Ethan Truman is the head of security for The Face, who is a Hollywood superstar. The actor and his family receive threats from an anarchist in form of strange gifts. Truman tries his best to solve the riddle as some characters, including him, have supernatural encounters.

The Face is not one of the main characters in the novel. Aside from Truman, the glorified bodyguard, it featured The Face’s son Aelfric Manheim. Everyone thought that the target was the actor but it turned out that he was after the son so that he could hurt the actor more. It could have been funny to see the anarchist’s reaction when he finds out that The Face had ignored his son and was focused more on his career.

There are times when Koontz’ way of describing the characters and their environment made the novel tedious to read. Some people might find the story to be too odd or bizarre but it didn’t have problems in that department. I accepted the supernatural concepts presented by the book, which might be the reason why I guessed the direction of the story.

With all the mumbo-jumbo in The Face, details tend drown the essence of the story. I know that this is Koontz’ style and I enjoyed his other novels, which is why I wonder why I can’t say the same with this one. But even if I don’t like this book, I wouldn’t stop reading the rest of his works.

Finally the long wait is over and I got a copy of Deadline as soon as it was available in Fully Booked. Actually this review is a month overdue. I got it the first week of June and finished the book within two days. Yes, I was a zombie during that time and I had to include work and some sleep into the schedule. And yes, I had to cram to meet my deadlines so that I can read Deadline.

As you might have guessed, Deadline is a book that you can’t put down once you’ve started reading it. It was just like Feed except one of the main characters is dead but definitely not out of the picture. If you haven’t read Feed yet, my advice is to stop reading from here because there are spoilers ahead.

In Deadline, Shaun Mason has to deal with the fact that his twin sister George is dead and at the same time run the news organization he co-founded with her. He doesn’t even go out to do Irwin jobs anymore.

Although George is already dead, she’s very much alive in Shaun’s head. She would help him figure things out when the situation gets rough. His team learned not to question Shaun when he starts talking to himself. Everyone knows he’s crazy, including Shaun himself.

Georgia Mason: I guess in the end, it doesn’t matter what we wanted. What matters is what we chose to do with the things we had.

Mira Grant introduced new members of Team Mason to replace the ones who died in Feed. There’s Doc Kelly, the rogue doctor from the CDC; Becks, the new head Irwin; Mahir, the new head Newsie; Maggie, the heiress and the new head Fictional; and Alaric, the new Newsie. Mira Grant’s character development is spot on in Deadline.

I got no complains about Deadline. It is the perfect sequel to a great book. Actually, I found Deadline to be better than Feed. It is no ordinary zombie fiction. The zombies are there but they are not the main focus of the story. The plot revolves around real issues and not just about people trying to survive. It has the right mixture of action, science and characters that makes it compelling and entertaining.

And just like in real life, Deadline made me asked the question, “What are the president and the vice president doing?” They are nowhere to be seen throughout the novel, unlike in Feed where they played pivotal roles. I expect to read about them more in Blackout.

Mira Grant, or Seanan McGuire, sure knows how to keep people hooked in. After the last page of Deadline, she included the first few pages of Blackout, the last book of the Newsflesh trilogy. I would absolutely, positively, definitely grab a copy of Blackout as soon as it’s out on May 2012.

With nothing better to do, he chooses to work on a case that he was once part of the investigation. It is the murder of 24 year old Angela Benton, which is also linked to the theft of $2 million from the film company that she was working for. He discovers that there are more crimes connected to the heist, including the disappearance of a FBI computer expert and the shooting of two LAPD detectives, which killed one and left the other bedbound.

Now that he doesn’t have a badge, Harry Bosch is more prone to butt heads with the authorities. His investigation leads him to an anti-terrorist group from the Department of Homeland Security. Michael Connelly showed in Lost Light how some federal agents became just like the beasts that they were pursuing. Some abuse their powers in the guise of protecting the nation.

Aside from the main plot, Lost Light features subplots that help relieve the tension of the murder for a while. This includes one involving Harry Bosch’s ex-wife Eleanor Wish. The investigation of the murder brings him to Las Vegas, where he meets Eleanor again. He senses that she is hiding something from him and it turns out to be a daughter. This brings him some peace that he is looking for since Black Echo.

What makes Michael Connelly a great writer is the method in which he manages to familiarize his characters with the readers. You wouldn’t feel lost about main character even if Lost Light is the first Harry Bosch novel you’ve read.

Lost Light is a fast read and very entertaining. The last part of the book was totally unexpected, much like what happened in the City of Bones. Just when you thought Bosch’s life has reached a milestone, another one was introduced by Connelly at the end of this one. This is highly recommended even for those who haven’t read any Michael Connelly book yet.

This is not just another case for the LAPD detective. Even though no one cares about solving the case, Bosch wants to bring find out who the killer is, especially after he found out that the kid has a long history of neglect in his short 12 years on Earth.

City of Bones takes Harry Bosch in an introspective journey as he tried really hard to solve the case. He had to contend with his ex-fling Medical Examiner who cares more about photo ops than the integrity of the case. Then there are his superiors who are willing to place the blame on the first likely suspect to come.

Harry Bosch is now divorced and through the investigation he met rookie cop Julia Brasher. She was at the scene of the crime and Bosch was quickly drawn into her. Michael Connelly masterfully developed their budding relationship and you’ll fight yourself rooting for the two of them. Her influence in Bosch’s life led to one of the most shocking turn of events in Bosch’s life.

City of Bones’ plot is well paced, just like the other Michael Connelly books. Instead of a straight up police procedural, it turned to forensic science in order to solve the case. This provided the right plot twists that will keep the readers on the edge of their seats. It kept me awake until I reached the conclusion of the case.

I enjoyed reading City of Bones. It’s a good follow up to A Darkness More than Night. It renewed my fondness for Michael Connelly and his writing style. I just don’t like the ending but maybe Connelly has his reasons for coming up with that milestone in Bosch’s career.

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Unlike other Harry Bosch novels, the detective is not the main investigator in A Darkness More Than Night. It started with Detective Jaye Winston of the sheriff’s department paying McCaleb a visit and asking him to help solve the murder case of Edward Gunn, a small time criminal who has a long history with Harry Bosch. After McCaleb analyzed the case, the clues seemed to point toward Harry Bosch.

Detective Harry Bosch doesn’t know that he is now the prime suspect of a FBI investigation of a murder. He’s currently busy in court as the prosecution witness in the trial of David Storey, a movie director who is accused for the murder of an actress.

The evidence is strong but if you read the previous Harry Bosch novels then you’ll get the feeling that something is wrong. Because of this, A Darkness More Than Night became too predictable for me. Maybe I just have too much faith in Detective Bosch and I want all cops to be like him. But then there are those who turn out to be Rudy Tafero, a former LAPD detective who is now a private investigator working for David Storey.

I was excited to read a Bosch versus McCaleb novel but it didn’t turn out to be that way. McCaleb turned 180 degrees with his accusation and helped Bosch get his name cleared. But it was interesting to read about Harry Bosch through the eyes of another investigator. You get to learn more about Harry Bosch and his persona through A Darkness More Than Night.

Being a Connelly fan, I hate to admit it but A Darkness More Than Night is not as gripping as the previous Michael Connelly books I’ve read. It is easy to point out who killed Edward Gunn. You just have to believe that there are no coincidences in this world. This might be weaker than the other Connelly books but it was still a fun read.

Now on Earth the Mogadorians are hunting down the Loriens before they fully develop their Legacies, which are super powers. But the Mogadorians have their hands full because the Lorien kids are protected by a spell in which they can only be killed in sequence.

John is Number Four. He has three circular scars on his right ankle that signifies that Number One, Two and Three are already dead. So John and his Cepan Henri packed their bags and went to Paradise. Who knew that Paradise is a quaint town in Ohio. There he met Sarah and her ex-boyfriend Mark James. He also met Sam Goode, an alien believer. Sam and Sarah are the first earthlings that John can consider as his friends.

The plot looks promising but it is not at all original. When the initial astonishment faded away, I realized that this is just like Superman times nine. Well, they’re down to six now. The Loriens have superhuman powers and are somewhat invincible like the Man of Steel. John even had a superdog with him. In place of Superman’s Lois Lane is Sarah Hart, the former cheerleader turned amateur photographer.

John’s Legacies are telekinesis, invisibility and animal telepathy. He met Number Six who has telekinesis, invisibility and elemental manipulation. They might not have Superman’s superhuman strength but they could give the whole X-Men a run for their money. But I felt that Number Three lucked out with animal telepathy unless he can use it like how Aquaman uses it by talking to sea animals to help him out.

Ok, enough about the superhero comparisons already. The pacing of I Am Number Four was good but it was somehow predictable. Pittacus Lore (James Frey and Jobie Hughes) should have made I Am Number Four into a graphic novel but then it would show where they got their ideas from.

Anyway there was no point in I Am Number Four that I felt was unnecessary and everything made sense in the end. It ended with a cliffhanger that would make you want to read the next book, The Power of Six, which is set to be released on August 23. I do have some issues with the Mark James character though. I just think that things worked too perfect for Mark, Sarah and John that the authors should just let Henri live as well.

I’ve haven’t seen I Am Number Four movie yet and I’m not in a hurry to do so. I sort of get the feeling that it would be a teen romantic movie about an alien and a human with lots of kissing between actions scenes. Am I wrong?

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It is the time of distrust in Los Angeles, right after Rodney King case and the O.J. Simpson trial. Bosch’s investigation of the Elias homicide is under tight scrutiny of his superiors, the media, and the African-American community. Connelly managed to capture that era through his words.

Just like the other Michael Connelly books, Angels Flight is fast paced and a multi-layered plot. Aside from the Elias killing, Bosch uncovered the real perpetrator of the so-called Black Warrior case and Elias’ leak inside the LAPD. There were several twists and turns that would leave the reader guessing what will happen next.

Angels Flight is a Harry Bosch novel and it featured another chapter of the detective’s life. In Trunk Music he got married and now it looks like his marriage is already on the rocks. Eleanor Wish goes back to her gambling ways and this placed a dent into their relationship.

Michael Connelly voiced his disgust with media and how it tended to sensationalize some crimes. His sentiments are still relevant to this day when reporters try to one-up each other to get the scoop. Spiro Agnew labeled media as the merchants of chaos and I do think that it’s still an appropriate title.

Angels Flight is another can’t-put-down novel by Michael Connelly. As always it is recommended to read the Harry Bosch Books in chronological order to better appreciate the novels. This can also be enjoyed as a standalone but there are recurring characters that were best described in previous books.

Officer Powers found the body in the trunk of his own car and the case was assigned to Bosch and his two partners – Jerry Edgar and Kiz Rider. The victim is movie producer Tony Aliso and because it looked like a Mafia hit, Detective Bosch immediately informed LAPD’s Organized Crime Department. To his surprise, the OCD wasn’t interested with the case.

Clues led Harry Bosch and his team to Las Vegas and with the help of the Metro Captain Felton they uncovered more clues that Aliso is indeed connected to the mob. As the story progressed, Detective Bosch had run into an FBI investigation and was accosted for ruining a federal sting operation. But in the end, Harry Bosch and his team managed to solve the mystery before the feds do and wrapped everything up.

Harry Bosch: Who polices the police who police the police?

Harry Bosch is not Harry Bosch when he’s not being investigated by the IAD. He was implicated for planting the gun found in a suspect’s house, which was easily countered by Bosch. Then the IAD slapped him with an associating with a known felon case. He got out of it by marrying Eleanor Wish. Yes, she’s the FBI agent he met in The Black Echo.

I like Bosch’s new commander, who is a lot different than Lieutenant Pounds. She even gave Bosch’s team to work on the case even if it was taken away from them by the FBI. She managed to win the loose cannon over by standing by him and letting him some leeway in his investigation methods.

In the latter part of Trunk Music, Harry Bosch learned that what he was dealing with is not about Tony Aliso’s murder. It’s about the money he skimmed from the mob. It is a complicated bank caper with the murder as one of the complexities.

It’s not a surprise that Michael Connelly did a superb job with Trunk Music. It’s one of the can’t-put-down books that Connelly is known for. Everything is wrapped up in the end. And just like the other Michael Connelly books, it had me guessing what will happen next until the end.

During this time bloggers are the reliable news source. People trust them more than the regulated news media. Twins George and Shaun Mason, together with their friend Buffy, are invited by Senator Peter Ryman to cover his presidential campaign.

George or Georgia Mason is a Newsie, a blogger who reports the facts as is. Shaun Mason is an Irwin, someone who goes out and find ways to harass the undead. Georgette Marie “Buffy” Meissonier is a Fictional, a writer of stories, poetry, and fantasies.

As they gather news during the campaign, they discovered a conspiracy to undermine Ryman’s presidential dreams that placed their lives in danger. Halfway through Feed, you literally can’t put the book down. The pace is fast and you want to know what will happen next.

Mira Grant or should I say Seanan McGuire is known for her urban fantasy novels. In Feed, she created a believable world with such detail that makes you think you belong there. You’ll care for George, Shaun, and Buffy (and Rick, another Newsie that became part of their team) then you’ll be sad if something bad happens to any of them. There are two points in Feed that made me feel depressed. The author manages to play with the reader’s emotions with ease.

Shaun Mason: Sometimes you need the lies to stay alive.

Feed is the first novel of the Newsflesh trilogy and there are a couple of questions left unanswered. At the back of the book Mira Grant teased us with some excerpts of Deadline, Book 2 of Newsflesh. I can’t wait for the next one! Feed might not contain the gore that most zombie novels have but it is an outstanding book that everyone should read.

Bosch’s life at this point is at an all-time low. Sylvia left him, his house is condemned after the California earthquake, and he is on an indefinite leave from work. He is tasked to meet with a psychologist to determine whether he’s still fit to be a police detective.

Harry Bosch: Everybody counts or nobody counts.

As he digs deeper into the mystery of his mother, he discovers a web of deceit involving some politicians and members of police force. Connelly did a good job with The Last Coyote because the real killer was not even in my list of suspects. You thought the story was finished but it lingered on until the real murderer was unmasked.

In The Last Coyote, Harry Bosch found a new love in the person of Jazz. They clicked right after their first meeting, even though both of them carry a lot of baggage from their past. Will she be by his side forever? You need to read the other Harry Bosch books to know the answer.

Harry Bosch proved that he is smarter than Wile E. Coyote because he always able to catch his target. The Last Coyote has a very complex plot that is gripping until the very end. Connelly is truly the master when it comes to writing up surprises and twists. In this book we learn more about Harry Bosch and what makes him tick. This is another must read from Michael Connelly.