3 out of 4 stars
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I read The Lost Identity Casualties by Kim Ekemar.
A man wakes up with little sense of who he is or how he came to be in a luxurious, state-of-the-art hospital. He is badly injured and struggles to discover why. The story unfolds in dated passages, and the reader is given the man’s life story from childhood, while simultaneously learning the answers to the mysteries of his present. Matthias Callaghan, the man in the hospital, has a rich and storied past. What unfolds when Callaghan leaves the hospital is an exciting tale of intrigue, money and the sweetness of revenge.
The story was peppered with enough details, but not too many, easy and entertaining at the same time. The players could have become simple caricatures, such as a Russian gangster or a shady lawyer, but they were well-developed even if they didn’t have large roles to play.
I liked the way Ekemar dated the sections of the book. With the past and present stories intertwining, this was helpful and organizing. I often find espionage stories cumbersome in their details and hard to follow, but this was better-written than most. The format of the dating (he gave ranges) felt in keeping with the businesslike manner of the protagonist.
I didn’t feel that the personal relationships Callaghan had were believable. I had a difficult time understanding why he did the things he did in relation to his wife, his father and his business partner. Parts of the book in which Callaghan dealt with personal matters felt forced and rushed, and the writing suffered. The cast of characters with whom Callaghan was involved during his business dealings seemed more fleshed out. It may be that, in the sequels, personal relationships will be explored at greater length.
I enjoyed this book more than I anticipated that I would. I do not normally choose espionage stories, but I like action and drama. I was surprised at how engaged I was with Matthias Callaghan and his life story. The book moves quickly, and is fun to read. I would purchase the sequels. I would recommend this book for fans of spy thrillers. There is some graphic violence, and so I don’t think it suitable for readers younger than 16.
I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. There were few spelling errors, but the writing seemed unsophisticated at times. It may be that, as the characters develop, the writing will be as excellent as the concept.
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The Lost Identity Casualties
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