Kept me interested throughout, good storyline and well written. Would read more by this author.

Fantastic book and old school writing. Highly recommended.

There is no shortage of "retro" novels, especially in the crime/noir field. Some of these work very well. But there is nothing like discovering a novel that is actually of the time period, not just apeing it . Such is the case with The Owl, resurrected by Brash Books and delivered to new readers straight from 1984.

This is the era where "men's adventure" books reigned, and The Owl has the action and violence to hold its own with any of them. Mix this with some vaguely otherworldly characters and dark humor and The Owl stands above them all.

Imagine Batman as a hired killer and you have the start of who The Owl is. He never sleeps. He kills without remorse. He tortures his victims to enhance his reputation. But he is also hiding from himself and his horrific past.

The action is top notch and the characters are vivid and interesting. Fans of pulp heroes of any generation should jump on this one if they missed it the first time. 5 stars!

Action!!!, December 16, 2014

This review is from: The Owl: An Owl Thriller (Kindle Edition)
Great Character! This was very fast paced with tons of action! It had a lot of twists and turns that I didn't see coming. (I had to go back and reread parts to see how I missed some things.) I am currently reading the next in this series and that should tell you something!

This guy must be part Superman. and part Batman man with a dash of Spiderman. and Energizer Bunny. He sure takes a licking and keeps on ticking. This is one heck of a thrill ride. Almost from the start the action is on. I really like books that don't stop. The plot was great and full of twists and turns. Lots of shooting and mayhem. Who can the Owl trust? Only his faithful sidekick. The hot girl Friday.
Written in first person narrative you get to see how the man's mind works. I don't usually care for first person but in this case it works.
You want a great read? This is for you.
Thank you NetGalley for the free read.

what I like about this publisher (new to me...) is their discoveries of writers who have been around and who are 'underpublished' - I'd never have heard of Forward without them; and his creation 'the owl' is credible, entertaining with a new take on vigilante justice - and he never puts a foot wrong on his sleepless way (that's developed into a life-saving form of paranoia to say the least) to bring justice to bear - he's not casual abt killing so the slightly cartoonish veneer of establishing his king-of-the-mountain status sinks in with the reader (early on in this story for example, he outwits a professional assassin who'd been out to get him on someone's behalf - he does not know who as yet - and they confer as old pros together on how his corpse should be 'clean' - but the Owl does not hesitate when it's necessary to conceal his crime, to deform the corpse after all - a certain honour and pragmatism among thieves/killers prevails. but he's killed people who killed cops, so law enforcement people leave him be - and so we follow his weird life, in this case in sweltering hot Los Angeles as he gets in deeper and deeper with a conspiracy that haunts him personally too. It is so rare to find a unique PI who is always good - that I have to say I cannot wait to read the next. thank you Brash Books!

One for the books. Written in the first person which can be engaging for the reader if done right. Bob Forward does a nice job of creating a colorful cast of characters and a plot sure to hold the reader glued to story. As for the Owl, he is a person who is quite full of himself and with a vivid imagination as he wades into situations that would usually call for a Seal Team and yet he manages a single handed resolve of the issue. Such bovine excreta in a story is just OK for one book but will quickly grow tiresome if any follow on further perpetuate the fantasy. As a stand-alone book I give it a five stars. I have another book in the wings by this author and that will determine if I become a fan as I usually favor more realistic action.

This book titled The OWL, is a dark and gritty book about a man who does not sleep and after something horrific that happened to his family he is now taking up lost causes for people. Sometimes for money sometimes for free. This story starts off fast paced as soon as you start reading and goes on from page to page. Someone is trying to kill him but he is taking them out as fast as they come after him. He starts looking at every angle at who it could be and likewise you the reader are caught up in the story from the very beginning. For me nothing about this book felt make believe the author made a character and characters around him that I could see really taking place, or my mind can go to the dark side real easy. But as the story moves along you realize you are coming to the end and you are wondering why it has to be over. The sign of a good book. Fast pace, murder mayhem, and who done it? The makings of a good book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Brash Books for this free copy. In an exchange for this copy I am giving an honest review.

Originally published in 1984, this updated version caught my eye. I love a good mystery and am always on the lookout for good authors in this genre. Forward fits the bill but in my searching it seems like he's only authored 2 books, this one and its sequel. How disappointing for readers! He writes a good story and he has a very compelling character in Owl. Owl never sleeps. Literally. He hasn't slept in 8 years since he lost his wife and started roaming the streets of L.A. as a vigilante. He runs a private detective agency and charges a very high price so he is only sought out when the person is desperate. He has no home, car, or even a second set of clothes. He checks in to motels to shower and change his clothes every so often. He has Danny who runs his business and helps him work with clients. We meet Owl in an alley and very quickly get an idea of his modus operandi. He seems to possess a supernatural ability to dodge the "bad guys" and get the job done. He has a reputation but he is also completely off the grid. His case in this title involves a girl burned beyond recognition and her father's desire for revenge. Revenge is something Owl knows about. Like I said above, it's a shame Forward has only written 2 books. He has solid storylines, good characters, and interesting crimes that need to be solved. I'll read the sequel and then be sad that there is no more.

Synopsis/blurb……

It’s the mid-1980s. Crime in Los Angeles is running rampant. When the law can’t help you, there is one man who can: Alexander L’Hiboux, whose ability to sleep was destroyed in the ghastly tragedy that cost him his family. Now he’s justice-for-hire, prowling the streets and solving crimes with deadly finality. A desperate, grief-stricken shipping magnate hires The Owl to find the scum who brutalized his daughter…a quest that uncovers a shocking conspiracy that will rock the city.

New author – tick,

Brash Books offering – tick,

Los Angeles setting – tick,

80’s – time frame - tick

Action, gun-play, a kidnapping and vigilante pay-back in the form of the insomnolence-suffering, enigmatic Owl – 4 ticks.

Plot and main character were a wee bit OTT, but after chucking my plausibility-radar in the corner after a chapter or two, I kicked back and enjoyed the ride. Did I totally buy into The Owl as the equally feared and revered harbinger of doom to the lawless? Not totally, but I was convinced enough to finish this one in fairly short order. I used to love watching Arnie and Bruce busting a few heads on screen. I loved reading about The Owl busting a few heads here.

Credit to Bob Forward for introducing a unique protagonist with a condition that stops him sleeping…..ever. His back-story and the minimal amount of personal relationships or contact he allows himself, firmly cements him as one of society’s outsiders. Definitely a guy you wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of. I was reminded me a little bit of Andrew Vachss’ Burke character, although Burke has a larger network of helpers.

Great little diversionary scenes from the author which underline the lack of normality that The Owl enjoys in his everyday life. For example - the lengths he has to go to in order to get a shower in a motel had me chuckling.

Best book ever? No but more than enough to like and have me looking forward to Forward’s second Owl book – Scarlet Serenade.

Bob Forward’s website is here.

4 from 5

Accessed through Net Galley, courtesy of Brash Books