I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Source: the author
"Jeremy Hunter"
by
Gary Bloom
science fiction in a PDF edition that was published by the author on April 29, 2013 and has 108 pages.
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Fourth?? in the Olympus Union science fiction series and revolving around Jeremy Hunter, an augmented vigilante who cares. The story is set in Austin, Texas. The story was given to me by the author.
My Take
I can see Jeremy’s point, and it’s a common, general complaint. Too many people are more interested in how they appear to others rather than on getting the job done. That’s on the positive side. For the negative, it’s all about greed and circumventing protections.
This is very much a futuristic novel what with countries absorbed into a global union. It does appear to be a more benevolent and protective government.
Bloom uses a third person global subjective point-of-view with perspectives from a number of characters. Obviously Jeremy’s POV is primary, but we also hear from Galia, Hopkins, the Corral boys, at meetings, and more.
Gimme a break. So Galia gets exposed and Jeremy takes off. Hullo? I’d take off too. Why does she decide that he’s being childish for feeling betrayed?? She’s coming across as whiny.
Why is the Jovian System lost? Bloom should have incorporated this information much earlier in a good use of drama and tension. It’s at this point that Bloom finally tells us of Hopkins’ issues. Another great opportunity for tension lost. As this appears to be the fourth in the series, I want to know why I’m not getting a sense that this is part of a series, of past events and their effect on this world.
I do appreciate the lack of info dumps…yay! But I could really use more background information. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed this tale about a vigilante helping his city, but I gotta say Bloom really needs a proofreader! The incorrect word choices, lack of hyphens, misspellings, improper verb tense, missing prepositions, sentences that don’t make sense, forgetting which character is who, consistency in spelling, and more…oh, yeah, never start a sentence with an arabic figure!…drives me mad.
I like the idea of Jeremy, so concerned with the people and their safety in Austin. Then there’s Galia’s concerns. She could care less about a geographical area or its people. She’s more interested in the general whole. And that’s wrong. Once a person starts generalizing, it’s easier to dump people into a category and not see them as individuals. It’s too much like a government that only sees groups and not persons.
Then again, it does seem as if Galia is beginning to feel Jeremy’s mission.
There is plenty of action at a fast pace with lots of that gadgetry I love, lol. The characters come across as stereotypical with little background, which is consistent with my other complaints above. It certainly is another area that could have been enhanced, making this a much better story.
The Story
Jeremy’s foreboding proved true. It was too easy and made the guards complacent.
It’s all about supply and demand, an obsession with profit over ethical behavior.
The Characters
Jeremy Hunter, a vigilante with an enhanced body, mostly chooses to thwart muggers and rapists.
ASA-Plex Police are…
…a combination of Austin and San Antonio in this future world. Sergeant Lincoln Baddle is partnered with Officer Kuong. Guevara is another officer. Police Commandant Leroy Frunkedt is in charge of the initial operation.
Schorzman Pharmaceutical was…
…an underperforming division in Decatur bought out by Emmet Schorzman. They make Raylax, a highly restricted drug. Pherry Christen is one of their pharmaceutical executives.
Ethan Ferguson and Amos Large are mercenaries hired by the suit, who has a brother-in-law who’s a cop.
The Olympus Union is…
…the central government of the world’s countries combined and appears to be based in San Francisco. Jones Oden is the prime minister. Anat Meron is the minister of peace. Yu Sterm is with military intelligence. Virginia Cleer is Anat’s chief of staff. Stall Hopkins is a Clandestine Operative Coordinator for the Ministry of Peace. Agent Galia Ivanov works for Hopkins. Corrine Teich is an emissary from the Minister of Peace.
The Ares Elite are…
…soldiers with augmentations similar to those of Hunter’s. Commander Bowen Starks leads a squad of Ares Elite men. Captain Otis Stork is a veteran campaigner.
London
Officer Evans was murdered.
The Corral Snakes are…
…a tidy gang led by Marshall Plaening. It’s members are cast-offs and retirees from military and paramilitary organizations, including Saul. Rupert “Pole” Poulsen is a stop lieutenant (I suspect Bloom meant top).
Hera’s Clutch and Athena’s Clutch are prisons.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a graphic with a red clouded sky serving as a backdrop for a gray city skyline, smoke rising from some of them. Front and off-center is the blond Jeremy Hunter in his armor and green jacket, sleeves rolled up, standing in front of his enhanced green motorcycle.
The title is the protagonist, the vigilante, “Jeremy Hunter”.
