all I did for ten years.’

Logan Booth has killed hundreds of men, but when he learns that he was a hitman for the CIA (instead of working for a band of vigilantes) he is devastated. Clearly, working for the government is not something Logan Booth values. He thought that he was making a positive difference. But the murder of his oldest friend, Jorge Romero (an investigative reporter) while investigating a political corruption scandal enables Logan to refocus. He is angry, and he wants to know who killed Jorge and why.

Logan finds an unlikely ally in Alice Mason, a homeless drug addict with a target on her back.

Okay. There is no shortage of action in this novel, and I found both Logan Booth and Alice Mason flawed but interesting. For much of the novel I wondered whether either of them would survive.

This is the type of novel that often translate well onto the screen. Action-packed. Fast-paced. Driven, flawed characters.

Noting that this is the first in a series, I am keen to find out what Logan Booth’s next adventure looks like.

Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster (Australia) for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
J
ennifer Cameron-Smith

Matt Rogers protagonist Logan Book is a Jack Reacher wannabe. Six ft Thee, degrees in computer science and an expert in Muy Thai, Logna thought he was doing the world a favour as a lone assassin but finding out he was actually working for the CIA broke him. Luckily there is a dead friend to avenge and local bad guys to punish.
The Forsaken is tiresome, derivative action fare which will no doubt appeal to a particular type of reader. I am not one of them.

A lethal bibliophile embarks on a journey back from self destruction to avenge his friend & in the process makes an unlikely acquaintance in whom he finds purpose to seek self redemption all the while fighting his way across NYC as a one man killing machine.

An action packed story from one fight to the next, despite his profession Logan Booth is a likeable character, he demonstrates deep personal reflection in his redemption arc in his own brutish way. Just a big softy at heart you can’t help champion his cause.

An unlikely plot but an action packed ride nonetheless.

Why oh why did Logan have to have a ponytail though? I feel it detracts from his machismo giving a sleazy mafiosi vibe instead. He’s a bibliophile, educated, he’s thoughtful, compassionate, even broody… but a ponytail?

I had little idea of what to expect - an urban adventure I guess. The book has a few rough edges but generally reads like Die Hard or The Professional - an urban setting, with a tough antihero who has a troubled and highly competent violent past, and complex reasons for all his actions.

It was very much an action story, so if you are looking for character development there isn't any. I think the main character has so much happening that I got bored - he is basically a superhero, through his own fanatical devotion to training and mind-over-matter for years. If that is to be believed, then apparently that sort of training can make you ignore broken bones, dislocations, concussion and gunshot wounds. [yeah, sure] While hungover. [yeah, double sure].

I did like how the author connected a lot of strands, to say that every action and choice actually ended up related, even though they didn't at the start, which was kinda cute. But the bad guy was ultimately unbelievable. The author made him too much of -all-the-opposite- to the hero, which is just a caricature.

It seems there is an opening to make a whole series about this main character, which I predict will be how he gets dragged into all kinds of trouble unwillingly but then saves the day while hungover, shot, with a broken bone somewhere. It's like watching the whole Die Hard series in one long go.

It's an airport read, something that doesn't purport to be anything different. It needs more than that for it to be a series, the main character needs more development and the bad guy needs to be less of a caricature and more of a real challenge.

I received an ARC from netgalley in return for an honest review.

#TheForsaken #NetGalley

Excellent action packed with elements of philosophical introspection about life. Quality writing and great plot twists. Loved it. Thank you to the author. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher.

If you're after a complex and intriguing thriller with a tiny dash if love and a whole lot of philosophical thinking then this is for you!
Logan's (MMC) description and almost superhuman strength and ability to deal with pain definitely gave me Jack Reacher vibes and I was rooting for Alice to overcome her demons from the get go.
The action/violent scenes were done so well that I could literally visualise them as I was reading.
It's gritty, emotional and the character development is amazing.

Logan Booth is a contract killer for the CIA he just didn’t realise who he was working for. Filled with ram packed action Logan is on the hunt for the person who has killed his oldest friend Jorge Romero an investigative reporter.

Logan is unaware as to who the perpetrators are but is determined to obtain justice for his good friend. There was a witness to the murder, Alice a homeless woman who is now in immense danger. The two join up together to bring down the culprits but this in no way will be an easy task. Bloodshed and violence will occur as these two unlikely characters come together. We learn more about them as the book progresses and the author did a great job of presenting these very different characters to the reader.

This is not a book for the faint hearted but if you love a complex and intriguing crime story this book is for you. Fast paced and thoroughly enjoyable I highly recommend this book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy, all opinions expressed are my own.

I thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of this book!
The characters were fantastic, likeable with growth. The story was compelling and had me waiting until the next time I could read because I just wanted to know what would happen next! The underlying tonws of the book were ever present and relatable. I look forward to the next instalment in this series & definitely recommend for lovers of David Baldacci, Lee Child, Matthew Reilly & Michael Connelly.