Review: The Kill Switch by James Rollins & Grant Blackwood

Title:  The Kill Switch Authors:  James Rollins & Grant Blackwood Publisher/Publication Date: William Morrow, May 13, 2014 Format/Source:  Hardcover, Purchased Amazon     Barnes & Noble     Book Summary from Goodreads Who does the U.S. government call upon when a mission requires perfect stealth, execution, and discretion? From the two bestselling masters of action and political intrigue, James Rollins and Grant Blackwood, comes the first in a groundbreaking new series, featuring Captain Tucker Wayne and his stalwart military dog, Kane, both ripped from the pages of Sigma Force for their first solo adventure. It will take this uniquely talented pairing of man and beast to discover the earth-shattering truth behind . . . The Kill Switch The mission seems simple enough: extract a pharmaceutical magnate from Russian soil, a volatile man who holds the secret to a deadly bioweapon. But nothing is as it appears to be. A desperate call from Painter Crowe, director of Sigma Force, thrusts Tucker and Kane into a frantic race to rescue the brilliant-but-deluded Abram Bukolov from a cadre of skilled assassins, a deadly team backed by a shadowy Russian general, a figure bent on revenge and power. Hunted and betrayed at every turn, Tucker and Kane must discover the truth behind a biological threat, a horror out of the ancient past that can be weaponized to terrorize the modern world. The journey of discovery will take the pair across the frozen steppes of Russia to the sun-blasted savannahs of South Africa, from the war-torn mountains of Namibia to the snowy Great Lakes of the United States. Read More My Thoughts The Kill Switch by James Rollins & Grant Blackwood will keep you on the edge of your seat with the minute by minute and hour by hour action…..Tucker is tasked with getting a pharmaceutical magnate, Bukolov out of the Russia. The mission evolved into Tucker & Kane’s race against time to protect the secrets surrounding a deadly bioweapon from Kharzin, a Russian General. There were just enough details so the reader could grasp an understanding of the biological threat and what needed to be done to stop it. Tucker's dedication to the mission at hand was clearly depicted. And I was intrigued by how he selflessly put himself in harm’s way to protect those in immediate danger. The surprises and action never ceased. At every turn there was DANGER. It was evident that when the going got tough Kane & Tucker relied on each other. In the author’s notes to readers, Rollins explains that he was trying to capture the characteristics of military working dogs. At one point Kane has to ward off a pack of African Wild dogs. And at the end of the fight between Kane and the pack leader, Tucker simply commands, “Come. Follow.” and Kane “…obeys, retreating but never backing down…” (p. 266). Although I don’t have firsthand knowledge of what they do, the descriptive text pertaining to Kane’s behavior seemed to be realistic and it captured the undying bond that couldn’t be broken between Kane and Tucker. One aspect of The Kill Switch that I especially liked was that it wasn’t riddled with romance. No there was no time for that. “…this was the wrong place and time to think about any of it” (p. 257). Sometimes romantic elements seem out of place, and The Kill Switch is the perfect example of a well-written thriller without it. Yes, the bar has been set high for finding that next book to read this summer! The Kill Switch is a phenomenal thriller jam-packed with high-speed, high intensity action—a must read. Rating 5/5