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Benjamin Sorrow

P.G. Challis (Goodreads Author)

4.16 · Rating details · 19 ratings · 14 reviews

Benjamin is retired. Borell is drunk. Jackson Burns, a genius scientist and an old friend of Benjamin’s, is brutally robbed of an important and powerful device. The good news is only Jackson knows the secret to the device’s operation. The bad news is he’s now being hunted for this knowledge. Benjamin leaves retirement behind and returns to the secretive Society to protect

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Kindle Edition, 270 pages

Published May 30th 2016 by Rowanvale Books Ltd

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· 19 ratings · 14 reviews

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Aug 28, 2018 Aesha Singh rated it really liked it · review of another edition

What do I say about this book?? “Benjamin Sorrow: One for Sorrow”. It’s the first book of the author P G Challis but it has been nicely written. My favourite character is obviously Mr. Benjamin Sorrow but I also loved his friend’s character which is Borell. Rather I liked him more. He’s adventurous, mysterious, funny and ready to take risks for the kingdom. He’s ready to risk his life also. Both Benji and Borell are brave. All the characters intertwine with each other. Though the start of the bo ...more

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Jan 22, 2017 Dorottya rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: won-on-goodreads, read-in-english

4.5

Disclaimer: the book was won through a Goodreads giveaway. That fact in no way affects my review (although I was really happy to read the author's sweet little message in my book!

This book is fantastic in it's genre. The author wrote on his website that this novel has been classified as a crime thriller, which is a pretty good description of this. However, I would add the word "noir" into the mix as well, and also say that in its universe, it's quite political. I don't usually like politics i ...more

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Feb 25, 2018 Lilly Charysma rated it it was amazing

Secret organizations looking for a device that can produce a massive amount of energy, what could go wrong with this book? Well, nothing! It has a secret passage or a hiding place at every page turn. It has a lot of action and not a dull moment.

Our main character, Benjamin Sorrow, is a retired detective, ready to settle down into a quiet life. But, as old habits die hard, he still has his reflexes from back in the days. Little did he expect to have use of them. But when his longtime friend and h ...more

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Apr 30, 2018 Shannon rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Looking for a crime thriller that is quick to drop you into action rather than drag on and on with backstory and information dumps? Benjamin Sorrow by P. G. Challis immerses readers in the journey of a retired detective as he steps back into the line of epic investigations, saving loved ones, and gunfights to protect his friends and a powerful device built by Jackson Burns.

There is a difference between reading about an experience and living in it. Nothing turns me off from a book more than too m ...more

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Sep 28, 2016 Emma Findlay-Wilson rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I love fantasy novels and steampunk, but I’ve always preferred quieter, more character-focused stories, so I was honestly surprised by how much I enjoyed action-packed One for Sorrow. It’s a busy mixture of spy/thriller/detective genres, and filled with unexpected twists and characters that are instantly loveable – or at least memorable!
The main character, Benjamin Sorrow, could be seen at first as a bit of a cliché; he’s retired young, from his work as an agent of the mysterious ‘Society’, for I love fantasy novels and steampunk, but I’ve always preferred quieter, more character-focused stories, so I was honestly surprised by how much I enjoyed action-packed One for Sorrow. It’s a busy mixture of spy/thriller/detective genres, and filled with unexpected twists and characters that are instantly loveable – or at least memorable!
The main character, Benjamin Sorrow, could be seen at first as a bit of a cliché; he’s retired young, from his work as an agent of the mysterious ‘Society’, for mostly unexplained reasons since the death of his parents. When some unexpected events turn his quiet retirement upside down, he’s forced back into action and soon proves that his talents are as sharp as ever. Although it’s not necessarily new ground, Benjamin’s character is well-defined and has a pleasing calmness that sets him apart from other classic agents. He makes mistakes every now and then, and quietly sets them right; clearly doesn’t take pleasure in defeating the bad guys, but refrains from constantly agonising over the morality of killing them if necessary – which I found refreshing.
The other main character, who is more of an antagonist than a protagonist (at least at first), is Borell – a thug for hire by the biggest stack of money. I found myself growing to like Borell more and more as the book went on, revealing more layers than I thought there would be. Though he starts out as nothing more than a killer in it for the money, I ended up rooting for him. He also tends to be the one to provide the comic relief, which is necessary in a book that’s so fast-moving and full of gunshots and stand-offs.
Though there is a romantic sub-plot, it’s not very well-developed, but I think this is a good decision – it makes me want to read the next one in the series, and also it avoids any OTT love scenes or forced romantic interaction. I do hope that it becomes more of a plot in the sequel, though, as it could provide some pauses in the action. It would also allow us to get to know Lilly and Andris a bit better; currently their backstory and characters are less in focus and it would be nice to have some more female POV in a book that’s currently rather male-dominated.
My favourite character (though she was only a minor one) was Mary, the housekeeper: she provides a comforting sense of home and familiarity, and any time she was threatened I was on edge until she got through it safely!
Overall, the plot left me with more questions than it answered – though that’s probably a good thing! We only get the briefest glimpse of the villain of the story, and his grand plot is barely explained, though many of the puzzle pieces are beginning to come together. The overarching concepts, however – a device that provides incredible amounts of power and people who want to use it for their own ends – never becomes too complicated. I also found that the author never loses his sense of scale; though we are focused on a small group of characters, the awareness of the wider world he has created is always in the background. I really enjoyed One for Sorrow and look forward to its sequel!

This book was sent to me for review purposes and I have been compensated for my comments. My review is completely honest and is based on my personal thoughts on the text.
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Oct 15, 2017 Kerstin Vollbrecht rated it really liked it · review of another edition

A powerful device was stolen from a genius scientist Jackson Burns , friend of Benjamin Sorrow, a retired agent of The Society, and these thieves are now after Jackson and his granddaughter Lilly in order to help them activate above mentioned device. This book is packed with action and surprises, narrating the journey Benjamin, Andris, Lilly's fried and Borrell, an old friend of Benjamin's and secret agent, in order tho retrieve their kidnapped friends and destroy the device. The plot, although ...more

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Feb 09, 2020 Sapphira rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I love a good spy/thriller novel, and this one doesn't disappoint! Filled with action, intrigue and humour with a hint of romance, I highly recommend One for Sorrow. ...more

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Jan 07, 2018 Ghassan Samaha rated it liked it · review of another edition

Well-designed novel and an exciting escalation of events. Maybe good for a part two of a trilogy or a series.

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Sep 29, 2016 Montserrat Bray rated it really liked it · review of another edition

“Benjamin Sorrow: One for Sorrow” is a gripping first novel from P. G. Challis. Sorrow is a former operative of “The Society”, whose retirement is interrupted when a close friend, Jackson Burns, is robbed of a powerful device and kidnapped. Sorrow is pulled into a dangerous hunt for both the device and its creator. Meanwhile, Borell, a thief and killer by trade, is hired to track down the same device and when the two cross paths the consequences reverberate around the city of Trellern and beyond “Benjamin Sorrow: One for Sorrow” is a gripping first novel from P. G. Challis. Sorrow is a former operative of “The Society”, whose retirement is interrupted when a close friend, Jackson Burns, is robbed of a powerful device and kidnapped. Sorrow is pulled into a dangerous hunt for both the device and its creator. Meanwhile, Borell, a thief and killer by trade, is hired to track down the same device and when the two cross paths the consequences reverberate around the city of Trellern and beyond.

Sorrow is a mysterious, yet compelling character. His past is shrouded in mystery and he is introduced as a slightly boring and mundane character. This is quickly revealed to be only a single facet of a more complex man, with hidden talents. The use of the traditional nursery rhyme “One for sorrow, two for joy” is clever. According to superstition, the number of magpies you see determines whether or not you’ll have bad luck. Sorrow appears to have seen his fair share of bad luck but the introduction of other characters including a girl and a boy (“three for a girl and four for a boy”) lightens his load. Lilly Jansen is introduced whilst she is guessing people’s occupations from looking at their clothes and pallor. Her intuition could be a reference to Sherlock Holmes and his powers of deduction, but even from a couple of paragraphs she appears to be a much more likeable character! Lilly is Burns’ granddaughter and is drawn into the dangerous web surrounding her grandfather and his device but her witty remarks serve to lighten the mood. When questioned about a possible fear of heights she replies “it’s the hitting the ground bit I’m not fond of.” As a contrast to Sorrow and Lilly, Borell is a hard and fast killer and never one to favour bargaining over killing. The combination of characters makes for an interesting read.

The world created by Challis is captivating; he brings us back to a time where travel by carriage and airships is the norm. One of the opening images is of a hexagonal clock tower, which is a dock for airships in the city of Trellern. This striking image sets the tone for the book. Challis invents several individual concepts through the book; the perpetual post system is a combination of a fax machine and a telephone; text is inputted to the machine through a device similar to a telephone and then a tiny scroll is printed and whisked through a system of pipes to the recipient. The workings of the post system is described in too much detail but is quaint nonetheless. Even more intriguing is Challis’ series of hidden rooms and crevices. In an office, a small timepiece has to be pressed against a desk leg in order to unlock a secret room, behind a wall of filing cabinets. In this way he turns a very ordinary and boring office, with a desk, window and filing cabinets into an extraordinary office with secret files and a hidden window, complete with a rope for a quick escape. The magic created through the description of hidden rooms is charming and stimulates the reader’s imagination.

Sorrow works for a mysterious company called “The Society”. The ambiguous name hints at the nature of the organisation and Challis keeps the reader guessing as to whether “The Society” is a force for good or evil. Through Sorrow’s work with “The Society” we are swept along on an adventure from Trellern, through a trip in an airship, to a volcano. A number of cleverly constructed plot twists demand the reader’s attention right from the beginning through to the end, while Challis’ clever use of language provides comic relief; in one scene the word “guests” is used with irony to describe prisoners and another finds a character threatening someone with a pair of binoculars. Whilst the book was enjoyable to read it ended on a cliff hanger. I was so engrossed by the story that I would have welcomed a solution. Challis’s interesting denouement was overshadowed by the fact that the ending was slightly rushed. Despite this the book remains a fast-paced, easy and enjoyable read.

This book was sent to me for review purposes, and I have been compensated for my work. My review is honest and any ideas and opinions are completely my own. ...more

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Sep 30, 2016 Chelsea Brownhill rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Benjamin is a retired highly respected agent - but not for long. The mysterious disappearance of his old friends invention is enough to bring Benjamin back into his previous world of work, fighting for the greater good. Borell, on the other hand, is enjoying staring into the end of a pint glass. Money, however, is enough to bring him back into a slightly more brutal fight for his version of the greater good. A multitude of forces are pursuing this mysterious invention and it is only a question o Benjamin is a retired highly respected agent - but not for long. The mysterious disappearance of his old friends invention is enough to bring Benjamin back into his previous world of work, fighting for the greater good. Borell, on the other hand, is enjoying staring into the end of a pint glass. Money, however, is enough to bring him back into a slightly more brutal fight for his version of the greater good. A multitude of forces are pursuing this mysterious invention and it is only a question of who will reveal its secrets first.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book from start to finish. Each character is likeable for different reasons and it’s very easy to become attached to them. Benjamin is a slightly lonely retired agent, happy to jump back into the chaos; Mary is Benjamin’s loving second mother now his parents have passed; Borell is a murderous drunk who somehow still manages to have a heart of gold; Jackson is a genius scientist who was only trying to help the world; Lily is his feisty and intelligent granddaughter and Andris is her brave and love struck companion. Together they are striving to save everything they know, and they do it with one hell of a fight.

P. G. Challis has created a very well written and enjoyable novel, with in-depth descriptions that make you feel as though you could be there fighting alongside the characters. It also has a great pace that maintains the suspense surrounding what could happen next. I particularly enjoyed how the narrative does not only follow Benjamin but follows Borrell and Lily’s stories too. This method keeps the narrative interesting, displaying only the highlights of these characters stories and not the mundane aspects of everyday life, whilst also providing an insight into how wide spread the issue is.

In high-action novels, dialogue can sometimes seem slightly awkward, but the dialogue between the characters in this novel is easy-going and believable. Borell’s quick wit is especially well done and makes for a very unlikely likable character. His humour works well in a novel that has a rather high death count (something Borell could be held mainly accountable for).

The mystery surrounding Jackson’s device is well kept and keeps you guessing why and for what possible reason it could have been stolen. When it is finally revealed the threat manages to be both fantastical and realistic. A terrifying prospect of things not being what they seemed could lead to life becoming completely unrecognisable for these characters. The story has enough depth to create many more adventures in the Sorrow world and I was sad to close the final page. I’ll be looking forward to reading more in the future!

This book was sent to me for review purposes and I have been compensated for my comments. My review is completely honest and is based on my personal thoughts on the text. ...more

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Sep 28, 2016 Poppy Jennings rated it really liked it · review of another edition

P. G. Challis creates an incredible atmosphere of dingy streets, dodgy carriage rides, and well-written accents that drop you right into the tumultuous missions of agents seeking out mysterious items. Benjamin Sorrow, a retired agent, is brought back into the world of the Society as he tries to help his friend regain stolen, and potentially dangerous, property.

The story jumps between the storylines of multiple characters working for opposing sides, written ingeniously to keep the reader in the d ...more

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Eoin rated it it was amazing
Dec 14, 2016

Oct 26, 2018 Terry Halley rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Benjamin Sorrow, One For Sorrow by P.G. Challis is an action packed thriller. It’s a covert spy novel. The book started off a little slow, but it picks up in the middle of chapter one. I really enjoyed reading this book.

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Jun 01, 2016 P.G. Challis rated it it was amazing · (Review from the author) · review of another edition

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About P.G. Challis

P.G. Challis

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I'm a software developer by trade and an author by night (well, whenever I can write really). I live in the UK and have one novel published, which you can buy on Amazon, Google Books and a few other places as well (Hint: Become a Patreon support and get a copy at different subscription levels). I've taken part in NaNoWriMo for the last couple of years and have two "in progress" manuscripts from th ...more