Revolution No. 9 : A Novel

Rating:
Summary: PRECISE, INTELLIGENT, FRIGHTENING SCENARIO
Review:
Timely and well within the realm of possibility both describe the frightening scenario developed by Neil McMahon in his latest thriller "Revolution No. 9." Known and appreciated for his precise, intelligent, and well-crafted stories, McMahon has won a following with "Blood Double," "Twice Dying," and "To The Bone." This, his fourth to feature Dr. Carroll Monks, will not disappoint.

Living alone in northern California, Monks is a doctor disenchanted with much about his profession. He's divorced, and estranged from his son, Glenn, who, as far as Monks knew was a street person in Seattle. Monks has an affinity for the bottle, and a disregard for his own well-being.

As the story opens his evening is interrupted by a knock on the door. He finds a young woman who claims she had a flat tire down the road. You know what sometimes happens to Good Samaritans. Monks accompanies her back to her SUV where he's kidnaped at gunpoint, tied, and tossed into another car. Worst of all he recognized the face of the person who had fingered him - his son, Glenn.

Monks is taken to a remote compound overseen by a sociopath called Freeboot. His followers, both male and female, are a bunch of misfits intent on overthrowing society. While Monks has read of the apparent random killings of wealthy couples throughout the country, he had absolutely no idea what connection there could be between those murders and Freeboot's heinous plans.

Freeboot has brought Monk to his outpost to care for the madman's young son, Mandrake, who is at the point of death. Monks well knows that he cannot help the child without hospital facilities, yet Freeboot forbids it. There's little chance of Monk escaping when he's surrounded by some of the most despicable characters ever created - Coil, Hammerhead, Shrinkwrap, Taxman, and, yes, Glenn.

Eventually Monks does manage to flee the compound, but he's caught, dragged back, beaten, and put in chains. Does he ever manage to escape and take the dying boy with him?

As the story takes us on a dizzying course we realize that Freeboot's plan involves setting the have's in society against the have-nots, and thereby creating a revolution. Descriptions of a day in Bodega Bay, California, during which this fury is released are both real and utterly terrifying.

Once again, Neil McMahon cuts close to the bone in this unnerving tale of terrorism.

- Gail Cooke

Rating:
Summary: Wild Ride with an Outlaw Cult,plus Interesting Family Ties
Review: DR Monks is a semi-burned out doctor, who is kidnapped by some very perverse "Robin Hood" anti-heroes, in order to cure a very ill 4 year old boy, the son of the cult's very mad leader. This same group has brainwashed the good doctor's 22 year son. So we are led into a den of anti-medicine revolutionaries, and misfits, who are also heavily armed. We also learn alot about diabetes and its treatment, an extra plum in this excellent thriller. Hiding out in a very remote forest of northern California, this doctor attempts to escape with the 4 year old boy. What happens next are series of dangerous and wild pursuits, FBI actions, and alot more. To say too much might give away too much!

Rating:
Summary: "You Say You Want A Revolution................"
Review: I was lucky enough to get an advance reading copy of "Revolution No. 9", by Neil McMahon. It grabbed me from the first page.
Dr. Carroll Monks, divorced ER physician, is abducted by a band of psychopaths with names like "Freeboot" and "Taxman". Worst of all, he finds his estranged 22 year old son is involved. I won't give away the whys and wherefores, you will enjoy reading them for yourself. But be assured, the fast paced plot will keep you hooked.
I will definitely be looking for the previous Carroll Monks thrillers and any new ones to come.


Rating:
Summary: Monks is at his best
Review: In Northern California, Marguerite comes to the home of Dr. Carroll Monks asking for help with a flat tire. He goes to look, but inside the vehicle he recognizes a face he has not seen in five years, his estrange son Glenn. Before he can recover from his shock, Monks is tied up and placed on the floor of the SUV.

A few hours later even deeper into the mountains, Monks meets "Freeboot," leader of an outlaw band who demands he cure his three-year ailing old son. Monks realizes that the infant needs intensive medical help and suggests hospitalizing the child. When Freeboot declines and threatens Monks if he fails to heal his son, the doctor decides flees with the child strapped to his back, but he is unaware of who his pursuer is. Freeboot knows he is the Revolution that will change the world forever and has killed VIPs across the nation leaving clues with the homeless. No one lives if they betray Freeboot and Monks and his loved ones are now his public enemy number one.

In his fourth thriller, Monks is at his best as knows he lost his son, but will die to keep his opponent's boy alive. Thus the story line plays out on two levels: that of a national homicidal group reminiscent of the Manson crowd yet much more deviously Machiavellian and a local good vs. evil one on one match-up. The key that keeps this tale sharp is the villain, who is a believable lunatic. Freeboot and his lieutenant Taxman are TO THE BONE quite a BLOOD DOUBLE killing without remorse as the leader has a cause.

Harriet Klausner


Rating:
Summary: Cults, cults
Review: The new novel from Neil McMahon focuses almost solely on his kidnapping by a cult.

Our main character is stashed on the compound and is asked to minister (in some small ways) to the sick of the camp.

It gets very complexed when our main character discovers that his own son is part of the cult and that he has been kidnapped in order to take care of the ill son of the cult leader.

While I gave this book a 3 star rating, I hesitated. McMahon usually tells much more interesting stories and this one kind of stalls at some points because of the limited storyline location.

However, towards the middle to mid end of the book, the story picks up considerably and you can find vintage McMahon once again.

So, I would rate this book as a 3 star thriller because of the strength of the writing and the end of the story.

A fair read overall. McMahon is usually stronger than this. I consider this book to be his weakest in the series.