Warlord

Alex Hawke, Book 6

By: Ted Bell

Narrated by: John Shea

Length: 16 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's summary

Alex Hawke has all but given up on life. The British-American MI6 counterterrorism operative lost the woman he loved almost a year ago and has sought refuge at the bottom of a rum bottle ever since. But late one night at his home on Bermuda, he receives a wake-up call... literally.

His Royal Highness Prince Charles, an old friend, desperately needs his help. The prince has discovered a not-so-subtle threat directed toward the British royal family. What’s more, the evidence reveals an ominous connection to Charles’s godfather, Lord Mountbatten - the beloved family patriarch assassinated by an ingeniously designed bomb 30 years before. A shadowy figure from the past has the British crown in his sights, and has proven once before that his warnings are not to be taken lightly. Several clues point to IRA involvement, but the authorities have little to go on and answers are scarce. This is just the call to duty Hawke needs to get back into action - if the madman doesn’t strike first.

Take another thrill ride with Alex Hawke.

©2010 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Bell's fine sixth thriller featuring swashbuckling British spy Alex Hawke mixes action and suspense with just the right amount of humor and old-fashioned boys-book adventure." ( Publishers Weekly)

“A James Bondish adventure brought up to date…. A meaty, entertaining thriller…just the thing for fans of Ludlum, Trevanian and Fleming.” ( Kirkus Reviews)

Couldn't Finish This One

What would have made Warlord better?

If the ranting about how the terrorist should all be taken out and shot because they are all pure evil could have been done in one part of the book instead of repeated over and over. Only outdone by the praise of how perfect Americans are in every way.

Has Warlord turned you off from other books in this genre?

It has turned me off of reading anymore of this series - which is too bad as I enjoyed the over-the-top adventures of Alex.

Which character – as performed by John Shea – was your favorite?

I always like Alex and he doesn't get as deep into the propaganda as his buddy does.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from Warlord?

Many of the tirades by Stokely.

2 Stars is being nice. 1 star felt too mean

I really enjoyed the first 4 books in the series. Book 5 was disappointing and this one probably a little more so. The story line is weak and uninteresting. Alex and his counterparts don't have the same appeal and relationships like they did in the first 4. So I'm probably done with this series at this point.

right wing bodice ripping cartoon epic

The book often devolves into a right wing vehicle used to rant about the greater fanatical Islamic conspiracy. The heroic cartoon characters are courageous and extremely well proportioned. Somehow Hawke, our thirty-eight year old hero has been everywhere and done everything even though some of those things are only possible with time travel given his youth. Think James Bond, the author did but Hawke falls short just as the prose would embarrass Ian Fleming. Stoke, a secondary character, was a medic in Vietnam and still in the prime of life circa 2009. In sum, if you can suspend disbelief, get past stock characters, sex scenes that border on comedic bodice rippers and right wing ranting, this book is for you.

tedious unrealistic in a juvenile way

Would you try another book from Ted Bell and/or John Shea?

This one bought me so close to necking myself i wouldnt risk another.

What could Ted Bell have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

not written it

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of John Shea?

no one

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

all the above

Any additional comments?

complete crap

Narration was one of worst

Narration of this book was an absolute disaster. There is never been any book that I wanted to leave so many times right in the middle of some dramatic event in the book just because the narrators attempt at different accents were so poor. The greatest narrator of them all so far is Humphrey Bower and he makes every book come alive like a living play. Sorry with this one I wasted my precious credits.

So-so. Wouldn't recommend

Wouldn't recommend to a friend.

Author seemed to tire and run out of creative "gas" with several parts of the book (rescue in the desert, etc.). The dialog of some characters, especially ethnic characters, lacked authenticity, depth and were cartoon-ish.

Narrator's voice and characterizations for Afro-American (especially for the character Stokley) and other ethnic characters was remarkably poor.