#98: 187 Pain and Bliss - Wade J. Halverson

Synopsis & Book Info:
Surviving a plane crash that claims the life of his mother, 10-year-old Axle Hunter suddenly finds himself in the jungles of Thailand, wanders into an opium poppy field and enters an exotic realm far beyond the familiar-the world of the drug cartel. Rescued and adopted by Chang So’Ming, commander of the poppy farm, Axle works the fields and trains to become a Thai fighter in the ancient tradition. Axle comes to embrace the jungle and its people as family, and confronts the savagery of revenge when called upon to fight for his father’s life. “This man was torturing his family. Axle was not afraid as he drove the blade into the man’s neck. The gangster lay on the floor choking on his own blood.
Years later, Axle has become a world champion Thai fighter, husband to the beautiful nurse May and father of his own son. But rival forces seeking to control the So’Ming poppy empire thrust Axle into a quest for revenge when they murder his family and burn down his fathers compound, and Axle enlists the help of one man he knows he can trust: Kane Silver.

Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Xlibris Corporation
ISBN: 9781453519233
Purchase at Amazon


Author Bio:
Wade J. Halverson is the author of the 187 book series. For the past twenty years he has owned kickboxing gyms and has worked as a bodyguard. Living in Alaska, Miami, Colorado, Thailand, and Los Angeles. He currently resides in Southern California.
For more, visit his website.


©2010


My Opinion:
I read the first book, Life After 187, last year and I loved it. So when the author contacted me regarding this next book in the series, I jumped with delight.
Then I did the unthinkable.
I moved and the book got packed away, only to be put at the bottom of my tbr pile.
One day I decided to arrange my tbr pile in a better order, and I'm so glad I did. When I found this book, right away I had to get started on it.
Then I couldn't put it down. I even fell asleep with it on my night stand. I'm not one to take a book to bed, so that in itself was a rarity.
You know, for being a series book, I have told everyone I have seen in the last couple of days, this one can be read as a stand alone and you wouldn't get lost. Though I'd still recommend reading the first.
The action and suspense in this book was thicker, and I loved the fluidity of the words on the page. Very descriptive, but not so much so that you have sensory overload.
A really great combination of writing, storyline and characters.
I know I was an oaf, but I seriously hope Wade will send me 187 Victim's Revenge.... I would most surely read it immediately just to continue the journey.
Definitely going on my recommendation list!


5/5


Recommend? Definitely!!!


~I received a copy from the author. I was not compensated for my opinion.~