Once upon a time, a character walked into literary fame. By all rights, he shouldn’t have been a hero at all. As we learned his ways & details of his life, he became one – quickly. That character is Aleksandr Talanov. Readers met him in the critically acclaimed novel, “Greco’s Game.” Now, his creator, James Houston Turner, has increased his star power by bringing us back to his roots in “November Echo.”
Taking a trip back in time, we revisit a 28 year old Talanov, serving as a KGB Colonel. Always a lone wolf, the KGB has saddled him with an unwanted though visually appealing partner – Sofia. Cold War tensions are in high gear. US & Soviet relations are strained & being tested daily. Soviet leaders know they can’t have any mistakes or loose ends.
Accompanied by his new sidekick, he is assigned to find and return a scientist who has defected to Spain. However, Talanov is double crossed and his target is eliminated. Colonel Talanov must now save the scientist’s daughter from a similar fate.
The only problem is that now he must compete with those who’ve trained him – the KGB. What will become of Talanov? Can the student beat the teacher?
Prequels are often underachievers and ignored. Then again, this is a Talanov prequel. Unlike any character you’ll encounter or have before, he has more layers than an onion. Sofia’s intro wasn’t something that I’d expected, but was immensely grateful that she wasn’t simply arm candy. She has substance and her character complements his.
Turner has mastered using each character to their potential. Drawing on real life experiences – good and bad – he writes with such passion and emotion that it’s only a matter of time before the Best Seller lists are flooded with his titles. Far better than predecessor spy heroes, Talanov is in a league of his own. Catch him if you can!
James Houston Turner only writes 5 star novels. Simply put, he isn’t capable of mediocrity. A wise director will secure the movie rights – now! Best Book of 2013, bar none, is ‘November Echo!’
I was blessed to receive an eBook in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are mine. Find it at your favorite retailer. Don’t miss out on this one. If you haven’t experienced ‘Greco’s Game,’ you’re missing out. Read them as a back to back duo!