Rage

by J. Carrell Jones

Karen Bechard, UN Agent, thought the flight from the US to Europe was going to be routine. It was in mid flight where everything turned ugly. A man hyped on some highly addictive drug goes zombie flesh eating berserk. People die, people get hurt, and then no one to fly the plane. What is an agent to do? And, that was the easy part of the day, of which was turning out to be a Four Horsemen trampling humanity scenario and Karen had to be on her A-game.

80 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 13, 2012

About the author

J Carrell Jones studies people. His major in college was Anthropology before switching over to Computer Science and Information Technology. He worked in the Customer Support Services for many years, which gave him more opportunity in putting his understanding about people to good practical use. As a US Army veteran, he knows how to play hard and work tough. Nowadays, he gets his greatest joys in life by raising his brilliant young daughter, and writing. He lives in Southern California where the weather is mostly great with his wife, daughter, son, and two female cats.

Reviews

[Norma · Rating 4 out of 5]

( Format : Audiobook )
"You got something cooking, don't you?"

What was one of the most memorable moments of Rage (Karen Bechard Adventures)?
Not a moment, more the whole concept.
A super talented kick ass female heroine - she shoots straight, flies planes, defies drug addled monsters, loves sex (swing's both ways) and even cooks a good breakfast and no one can outstare her. A super intelligent female adversary, science at her fingertips. A brave, super cutesy and curvaceous feminine side kick, who cries. And there are a few men in it, too. This short book is packed to the brim with action and the wise cracking comments usually reserved for the male of the investigative species.

The narration, by Lauren Sweet, is excellent. She reads the text at a fast pace and with perfect inflection to suit the context and her character voices are distinctive, individual and, well, just seem to fit. Especially good is the snide Dr.Dorothy Rianders, a deliciously distainful and supercilious rendering. But despite all of her undoubted ability and terrific performance, on a purely personal level, I could not equate the sound of Ms.Sweet's voice with the main character, Karen: for me she was just that little bit too girly. Then again, perhaps that was the whole point.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
Yes, short and sweet: didn't want to lose the momentum.
.
This is a short, fun, over the top action story, perfect for fans of comic book heroes and zombie hunters alike (even though there are no actual zombies!). I was gifted a complimentary copy of Rage, at my request, by the rights holder, via Audiobook Boom. Thank you so much. Very enjoyable and, presumably the first book of an ongoing series. I will look out for more books about UN Agent Karen Bechard.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book hit the ground running and passed the finish line with a screech. Everything between was packed with action as well. Karen Bechard is a fabulous lead character, she's smart, focused, and capable, and it's just as well with the situation she;s found herself in,oh my!

Her supporting cast are an interesting group too and the set-up for the rest of the series is done really well.

The story is beautifully written and it has me wanting every book in the series.

The narration is perfect for the book. Great character voices and a style of delivery that help keep me on the edge of my seat.

This book was supplied free by the author/narrator/publisher and I voluntarily wrote this honest review.

[RJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Karen Bechard Adventures has me thinking of under-cooked pasta; the ingredients are there, just not cooked long enough. To say that this reads like a short story isn’t saying much since its only 2.5 hours to begin with. Unfortunately, just as you’re getting comfortable with the character and the plot; wham-bam-thank-you-mam it’s over. I guess it’s my fault for not double checking the time frame before starting this book. I usually don’t choose short books just for this reason. I want to clarify though that the potential is there, just not fully developed. Our protagonist, Karen Bechard is a kick-a$$, no-holds-barred UN Agent on the trail of an illegal drug manufacturer. This latest boutique creation has people flying into a zombie-like flesh-eating rage. People are dying and it’s up to Bechard to find the creator and shut it down. We’ve got action, violence, romance, and sex; all the requirements for a rousing adventure, but it falls short. Come back with a full novel Mr. Jones and you’ve got something there. This audiobook was given by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review via Audiobook Boom.

[Sadie Forsythe · Rating 2 out of 5]

The writing here was fine. It could do with a bit more editing, but mechanically it is fine. However, as much as I love a kickass heroine, even action can get boring if there is nothing else in a book. Rage is basically just Karen running from one heroic, action packed scene to another. She is just too calm and perfect at all times. There is nothing to her character but fighting, making yippee ki-yay type comments, defeating endless foes easily, getting the girl (and the guy and the job) and riding off into the sunset. Similarly, there is no reason given that the super-genius suddenly started an apocalypse or was utterly unable to maintain sanity in the face of Karen's mere presence.