BEWARE of spoilers. One man's bookflap summary is another man's spoiler.There's something here for readers of both gender stereotypes: high body count and lead-per-minute for the guys; a handsome/accomplished/sensitive hero in Ben Hope, who is unattainable for the women who swoon over him -- not because he's gay or sexually dysfunctional, but because he's apparently devoted to some idealistic higher end, plus is still pining for a dead fiancee (or wife - I can't recall which).Anyway, I thought the bookflap summary did underplay the significance of Christian fundamentalism to the plot. There can be doomsday-themed stories that don't go quite so much into American-style born-agains. (I'm not objecting; just wondering why the book's promoters chose to understate that part of the story in the book's packaging.)My second observation about "The Hope Vendetta:" For a guy who returned to the Bible and resumed theological studies at Oxford U. in England following his career as an SAS sniper and the beloved's retaliation death, Ben too readily shed his Bible (literally threw it out a car window) after emerging from the book's harrowing climax (which involved a lesser love than the dead fiancee). To me, that seemed out of character for Ben, and a move too facile for the author ...... Unless Hope is going to struggle further with his religious unbelief in a future installment. Ben Hope - Man or Superman? I know that this sort of high-octane fiction needs the reader to suspend some disbelief but this book had me laughing out loud on more than one occasion. It wasn't just that he was more than superhuman, all of these heroes are but the narrative was so hackney'd and trite that I kept having to read bits out aloud to friends to give them a good laugh too.I enjoy a good holiday read at times but this is the bottom of the barrel and I wouldn't bother with another Scott Mariani novel (if you can call it that) again.
It started off really brilliantly, but sort of faded out, still quite a good read though.
—Shy
Loved it what a great read I could not put it down can't wait for the next one !
—rhino33660
Considering the genre, pretty good. Lots of action and so on.
—sk8tergurl15
You're right Dave - the guy is super human!
—Charl
Fantastic Thriller.
—Dancer2012
