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Once Dead (The Rho Agenda Inception #1)

Richard Phillips

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May 21, 2021 D.G. rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, reviewed, thriller, picked-because-narrator, macleod-andrews

**3.5 stars**

I've never heard of this author but I decided to listen because it's narrated by one of my favorite narrators: MacLeod Andrews. Narration was outstanding as usual - MacLeod is one of the most multifaceted narrators out there - he can do kickass killer and naive teenager, he has great accents and his voice is great for many genres. Even his female voices are good. I DO have a bone to pick on this narration but I'm blaming the author and the producer. (Never you MacLeod! You know I lo **3.5 stars**

I've never heard of this author but I decided to listen because it's narrated by one of my favorite narrators: MacLeod Andrews. Narration was outstanding as usual - MacLeod is one of the most multifaceted narrators out there - he can do kickass killer and naive teenager, he has great accents and his voice is great for many genres. Even his female voices are good. I DO have a bone to pick on this narration but I'm blaming the author and the producer. (Never you MacLeod! You know I love you.)

This story is a thriller with a supernatural component. As mentioned in the description, Jack makes a deathbed pact with some being, who promises to save his life if Jack lets him come along for the ride. He accepts the bargain and is spared but finds himself being attracted to blood and danger - yes, even more than in his former Assassin occupation. But this parasitic relationship is so subtle that Jack thinks he just dreamed it all and he has explanations for everything weird happening to him, even the strange red glint in his eyes. For his part, Anchanchu (the supernatural being) is surprised that Jack has had the discipline to withstand his influence - after all, Anchanchu has been hosted by other figures in history like Nero, Caligula and even the real Jack The Ripper and you know how those ended up. It's not actually clear what Anchanchu brings to the table, as Jack is described as having almost supernatural intuition even before Anchanchu came on board.

What follows is an action packed story with Jack, now a fixer, trying to solve the problem of his latest client. Unknowingly, his latest contract lands him in the middle of a plot concocted by the Russian mafia, some rogue CIA agents and a Steve Jobs facsimile. The result was a lot of dead bodies, thanks to Jack of course.

My absolute favorite character was Janet, the NSA agent sent to bring Jack to the fold. She was so kickass - I almost died laughing when she kicked the ass of a high powered assassin. I kept yelling - You Go, Girl!!

One of the issues I had with this book were like the million POVs. There must have been at more than 15. Pretty much every character that breathed had a POV and this ping-ponging from one character to the other - even some that only had a chapter or two - became exhausting. And this was the narration choice I didn't like - that when the POV changed, the "omniscient narrator" voice also changed to match this new POV. Of course, this proved MacLeod's incredible talent - I barely had to listen a word to know we had a new character. But when there are SO MANY POVs, it was jarring to wonder...who is this person? why do I care why they're doing or why?

It's likely that I'll continue listening to the series because they audios are available on KU and the book was super entertaining. And of course, because MacLeod is narrating. ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

Aug 04, 2014 Katharine marked it as to-read

Jan 11, 2015 harlequin {Stephanie} marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Jan 06, 2020 Angela added it

Shelves: owned-kindle

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