Thriller on Steroids -“The Killer Collective” by Barry Eisler – Review
Thrillers are a favorite of mine so when Barry Eisler’s “The Killer Collective” was offered as an Amazon First Read I snapped it up. This fast-paced tale assembles a group of mercenaries tasked with breaking up a pedophile “hurtcore” ring and bringing down a mega-wealthy bad guy with aspirations of privatizing and taking over national security. So, we have a rocket attack, an airliner explosion, espionage, political corruption, assassination, and pedophilia/child pornography, all going on with a cast of more characters than I could keep track of. My head was spinning with all the action but what left the biggest impression was the ease with which the players dispatched their foes. A couple of double-taps to the head, dust off your hands and walk away. No big deal. All in a days work. Now I’m no wilting violet but wouldn’t even a mercenary occasionally feel some remorse? I read thrillers because I enjoy the action and I understand for it to be authentic it will frequently be brutal and bloody, but this made the killings seem casual. Even Detective Livia Lone has a ruthless persona. John Rain is the only character who seems to have any sensitivity. All in all, the plot seems unduly contrived, there are way too many protagonists, and the characters are mostly without souls. However, Eisler’s writing style is professional and hard-hitting. If we were permitted to give half stars, my overall rating would be three and a half but since I can’t, three stars it is.
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