Lockdown (Ryan Lock, #1) in SSG: Spy/Spec-Ops Group

Mar 28, 2016 James Roby rated it liked it

Not a bad book, just not a good one.
Sean Black’s first novel has all the elements one would expect from a modern thriller. Unfortunately, there’s not much else. Ryan Lock is your ex-military specialist finding his way in the rough unkind world. He has all the appropriate baggage – ex-girlfriend, haunting memories of adventures gone by; along with the equally expected skill set and best buddy.
Lock is now the head of security for a large pharmaceutical. During a protest by animal rights supporter Not a bad book, just not a good one.
Sean Black’s first novel has all the elements one would expect from a modern thriller. Unfortunately, there’s not much else. Ryan Lock is your ex-military specialist finding his way in the rough unkind world. He has all the appropriate baggage – ex-girlfriend, haunting memories of adventures gone by; along with the equally expected skill set and best buddy.
Lock is now the head of security for a large pharmaceutical. During a protest by animal rights supporters, on Christmas’ Eve no less, there’s a shoot-down and several murders. As if this isn’t enough, a former high ranking employee has his son kidnapped. Instead of this being the beginning of the company’s stock going into a death spiral, it’s actually the opening salvo of a greater and far more sinister plot. From here on out, the novel becomes a step by step of what thriller have become of late. Black tries to convince us that the bad guys are right in front of us, but most readers will no doubt sniff out the real villain moments after his introduction.
This is only the first problem with the book. Ryan Lock as a hero is hard to relate to. Sure he’s ex-military…or is he an ex-cop…or…both? Lock’s background is hard to …lock down as it seems like he’s both at the same time. And not a military cop a’la Jack Reacher but a beat cop that happens to do some soldiering. Black explains some of this by making Lock a member of an elite British unit, but this only brings up more questions as Lock is an American (albeit of Scottish decent – his father, or his grandfather, I don’t remember, was a member of this British unit. Why not just make him a Scot too?). Lock’s girlfriend is also a head scratcher. Whenever she’s around I don’t know if they are still in love or just putting up with each other. Then there’s Ty. Lock’s ‘all the way down’ Black partner. When I read characters like this I just want to host a seminar, “How to Write Believable Black Characters”. I mean, Ty is a former Marine, bald headed, all ‘tatted’ up who, of course, had a pitbull, his favorite dog, and he had to shoot it. Because, you know, that’s how we ALL roll. I’d be ok with that but he is also Lock’s second in command at a major pharmaceutical company. Yeah, there’s a corporate image I can believe.
The end of the book is the greatest sin as it seems tacked on. Without giving it away, the mystery is solved only to reveal an even greater threat.
This is Lock's first book and given the number in the series, he surely got better at his craft. That said, this book left me wanting. There were moments of fun, excitement and thrill but they were far and few between. 2 ½ stars. ...more

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Sep 30, 2020 Ian Heap rated it liked it · review of another edition

No spoilers... different style to my last book I read and it took time to get back into this style of book. Some of the writing seemed a little clunky, but the pace and conversations between characters started to build and flow well. I couldn’t help thinking of the banter between Lock and Ty, was flowing almost as well as the banter between Riggs and Murtaugh in the Lethal Weapon films. Characters got fleshed out well and I think sometimes a little too quickly, but on the whole a good job!
I’d r ...more

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