What do you think?
Rate this book
Marc Dane #4
Shadow
New York Times bestselling author James Swallow's The Marc Dane series continues with Shadow
A ruthless far-right terrorist has broken out of captivity.
A mysterious bio-scientist with a terrible secret is abducted.
A lethal virus threatens millions of lives across Europe and the Middle East.
Ex-MI6 officer Marc Dane and his partner, Lucy Keyes, are bound together in a desperate search for the sinister organization plotting the release of a deadly virus on the world. In their frantic race against time, Dane and Keyes will be tested more than ever before as they seem to find themselves one step behind at every turn. It will take everything they have to expose the evil forces lurking in the shadows and put a stop to this unstoppable pathogen … and even everything might not be enough.
What price would you pay to stop a global catastrophe?
A ruthless far-right terrorist has broken out of captivity.
A mysterious bio-scientist with a terrible secret is abducted.
A lethal virus threatens millions of lives across Europe and the Middle East.
Ex-MI6 officer Marc Dane and his partner, Lucy Keyes, are bound together in a desperate search for the sinister organization plotting the release of a deadly virus on the world. In their frantic race against time, Dane and Keyes will be tested more than ever before as they seem to find themselves one step behind at every turn. It will take everything they have to expose the evil forces lurking in the shadows and put a stop to this unstoppable pathogen … and even everything might not be enough.
What price would you pay to stop a global catastrophe?
304 pages, Hardcover
First published May 30, 2019
295 people are currently reading
782 people want to read
About the author
James Swallow
307 books1,074 followersJames Swallow is a New York Times, Sunday Times and Amazon #1 bestselling author and scriptwriter, a BAFTA nominee, a former journalist and the award-winning writer of over sixty-five books, along with scripts for video games, comics, radio and television.
DARK HORIZON, his latest stand-alone thriller, is out now from Mountain Leopard Press, and OUTLAW, the 6th action-packed Marc Dane novel, is published by Bonnier.
Along with the Marc Dane thrillers, his writing includes, the Sundowners steampunk Westerns and fiction from the worlds of Star Trek, Tom Clancy, 24, Warhammer 40000, Doctor Who, Deus Ex, Stargate, 2000AD and many more.
For information on new releases & more, sign up to the Readers’ Club here: www.bit.ly/JamesSwallow
Visit James's website at http://www.jswallow.com/ for more, including ROUGH AIR, a free eBook novella in the Marc Dane series.
You can also follow James on Bluesky at @jmswallow.bsky.social, Twitter at @jmswallow, Mastodon at @jmswallow@mstdn.social and jmswallow.tumblr.com at Tumblr.
DARK HORIZON, his latest stand-alone thriller, is out now from Mountain Leopard Press, and OUTLAW, the 6th action-packed Marc Dane novel, is published by Bonnier.
Along with the Marc Dane thrillers, his writing includes, the Sundowners steampunk Westerns and fiction from the worlds of Star Trek, Tom Clancy, 24, Warhammer 40000, Doctor Who, Deus Ex, Stargate, 2000AD and many more.
For information on new releases & more, sign up to the Readers’ Club here: www.bit.ly/JamesSwallow
Visit James's website at http://www.jswallow.com/ for more, including ROUGH AIR, a free eBook novella in the Marc Dane series.
You can also follow James on Bluesky at @jmswallow.bsky.social, Twitter at @jmswallow, Mastodon at @jmswallow@mstdn.social and jmswallow.tumblr.com at Tumblr.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
May 3, 2020
If you like Marc Dane’s adventures then you will enjoy this the 4th book in the series ( Book 5 is due for release end May this year ), this can be read as a stand alone, just, personally though I think it is best read as part and parcel of the series
I loved the first 2 and didnt really engage with Book 3 ( found it very tekkie ) but for me Shadow is back on form
You can only praise the detail that the author goes into with his stories, every page is packed with it,most of it fascinating but it does make it an intense read, intense as in 101% concentration needed on every sentence, not a bad thing in anyway but worth noting
In this tale Marc is back with Lucy and they find themselves, undercover, on a refugee boat bound for Italy from Libya, a very powerful and memorable opening, we then ( shortened version ) end up chasing right wing terrorists who are wanting to start a pandemic ( yes THAT word ) of a nasty Ebola strain in Belgium, however a lot of the action takes place in Iceland ( great descriptions of the landscape and environment ), I was toying with the idea of not reading this when saw the word Pandemic but actually probably only 1% of the book actually deals with the horrors of one and much more is focused on stopping it instead ( always a good thing!!)
Full of the trademark Marc Dane action and gung ho ness that his fans adore coupled with his very wry personality, add to that a litter of nasty evil characters and the ever present need for good to overcome evil in a will he/wont he? make it way ( you know he will ) and you have the crux of the tale and what makes these books a success
Not a relaxing read but it doesn’t at any time sell itself as such and for what it promises to be, the cast, the story and the author again deliver a fine story
9/10
5 Stars
I loved the first 2 and didnt really engage with Book 3 ( found it very tekkie ) but for me Shadow is back on form
You can only praise the detail that the author goes into with his stories, every page is packed with it,most of it fascinating but it does make it an intense read, intense as in 101% concentration needed on every sentence, not a bad thing in anyway but worth noting
In this tale Marc is back with Lucy and they find themselves, undercover, on a refugee boat bound for Italy from Libya, a very powerful and memorable opening, we then ( shortened version ) end up chasing right wing terrorists who are wanting to start a pandemic ( yes THAT word ) of a nasty Ebola strain in Belgium, however a lot of the action takes place in Iceland ( great descriptions of the landscape and environment ), I was toying with the idea of not reading this when saw the word Pandemic but actually probably only 1% of the book actually deals with the horrors of one and much more is focused on stopping it instead ( always a good thing!!)
Full of the trademark Marc Dane action and gung ho ness that his fans adore coupled with his very wry personality, add to that a litter of nasty evil characters and the ever present need for good to overcome evil in a will he/wont he? make it way ( you know he will ) and you have the crux of the tale and what makes these books a success
Not a relaxing read but it doesn’t at any time sell itself as such and for what it promises to be, the cast, the story and the author again deliver a fine story
9/10
5 Stars
May 29, 2019
Shadow marks the return of Marc Dane in the fourth instalment in the series, and we are treated to yet another high-stakes game of cat and mouse where there is never a dull moment and the action just keeps coming. MI6 agent Marc Dane, a computer expert who received an unexpected promotion to active field operative, experiences trial by fire in espionage on every mission he is now put forward for. In a thriller that spans several rich, vivid locations we readers are met with a pacey, race-against-the-clock scenario full of excitement and fraught with danger from start to finish. There are plenty of unscrupulous characters who will do anything to hide their secrets and this puts Marc in some incredibly tricky, life-threatening situations.
You can always rely on Mr Swallow to produce a fiercely compelling and exquisitely plotted novel, and this book is no exception. It's certainly one of my favourite series' at this moment in time due to how vivid and gritty it is and nothing is ever quite what it appears, but each book can be read as a standalone. This is the very definition of page-turner but also manages to remain topical and highly entertaining in the process. If you enjoy authors such as Ian Fleming (as there is plenty of advanced Bond-style tech and gadgets throughout) or John Le Carre you are going to find much to admire here. Even regular thriller readers will get a kick out of the story as it is just so beautifully crafted. I am already yearning for the next instalment. Many thanks to Zaffre for an ARC.
You can always rely on Mr Swallow to produce a fiercely compelling and exquisitely plotted novel, and this book is no exception. It's certainly one of my favourite series' at this moment in time due to how vivid and gritty it is and nothing is ever quite what it appears, but each book can be read as a standalone. This is the very definition of page-turner but also manages to remain topical and highly entertaining in the process. If you enjoy authors such as Ian Fleming (as there is plenty of advanced Bond-style tech and gadgets throughout) or John Le Carre you are going to find much to admire here. Even regular thriller readers will get a kick out of the story as it is just so beautifully crafted. I am already yearning for the next instalment. Many thanks to Zaffre for an ARC.
November 8, 2020
Shadow is the fourth book in the Marc Dane series but can be read as a stand-alone. This time Marc Dane and his workmate Lucy Keyes are on the quest to stop a bioweapon being deployed by a far right extremist political group.
Shadow follows on from the other books in this series and is more of the same. More bad guys, more guns and slaughter plus the continuity of previous characters from earlier novels. Having read each book in the series things are all sounding quite familiar. Even with a gap between reading each novel, James will stoke your memory with highlights from earlier books.
James wrote this novel before Covid-19 and it is creepy that the featured bioweapon is a variant developed from the Marburg virus which can be found among fruit bats. Also research has gone into weaponizing the Marburg virus and sadly Dr. Nikolai Ustinov died from the virus after accidentally infecting himself while injecting guinea pigs with the Marburg virus for the Soviet biological weapons program.
I enjoyed reading about the technical skills used within Shadow but again was bored with all the fighting and discharged firearms. However, I found Shadow to be a GOOD 4 star read that reminded me that a terrorist threat could be lurking around every corner of the globe. The relationship between Marc and Lucy has slowly developed with each novel and I wondered if maybe it would become physical until I read…
He lay down next to her and pulled closer, until they were side by side. She didn’t object. Lucy knew as well as he did that the fire wouldn’t be enough to stave off the cold, even out of the wind. They would have to conserve what body heat they could as well. ‘Don’t get handsy,’ she told him. ‘Break your fingers.’
...So maybe next time then!
Shadow follows on from the other books in this series and is more of the same. More bad guys, more guns and slaughter plus the continuity of previous characters from earlier novels. Having read each book in the series things are all sounding quite familiar. Even with a gap between reading each novel, James will stoke your memory with highlights from earlier books.
James wrote this novel before Covid-19 and it is creepy that the featured bioweapon is a variant developed from the Marburg virus which can be found among fruit bats. Also research has gone into weaponizing the Marburg virus and sadly Dr. Nikolai Ustinov died from the virus after accidentally infecting himself while injecting guinea pigs with the Marburg virus for the Soviet biological weapons program.
I enjoyed reading about the technical skills used within Shadow but again was bored with all the fighting and discharged firearms. However, I found Shadow to be a GOOD 4 star read that reminded me that a terrorist threat could be lurking around every corner of the globe. The relationship between Marc and Lucy has slowly developed with each novel and I wondered if maybe it would become physical until I read…
He lay down next to her and pulled closer, until they were side by side. She didn’t object. Lucy knew as well as he did that the fire wouldn’t be enough to stave off the cold, even out of the wind. They would have to conserve what body heat they could as well. ‘Don’t get handsy,’ she told him. ‘Break your fingers.’
...So maybe next time then!
June 13, 2019
Book number four in James Swallow’s Marc Dane adventure series. Dane is a Brit with a British Intelligence background as a tech guy, but with some career changes he now works for the off the books organisation Rubicon. And he has trained up to operator level, getting into the action with his partner Lucy.
In this, while Rubicon is under internal investigation the team are chasing down a bio-weapon and having to do so without their usual level of support.
I thought this was the best of the novels to date, yes we do get the action and pace but also some depth about Rubicon (and its enemies) and that delicate balance between a large multi-national corporation and its unofficial team that fights the bad guys.
In this, while Rubicon is under internal investigation the team are chasing down a bio-weapon and having to do so without their usual level of support.
I thought this was the best of the novels to date, yes we do get the action and pace but also some depth about Rubicon (and its enemies) and that delicate balance between a large multi-national corporation and its unofficial team that fights the bad guys.
December 21, 2019
I have wanted to read a James Swallow book for a while and as much as I don't like to jump into the middle of series, I decided to start with Shadow, which is book 4 of the Marc Dane series. I can say with conviction that you can most definitely read Shadow as a standalone thriller but I'm even more eager to read the previous books now as there is such an amazing dynamic between the main characters, Marc and Lucy.
Marc Dane is a former MI6 data guy who has been thrust into the action, and there isn't half some action in Shadow as a worldwide hunt begins to stop a deadly bioweapon from releasing a killer virus. I found the idea of a bioprinter that can create deadly viruses at the touch of a button very scary indeed and would like to think it's science fiction but a quick google tells me otherwise. It's amazing to think that bioprinting could be used for transplants in the future but as with anything that is created to benefit people there is always the risk that someone will manipulate it for their own ends. A theoretical Dr Evil could hold the whole world to ransom; thanks for the nightmares, James Swallow!
There is an awful lot going on in Shadow and I got myself a bit mixed up at times over who was who, but I couldn't stop reading as I needed to find out what was going to happen next. I loved the character of Marc Dane, especially as he can quote the original Star Wars trilogy from memory, and I thought of him as a kind of geeky James Bond. The geek in me also loved that Star Wars was mentioned on page 77 as Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope was released in 1977. I love little details, or coincidences, like this.
Shadow is a full-throttle, high-octane, action-packed thriller; I am now chomping at the bit to read more Marc Dane and Lucy Keyes books.
I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
Marc Dane is a former MI6 data guy who has been thrust into the action, and there isn't half some action in Shadow as a worldwide hunt begins to stop a deadly bioweapon from releasing a killer virus. I found the idea of a bioprinter that can create deadly viruses at the touch of a button very scary indeed and would like to think it's science fiction but a quick google tells me otherwise. It's amazing to think that bioprinting could be used for transplants in the future but as with anything that is created to benefit people there is always the risk that someone will manipulate it for their own ends. A theoretical Dr Evil could hold the whole world to ransom; thanks for the nightmares, James Swallow!
There is an awful lot going on in Shadow and I got myself a bit mixed up at times over who was who, but I couldn't stop reading as I needed to find out what was going to happen next. I loved the character of Marc Dane, especially as he can quote the original Star Wars trilogy from memory, and I thought of him as a kind of geeky James Bond. The geek in me also loved that Star Wars was mentioned on page 77 as Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope was released in 1977. I love little details, or coincidences, like this.
Shadow is a full-throttle, high-octane, action-packed thriller; I am now chomping at the bit to read more Marc Dane and Lucy Keyes books.
I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
August 28, 2019
Thrilling action with Dane and Keyes
Marc Dane and Lucy Keyes rescued the migrants from Libya in the sea near Italy. They were tasked with saving the scientist in Singapore. Keyes knew Susan Lam, is a North Korean defector who she rescued from the evil regime.
Susan Lam was not the real name when she was abducted from her home. Her husband and son were also kidnapped from their home. The kidnapper told her that he would order the killing of her family unless she made a new biological weapon to wipe out other races such as the Arabs and the Africans etc. Susan tries to contact her family to see they were alive while complying with the orders.
Noah Verbek was the mastermind of the Lion Roar white supremacist based in Belgium. He was transferred from Slovakia to his home by train by the Inspector Nils Jakobs. Verbeke escaped from the train with the help from Rubicon organisation’s rival the Combine.
That was the most thrilling in all four of Marc Dane and Lucy Keyes series with their lives on the edges in the various locations of the world. This novel is not to be missed!
Caesar XIII
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review
Marc Dane and Lucy Keyes rescued the migrants from Libya in the sea near Italy. They were tasked with saving the scientist in Singapore. Keyes knew Susan Lam, is a North Korean defector who she rescued from the evil regime.
Susan Lam was not the real name when she was abducted from her home. Her husband and son were also kidnapped from their home. The kidnapper told her that he would order the killing of her family unless she made a new biological weapon to wipe out other races such as the Arabs and the Africans etc. Susan tries to contact her family to see they were alive while complying with the orders.
Noah Verbek was the mastermind of the Lion Roar white supremacist based in Belgium. He was transferred from Slovakia to his home by train by the Inspector Nils Jakobs. Verbeke escaped from the train with the help from Rubicon organisation’s rival the Combine.
That was the most thrilling in all four of Marc Dane and Lucy Keyes series with their lives on the edges in the various locations of the world. This novel is not to be missed!
Caesar XIII
Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review
March 26, 2021
An OK thriller, but too many elongated fight scenes for my taste, and the usual accent on super technology. Although it ends on a cliff hanger I do not think I want to read another book in this series.
February 14, 2020
My favourite of the Marc Dane series so far. Great action, plenty of plot lines and enjoyable character development. A spy novel of the 80’s set in the present, brilliant!
December 3, 2019
I have a little, well ok a huge, confession to make. Although I have all of the books in the Marc Dane series, I haven't actually read one of them...…..until now that is. Now I am a bit annoyed that I left it this long to read one. I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'Shadow' but more about that in a bit.
I developed a bit of a soft spot for ex-MI6 agent Marc Dane, but then I like a dashing, masculine, rugged hero type who saves the world despite having used up more than the nine lives a cat would have. Dane reminded me a fair bit of James Bond although a lot more modern than Mr. Bond and certainly with different attitudes.
It took me a little while to get into this story but then I was tired when I started to read this book and it cannot be taken as a criticism of the author. Once I got used to a new writing style and the new sort of plot, that was it I was away and then I couldn't stop reading. I think that the plot allowed me to escape from boring daily life and into a world, which intrigues me but which also scares the crap out of me. (I did have aspirations of working for MI5 or MI6 once but then I realised that I failed on three counts- firstly, I wasn't willing to die for Queen and country, secondly I would stand out from the crowd given that I have ginger hair and thirdly, I can't keep my mouth shut). Anyway that's enough of my secret agent ambitions so back to the review I do go. For me, 'Shadow' was fast paced, it hit the ground running and maintained the pace throughout.
'Shadow' is well written. The author has one of those writing styles that is easy to get used to and easy to get along with. He certainly knows how to grab your attention from the start and once he has your attention, he will not let it go until you read the last word on the last page. The author writes so realistically and uses such vivid descriptions that I really did feel as though I was part of the story myself and that I was an invisible bystander to events as they happened in the book. Some might say that the plot is a bit far fetched but I would disagree. For me, the plot is scarily believable.
Reading 'Shadow' felt like being on a scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride with no idea in which direction the story was going to take you next. There were also several twists and turns to the story that I didn't see coming at all. On more than one occasion, I found myself having to almost read through my fingers as I feared what was going to happen next or what was waiting for me over the page.
In short and overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'Shadow' and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers and particularly to those readers, who enjoy an action/ espionage/ thriller type of read. I will definitely be reading more of James' work in the future, starting with the first two books in the Marc Dane series. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 4* out of 5*.
I developed a bit of a soft spot for ex-MI6 agent Marc Dane, but then I like a dashing, masculine, rugged hero type who saves the world despite having used up more than the nine lives a cat would have. Dane reminded me a fair bit of James Bond although a lot more modern than Mr. Bond and certainly with different attitudes.
It took me a little while to get into this story but then I was tired when I started to read this book and it cannot be taken as a criticism of the author. Once I got used to a new writing style and the new sort of plot, that was it I was away and then I couldn't stop reading. I think that the plot allowed me to escape from boring daily life and into a world, which intrigues me but which also scares the crap out of me. (I did have aspirations of working for MI5 or MI6 once but then I realised that I failed on three counts- firstly, I wasn't willing to die for Queen and country, secondly I would stand out from the crowd given that I have ginger hair and thirdly, I can't keep my mouth shut). Anyway that's enough of my secret agent ambitions so back to the review I do go. For me, 'Shadow' was fast paced, it hit the ground running and maintained the pace throughout.
'Shadow' is well written. The author has one of those writing styles that is easy to get used to and easy to get along with. He certainly knows how to grab your attention from the start and once he has your attention, he will not let it go until you read the last word on the last page. The author writes so realistically and uses such vivid descriptions that I really did feel as though I was part of the story myself and that I was an invisible bystander to events as they happened in the book. Some might say that the plot is a bit far fetched but I would disagree. For me, the plot is scarily believable.
Reading 'Shadow' felt like being on a scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride with no idea in which direction the story was going to take you next. There were also several twists and turns to the story that I didn't see coming at all. On more than one occasion, I found myself having to almost read through my fingers as I feared what was going to happen next or what was waiting for me over the page.
In short and overall, I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'Shadow' and I would definitely recommend this book to other readers and particularly to those readers, who enjoy an action/ espionage/ thriller type of read. I will definitely be reading more of James' work in the future, starting with the first two books in the Marc Dane series. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 4* out of 5*.
December 11, 2019
This is the fourth in a series by James Swallow, however this is the first book that I have read by the Author, and I have taken this into consideration when reviewing.
If you are looking for a fast paced, action type of story that may remind you a bit of James bond or Jason Bourne in the type of story it is, then this is certainly one to consider! However I would recommend that you perhaps start from the beginning of the series.
The story DOES WORK as a stand alone book, it can be read and thoroughly enjoyed without previous books, but as you may expect from a series, there are nuances and things alluded to at times that I feel were perhaps best understood by reading the previous books. There is also the obvious slight disconnect in that you haven’t spent a few books getting to know your key players, and so there are at times things which the Author skims.
That being said, I didn’t feel as though I couldn’t follow the story, or that I didn’t get to know the characters. In fact I think the author has done a brilliant job of giving enough information for those mew to the books, whilst not overloading it for those who are already familiar with the Characters and their pasts. Certainly not easy to please everyone, but I think this author has done a terrific job of finding a middle ground.
The story is quite fast paced and it certainly keeps you gripped and wanting to know more! As I mentioned before, some of it is very bondesque purely because while you can imagine the scenarios, and they feel credible in the story, there is still that tiny bit of you that goes “well yeh, but only because he’s a character in a story”. Its the sort of thing you can follow and enjoy, but if you heard about such a person in reality you would be absolutely stunned that things had happened in such a way.
And yes, that paragraph is purposely vague, I don’t want to ruin anything for you!! Just imagine how much FUN Bond is, and then imagine if you heard someone saying THEY had done those things... and you can get my meaning. It’s believable, whilst also really not being.
There is a lot of tension, fast paced action, and a plot that keeps you wondering and on the edge of your seat. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, and will CERTAINLY be diving into the first in the series the first chance I get!
If you are looking for a fast paced, action type of story that may remind you a bit of James bond or Jason Bourne in the type of story it is, then this is certainly one to consider! However I would recommend that you perhaps start from the beginning of the series.
The story DOES WORK as a stand alone book, it can be read and thoroughly enjoyed without previous books, but as you may expect from a series, there are nuances and things alluded to at times that I feel were perhaps best understood by reading the previous books. There is also the obvious slight disconnect in that you haven’t spent a few books getting to know your key players, and so there are at times things which the Author skims.
That being said, I didn’t feel as though I couldn’t follow the story, or that I didn’t get to know the characters. In fact I think the author has done a brilliant job of giving enough information for those mew to the books, whilst not overloading it for those who are already familiar with the Characters and their pasts. Certainly not easy to please everyone, but I think this author has done a terrific job of finding a middle ground.
The story is quite fast paced and it certainly keeps you gripped and wanting to know more! As I mentioned before, some of it is very bondesque purely because while you can imagine the scenarios, and they feel credible in the story, there is still that tiny bit of you that goes “well yeh, but only because he’s a character in a story”. Its the sort of thing you can follow and enjoy, but if you heard about such a person in reality you would be absolutely stunned that things had happened in such a way.
And yes, that paragraph is purposely vague, I don’t want to ruin anything for you!! Just imagine how much FUN Bond is, and then imagine if you heard someone saying THEY had done those things... and you can get my meaning. It’s believable, whilst also really not being.
There is a lot of tension, fast paced action, and a plot that keeps you wondering and on the edge of your seat. I thoroughly enjoyed the story, and will CERTAINLY be diving into the first in the series the first chance I get!
December 15, 2019
This is the fourth book in the Marc Dane action thriller series. It’s my first read of this series… although that really didn’t seem to matter at all.
This book doesn’t mess about, and you are hurtled into an action packed opening, swiftly moving between two high pressured and dangerous situations. It’s a relief (and great plotting) to calm down as we are introduced to people on a smuggler’s ship and the plot develops and deepens; it’s not long before the tension and action creeps back. I don’t read that many action thrillers, but I was drawn easily into the story. The central characters of the book series were introduced well and with enough background information to easily pick up who these people are and what has lead them to this point. Marc Dane, our lead and Ex-M16 officer, and Lucy Keyes, Ex Delta Force and now a private contractor with Dane, are brought into a kidnapping case and are soon off on a dangerous mission.
‘Shadow’ is an action thriller novel that is driven, well-researched with engaging lead characters that work aplenty to hook the reader into a dramatic plot of kidnapping, terrorism and mass destruction as a new threat is uncovered. Thank goodness Marc Dane has at least 9 lives; he’s literally leaping constantly into dangerous situations! Keyes is not much better, so they’re quite a pair. It’s one of those novels where you need to suspend your disbelief and just enjoy the ride. I had a great time reading this. Dane’s character make-up is along the lucky lines of characters like Bond, Bourne, Reacher and Ryan and it’s dramatic action fun. I think the difference here with some lighter reads, is the book is very well researched, I found it easy enough to pick up unfamiliar subject areas of the military, technology, digital and terrorism. The world building and descriptions of the landscapes were also really atmospheric and detailed. The scene on the Icelandic tundra made me turn my heating up!
If you are looking for an incredibly pacy, very well-written action thriller read, that is tense, full of drama with non-stop action moments – then join Marc Dane and Lucy Keyes in ‘Swallow’.
This book doesn’t mess about, and you are hurtled into an action packed opening, swiftly moving between two high pressured and dangerous situations. It’s a relief (and great plotting) to calm down as we are introduced to people on a smuggler’s ship and the plot develops and deepens; it’s not long before the tension and action creeps back. I don’t read that many action thrillers, but I was drawn easily into the story. The central characters of the book series were introduced well and with enough background information to easily pick up who these people are and what has lead them to this point. Marc Dane, our lead and Ex-M16 officer, and Lucy Keyes, Ex Delta Force and now a private contractor with Dane, are brought into a kidnapping case and are soon off on a dangerous mission.
‘Shadow’ is an action thriller novel that is driven, well-researched with engaging lead characters that work aplenty to hook the reader into a dramatic plot of kidnapping, terrorism and mass destruction as a new threat is uncovered. Thank goodness Marc Dane has at least 9 lives; he’s literally leaping constantly into dangerous situations! Keyes is not much better, so they’re quite a pair. It’s one of those novels where you need to suspend your disbelief and just enjoy the ride. I had a great time reading this. Dane’s character make-up is along the lucky lines of characters like Bond, Bourne, Reacher and Ryan and it’s dramatic action fun. I think the difference here with some lighter reads, is the book is very well researched, I found it easy enough to pick up unfamiliar subject areas of the military, technology, digital and terrorism. The world building and descriptions of the landscapes were also really atmospheric and detailed. The scene on the Icelandic tundra made me turn my heating up!
If you are looking for an incredibly pacy, very well-written action thriller read, that is tense, full of drama with non-stop action moments – then join Marc Dane and Lucy Keyes in ‘Swallow’.
May 18, 2019
The fourth instalment in Swallow’s Marc Dane series of contemporary thrillers, this offers up another powerfully topical slice of high-stakes drama packed full of action, excitement, great characters and credible threats. When a bio-scientist and her family are kidnapped in Singapore, Dane and partner Lucy Keyes are sent to investigate, and it quickly becomes clear that there’s more to her work – for the Rubicon Group, no less – than it first appears. Meanwhile the escape of a right-wing extremist from Belgian police custody, and growing unease within the power structure of Rubicon itself, means their mission becomes more dangerous by the minute.
It’s entirely possible to read this and enjoy it on a purely surface level – the pace, excitement and danger, the technology and the exotic locations, they all add up to everything you want from a switch-your-brain-off adventure thriller. If you’ve followed the series so far, however, it’s nicely rewarding to see a modern action-hero character like Dane slowly developing and feeling increasingly human, instead of remaining fixed in place like so many others. You feel that Swallow knows what he’s doing with this series, ticking all the boxes you’d expect while simultaneously introducing themes that stretch the thriller mould just a little and maintain a unique approach that sets it apart a little from the baseline of the genre. After four hugely enjoyable instalments, it shows no signs of slowing down or losing its impact and Swallow continues to impress.
Read the full review at https://www.trackofwords.com/2019/05/...
It’s entirely possible to read this and enjoy it on a purely surface level – the pace, excitement and danger, the technology and the exotic locations, they all add up to everything you want from a switch-your-brain-off adventure thriller. If you’ve followed the series so far, however, it’s nicely rewarding to see a modern action-hero character like Dane slowly developing and feeling increasingly human, instead of remaining fixed in place like so many others. You feel that Swallow knows what he’s doing with this series, ticking all the boxes you’d expect while simultaneously introducing themes that stretch the thriller mould just a little and maintain a unique approach that sets it apart a little from the baseline of the genre. After four hugely enjoyable instalments, it shows no signs of slowing down or losing its impact and Swallow continues to impress.
Read the full review at https://www.trackofwords.com/2019/05/...
May 30, 2019
Shadow is a mixture of Mission Impossible and Jack Ryan where the leading man Marc Dane is the tech guy pushed into the field in an impossible situation. Trying to save the world any means necessary.
Marc has changed a lot throughout the series, taking more and more risks. I think he has become a bit of a danger junkie, who justifies his action as he is trying to save people. I wonder how long Marc luck will last.
Shadow shows the current tension in Europe and this makes it feels like its ground in reality. I like the fact that Jame Shallow didn’t take the easy route in his storytelling. He didn’t make the terrorist the Muslim refugee but made the bad guys white nationalists.
By the end of the book, I feel that something is going to happen in the next book that will shock Rubicon to its core.
Shadow is a great addition to the Marc Dane series. A must read for anyone that likes the Thriller genre.
My rating for Shadow is 4 out of 5.
Marc has changed a lot throughout the series, taking more and more risks. I think he has become a bit of a danger junkie, who justifies his action as he is trying to save people. I wonder how long Marc luck will last.
Shadow shows the current tension in Europe and this makes it feels like its ground in reality. I like the fact that Jame Shallow didn’t take the easy route in his storytelling. He didn’t make the terrorist the Muslim refugee but made the bad guys white nationalists.
By the end of the book, I feel that something is going to happen in the next book that will shock Rubicon to its core.
Shadow is a great addition to the Marc Dane series. A must read for anyone that likes the Thriller genre.
My rating for Shadow is 4 out of 5.
July 11, 2019
James Swallow has done it again and published another top-notch adventure thriller.
This is the fourth novel in the Marc Dane series of modern action thrillers. A bio-scientist is kidnapped in Singapore and Marc Dane and his partner Lucy Keyes are sent to investigate. Then the escape of a right-wing extremist from Belgian police custody immediately increases the level of danger with each new paragraph. It quickly becomes clear that there’s more to this kidnapping than what immediately appears.
Swallow has a very satisfying, entertaining formula and provides a gripping sense of pace and globe-trotting excitement. His writing style draws the reader in and with a plot that feels relatable and relevant to what’s going on in the world today. The race to save the world is on. Will Marc and Lucy succeed?
This is the fourth novel in the Marc Dane series of modern action thrillers. A bio-scientist is kidnapped in Singapore and Marc Dane and his partner Lucy Keyes are sent to investigate. Then the escape of a right-wing extremist from Belgian police custody immediately increases the level of danger with each new paragraph. It quickly becomes clear that there’s more to this kidnapping than what immediately appears.
Swallow has a very satisfying, entertaining formula and provides a gripping sense of pace and globe-trotting excitement. His writing style draws the reader in and with a plot that feels relatable and relevant to what’s going on in the world today. The race to save the world is on. Will Marc and Lucy succeed?
December 9, 2019
#4 in the Mark Dane series but can easily be read as a stand-alone.
Mark Dane, ex-British intelligence and now working for a secretive organisation, Rubicon with his partner, Lucy.
When a Rubicon employee goes missing Dane is tasked with investigating and so the adventure begins.
There’s a terrorist they must find and stop with lots of action and intrigue.
Dane is a real action hero, but there is more to the tale than that. A clever and compelling plot, which feels all too plausible and makes this a real page turner. Thoroughly entertaining.
Thank you to Tracy and Compulsive Readers for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour, for the promotional materials and a free copy of the ebook. This is my honest, unbiased review.
Mark Dane, ex-British intelligence and now working for a secretive organisation, Rubicon with his partner, Lucy.
When a Rubicon employee goes missing Dane is tasked with investigating and so the adventure begins.
There’s a terrorist they must find and stop with lots of action and intrigue.
Dane is a real action hero, but there is more to the tale than that. A clever and compelling plot, which feels all too plausible and makes this a real page turner. Thoroughly entertaining.
Thank you to Tracy and Compulsive Readers for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour, for the promotional materials and a free copy of the ebook. This is my honest, unbiased review.
July 22, 2022
This latest instalment of Marc Dane’s adventures took a while to get going, but once it did, it had the usual rollercoaster ride of daring deeds from Marc and Lucy. There was lots of teccy stuff that you expect from Dane and his sidekicks. The developments in Rubicon were an interesting side story. Some heart stopping moments and cries out loud of “nooooo!” from me. I enjoyed this ride and particularly liked the development in Marc and Lucy’s relationship. The introduction of the Icelanders was also welcome and it would be good to see them again In future books. I look forward to the next one!
September 3, 2020
Another action packed thriller as Marc Dane manages to survive another series of mishaps, poor decisions and sheer bad luck as he and Lucy Keyes fall headlong into a series of dangerous situations as they hunt for the source of a deadly virus about to be loosed on the world. There are also some subplots with senior management (on both sides!)- that will no doubt bear fruit in forthcoming titles.
A great edge of the seat read that is let down a bit by the reader who does not pause for section breaks and flows from one scene to the next with the listener half a step behind.
A great edge of the seat read that is let down a bit by the reader who does not pause for section breaks and flows from one scene to the next with the listener half a step behind.
January 29, 2020
The goodies defeats the badies an old recipe its predictable thats in a nutshell. Yes but thats not the whole truth. The action the situation the goodies find them in the way the escape and defy death and how they do it thats thye exciting part its never a dull moment and if you are looking for that then you have found it.I enjoyed the book and looking forward to his new book even if i know the goodies always win in the end but you dont want it any other way.
August 16, 2020
Move over Bond, your time is up! There's a new hero now and his name is Marc Dane.
This series by James Swallow just gets better and better with each book, of which this is the 4th.
A punchy, pithy, tech-savvy agent for the 21st Century, tackling 21st Century crimes to wit, cyber terrorism, nuclear theft and here, a vicious white supremacist group.
Can't wait for the next installment.
This series by James Swallow just gets better and better with each book, of which this is the 4th.
A punchy, pithy, tech-savvy agent for the 21st Century, tackling 21st Century crimes to wit, cyber terrorism, nuclear theft and here, a vicious white supremacist group.
Can't wait for the next installment.
June 18, 2019
Another one knocked out of the park. I felt like this one was a really great story in itself however it also was a great set up to the next book.
Would highly recommend the Marc Dane series to everyone.
Would highly recommend the Marc Dane series to everyone.
January 2, 2020
Fourth outing for ex-MI6 agent Marc Dane, and his fellow Rubicon agents. Another fast paced thriller unfolds as Marc finds himself in the midst of a racist terror groups plan to unleash a deadly virus. Exciting and gripping, overflowing with tension. A great read and worthy addition to the series.
June 26, 2019
2.5 stars: it felt a little like filler just setting up the next book in the series - did not seem as strong a story as the previous ones
September 19, 2024
In diesem packenden Thriller nimmt uns James Swallow mit auf ein fesselndes Rennen, um die Welt vor einem äußerst gefährlichen Virus zu schützen – einer der gefährlichsten Varianten des Ebola-Virus. Das Streben nach Aufklärung dient dem Kampf gegen Terror sowie politische Intrigen und hält zahlreiche unvorhersehbare Wendungen bereit. Von der ersten Seite an spürt man die Spannung, während wir den MI6-Agenten Marc Dane und seine amerikanische Partnerin Lucy Keyes bei ihrer Suche nach Antworten und der Abwehr von Terroranschlägen begleiten.
»Shadow« ist der vierte Band der Rubicon-Reihe des Autors. Die ersten drei sind auch als Übersetzungen in Deutsch erschienen. Den Namen Rubicon tragen sie, weil Rubicon eine international agierenede und privat finanzierte Sicherheitsfirma ist, bei der die beiden Protagonisten angestellt sind und als Kämpfer mit militärischer Spezialausbildung eingesetzt werden. Lucy war zuvor einige Jahre als Scharfschützin bei der US-Army in den Special Forces tätig.
Zunächst lernen wir Noah Verbeke kennen. Ein echt krasser Typ, dieser Verbeke. Die slowakische National Polizei soll diesen Terroristen überstellen. Was sie aber nicht wussten, war, dass der Kerl seinen Ausbruch geplant und organisiert hatte. Doch das Verrückte war, dass einer der Polizisten, Jakob, früher mit ihm in der Armee bei den belgischen Spezialkräften war. Doch während Verbeke zum Terroristen wurde, hat Jakob sich einen Namen in einer Anti-Terror-Einheit gemacht. Wahnsinn, wie die Wege sich kreuzen können! Aber Verbeke entgleitet ihm.
Parallel dazu wird die Frau aus einer Familie heraus entführt. Aber ihr Sohn und Ihr Ehemann verschwinden ebenfalls. Eigentlich sehen die drei wie eine ganz normale Familie aus, die natürlich Angst bekommt, nachdem Sie mit Einbrechern konfrontiert und verschleppt werden. Doch die Ehefrau scheint zu wissen, wer sich hinter den Entführer verbirgt und was diese wollen: Sie ist eine hochdekorierte und weltweit anerkannte Virologin!
Im nächsten Kapitel erleben die Leser die beiden Protagonisten im Einsatz. Sie befinden sich in einem Flüchtlingsboot auf dem Weg von Nordafrika nach Italien. Schleuser vollbringen ihre Arbeiten mit Gewalt. Marc Dane, ex-MI6-field-officer, gehört als “Marten from Amersfoort” zu der Schleusertruppe. Er fordert einen weiblichen Flüchtling auf, den Hijab abzulegen. Es ist seine Einsatzpartnerin, die Sniper Lucy. Gemeinsam befreien sie die Flüchtlinge aus den Klauen der Schleuser im Auftrag von Rubicon.
Das Figurenensemble in der Geschichte ist ziemlich vielfältig. Die Hauptstränge sind klar zwischen Gut und Böse abgegrenzt, wobei die Bösewichter namentlich genannt werden. Die Guten hingegen sind nicht immer auf den ersten Blick erkennbar. Die Rubicon-Leute, die am Rand der Legalität arbeiten, geraten gelegentlich auch mit der normalen Polizei in Konflikt, die keine Ahnung von ihren Aufträgen hat. Dadurch sind die Guten nicht immer die Guten für die Protagonisten.
Marc und Lucy sind schon seit Jahren miteinander bekannt und sie arbeiten gut im Team zusammen. Manchmal gibt es jedoch Einsätze, bei denen ihre Nähe auffällig wird und es scheint, als ob sich zwischen ihnen etwas entwickeln könnte. Doch sie entscheiden sich immer dafür, ihre kollegiale Zusammenarbeit und Freundschaft über mögliche Liebesbeziehungen zu stellen. Mal sehen, ob noch Überraschungen auf sie warten.
Die Rubicon-Leute haben echt harte Nüsse zu knacken. Die Gegner sind nicht nur draußen, sondern auch in den eigenen Reihen. Keiner soll von den Einsätzen der Agenten erfahren, deshalb bleibt die Action im Verborgenen. Die Terroristen sind wie Schatten, immer einen Schritt voraus. Da wird die Abwehr eines Terroranschlags wirklich zur wilden Jagd.
Der Autor James Swallow schreibt übrigens nicht nur Agententhriller, sondern ist auch für Geschichten aus der Welt von Mittelerde und Star Trek bekannt.
Nach der Corona-Pandemie wirkt das Szenario von Terroranschlägen mit biologischen Waffen nicht nur wie ein aufregender Thriller, sondern könnte fast schon als glaubwürdige Zukunftsvision durchgehen. Wer auf Action, Verfolgungsjagden und spannende Schießereien steht, wird mit diesem Roman bestens unterhalten.
© Detlef Knut, Düsseldorf 2024
»Shadow« ist der vierte Band der Rubicon-Reihe des Autors. Die ersten drei sind auch als Übersetzungen in Deutsch erschienen. Den Namen Rubicon tragen sie, weil Rubicon eine international agierenede und privat finanzierte Sicherheitsfirma ist, bei der die beiden Protagonisten angestellt sind und als Kämpfer mit militärischer Spezialausbildung eingesetzt werden. Lucy war zuvor einige Jahre als Scharfschützin bei der US-Army in den Special Forces tätig.
Zunächst lernen wir Noah Verbeke kennen. Ein echt krasser Typ, dieser Verbeke. Die slowakische National Polizei soll diesen Terroristen überstellen. Was sie aber nicht wussten, war, dass der Kerl seinen Ausbruch geplant und organisiert hatte. Doch das Verrückte war, dass einer der Polizisten, Jakob, früher mit ihm in der Armee bei den belgischen Spezialkräften war. Doch während Verbeke zum Terroristen wurde, hat Jakob sich einen Namen in einer Anti-Terror-Einheit gemacht. Wahnsinn, wie die Wege sich kreuzen können! Aber Verbeke entgleitet ihm.
Parallel dazu wird die Frau aus einer Familie heraus entführt. Aber ihr Sohn und Ihr Ehemann verschwinden ebenfalls. Eigentlich sehen die drei wie eine ganz normale Familie aus, die natürlich Angst bekommt, nachdem Sie mit Einbrechern konfrontiert und verschleppt werden. Doch die Ehefrau scheint zu wissen, wer sich hinter den Entführer verbirgt und was diese wollen: Sie ist eine hochdekorierte und weltweit anerkannte Virologin!
Im nächsten Kapitel erleben die Leser die beiden Protagonisten im Einsatz. Sie befinden sich in einem Flüchtlingsboot auf dem Weg von Nordafrika nach Italien. Schleuser vollbringen ihre Arbeiten mit Gewalt. Marc Dane, ex-MI6-field-officer, gehört als “Marten from Amersfoort” zu der Schleusertruppe. Er fordert einen weiblichen Flüchtling auf, den Hijab abzulegen. Es ist seine Einsatzpartnerin, die Sniper Lucy. Gemeinsam befreien sie die Flüchtlinge aus den Klauen der Schleuser im Auftrag von Rubicon.
Das Figurenensemble in der Geschichte ist ziemlich vielfältig. Die Hauptstränge sind klar zwischen Gut und Böse abgegrenzt, wobei die Bösewichter namentlich genannt werden. Die Guten hingegen sind nicht immer auf den ersten Blick erkennbar. Die Rubicon-Leute, die am Rand der Legalität arbeiten, geraten gelegentlich auch mit der normalen Polizei in Konflikt, die keine Ahnung von ihren Aufträgen hat. Dadurch sind die Guten nicht immer die Guten für die Protagonisten.
Marc und Lucy sind schon seit Jahren miteinander bekannt und sie arbeiten gut im Team zusammen. Manchmal gibt es jedoch Einsätze, bei denen ihre Nähe auffällig wird und es scheint, als ob sich zwischen ihnen etwas entwickeln könnte. Doch sie entscheiden sich immer dafür, ihre kollegiale Zusammenarbeit und Freundschaft über mögliche Liebesbeziehungen zu stellen. Mal sehen, ob noch Überraschungen auf sie warten.
Die Rubicon-Leute haben echt harte Nüsse zu knacken. Die Gegner sind nicht nur draußen, sondern auch in den eigenen Reihen. Keiner soll von den Einsätzen der Agenten erfahren, deshalb bleibt die Action im Verborgenen. Die Terroristen sind wie Schatten, immer einen Schritt voraus. Da wird die Abwehr eines Terroranschlags wirklich zur wilden Jagd.
Der Autor James Swallow schreibt übrigens nicht nur Agententhriller, sondern ist auch für Geschichten aus der Welt von Mittelerde und Star Trek bekannt.
Nach der Corona-Pandemie wirkt das Szenario von Terroranschlägen mit biologischen Waffen nicht nur wie ein aufregender Thriller, sondern könnte fast schon als glaubwürdige Zukunftsvision durchgehen. Wer auf Action, Verfolgungsjagden und spannende Schießereien steht, wird mit diesem Roman bestens unterhalten.
© Detlef Knut, Düsseldorf 2024
August 17, 2022
You know how in the modern Bond/Bourne/Mission Impossible films we now have all that product placement? Subtle and not so subtle adverts for everything from cars to watches, while our well equipped heroes save the world?
Shadow does that too and it becomes increasingly annoying as the book goes on. Everything is branded, from Dane's Cabot dive watch and Nikon digitals to the Lenovo laptop they pick up cheaply on the streets. Assuming these companies haven't paid for this commercial consideration, I'm really not sure how to explain it. Is it because Bond does it, or are we meant to relate to our hero more easily if we recognise the kind of watch he's wearing?
There's not a lot else to relate to. As a character, Marc Dane is pretty dull. The only person in the book with any expressed beliefs or philosophy is our villain, Verbeke, and although he's passionate, he's full of hate, racism, misogyny. No one else seems to really believe in or care about much. Dane is haunted by past mistakes, and much is made of various characters having a darkness within their soul, or a raw animal savagery. It's terribly overblown and doesn't compensate for that fundamental lack of personality.
The heroes are pretty bloody useless too. They manage to screw up every step of their operation and only save the day thanks to a combination of extraordinary luck and intervention they shouldn't have expected. But they do have lots of fancy high tech toys, which get them past more obstacles than is perhaps plausible.
Oh, and there's a whole subplot that goes nowhere, except maybe the next book. All kept very mysterious with coded names building up to a big, and anticlimactic, reveal.
So much of this is just rich, powerful men being above the law. On one side we have a cabal of mysterious, shadowy figures running global operations to sow dissent. On the other side we have Rubicon, supposedly our good guys but basically just another rich man sending his minions around the world breaking laws, taking justice into their own hands with no regulations and no oversight. Rich corporations are above any nation states and laws, but that's okay because this one is nice.
Overblown and faintly ridiculous.
Shadow does that too and it becomes increasingly annoying as the book goes on. Everything is branded, from Dane's Cabot dive watch and Nikon digitals to the Lenovo laptop they pick up cheaply on the streets. Assuming these companies haven't paid for this commercial consideration, I'm really not sure how to explain it. Is it because Bond does it, or are we meant to relate to our hero more easily if we recognise the kind of watch he's wearing?
There's not a lot else to relate to. As a character, Marc Dane is pretty dull. The only person in the book with any expressed beliefs or philosophy is our villain, Verbeke, and although he's passionate, he's full of hate, racism, misogyny. No one else seems to really believe in or care about much. Dane is haunted by past mistakes, and much is made of various characters having a darkness within their soul, or a raw animal savagery. It's terribly overblown and doesn't compensate for that fundamental lack of personality.
The heroes are pretty bloody useless too. They manage to screw up every step of their operation and only save the day thanks to a combination of extraordinary luck and intervention they shouldn't have expected. But they do have lots of fancy high tech toys, which get them past more obstacles than is perhaps plausible.
Oh, and there's a whole subplot that goes nowhere, except maybe the next book. All kept very mysterious with coded names building up to a big, and anticlimactic, reveal.
So much of this is just rich, powerful men being above the law. On one side we have a cabal of mysterious, shadowy figures running global operations to sow dissent. On the other side we have Rubicon, supposedly our good guys but basically just another rich man sending his minions around the world breaking laws, taking justice into their own hands with no regulations and no oversight. Rich corporations are above any nation states and laws, but that's okay because this one is nice.
Overblown and faintly ridiculous.
May 20, 2025
“Shadow” by James Swallow (2019) First Edition
Overall Rating 8/10 – Shades of Excellence
Plot
A North Korean bio-scientist has created a virus capable of wiping out masses of people utilising the internationally banned germ warfare. Of course, it has fallen into the hands of the “bad guys”, so can our protagonists stop them before it is released … ?
Writing Style
Modern, flowing sentences, some complexity. Detailed and thorough.Some confusing segues. Difficult to watch the film unfold in your mind’s eye as the storyline unfolds.
Point of View/Voice
Written in the 3rd Person / Past Tense (standard convention).
Critique
I do very much enjoy reading books from this author, BUT there has been something about him that, until now, I have been unable to put my finger on. There has been a “nark” that I get when I am reading, and that has now exposed itself – his stories are difficult to watch on the cinema screen that plays in your mind as you read. In other words, you have to actually pay close attention to what you are reading. You can’t simply allow the words to form and read along each line; you have to focus and concentrate. I do very much enjoy his characters and the world they operate in. However, in this case, “reading” is less of a relaxing escape and more of a commitment.
That said, Swallow has taken a platform that is almost a cliché and made a whole series of novels into an excellent and unique series of thrillers. The characters and the organisations are completely believable and brim with both action and adventure.
Good stuff!
Overall Rating 8/10 – Shades of Excellence
Plot
A North Korean bio-scientist has created a virus capable of wiping out masses of people utilising the internationally banned germ warfare. Of course, it has fallen into the hands of the “bad guys”, so can our protagonists stop them before it is released … ?
Writing Style
Modern, flowing sentences, some complexity. Detailed and thorough.Some confusing segues. Difficult to watch the film unfold in your mind’s eye as the storyline unfolds.
Point of View/Voice
Written in the 3rd Person / Past Tense (standard convention).
Critique
I do very much enjoy reading books from this author, BUT there has been something about him that, until now, I have been unable to put my finger on. There has been a “nark” that I get when I am reading, and that has now exposed itself – his stories are difficult to watch on the cinema screen that plays in your mind as you read. In other words, you have to actually pay close attention to what you are reading. You can’t simply allow the words to form and read along each line; you have to focus and concentrate. I do very much enjoy his characters and the world they operate in. However, in this case, “reading” is less of a relaxing escape and more of a commitment.
That said, Swallow has taken a platform that is almost a cliché and made a whole series of novels into an excellent and unique series of thrillers. The characters and the organisations are completely believable and brim with both action and adventure.
Good stuff!
December 15, 2023
Action adventure thrillers are not my usual genre but this came up in a search for Iceland as part of the action is set there so I thought I'd give it a go, and I was really glad I did! It's a lovely long read (so many books are only a couple of hundred pages these days which makes voracious reading an expensive hobby!) with well drawn characters and loads of action. What I particularly liked was that it didn't all go improbably well for them, the book played out very much like a film in my mind as I read (I'd love to see it made!) but unlike Hollywood, our heroes in this tale would lose fights, shoot and miss, make rash decisions that didn't always pay off - I found this realism refreshing. It was a very dramatic race against time to find and (only partially effectively, and at considerable cost) stop the release of an advanced bioweapon. It is one in a series, although I've not read any others, but it reads fine as a stand alone, although I don't doubt there are additional layers of richness to be gained when you have read the whole series. With everything going on in our society now, and released during the pandemic, I found it a very relevant and topical read, unflinchingly dark in places, but mainly a high octane, action packed blockbuster - great!
April 6, 2019
This is an action adventure series book by James Swallow about Marc Dane who is a spy/ security consultant working for the organisation Rubicon which is trying to do good in the world.
Mark andhis partner, Ex soldier Lucy, are asked to investigate the disappearance of an employee of Rubicon and her family. She is a research scientist and has been working on a cure for cancer. Based in Singapore she was well on the way to a breakthrough when she disappeared. Fearing the worst Ekko Solomon the mysterious ceo of Rubicon dispatches his best operatives on a mission to find her.
In the course of the investigation Marc and Lucy encounter some old enemies as well as some horrendous new ones. Verbeke is a right wing terrorist who has some dreadful plans in the pipeline. His awful girlfriend is even worse and Marc and Lucy must use all their powers to try and stop them and their evil followers.
As is the case in this series of novels, Marc uses many clever gadgets in the course of the investigation and this adds to the James Bond feel of the story although no Q is required as Marc is a tech expert as well as a spy!
Shadow is part of a series but it could be read as a stand alone novel too. However I suggest reading the other books as they are all great stories.
Fast paced and exciting it would appeal to all action thriller fans who enjoy a compelling and well plotted novel.
I couldn’t put it down and was on the edge of my seat, keen to find out what would happen at the end.
The story itself concluded well but set up Marc and Lucy for their next outing. I will definitely be looking out for the next book in the series when it is published.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my arc in exchange for an honest review.
Mark andhis partner, Ex soldier Lucy, are asked to investigate the disappearance of an employee of Rubicon and her family. She is a research scientist and has been working on a cure for cancer. Based in Singapore she was well on the way to a breakthrough when she disappeared. Fearing the worst Ekko Solomon the mysterious ceo of Rubicon dispatches his best operatives on a mission to find her.
In the course of the investigation Marc and Lucy encounter some old enemies as well as some horrendous new ones. Verbeke is a right wing terrorist who has some dreadful plans in the pipeline. His awful girlfriend is even worse and Marc and Lucy must use all their powers to try and stop them and their evil followers.
As is the case in this series of novels, Marc uses many clever gadgets in the course of the investigation and this adds to the James Bond feel of the story although no Q is required as Marc is a tech expert as well as a spy!
Shadow is part of a series but it could be read as a stand alone novel too. However I suggest reading the other books as they are all great stories.
Fast paced and exciting it would appeal to all action thriller fans who enjoy a compelling and well plotted novel.
I couldn’t put it down and was on the edge of my seat, keen to find out what would happen at the end.
The story itself concluded well but set up Marc and Lucy for their next outing. I will definitely be looking out for the next book in the series when it is published.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my arc in exchange for an honest review.
June 22, 2021
Absolutely non stop action. If you like a thriller loaded with fighting, hand to hand combat, international intrigue, intergovernmental politics, shadowy organizations, complicated science, heavy handed international businesses, and a lot of machismo, this thriller is for you. It deals with so many contemporary issues (pandemic, government military contractor, white supremacy) and is deeply international in its scope.
I enjoyed it, however I think I would’ve like it even more if I’d started at the beginning of the series. When I requested it from NetGalley, I didn’t realize it was the fourth book in the Marc Dane series (my bad! Not paying close enough attention). I also would’ve liked more description and detail about the characters’ motivations, but people who want a ripped from the headlines thriller that grabs you from the beginning and never gives you a chance to breathe (or who have already read the first three in the series!) will be fans in spite of this.
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in return for my honest review.
I enjoyed it, however I think I would’ve like it even more if I’d started at the beginning of the series. When I requested it from NetGalley, I didn’t realize it was the fourth book in the Marc Dane series (my bad! Not paying close enough attention). I also would’ve liked more description and detail about the characters’ motivations, but people who want a ripped from the headlines thriller that grabs you from the beginning and never gives you a chance to breathe (or who have already read the first three in the series!) will be fans in spite of this.
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in return for my honest review.
June 2, 2019
A ruthless far-right terrorist is broken out of captivity
A mysterious bio-scientist with a terrible secret is abducted
A lethal contagion threatens millions of lives across Europe and the Middle East
Ex-MI6 officer Marc Dane faces a deadly challenge against all odds, to stop a devastating attack before a new kind of weapon is unleashed . . .
The fourth instalment in James Swallow’s Marc Dane series.
Fast paced and exciting it would appeal to all action thriller fans who enjoy a compelling and well plotted novel.
The author knows how to describe action and to keep the reader hooked and page turning.
Enjoyable read; just not my normal genre.
Recommend reading.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my arc. I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
A mysterious bio-scientist with a terrible secret is abducted
A lethal contagion threatens millions of lives across Europe and the Middle East
Ex-MI6 officer Marc Dane faces a deadly challenge against all odds, to stop a devastating attack before a new kind of weapon is unleashed . . .
The fourth instalment in James Swallow’s Marc Dane series.
Fast paced and exciting it would appeal to all action thriller fans who enjoy a compelling and well plotted novel.
The author knows how to describe action and to keep the reader hooked and page turning.
Enjoyable read; just not my normal genre.
Recommend reading.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my arc. I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
August 11, 2019
Shadow is the fourth in the Marc Dane series, but it also stands alone, you don’t need to have read the other stories (although you should!!). This really feels like a modern James Bond story, with a hero in Marc Dane who has a clear set of skills and who has companions who clearly outclass him in some areas.
This is a really high paced thriller with a plot that has a good number of turns and Marc and Lucy pursue their targets whilst annoying the security services from multiple countries!! I really liked the variety of the plot and some elements are really prescient about what is just starting to come out in the news now. An excellent read!!
This is a really high paced thriller with a plot that has a good number of turns and Marc and Lucy pursue their targets whilst annoying the security services from multiple countries!! I really liked the variety of the plot and some elements are really prescient about what is just starting to come out in the news now. An excellent read!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews