Review: Deep Sky

Deep Sky
Patrick Lee
Science Fiction/Suspense
Travis Chase Trilogy/Book 3
Harper/December 27, 2011

As the U.S. President addresses the nation from the Oval Office, a missile screams toward the White House. In a lightning flash, the Chief Executive is dead, his mansion in ruins, and two cryptic words are the only clue to the assassins' motives: "See Scalar."

Now Travis Chase of the covert agency Tangent - caretakers of the Breach and all its grim wonders - along with partner and lover Paige Campbell and technology expert Bethany Stewart, have only twenty-four hours to unearth a decade-old mystery once spoken of in terrified whispers by the long since silenced. But their breakneck race cross-county - and back through time and malleable memory - is calling the total destructive might of a shadow government down upon them. For Travis Chase has a dark destiny he cannot be allowed to fulfill...

After reading and loving Deep Sky, I was left wishing Mr. Lee had an extensive back list I could dive into.  Unfortunately, I will have to wait (impatiently) for his next release.  If you've been reading my blog lately you know how much I enjoyed the first two novels of this trilogy.   Its fast-paced, complex world will keep you on the edge and just when you think you have it figured out, Lee will surprise you.  I do like that the more technical aspects of the novels are not over simplified but explained in a way that even the non-technical can understand.  

Travis Chase is back with Tangent. Living primarily underground has become familiar to him, allowing him to establish a routine in the year he's been back.  But nothing is ever routine when it comes to Tangent and what they guard.  When the missile strikes the White House, Travis is pulled into the race for answers and the reader is right there with him.  Travis is a character who tries to keep his life as uncomplicated as possible in a very complicated world.  The more Travis is on the page the more I can see how complex he is.  It's not in just what he does but what he doesn't do and why.  His logic regarding his actions makes perfect sense and yet I found myself wondering if I would make the same choices he does.  He's a character that makes you think, which I loved!

Paige Campbell is right there with Travis as they sort through data and track down clues to what happened so many years ago.  Paige is still the guiding force and the voice of reason.  But Paige and Travis do work well together even though both are leaders.  They have a unique balance and a trust that allows them to defer to the other when necessary rather than playing a game of control.  Their relationship has become their anchor, giving them both more stability and confidence in their actions.  The way their relationship has grown over the three books is a testament to Lee's writing skills for being able to work in this satisfying relationship within the framework of the suspense and technical aspects of the plot.

The last member of the trio is Bethany Stewart, computer expert who is still gun-shy when it comes to the more perilous action.  Bethany is far more comfortable in front of a computer screen than being chased by men bent on killer her.  For all her mad computer skills I felt she was the least developed character of the three.  Maybe it was because she was late to the party, having missed out on the fun of the first book.  She is the mobile tech support, other than that I didn't feel like I truly knew her.

The mystery and suspense still had a techno feel to them with the alien devices playing a large role in the outcome.  The plot also has the trio playing detective and I found I really enjoyed analyzing the clues and coming with possible scenarios for what and who is behind the evil plot to take over the country.  The action is once again edge of your seat, keeping you wondering how the heroes will get themselves out their latest dangerous situation. 

As the final novel in the trilogy, Deep Sky answers the questions we've been asking since the first book and has a feeling of completeness to the trilogy.  Would I like to read more in the world Patrick Lee has created?  Most definitely.  But if there are no more Travis Chase novels, this trilogy ended on a high note, leaving this reader not only satisfied but thrilled to find a new author to read. 

Rating: A-

Travis Chase Trilogy

The Breach
Ghost Country
Deep Sky

Review: Ghost Country

Ghost Country
Patrick Lee
Science Fiction/Suspense
Travis Chase/Book 2
Harper/December 28, 2010

For decades, inexplicable technology has passed into our world through the top secret anomaly called the Breach. The latest device can punch a hole into the future ...

What Paige Campbell saw when she opened a door into seventy years from now scared the hell out of her. She and her Tangent colleagues brought their terrible discovery to the President - and were met with a hail of automatic gunfire after leaving the White House. Only Paige survived.

Fearing a terrifying personal destiny revealed to him from the other side of the Breach, Travis Chase abandoned Tangent ... and Paige Campbell. Now he must rescue her - because Paige knows tomorrow's world is desperate and dead, a ghost country scattered with the bones of billions. And Doomsday will dawn in just four short months ... unless they can find the answers buried in the ruins to come.

But once they cross the nightmare border into Ghost Country, they might never find their way back ...

INTENSE. Seriously, this book had me at the edge of my seat. As with the first book, The Breach, I knew it would be one hell of a ride. It takes place more than two years after the end of The Breach, with Paige Campbell still working for Tangent and Travis Chase trying to make a new life for himself, again.

Travis is pulled back into the freaky world of Tangent, the secret government agency that studies the objects, or "Entities", that come from The Breach. Paige Campbell is in trouble and needs help and Travis can't say no when it comes to Paige. When Bethany Stewart, a colleague of Paige's, tells Travis what has happened, he jumps right back into hero mode. The thing about Travis is that he is very capable. He was a cop for years, he has the experience to handle difficult, dangerous situations. But what he must deal with is out of his realm of experience. Which is why he is such a fascinating character to read when he encounters the weird and impossible-to-believe Entities that come from The Breach. Yes, he is the main character, the title character of the series, but you still doubt his safety at times which makes the experience that much more intense.

Both Paige and Bethany show equal amounts of brains and survival skills. They are very different in that Paige has far greater experience from her years with Tangent, not only in dealing with the government but her weapons skills are truly wicked. Bethany is the geek of the three and if you ever needed a geek, now is the time. She has mad computer skills but also excels in logic and reasoning when it comes to complex problems.

The action is fierce, intense and intelligent. There is no way good will triumph over evil without the intelligence of these characters. There is fighting, with fists, furniture and guns but there is also thinking, planning and plotting that must happen in order for Travis, Paige and Bethany to succeed. I loved the action but seeing the thought process of these characters added an even greater dynamic to already standout characters.

Patrick Lee has outdone himself with this suspenseful, action packed science fiction novel. Knowing there is only one book left has me wishing this wasn't a trilogy.

Rating: A

Travis Chase Trilogy

The Breach
Ghost Country
Deep Sky

Review: The Breach

The Breach
Patrick Lee
Science Fiction/Suspense
Travis Chase Series/Book 1
Harper/January 1, 2010

Travis Chase, a man putting his life back together after fifteen years in prison, takes a solo hike into the Alaskan Rockies. He's just looking for a quiet place to think about his future, but what he finds is trouble: a 747, downed in remote wilderness, the wreck impossibly undiscovered by authorities. Those abroad are dead, though not because of the crash. They've been shot.

This aircraft, along with the terrifying object it was transporting, is only the beginning for Travis. Within hours he finds himself at the center of a violent conflict that spans the globe, and a secret war that dates back three decades. A war for possession of radically advance technology - that wasn't created by human hands.

This isn't my usual genre, but thanks to the reviews on Goodreads, I decided to give Mr. Lee's novel a try. Am I glad I did! I loved trying to wrap my mind around the science within the story.

A year after being released from prison, Travis Chase sets off on a hike, hoping to clear his mind and possibly make some decisions about where his life is going. He's an ex-cop who won't find work as a cop again. What Travis finds on his hike is nothing he could have expected. It's a gruesome sight, even for an experienced cop to take in. Travis' training comes in handy as he must fight for his survival and the survival of others.

Paige Campbell is a tough, intelligent and resourceful woman. She's dedicated to her work and the security of the country. She could have come off as cold and distanced, willing to do and sacrifice whomever with little or no feelings. And sometimes she did, which allowed her to get through some of the toughest parts of her job. But Lee also shows us Paige's weaknesses along with her strengths. She holds a lot of power but doesn't abuse that power the way some would.

Travis and Paige make a formidable team. They create an interesting dynamic in that Paige is the experienced one and Travis is the rookie in this secret world of the strange and alien. They definitely had to work at trusting each other, doing so while trying to stay alive and one step ahead of the enemy. I really enjoyed seeing how they dealt with building that trust and then taking it to the next level.

The enemy hunting Paige and Travis is disturbing in his almost normality, as if this was just a job. He's highly intelligent and willing to do anything to get what he wants. Getting inside his head, we see how he enjoys the hunt and the kill. He's not the only one they must look out. The must also unravel what is happening with the Breach.

From the moment Travis spotted the downed plane, I had a hard time putting this book down. Even before that, I was anxious to see how the story would unfold simply from reading the blurb and some of the reviews. It's very fast paced, the backgrounds of Travis and the other pivotal characters blended within the action. There is a lot to take in, not only the characters and their motivation but the science behind what is happening. If I had one complaint, it would be that there was almost too much to remember. Although, not everything is explained because not everything is known about the alien devices. The characters, like the reader, must take some things just on faith alone. Some of the explanations that are given are complex but Lee does well with breaking down the complex and making it understandable.

The Breach offers a mix of action, suspense and a heavy dose of stimulation for the mind.

Rating: A-

Travis Chase Trilogy ~

The Breach
Ghost Country
Deep Sky