Review: Ephemeral by Richard Bard

Ephemeral is the second in the Everlast Duology, which is the follow-up series to Richard Bard’s wildly successful Brainrush Trilogy.

Jake Bronson is back in another heart-stopping thriller that blends mystery, cutting-edge technology, and action and adventure into a whirlwind of a story.

In Amsterdam, a scientist is working on a cybernetic life-extension project that will transfer individual consciousness to a personalized avatar. His grandson, in Hong Kong, is working on using the same technology to infiltrate the world’s most secure networks.

There’s a hitch. The scientist doesn’t have much longer to live. The solution: Jake Bronson. Jake, however, is protecting a secret and doesn’t want to take part.

When Jake’s closest friends and family are kidnapped, he has to act. His abilities are fading, but does he have enough stamina and will power to save everyone?

The second book in the duology is just as exhilarating as the first. It would behoove the reader to start with Everlast before diving into this one. The author doesn’t mess around and picks up the action right where he left off. He refreshes the reader’s memory on occasion, but if you don’t read the first in the series, you’ll miss quite a bit. That’s not a criticism at all. Most who read the first will want to start the second as soon as possible and many will appreciate the fact that the author maintains the same intensity. Pausing to explain everything would ruin the experience for his fans. As soon as he puts the first words on the page, Bard puts the pedal to the medal, making this a gripping and quick read.

Just like the first, there are plenty of twists and turns. It’s amazing to see just how much Bard has up his sleeve and his ability to create an exciting and entertaining story that goes from one extreme to another. It’s the perfect type of book to lose yourself in to enjoy the wild ride completely till the end. Don’t stop and overthink the crazy. That would ruin it. Trust the author. Bard has a wonderful way of transforming the preposterous storylines into a finely crafted product that doesn’t disappoint.

In the first book, the bad guys were a bit elusive. The second book fills in the blanks. There were hints in the first, but the second almost whacks the reader over the head. They are wonderfully creepy bad guys and their antics are cringe worthy, adding more to the story.

The good guys are the classic good guys: honorable, trustworthy, and kick ass.  The action will get your heart pumping and if you aren’t careful, you may be up well after your bedtime. Once you start, you won’t want to stop until it’s over.

Once again, Richard Bard shows he is a master when it comes to penning taut thrillers. This one is the perfect follow-up to Everlast and one can only hope that his next series will be just as action-packed. Hopefully he’s already working on another book. His fans will want more.

Links
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Author Site