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Rising Phoenix
(Mark Beamon #1)
by
Special Agent Mark Beamon is a maverick. His open disdain for the FBI's rules - and Directors - has exiled him to a no-profile post in the boondocks. But when a shadowy right-wing group starts flooding America's emergency rooms with dead and dying, Beamon is summoned back to Washington. Teamed with an icily efficient female field agent, he is given the thankless task of st
...more
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Hardcover, 374 pages
Published
August 1st 1997
by HarperCollins Publishers
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Start your review of Rising Phoenix (Mark Beamon, #1)
Jul 20, 2017
Sarah
rated it
did not like it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
books-i-used-to-own,
fiction-action-thriller
21/7 - This was crap!! Will write more later...
24/7 - The plot - a rebel FBI agent is hunting a mass murderer who has poisoned America's illegal drug supply and guess what, the perpetrator is the agent's old partner who got kicked out of the bureau for beating up a suspect. Sounds exciting, right? No way to mess that up, right? Well, Mills managed to find a way.
By focussing on the bad guy, John Hobart (not a spoiler as he is introduced to the reader as the poisoner from the beginning), for the f ...more
24/7 - The plot - a rebel FBI agent is hunting a mass murderer who has poisoned America's illegal drug supply and guess what, the perpetrator is the agent's old partner who got kicked out of the bureau for beating up a suspect. Sounds exciting, right? No way to mess that up, right? Well, Mills managed to find a way.
By focussing on the bad guy, John Hobart (not a spoiler as he is introduced to the reader as the poisoner from the beginning), for the f ...more
HEAVY HANDED AND DULL
Take a maverick FBI agent mired in the bureaucracy of law enforcement, (with the predictable pinhead director), a self-righteous preacher, strangely competent bad guys and a pseudo-moralistic plot, and one might be forgiven in thinking that, "I've read all this before.". Well, you have ... in better books.
One doesn't feel led through this story as much as shoved from behind with the author's hand on your collar with no subtlety or tension. After being sledge-hammered with c ...more
Take a maverick FBI agent mired in the bureaucracy of law enforcement, (with the predictable pinhead director), a self-righteous preacher, strangely competent bad guys and a pseudo-moralistic plot, and one might be forgiven in thinking that, "I've read all this before.". Well, you have ... in better books.
One doesn't feel led through this story as much as shoved from behind with the author's hand on your collar with no subtlety or tension. After being sledge-hammered with c ...more
Synopsis: Special Agent Mark Beamon is a maverick. His open disdain for the FBI's rules - and Directors - has exiled him to a no-profile post in the boondocks. But when a shadowy right-wing group starts flooding America's emergency rooms with dead and dying, Beamon is summoned back to Washington. Teamed with an icily efficient female field agent, he is given the thankless task of stopping the slaughter-even though millions of Americans secretly approve of it. As the body count rises, Beamon real
...more
Where Do I start? I must say that the book started out well. And it continued to do well until Mark Beamon came into the picture. This is the first time I read a book where I found the hero to be the most boring character ever. Before I bought the book I read the summary on the book. That summary promised me a bad ass cop teaming up with a bad ass lady cop (yes, this was emphasized for some reason) to stop a ruthless, cunning criminal who used to be DEA from slaughtering the junkies in America.
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The author recently took over the Mitch Rapp series, and I really enjoyed his writing in that one so I decided to check out his earlier novels starting with the first one.
This was about an FBI agent, who is always bucking the system, who has been put in charge of an investigation to get to the bottom of a poisoned illegal narcotic supply. The premise was interesting and involved not just the FBI, but also a Colombian drug cartel, the mafia and a televangelist. Fast paced and easy to read, the o ...more
This was about an FBI agent, who is always bucking the system, who has been put in charge of an investigation to get to the bottom of a poisoned illegal narcotic supply. The premise was interesting and involved not just the FBI, but also a Colombian drug cartel, the mafia and a televangelist. Fast paced and easy to read, the o ...more
2.5 stars.
What a great concept this book has... And that's all it has going for it. Character development... Terrible... We are still meeting characters as the book is winding down, not a way to make the reader care what happens to said character. The chapters... So disjointed... Some start in one city from the pov of one character and stay that way. Some just from city to city or even to different countries, while also jumping character povs. Didn't make much sense. Plot timeline... Horrendo ...more
Silly, boring and amateurish. Save your time.
This was an interesting one to read. I liked Mark, hated how he was treated. As for the crime part of me was horrified, part of me thought, well they did it to themselves. As the FBI guys were talking, how much money has been spent battling drugs, when something like this did more to stop things, it really makes a person wonder. I also loved how one of the by products were the drug producers themselves going crazy because they were loosing money left and right.
I plan to keep reading this series ...more
I plan to keep reading this series ...more
`A fun beach read thriller with an ambiguous morality from the late 1990's. . A right wing group's solution to the drug problem is to poison the illicit drug supply and cause thousands of deaths. This c FBI's Mark Beamon is hot on their trail. Is it moral to kill thousands of drug addicts and is it worth it to discourage illicit drug use? Or is it morally indefensible? These are the moral questions this story asks. The reader can find he or she is both sides of the answer to the questions at the
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I think this is the first book I've ever read where I was rooting for the antagonist to triumph over the protagonist. Mark Beamon is a flat, one-dimensional, boring main character that seems to stumble into his successes more than anything else, while John Hobart has some depth...albeit not too much more than Beamon. It is a stereotypical good-guy versus villain novel, and I've read better. I'll probably still read more in this series though.
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Another 3.5 book for me.
I picked this book up at our library book sale. The premise was, indeed, unique. In order to halt the high rate of drup usage in the US, a scheme was begun, poisoning the drugs at their source. The ensuing results were the meat of the book. Although never compelling, the book was a good read.
I picked this book up at our library book sale. The premise was, indeed, unique. In order to halt the high rate of drup usage in the US, a scheme was begun, poisoning the drugs at their source. The ensuing results were the meat of the book. Although never compelling, the book was a good read.
Bravo! A good fast read! now i am hooked. This was such a great, easy and creative book. i was hooked after the first page.
The characters were easy to fall in love with and follow, along with the story. the author made the mental visions so easy and vivid of the surroundings and the characters actions felt so real.
i would highly recommend this author and this book.
The characters were easy to fall in love with and follow, along with the story. the author made the mental visions so easy and vivid of the surroundings and the characters actions felt so real.
i would highly recommend this author and this book.
I started this in preparation for a plane trip -- and tossed it. It all seemed too heavy handed and predictable. Have read other Mills books, and stopped. Somehow I have Mills and Flynn in the same tough guy rogue agent paranoid thriller category.
Tough Read
I am very disappointed in this book. I expected a lot more from this author but didn't get what I expected. The Amazon description labeled the book thriller/suspense. It was definitely neither. ...more
I am very disappointed in this book. I expected a lot more from this author but didn't get what I expected. The Amazon description labeled the book thriller/suspense. It was definitely neither. ...more
Having read Mill's second work first I was slightly disappointed in "Rising Phonenix" but a remarkable first novel with a protagonist that fits well with the wise cracking irreverent sleuths of many a well read series. The book introduces us to FBI agent Mark Beamon, a maverick agent with a penchant for solving unsolvable crimes.
Beamon's backstory is hinted at while he's shuffled off to an ASAC post in his home state of Texas, where he soon involves his boss in a gunfight that once again reinfor ...more
Beamon's backstory is hinted at while he's shuffled off to an ASAC post in his home state of Texas, where he soon involves his boss in a gunfight that once again reinfor ...more
It's unusual to root for the "bad guy" in a story. I think it was due to the elaborate character development that was used during the beginning of the book. I wasn't really rooting for him, per se, but it made me think more deeply about the problems in our society and who is best equipped to deal with those problems.
To be honest, all the high praise from friend-of-the-family Tom Clancy made me wonder if Mills earned this slot. With or without Clancy's assurances, Rising Phoenix was worth the rea ...more
To be honest, all the high praise from friend-of-the-family Tom Clancy made me wonder if Mills earned this slot. With or without Clancy's assurances, Rising Phoenix was worth the rea ...more
I was excited to read this book as I love what Kyle Mills has done with Mitch Rapp since Vince Flynn's death. I was underwhelmed with Mark Beamon. The plot was quiet good and interesting. The balance between the greater good through mass murder and death... interesting. The main villain was ruthless and thoughtful as he executed his plan... along with thousands of people... and some of his friends. But the climax was 'ehhh'. I felt like Beamon didn't really do much to solve the case or catch the
...more
I am not sure if the story was about what would happen if someone poisoned the some of the narcotic supply coming into the US or about Mark Beamon, FBI agent. From the book blurb - it should be all about Beamon - but it isn't. It is mostly about the antagonist and the repercussions of what he has done. The Beamon portion seemed also like a side plot.
This book definitely delivers with the action and the story moves quickly. I did actually enjoy the book. ...more
This book definitely delivers with the action and the story moves quickly. I did actually enjoy the book. ...more
Great plot and convincingly written thriller
After 2 chapters it was easy to see why Kyle Mills was chosen to carry on Vince Flynn’s work. He has a wonderful way of describing in great detail what is happening so you can imagine the story unfolding without slowing down any of the momentum.
A real “can’t put it down” read.
After 2 chapters it was easy to see why Kyle Mills was chosen to carry on Vince Flynn’s work. He has a wonderful way of describing in great detail what is happening so you can imagine the story unfolding without slowing down any of the momentum.
A real “can’t put it down” read.
Didn’t have it figure out
Wasn’t sure how it was going to end for sure. Liked the fact that Mark Beamon seems an ordinary person, no super hero powers makes it more believable. Was a fast read, was interesting thru out.
Wasn’t sure how it was going to end for sure. Liked the fact that Mark Beamon seems an ordinary person, no super hero powers makes it more believable. Was a fast read, was interesting thru out.
Debut novel of Mill's Mark Beamon character, original plot concept, but not as well developed as #3 Beamon book Free Fall.
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Interesting story, but felt kinda "TV Movie of the Week" to me. Character development seemed a little shallow, perhaps.
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Story is moving too slow for me and I don't think I care for the characters.
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I have read some bad reviews on this book it was kyle Mills first one. I loved it. I think he did a good job
Good but too scaryyyyy 😱😱😱😱😱 read during the daytime!
What??
What did I miss at the end?? It was great until the end— not sure what happened Don’t get the connection- I must have missed it.
What did I miss at the end?? It was great until the end— not sure what happened Don’t get the connection- I must have missed it.
Good read
Not quit the page Turner advertised bot entertaining. Ending a bit abrupt, overall I would recommend for the average pulp fiction fan
Not quit the page Turner advertised bot entertaining. Ending a bit abrupt, overall I would recommend for the average pulp fiction fan
Not one of his best. I love Kyle Mills, but this is not his most engrossing tales.
was ok
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jack Reacher vs Mark Beamon? Who is cooler? | 2 | 6 | Nov 09, 2013 04:37PM |
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I grew up in Oregon but have lived all over—D.C., Virginia, Maryland, London,
Wyoming. My father was an FBI agent and I was a bureau kid, which is similar to being an army brat. You tend to spend your time with other bureau kids and get transferred around a lot, though, I fared better on that front than many others.
One positive aspect of this lifestyle is that y ...more
Wyoming. My father was an FBI agent and I was a bureau kid, which is similar to being an army brat. You tend to spend your time with other bureau kids and get transferred around a lot, though, I fared better on that front than many others.
One positive aspect of this lifestyle is that y ...more
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