The Bannerman Effect

Bannerman #2

by John R. Maxim

The deadly corps of assassins returns to take on a sinister government plot when they are recruited by the State Department to participate in a new program to eliminate organized crime

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Espionage, Novels, Crime, Drugs

390 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1990

About the author

John R. Maxim was born in Greenwich Village, NYC, educated at NY Jesuit Schools (Xavier and Fordham) played all the street sports and most team sports.
Comes from a family of cops and a few Feds. After school, took up flying, skydiving and dirt-track stock car racing until the Military decided it could do without him. Then went into marketing and advertising. Several awards. Rose to Senior VP at major New York Advertising agencies. Work involved a great deal of international travel. Major hobby back then was sailing.
Always wanted to write, however, and, one night on the bar car, decided to give it a year, succeed or fail. Sold first novel at age 41. Wrote 12 more plus one non-fiction, averaging a year and a half each. Translated into ten languages. Several were optioned for film or TV. Still waiting.
Took up skiing. Many trips to Switzerland and Colorado. With the kids gone, sold our Connecticut house and moved to Hilton Head Island with his beautiful wife, Christine, herself a champion sailor.

Reviews

[Dean Lappi]

The Bannerman books are some of the best "early" thrillers. I think John R. Maxim is an underrated author.

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like spy thrillers a lot and this one is right up there with the best. It's an excellent series.

[Dale · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first novel I've read by this author. Glad to see he's written many more about the same character.

[Linda Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Bannerman Effect is the second entry in the Bannerman series. I strongly recommend that you first read The Bannerman Solution. Book Two continues the story line in a unique way. It is a prequel, a re-enactment, and a sequel. The same crimes appear again but with more information. The story is told from different perspectives and adds layers of conspiracy and complications. Paul Bannerman is a former assassin who has retired to Westport, Connecticut. His most loyal and dangerous crew members have joined him there. Some of the top men in the United States national security agencies do not want these lethal weapons side-lined. They concoct elaborate plans to ensnare the contract killers. Bannerman has become more susceptible to their machinations now that he has fallen in love with someone not of his world. His emotions have become involved in his decision making and people are going to get hurt. This is a fast, exciting read and definitely recommended for fans of thrillers such as the Jason Bourne books. Except that instead of one highly trained operative, there is a entire team of them. I will definitely read all of the books in this series.

[Ken Finlay · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The Bannerman Effect" is an odd book, it is deja vu all over again as the critical events in the finale of "The Bannerman Solution" are played out again from a very slightly different perspective.
It's a lazy approach to the second book in a series and, normally, I would have given up but the first book was also a slow starter.
It takes a third of the book before there is genuinely new territory.
And that brings me to my second quibble. Central to the story is the 'Ripper Effect' - essentially a computer program which can predict the reaction of individuals to an event. Fair dues to John R. Maxim for predicting it, but I doubt that such an efficient program existed in 1990 when the book was first published.
But sometimes you have to suspend disbelief in order to enjoy the tale.
And it does eventually pick up the pace as Bannerman hunts down his enemies, secures Westport and begins to think that a life without Susan is not on the cards. Meanwhile Lesko is losing touch with his 'imaginary' partner and falling for Elena.
"The Bannerman Effect" relies rather too heavily on several well-crafted set pieces - they are good but somewhat predictable.
A solid 3 Stars.

[Paige Turner · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Bannerman series, however, the entire book is a rehash of the first book from different characters perspectives, for the most part. I was disappointed because this was not what I expected. What I could not tolerate is that, like in the first book, the author makes casual use of racist and anti-gay slurs as well as racist views throughout the book(s) for no valid reasons. This suggests to me that the author more than likely shares these abhorrent views. I realize these two books were published in 1989 and 1990, respectively, but those views and that language was unacceptable then....maybe even more so than now, given the current MAGA movement that has been going on in America these past 6 years where racism, anti-gay and anti-immigrant views seem to be OK again among the Trump Republicans. I will not any waste more of my time on further books from this author. 1/2 star.

[Eva Ulland]

Bortkasta tid:/

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining story, but I didn't get lured into reading other "Bannerman" books.

[Tytyty · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tttt