The Courier

Rating:
Summary: Top-notch and Fast-paced
Review: I am impressed that this is a first novel! I had just put down a book that failed my 3/50 test: If I am not in love with the protagonist(s) by the third chapter or the first 50 pages (whichever comes first), I don't prolong the agony and move on to another book. It didn't take much more than the prologue for me to be hooked with this book. I loved the raport between brother and sister; the dialog was witty and snappy; they were real people! And the villain was, well, villainous.

I try to stretch reading a book over at least a week, but, alas, I failed here and finished it in two days (I opened the book in the afternoon of day one, and dinner must be cooked to keep peace in the family, so finishing it lagged to day two). I fully intend to read the hoped-for sequel, "Bagman." I hope it is not the disaster that James Patterson's "Lake House" was, but somehow I don't think it will be.

I have only one problem. I shook my head when the object of all this chasing around were a pair of computer disks. A lot of grief could have been avoided if Simon had simply copied the original disks and turned the originals over to the medical people, to stave them off for the time being, while he had the contents examined. And why did he have to mail the originals to Vic, who could have simply downloaded the data instantly, to determine their contents? To my mind, the contraband shipment should have been something that could not be duplicated easily -- maybe a vial of serum/plague/virus, or ?? If there were some explanation, I missed it.

However, this is the first novel I've read in a long time by an unknown author where I really cared about the characters, and I intend to follow his work.




Rating:
Summary: A terrifc read, real page turner
Review: I bought this book for reading on a plane. Considering my experience with United Airlines, I am glad I had a real page turner that lasted the many hours of delay.

Simon Leonidovich is not your average courier. He leans toward the high stakes, very volatile deliveries that cost thousands of dollars in security. His sister Lara runs the office and he is the sole "bagman." When he accepts delivery of an apparently innocuous file of medical info from a site in Sweden, his life becomes threatened as he slowly discovers the real value of the file. A global-hopping, fast-paced read. I am already looking forward to the next title, a sequel.

Rating:
Summary: Ending left a lot to be desired
Review: I'm about to make a statement that won't let a cat out of any bag. It's more like commenting to the effect that, gosh, isn't the Emperor chilly when he walks around all naked like that. My observation, hardly groundbreaking, is that mass market paperbacks don't really get much critical respect. There's a bit of an elitist favoritism toward hardcovers, and their favored nieces, the trade paperback --- something about a trade paperback gives it an air of respectability --- but the mass market paperback (which we'll refer to from here on in as a paperback) gets no respect. They're pretty much everywhere, only cost a few (okay, maybe more than a few) bucks, and for the most part are a reprint of something that was out in hardcover a year before. Nothing supposedly says "cheap-ass" like a groaning bookcase full of paperback books. And if a writer's book goes --- horrors! --- "straight to paperback," it can't be any good. It's like all of Cynthia Rothrock's direct-to-video movies: fun to watch with some suspension of disbelief, but only when the wife is out of state visiting her mother. Otherwise, let's haul out the DVD version of Ordinary People one more time.

But...but...(and here I do my very best imitation of a teakettle) it simply is not true! There are some great GREAT books that go directly to paperback and I am holding the proof right here in my sweaty palms, opposable thumbs holding it open. The title is THE COURIER, the author is Jay MacLarty, and the protagonist is...a courier. And while the title of this wonderful thriller isn't terribly imaginative, it's the only thing about the novel that isn't.

Let's start with the courier, Simon Leonidovich, who runs his own courier service with his sister Lara functioning as secretary, office manager, and all-around coordinator. Their company, Worldwide SD, sounds like a huge operation, but it's just the two of them. And Simon is physically unimpressive, but he is a can-do guy; if you need something delivered from a Point A to a Point B anywhere in the world, then Simon will globetrot it there for you. It accordingly seems like just another day in the office when Simon gets the call to make a pickup at a small laboratory in Sweden and deliver it to the lab's U.S. home office in California. And there's a bit of lagniappe for Simon: Bain-Haverland, the contracting company, manufactures Mira-loss, a weight-loss drug that Simon and millions of other folks are happily taking to drop a few pounds and keep the weight off.

The problem is that, unbeknownst to Simon, the pickup and delivery he has contracted for contains some lab results that demonstrate that Mira-loss has some very, very nasty long-term side effects. Bain-Haverland wants to make sure that those lab results never see the light of day outside of their offices. There is a duplicate set of records, however, and Simon has them. He doesn't quite know what he has, but he does know that something is definitely wrong. Simon soon finds himself on the run from Bain-Haverland and the mysterious, very dangerous Retnuh. If it's Simon's job to deliver things, then it's Retnuh's job to retrieve items that have been lost...or stolen. Retnuh is a ruthless and skilled assassin, and one of the most fascinating villains you'll ever hiss. He is soon chasing Simon literally all over the world, but there is more at stake than the records in Simon's possession. Simon may have the test results, but Retnuh has Lara.

THE COURIER is a perfect thriller. There is no putting this book down once it's opened, and there isn't a wasted character or moment anywhere. When Webster's Dictionary issues its revised edition, it will have to put a picture of THE COURIER next to the definition of "page-turner." And --- YES! --- the final pages of THE COURIER contains an excerpt from BAGMAN, MacLarty's next book. And yes, it's coming straight to paperback. Who could have imagined that life can be so good?

--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub

Rating:
Summary: Not Bad...a good start to a series...
Review: No one will confuse this with great literature or even the great thrillers...however, it is not a bad first novel. The story is very linear. Not an overly complex story--it is actually fairly simple. I wish there were more intriguing twists and turns. However, Simon and Lara are really promising characters. I liked the fact that Simon is not movie star good looking. He is a humble and good guy. The technology was used to good effect. I do hope to see more depth in Bagman.

Rating:
Summary: A quick easy read and an entertaining thriller
Review: Simon Leonidovich is a courier. He transports packages anywhere in the world. The packages could contain almost any item. In this instance, he is given some computer discs which have some major inherent value. When the Swedish scientist who gives Simon the package is killed, Simon becomes suspicious that it is murder. This becomes especially evident when the owner of a major pharmaceutical company comes to pick them up. The owner lies to him repeatedly so Simon decides to look into the matter on his own. He puts not only himself in danger but his sister, who is also his business partner, along with a new girlfriend. Once Simon discovers what is happening, he realizes he must tell the authorities and save possibly millions of lives.
THE COURIER is a quick easy read and entertaining thriller. The plot is a bit too long and most of the characters are stereotypic wooden creations. Pacing is the major strength and the reader will be fully entertained throughout. Recommended.

Rating:
Summary: A quick easy read and an entertaining thriller
Review: Simon Leonidovich is a courier. He transports packages anywhere in the world. The packages could contain almost any item. In this instance, he is given some computer discs which have some major inherent value. When the Swedish scientist who gives Simon the package is killed, Simon becomes suspicious that it is murder. This becomes especially evident when the owner of a major pharmaceutical company comes to pick them up. The owner lies to him repeatedly so Simon decides to look into the matter on his own. He puts not only himself in danger but his sister, who is also his business partner, along with a new girlfriend. Once Simon discovers what is happening, he realizes he must tell the authorities and save possibly millions of lives.
THE COURIER is a quick easy read and entertaining thriller. The plot is a bit too long and most of the characters are stereotypic wooden creations. Pacing is the major strength and the reader will be fully entertained throughout. Recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Courier vs Killer, Chase in Internet Era
Review: The most remarkable feature of this novel is that both Simon (the courier) and the vicious killer who chases Simon fully apply computer and internet technology such as web search, e-mail, chat and so on. This novel vividly describes how human beings with flesh and blood use computers as a tool (not computers use human beings). Indeed, the classic battle between human beings is very thrilling and exciting. I would have given this novel 5 stars even without the hi-tech features. I admit this novel has several drawbacks, but I love an attractive novel much better than a perfect one. I am eager to read the next book.

Rating:
Summary: Make it into a series-Please
Review: This book is a real mystery thriller with twists and turns in the plot. It is a high-tech drama at its finest to be sure! Anyone who enjoys non-stop action and information shouldn't miss this one.

Rating:
Summary: I couldn't put this book down!
Review: This is the best thriller I have read in maybe 20 years since I first read "The day of the Jackal." It starts fast-paced and picks up speed right through to the stunning ending. The characters in this book are absolutely unforgettable. I hope there is another book coming soon.