Tuesday, September 13, 2011

The Queen by Steven James

While investigating a mysterious double homicide in an isolated northern Wisconsin town, FBI Special Agent Patrick Bowers uncovers a high-tech conspiracy that ties together long-buried Cold War secrets with present-day tensions in the Middle East.



In his most explosive thriller yet, bestselling author Steven James delivers a pulse-pounding, multilayered storytelling tour de force that will keep you guessing.

The Queen is the latest Patrick Bowers thriller from the author Publishers Weekly calls a "master storyteller at the peak of his game."


Endorsements

"A masterpiece of a thriller."--Special Agent R. Wayne Smith, FBI (retired)


"Steven James continues to raise the bar in suspense writing. The Queen takes readers to a new level of suspense and is the best book in the Patrick Bowers series hands down!"--Suspense Magazine

My review:
I always look forward to each new book in the Patrick Bowers Thriller Series, or as I like to refer to them as, The Chess Piece Series, since each book is titled with a different chess piece name. First there was The Pawn, The Rook, The Knight, The Bishop, and now The Queen.

There has not been much Christian content in this series, but after reading an author interview with the author that I borrowed and posted on my blog yesterday, I understand his writing more. Read it - very interesting, especially his views on Christian fiction versus fiction with a Christian world view.

In my opinion, each book in this series gets better than the previous ones, and The Queen is no different. It is a masterpiece of suspense and mystery. I thought the plot in this book was more complicated and involved than the other books, but I was able to follow it easily and got caught up in the events quickly. It was one of those books that I did not want to put down, so I stayed up later than I should have, determined to find out what happened.

Steven James uses two writing styles in his books. First person and third person. I have never been a big fan of first person point of view writing, as the reader only knows what the hero or heroine of the story is thinking, and only knows what is happening in their presence. With James' writing style, the reader knows what the hero, Patrick Bowers is thinking, but also what the other characters are thinking and doing apart from him. I like it, and it works great. I don't have a problem telling when he switches.

My only complaint about this series, is the books are written a year apart - too long to wait for sequels, and I am going to be an old man by the time the series is done! :-)

If you enjoy great suspense/thrillers, then check out this series. You will not be disappointed.

About the author:
Award-winning Author of The Patrick Bowers Files


Steven James has penned 30+ books spanning the genres of psychological thrillers, prayer collections, dramas, monologues, a nine book series on creative storytelling, YA fantasy, and inspirational nonfiction.

He has received wide critical acclaim for his work including four Storytelling World Honor awards, two Publishers Weekly starred reviews, and 2009 and 2011 Christy Awards for best suspense. His latest thriller, The Bishop, was named both Suspense Magazine's and The Christian Manifesto's 2010 Book of the Year.

Steven earned a Master’s Degree in Storytelling from ETSU in 1997 and is an active member of International Thriller Writers, the Authors Guild, Mystery Writers of America, and International Association of Crime Writers. He is a contributing editor to Writer's Digest, and has taught writing and storytelling principles on three continents.

He lives in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee with his wife and three daughters. When he's not writing or speaking, he's rock climbing, playing disc golf, or (shh....) slipping away to a matinee.

Check out his website: StevenJames.net.

Read an excerpt here.

Video here.


Available September 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”
 
Thanks to Donna at Revell for the review copy.

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