Dillon and the Voice of Odin

by Derrick Ferguson

ODIN is only a whispered name, rumored to belong to a genius in the art of death and destruction. With a lethal cadre of global agents and mastery of The Voice of Odin, a devastating force unlike anything the world has ever seen, the unseen mastermind hunts for a single talisman so that he can begin his assault against the hopes and dreams of the free world. As his agents race around the globe searching for this talisman, they encounter the last man in the world they wanted to face.And DILLON and ODIN soon find themselves locked in a struggle to decide the fate of the Earth itself!

Genres: Pulp

178 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[D.K.]

Written in the fashion of the classic pulp novels made popular by characters such as Doc Savage and The Shadow, author Derrick Ferguson has created a new adventure hero whose toughness and bravado will be long remembered after you finish reading this book.

Dillon is hired to retrieve a ring. There wasn’t supposed to be any trouble. He was told by his client that it was an easy in, easy out retrieval. Dillon finds out rather quickly that nothing is as unproblematic as it first appears. With a huge bounty set on Dillon’s head, he and a reluctant maiden in distress are chased throughout the countryside of England by not only a group of ruthless mercenaries, but also by the British government.

Thing worsen as Odin, a criminal mastermind, uses a destructive weapon to cause havoc around the globe. The world’s governments must turn to one man to bring down Odin and his organization, but with assassins on his trail, you will wonder if Dillon can succeed.

Dillon and the Voice of Odin was simply a thrill ride from beginning to end.

[Andrew]

The action starts from the very first page with “Dillon and the voice of Odin” by Derrick Ferguson!

Odin, the mysterious head of a clandestine organisation, attempts to unleash destruction across the world and Dillon pulls out all the stops to derail his plans! As Dillon travels continents leaving a trail of mayhem in his wake, you can’t help but like this rather crazy action hero with something of a mysterious past.

This is a roller coaster of an adventure and a thoroughly enjoyable read. I’ll be looking out for further adventures of Dillon.

[Gordon]

Believe the hype - Derrick Ferguson's Dillion books *are* that good.

This is the first. It's your gateway drug.

Read it. You'll thank me later.

[Kim Walton]

Good action

Dillon, is a book full of action, and plenty of adventure. The fight scenes are great, and in my opinion realistic. I'm rereading this book, to help my own writing when it comes to action. I gave the book five stars, for it's detailed storyline,and well developed characters.

[Don Gates]

(Note: This review originally appeared on Amazon.com)

Tom Clancy once said that a new Clive Cussler "Dirk Pitt" novel was like a visit from an old friend. This is my second Dillon novel, and I can honestly say that I know what he's talking about. Spending time with a Dillon adventure is like hanging out with a funny, slightly crazy friend: you don't know where you'll end up or how you'll get there, but you know you'll have a good time in the process.

In this, the first Dillon adventure novel, Derrick Ferguson is in top form as he weaves us a tale of mystery and action. What seems to be the simple task of retrieving a ring from a derelict ocean liner (a great atmospheric opening setting) becomes a mad scramble as Dillon and his lovely & unwilling (at first) accomplice are hunted by everone from Dillon's former employers and mercenaries to British government agents. There's some great set-pieces involving the assault on a passenger train, an island interrogation facility with methods straight out of "The Prisoner", and a very cool sequence involving a mad-scientist's castle (which could have been the setting of a whole other adventure). This all leads to a really exciting conclusion at a great Bond villain-like hidden stronghold deep in the jungle and an edge-of-your-seat escape.

At center stage of course is Dillon, a mystery-shrouded adventurer who often seems to get into more trouble than he might be able to handle yet always wades out of it was a smile and a wisecrack. The character is very endearing: he's bad-assed enough to be dangerous but human enough not to be a superman, while his cocky personality is never too over-the-top to make the reader dislike him. Dillon's mysterious past is touched on here: we get a glimpse that tantalizes readers and makes us want to learn more. There's another one in "Dillon and the Legend of the Golden Bell" (the second Dillon novel), and from these I truly hope Ferguson gives us the inside scoop on his hero's past one day.

No book is 100% perfect, but it's hard to find a flaw with "Dillon and the Voice of Odin". If I had to pick a flaw, it's that somewhere around the middle of the book I remember feeling a bit lost suddenly and wasn't sure where the plot was supposed to be going at that point. Several pages later, however, "...Voice of Odin" guided me back on course and kept me there. I know that I liked this book a lot, though as good as it is I preferred "...Legend of the Golden Bell" more. Had I not read that book first, however, I would have been more blown away by "...Voice of Odin". Still, this book is an excellent read and gets 5 stars. It's a great introduction to Ferguson and his creation, and I look forward to more adventures with my new crazy friend Dillon.

[Ralph L Jr.]

Dillon and the Voice of Odin
I recently read Derrick Ferguson’s first ‘Dillon’ novel. For those who have not sampled them as of yet, ‘Dillon’ is a modern day pulp series featuring an adventurer who is simply known as ‘Dillon’. Whether it is his first or last name, no one is certain.
Dillon is a globe-trotting rogue who, in one of his ‘jobs’, searches for objects that are lost. Basically he’s an adventurer for hire, and finder of lost objects. The opening scene of the book becomes quiet explosive after a short while, and lends to some foreshadowing for later on. The story is set at an enjoyable pace and I have to admit, the mystery of it all as well as the larger then life villains piqued my interest.
The best way to describe this is as an homage to ‘60’s James Bond with some Indiana Jones thrown into the mix. I started reading it with a little bit of trepidation, as I was not sure what to expect. But what I received was actually quiet enjoyable. There was action, intrigue, a sprinkling of romance, high powered and over the top villains on several levels.
I honestly can’t say there was anything I didn’t like about this one. Even what little we know about Dillon’s backstory was intriguing.
This volume is actually the first in a series and there are several more volumes out there as of now. I’ll be picking them up as time goes on.
So what’s my verdict? I have to say 5 stars, I really enjoyed this book. Like I said, James Bond-ish in a 60’s way (Goldfinger and Thunderball are called to mind) An ‘On the run’ type of story with the protagonists globetrotting in search of the big bad. It’s a good ride. Give it a spin and see what you think.

[Robbie Lizhini]

You really don’t need to have read any of the Dillon Books to get an idea of who this man is, and how any of his adventures roll along. The novels really tend to be self-explanatory. If you’ve ever read James Bond, Jason Bourne, Doc Savage or ‘Man of action’ style globetrotting hero for hire sort of book, then you know the sort of fair. That is not to say Dillon is simply a carbon copy of these classic heroes. But he’s ripped from same mold, but the substance is a little different. But is Dillon different enough to deliver an enjoyable experience, or does The Voice of Odin, hit a sour note? Read on.

Going into this novel, I had a slight understanding as to what I was getting myself into. Having read my share of old pulp novels, and other books by Derrick Ferguson (I did a review on Diamondback ages ago) I was not all surprised by what I got. But I didn’t keep turning the pages of The Voice of Odin because of Dillion, which may or may not have been the point—much in the realm of Hideyuki Kikuchi’s Vampire Hunter D novels, or Robert E Howard’s Conan stories, the stoic stone faced unbeatable protagonist is hardly there for the reader to relate to. On the contrary Derrick Ferguson delivers a story that begs you latch onto the supporting cast, and antagonists. Because everything in Dillon’s world are two dimensional set pieces. It’s only the people who collide into this world that can give us that connection we ultimately desire. And it’s that very addition, that makes The Voice of Odin work, and allows us to digest this fantasy of blood and bullets.

[Brad]

I really enjoyed this book. Dillon is a mysterious character who is very good at what he does and we learn a few hints about his unusual background and training. Dillon is an adventurer/ retrieval expert.
I really enjoyed the book, Ferguson gives us a hero who adventures with the best of them and an adventure that hits all the good stuff (you know I’ve never seen a suspension bridge that has survived an adventure) and offers some surprises and plot twists.

Ferguson also litters the story with references to other adventure books and series that had me smiling. Dillon and The Voice of Odin is written in an easy style that makes this a joy to read.

[Manny]

This book had the compelling elements that kept a action/adventure/pulp fan like myself glued to every page. The characters were interesting and slightly over-the-top which just made it even more fun to read.

Derrick has a style that makes even the occasional reader comfortable. I found myself unable to put it down.

I can't recommend this book enough.

[Travis]

Somewhere between Clive Cussler and Doc Savage. Reads like a really good summer action movie.

[Druss]

My second Dillon book.
Starts with a smash and never let's up. Pulp hyped up to eleven. Thrills, spills, twists and more adventure that in any two other books.
Highly recommended!

[Emb021]

Dillon is a New Pulp hero created by Derrick Ferguson.

Dillon is an adventurer with unique skills and abilities, and a mysterious past. And he’s black. Ferguson is one of several authors who are trying to make New Pulp more diverse.

We first met Dillon in “Dillon and the Voice of Odin.” Like a James Bond movie, we met him as he’s working on the tail end of a case, trying to get away from the bad guys, only to be betrayed by his partner. We get some hints about him. We learn that he had been exceptionally trained, but where is not stated; and learn his mother died defending him at a young age, but against whom we do not know. His next case, a matter of retrieving a ring from a once-lost ship leads him into the major case of the novel: The Voice of Odin. Odin is a mysterious figure, and his “Voice” is a dangerous sonic weapon with which he threatens the world with.

In going after Odin, Dillon must contend with other enemies, as well as forces from Secret Service groups who don’t know if Dillon is on their side or not. In the course of the story, we met some interesting characters who are wiped out, and get more hints on Dillon’s background. And we are introduced to one of his mentors, the aged Eli Creed.

[Linda S]

Action packed romp

An enjoyable read. Loved references to people and places that I grew up with. A fun fast paced read enjoy.

[Ronald Jones]

Derrick Ferguson has created an exciting pulp adventure hero for the 21st century. Dillon is that hero. He's a man of mystery, a man of action, a man who will not hesitate to confront evil...in this case, a dastardly villain who uses a sound amplifying device to terrorize the world. Dillon is a definite page turner.

[Matthew X Gomez]

This is a high tension adventure movie in novel form. This is the cure for when you're tired of lit fiction. Ferguson weaves an excellent tale of super science, martial arts, gun play, and high stakes into a novel that reads with a breakneck pace.