When I was around 18 or 20, I started reading a book that looked interesting in the book store. It was about espionage, written by some guy named Robert Ludlum and I was hooked! I read every one of his books, Tom Clancy’s and any others I could find too. Yes, I do read a lot of different style of novels and love it. So when I was sent this book for review, I was excited. It was right up my alley.
Runner by Patrick Lee
Series: A Sam Dryden Novel (Book 1)
Audio CD
Publisher: Macmillan Audio; Unabridged edition
February 18, 2014
ISBN-13: 978-1427236074
Synopsis: Sam Dryden, retired special forces, lives a quiet life in a small town on the coast of Southern California. While out on a run in the middle of the night, a young girl runs into him on the seaside boardwalk. Barefoot and terrified, she’s running from a group of heavily armed men with one clear goal—to kill the fleeing child. After Dryden helps her evade her pursuers, he learns that the eleven year old, for as long as she can remember, has been kept in a secret prison by forces within the government. But she doesn’t know much beyond her own name, Rachel. She only remembers the past two months of her life—and that she has a skill that makes her very dangerous to these men and the hidden men in charge.
Dryden, who lost his wife and young daughter in an accident five years ago, agrees to help her try to unravel her own past and make sense of it, to protect her from the people who are moving heaven and earth to find them both. Although Dryden is only one man, he’s a man with the extraordinary skills and experience—as a Ranger, a Delta, and five years doing off-the-book black ops with an elite team. But, as he slowly begins to discover, the highly trained paramilitary forces on their heels is the only part of the danger they must face. Will Rachel’s own unremembered past be the most deadly of them all?
My Thoughts: This book starts with a bang and never stops. Sam Dryden is out for a run late and night and suddenly he is thrown into a wild run when he decides to help a young girl on the run from government agencies. The main problem is that the government has unlimited resources and Dryden doesn’t.
This story is super fast paced. You are thrown from one breathtaking moment to another through the twists and turns of Sam and Rachel while on the run. They are pursued relentlessly and you constantly have your breath in your throat as you wonder how they are going to get out of the predicaments that come one one after another. Rachel is wanted and those pursuing her and not Sam are not giving up. You only get bits and pieces of the reason behind what the government is trying to hide and there are many times I wanted the story to hurry up since I could not turn the pages!
I received the Audio version and the reader, Raul Esparza, was fabulous. He really added so much to this story. He read this story perfectly, adding breathless voices, panic and more. You can really feel the story and get lost into it, just like it should be when listening to an audio.
This novel was awesome! I had never read a Patrick Lee book before but I am definitely waiting for the next book and I am grabbing his prior books too. My husband is listening to Runner right now. This is the type of book that our family listens to while we are on road trips and this one is going on the next trip for sure.
If you enjoy intense situations and fast paced books, definitely check this one out.
Disclaimer: Chris has personally reviewed the product listed above. She has not received any monetary compensation for her review but did receive a free product to try out so she could evaluate and use it for her review. Her thoughts & opinions in this review are unbiased & honest and your opinions may differ.
I love Ludlum too!! This audio sounds so exciting and I will definitely be buying it!
I love government espionage themes (currently catching the Burn Notice reruns I never saw when it first aired). I don’t have too many audio books but would like more so this might fit the bill.
This sounds like a great break from my oh-so-serious books that I’ve been reading, such as Twelve Years a Slave (awesome but depressing at the same time – much better story – true – than the movie). I’ll hav to pick it up.
I am a visual person and don’t like audio books. It does sound interesting, so I’ll see if the library has it.
I have not read a Patrick Lee book , but your review makes me want to go and read this one. The audio version sounds like it made the book even more exciting and thrilling. It certainly won’t be boring.
that sounds like a great book. I have seen this several times but haven’t taken the time to see what it was about. Will have to get it now!
This sounds like one that I must get. I am totally into audio books at the moment and listen to one every day on my long drives to and from town. I love books like this one and now I will have to add this one to my growing list. I don’t think I will get bored with this one thanks for sharing and have a great weekend.