Deadlock

The Second Ryan Lock Thriller

By: Sean Black

Narrated by: Steven Cooper

Length: 8 hrs and 9 mins

Publisher's summary

Ex-military bodyguard, Ryan Lock, is back, in the sequel to the UK's best-selling debut thriller of 2010.

Elite bodyguard Ryan Lock has become a convicted felon, sentenced to twenty years in Pelican Bay, California's notorious supermax prison. Or at least that's what the United States Justice Department wants everyone to believe.

In reality, he's there to protect one man. Frank 'Reaper' Hays is a founding member of the white supremacist Aryan Brotherhood, and is about to give evidence against members of his own gang for the brutal slaying of an undercover ATF agent and his family.

And just to make an already difficult job next to impossible, Reaper refuses to go into protective custody. In a world dominated by violent men, where alliances are constantly shifting and no one can be trusted, Lock knows that he faces the toughest assignment of his career - just to stay alive...

©2010- Sean Black (P)2013 Sean Black

Not Recommended

Superficial character development. There is no depth to the characters, not enough reader/listener connection to care about what happens to them. This leads to a lack of tension and suspense. Plot is a bit ridiculous. The book is the opposite of a page turner. I could have stopped listening at any time. I did listen to the first book in this series first and I think it is better than this one but still not stellar. I had hoped I would see improvement from the writer Sean Black but alas it did not improve. Steven Cooper's performance was adequate. I think there are better stories in this genre and recommend Mason Cross, Brad Taylor, Brett Battles, Michael Connelly, Brian Haig, and Alex Berenson .

Narrator not good

Good series and story BUT the reader from the first book was much better. I'm 65 and this guy sounds like the guy who narrated film strips when I was in grade school. Obviously much older than Locke and very wooden. I hope he's not the narrator for the rest. I'll still buy them but I won't like it.

An action movie with twists and turns

This is my second Steven Cooper / Sean Lock audiobook and I have enjoyed listening to it. To be fair, it's a bit different from the first book for a couple of reasons... 1) the narrator was different. I was initially put off by the book being narrated by a different person since I listen to Dead Lock right after the first book. Then I got used to voice and style and ended up liking how the story was told; 2) the first book spent more time in character building, where the second book assumes you are familiar with the main characters and focuses more on story building.

This book, as well as the previous one, have the "True Lies" feel to it -- government agent turned contractor saving the world and making impossible possible. Just like watching your typical Hollywood action movies, you'll enjoy this book as long as you stop asking the "how come he's not dead already" question.

I am enjoying this series so far and I look forward to more Ryan Lock!

Thriller defined

l enjoyed the first Lock and Ty book, this one was even better. the pacing made it feel like an action movie on the printed page. Well done!