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Ripper (Event Group Adventure #7)

3.79 of 5 stars 3.79 · rating details · 131 ratings · 21 reviews

The real Jack the Ripper is loose, and this time he’s brought friends to the darkness of the deep desert in the newest adrenaline rush from David Golemon,The New York Times bestselling author of Legacy.

In the tradition of works by James Rollins, Preston and Child and Matthew Reilly, Ripper is the latest in an action-packed series about the nation’s most secret agency—The E...more

Hardcover, 368 pages

Published July 17th 2012 by Thomas Dunne Books

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Jul 28, 2012 Pamela rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: bizarre, clunky, confusing, derivative, disappointing, pointless, series

NOTE: Against my own better judgement, after tossing this aside in anger last night, I kept on reading it today. I wanted to see if it got any better (so far: a little better). All of my comments below still stand, but I am not done reviewing this one yet. Not at all.

NOTE 2.0: It is 9:20 p.m. I made it to page 200 and my brain has the consistency of scrambled eggs. It is also a very angry brain. Review below.

Disclaimer: I realize that these types of thrillers (super-secret agency + clean-cut, ha...more NOTE: Against my own better judgement, after tossing this aside in anger last night, I kept on reading it today. I wanted to see if it got any better (so far: a little better). All of my comments below still stand, but I am not done reviewing this one yet. Not at all.

NOTE 2.0: It is 9:20 p.m. I made it to page 200 and my brain has the consistency of scrambled eggs. It is also a very angry brain. Review below.

Disclaimer: I realize that these types of thrillers (super-secret agency + clean-cut, handsome hero + spunky heroine + nefarious organization + mystical secret/evil plot to destroy (insert target here)/ aliens) are not, generally, what one would call literary. I suppose you could call them a summer popcorn movie. Nothing too serious, nothing to analyze. Just mind candy, with lots of outrageous action, intrigues, and heroes with a signature weapon. I got it.

If your standard adventure thriller is popcorn, Ripper is like a viscous glob of high fructose corn syrup, contaminated with e.coli and coated with hairballs. It has no value whatsoever. I've read the previous entries in the Event series, and I liked most of them. I generally liked the characters and the crazy situations. Some of the later entries in the series, however, have definitely been lacking in the coherency department. Most of this seems to be due to the absence of a copy editor, or, perhaps (in true conspiracy theory fashion) a copy editor who so hates the author that he/she purposely sabotages the text. Or perhaps Mr. Golemon is merely allergic to the English language--specifically, to the tiny comma.

Yes. I admit that I am completely anal-retentive about commas, and probably more enthusiastic about them than I should be (and I fully admit that, due to Muphry's Law, I will make grammatical mistakes in this review). The utter lack of ... grammar in this book floors me. Whenever characters are addressing each other, for example, the commas are all missing. AWOL. Example: "I think I would have better luck finding the Ripper following you my dear colonel" (p. 9). This happens over, and over, and over again. "That was not the intent of my letter to you Chief Inspector" (p. 11). "Stay close to me old boy" (23). "Professor, you did not drink the whole of this did you?" (p. 27) FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS GOOD, PUT A COMMA IN THERE! WOULD IT KILL YOU??? WOULD IT???

But this is not all, no, not at all! Other reviewers have mentioned that the dialogue can be cheesy or stilted, but that one shouldn't hold that against the book because, after all, it's a popcorn movie. There is a major difference between cheesy dialogue and dialogue that makes no sense because the words are not ... right. My favorite example of this occurs rather early on: "As for the viles of powdered solution in the secondary laboratory, dump them into the sand" (p. 48). Excuse me? "Viles" of solution? "Vial" is a container for chemicals, and "vile" describes the editing job. Good heavens. Words are omitted from sentences, sentences are merged into strange chimerical beasts ... won't someone please help this man?

I've not even gone into the plot, such as it is, for this book. Quick rundown: American government sanctions testing of poppy-distilled serum to create "Berserker" super-soldiers. This is in the 1880s--and the scientist developing them (inexplicably) jaunts across the ocean to London and begins the Whitechapel killing spree of Jack the Ripper. He basically Hulks up, pulling a Mr. Hyde, yet also becoming super-smart. Then he hides in Mexico, where George Patton (!!!) burns down his hacienda. Then the poppy mixture ends up, in a very roundabout and drawn out way, at the Event Group super-secret hideout near Las Vegas. One of the main characters up and resigns in the middle of the book, and no one really seems to mind. His girlfriend seems to be succumbing to the advances of their arch-nemesis ... really? Really?

Look, I'm willing to give my "fun reads" a lot of leeway. I don't expect quasi-supernatural/sci-fi thrillers to be literary masterpieces or ultra-realistic, they had dang well better be in readable English, with no stupid mistakes, with believable character development/twists, and they had better not make me want to pull out my hair in frustration. And, for the love of Pete, will you please, please, please leave the "Jack the Ripper" trope alone?

P.S. One other thing I remembered: Early on in the book, there's a scene where Queen Victoria gives orders (via letter, I believe) to a subordinate, and the whole time she says "I" and "my" instead of the royal We. I don't think Queen Victoria would have not used that quirky bit of the English language.(less)

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Feb 27, 2013 Donald L rated it 4 of 5 stars

From my Casa de Pitsiladis blog:

Jack the Ripper is a legend among serial killers and the boogie man to the rest of the world. The brutality shown in the five murders attributed to him is just as notorious as the mystery surrounding his identity and abrupt disappearance. However, what if instead of being a homicidal maniac, the Ripper was actually a mad scientist working for the British government? David Golemon explores that possibility in his latest Event Group book, “Ripper”.

Professor Lawrence...more From my Casa de Pitsiladis blog:

Jack the Ripper is a legend among serial killers and the boogie man to the rest of the world. The brutality shown in the five murders attributed to him is just as notorious as the mystery surrounding his identity and abrupt disappearance. However, what if instead of being a homicidal maniac, the Ripper was actually a mad scientist working for the British government? David Golemon explores that possibility in his latest Event Group book, “Ripper”.

Professor Lawrence Ambrose is an American scientist hired by Queen Victoria to create a formula able to turn British soldiers into intelligent killing machines. Using an early version of his concoction, later named Perdition’s Fire, the professor becomes more than anyone can imagine or control. Unfortunately, this forces the Queen to order the formula be destroyed and the doctor terminated. After a battle reminiscent of the Mr. Hyde fights in both “Van Helsing” and “The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen”, Ambrose escapes to America where he is eventually stopped by a contingency of US Army soldiers led by Lt. George S. Patton.

Per author, David L, Golemon, “The Event Group is the most secret organization in the United States, comprised of the nation’s most brilliant individuals in the branches of science, philosophy, and the military. Led by the valiant Major Jack Collins, they are dedicated to uncovering the hidden truths behind the myths and legends propagated throughout world history—from underground agencies and conspiracy theories to extraterrestrial life and UFOs.” The group is so secret, only the President of the United States (both past and present) knows of their existence. When a member of the group is captured by a ruthless Mexican cartel leader, Major Collins leads a small team to rescue her. During the course of the mission, a secret cache of Perdition’s Fire is discovered with terrifying results. The British government is willing to pay any price to destroy the formula and keep their involvement in its development a secret. Much death and destruction follow.

Being a fan of Jack the Ripper stories, I thought I’d give this book a go and am glad I did. The author weaved the story masterfully to make the historical details seem plausible, and got you caring about certain characters and whether they make it out of the story alive. (Not spoiling a thing, mums the word) As much as I enjoyed the story, however, there were some faults that proved a little bothersome. There were some recurring characters whose presence didn’t seem to add to the story. Also, while I expected a violent story since it is military sci-fi, the amount of headshots taken seemed gratuitous for a non-zombie book. Overall, I rate the story a 4 out of 5 and look forward to reading the rest of the series.(less)

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Aug 07, 2012 K. Jackson rated it 2 of 5 stars

I am over halfway through this book and can't finish it. I'm sorry but it is a huge disappointment to me. The entire Jack the Ripper scenario ends in the very beginning and then after that is all about government conspiracies, kidnappings, and the big race to be the first to get the formula. I wanted a book about Jack the Ripper...the description makes it sound like this would be the central theme - not governments fighting each other to gain a formula that can make ordinary men into monsters. W...more

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Nov 30, 2012 Chris Bauer rated it 2 of 5 stars

I'm a big fan of the thriller genre and have read a wide variety of different authors. I've tackled a few of the other books in the Event Group series by David Golemon and thought they were above average for the most part. I was excited to hear an interview with him on Thrillercast and very much enjoyed listening to what he had to say.

That being said, I was disappointed with this latest book. Maybe frustrated is a better word.

The action is brisk and fast-paced as it should be in any thriller. T...more

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Jun 04, 2012 Beth rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads, thriller, scifi

What would you say if you found out that the devastation of Jack the Rippers killing spree was paid for by England’s very own Queen Victoria? How would you feel if you found out that Jack the Ripper was also the infamous characters of Strange Cases of Dr. Jeckle and Mr. Hyde written by Robert Louis Stevenson? In 1887, the British government hired Lawrence Ambrose, a genius in botany, to create a compound from different strands of the poppy flowers…this compound's purpose was to produce a super s...more What would you say if you found out that the devastation of Jack the Rippers killing spree was paid for by England’s very own Queen Victoria? How would you feel if you found out that Jack the Ripper was also the infamous characters of Strange Cases of Dr. Jeckle and Mr. Hyde written by Robert Louis Stevenson? In 1887, the British government hired Lawrence Ambrose, a genius in botany, to create a compound from different strands of the poppy flowers…this compound's purpose was to produce a super soldier for her majesties military. But something went very wrong, a termination order was given for both his project and Dr. Ambrose himself. Dr. Ambrose escapes capture and returns to his home land of the United States where he disappears.

In 1916, a group from the United State Cavalry Regiment and a secret organization called the Event Group is tasked with crossing the US boarder into Mexico and destroy what is deemed a threat to US security. (Dr. Ambrose and his experiments) At great loss of life, the team was successful in destroying the hacienda that Ambrose where was residing and eliminating the threat (Ambrose himself). Little did they know they missed destroying critical experimental materials.

Present day, 2012, a Mexican drug lord’s action will restart the cycle of devastation once again. Ambrose's material is accidently uncovered during a rescue mission executed by the very same organization, Event Group, from the 1916 mission.

The elixir, created by Ambrose 125 years prior, is then transported to a secured underground facility filled with scientist that are over seen by the Event Group, where hell on earth rains once again.

Let me first say that I am not a thriller reader. That being said, I loved Ripper. Ripper is filled with government mechanizations, nail biting action, political agendas, and a fascinating twist to Jack the Ripper and Dr. Jeckle and Mr. Hyde story. I was a little overwhelmed with the number of characters and organizations, but it quickly was overcome when more of the story was revealed. Extraordinary tale, intriguing characters and captivating till the end, Ripper is a story not to miss.

This ARC copy of Ripper was given to me by Goodreads First Reads and St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review.(less)

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Jul 27, 2012 Bob Milne rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Event Group is a secret US government agency, led by Major Jack Collins, that has been tasked with eliminating those threats that many of us dismiss as myth, conspiracy, or sheer fiction. Having first appeared in Event, where the aliens of Roswell were the focus, the team has carried on through to this, their seventh adventure. In Ripper, as the you may guess from the title, David L. Golemon has made Jack the Ripper (or, more accurately, his legacy) the focus.

It's always dangerous to mess ar...more The Event Group is a secret US government agency, led by Major Jack Collins, that has been tasked with eliminating those threats that many of us dismiss as myth, conspiracy, or sheer fiction. Having first appeared in Event, where the aliens of Roswell were the focus, the team has carried on through to this, their seventh adventure. In Ripper, as the you may guess from the title, David L. Golemon has made Jack the Ripper (or, more accurately, his legacy) the focus.

It's always dangerous to mess around with world history, especially when you're embellishing it with fictional history, but Golemon takes a smart approach here. His book is equal parts science-fiction drama, comic book adventure, and blockbuster action flick. Unlike so many authors who try to imbue these kinds of stories with some sort of artificial significance, or thought-provokingly topical relevance, Golemon simply invites us to grab a bag of popcorn, suspend our disbelief, and enjoy the ride.

The novel begins by introducing us to the 'real' Jack the Ripper, an American scientist who is both Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. In fact, it's Robert Louis Stevenson himself who tips off Scotland Yard as to the Ripper's identity, much to the displeasure of the Americans . . . and Queen Victoria. Skip ahead a hundred years or so, and we meet the members of the Event Group working to recover the lost notes and samples of the Ripper - who, as it turns out, was largely responsible for shaping the latter stages of Patton's career. In terms of sheer audacity, it's one hell of a way to begin a story, but I loved it.

Detractors of the series will complain that the heroes and villains here are somewhat stereotypical, and that the dialogue is definitely cheesy at times. So what? This isn't high literature, it's the literary equivalent of a summer blockbuster! The heroes are likeable, admirable, and well-worth rooting for. Similarly, the villains are absolutely despicable, but they're damned entertaining. I daresay I can recite more lines of dialogue from this book than any I've read this year, and fellow readers recognize them immediately.

This is a story that's full of action, imagination, and even some morbid humour. The writing is solid, the pacing is quick, and the twists are almost as much fun as the cliffhangers. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and am definitely ready for more.

Originally reviewed at Beauty in Ruins(less)

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Jun 16, 2012 Dan Stinton rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

I won this book through the First Reads program so thank you to the folks at Good Reads and St Martins Press, I have since won a copy of Steve Hamiltons "Die a Stranger" which I'm looking forward to reading.
"Ripper" is the latest installment in David Lynn Golemons Event group series which is one of my favorite ongoing series. To simply classify DLGs books as fiction is a bit of an understatement. According to his publisher his books are "reminiscent of the works of James Rollins, Preston and Chi...more I won this book through the First Reads program so thank you to the folks at Good Reads and St Martins Press, I have since won a copy of Steve Hamiltons "Die a Stranger" which I'm looking forward to reading.
"Ripper" is the latest installment in David Lynn Golemons Event group series which is one of my favorite ongoing series. To simply classify DLGs books as fiction is a bit of an understatement. According to his publisher his books are "reminiscent of the works of James Rollins, Preston and Child and Matthew Reilly". While he certainly belongs in that group of historical fiction/science based action novelists I personally prefer DLGs books to Rollins and Preston/Child (Reilly may be the best of all of them). The term "reminiscent of" makes me cringe a little, it implies a lack of originality that, in DLgs case, is unfair. Every horror novel is "reminiscent of Stephen King", every novel that has some kind of code or cipher or has biblical connatations is "reminiscent of" or "in the tradition of" Dan Brown. While these terms give readers an idea of what to expect and certainly help the booksellers of the world I prefer to judge each author on their own merits instead of judging them upon the works of other novelists in their respective genres.
To "Ripper": Without getting too much into the plot and risk spoiling it for anyone I can heartily recommend "Ripper" as both an action novel and a completely original theory of Jack the Ripper, which is saying something in light of the hundreds of books written about him.
A certain amount of "suspension of disbelief" is required but for pure escapism/beach reading pleasure "Ripper" is right on. Not only does the book posit a very interesting take on JTR but has cameo appearances by Black Jack Pershing, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Patton with a little Alexander the Great and Queen Victoria sprinkled in.
"Ripper" can certainly be read as a stand-alone novel but my personal preference is to read the Event group novels in order, starting with "Event". There is some important character development that you'll be missing out on otherwise. Fans of DLGs backlist may be a little shocked by the very ending of "Ripper" and what it portends for subsequent novels in the Event group series. I was just plain angry, myself, because I've come to know and enjoy the characters and I don't like when books don't end the way I want them too. But that's just me. Having said all that "Ripper" is flawed, particularly in regards to the dialogue, which is cliche-ridden and sometimes just flat out inane. Some of the characters either like to hear themselves talk or are auditioning for a Hollywood movie. But I'm probably being a little picky at this point so I'll wrap this up.
I was a bookseller for 10 years and read around 400 books a year so I know what Im talking about. If you're looking for an action-packed, adventure novel with a little science/history in it for a good summer read, try the Event novels. I recommend them!(less)

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Sep 04, 2012 Cathy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle-books

Shorter than the previous Event Group thrillers and, in my opinion, not quite as good. A scientist working for Queen Victoria creates something that will make super soldiers. Unfortunately, he has to RIP some things up to get the job done.
In the present day the Group finds the scientist's old lab and brings the nightmare home.

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Jul 25, 2012 Carol Bell rated it 5 of 5 stars

I have read all of Golemon's books and really liked them all. But RIPPER was by far the best. Mr. Golemon does his homework and then adds his own twist to the story. Best to read his books in order so you can follow along with the characters but it is not mandatory.

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Apr 25, 2013 Don rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, enjoyable, fiction, fictional-history, intrigue, military, paranormal, sci-fi, science-fiction, sf, thriller

Imagine if by chance both Tom Clancy and Chris Carter had gotten together to write a story? This would possibly be that blending.

Fast pace adventure with in your face action throughout.

A real honest page turner right to the very end.

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Sep 22, 2012 Jill rated it 3 of 5 stars

I won this book as a Goodreads giveaway. My biggest regret is that I didn't notice this was a series of books until I was well into the story of this one. If so, I might have tried to read the previous books to gain a better insight into the main characters. None-the-less, this book did fine as a stand alone story with intriguing references to Jack the Ripper and actual historical figures used in a fictional way.

Althought the book had an interesting take on the Jack the Ripper mystery, I have g...more

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Jul 27, 2012 Phyllis rated it 4 of 5 stars

Started out slow. It had a hard time keeping my interst. Once it got thru with the background information it got really good and I could not put it down. The end really left it open for the next book. I can hardly wait to see where he goes from here. I really did enjoy this book.

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Sep 09, 2012 Don rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Event Group is one of my favorite series and Golemon always tells a good story

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May 19, 2012 Wennifred marked it as to-read

I just won a copy from Goodreads. Looking forward to reading it. Thank you.

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Jun 10, 2013 Lisa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Very interesting take on who the real Jack the Ripper was.

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Mar 07, 2013 Yosef Shapiro rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure, sci-fi, espionage

Overall, a good idea. The story was a bit let down by the very formulaic monster chase.

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Jul 30, 2012 KC rated it 1 of 5 stars

Was not a very good story or plot. It started out well, then fell apart quickly.

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Aug 27, 2012 Sue rated it 4 of 5 stars

If you like the Event Group books, this is a good read. Hopefully, this is fantastic fiction. This is not high literature by any means, but I don't always read a book for any reason than escapism.

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Apr 28, 2013 Brandon Girard rated it 3 of 5 stars

Wasn't as fluid and entertaining as the previous books in the series. Still worth a read if you have some spare time.

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Feb 19, 2013 Debbie Lyon rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was an easy read. If you like soldiers and sci-fi then you will like this book.

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Dec 31, 2012 Wendy added it

actually did not finish. Could not get into it.

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Jun 17, 2013 Angel marked it as to-read

Jun 17, 2013 Andrew marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Jun 15, 2013 Jeremy W added it

Jun 13, 2013 Tabitha added it · review of another edition

Shelves: to-buy

Jun 10, 2013 Lorraine Walker marked it as to-read

Jun 09, 2013 NeverDust marked it as to-read

Jun 09, 2013 Ronald Turner rated it 4 of 5 stars

Jun 10, 2013 Jim Murrey rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: adventure-espionage

Jun 08, 2013 Kiirsten marked it as to-read

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About David Lynn Golemon

David L. Golemon is the author of the Event Group Thrillers, including Event, Ancients, Leviathan and Primeval. Legend, the second book in the series, was nominated for a RITA award for paranormal fiction. Golemon learned an early love of reading from his father, who told him that the written word, unlike other forms, allows readers to use their own minds, the greatest special effects machines of...more

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Ripper (Event Group Adventure #7)

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