Craving an outstanding fast-paced action thriller to get me back in the zone after a number of slow burn thrillers with minimal action, I sought out Tom Wood’s work. I dove into the first couple of chapters to read a meticulously authentic surveillance of an unspecified target by a team of hardened killers. What should have been an easy kill turns out to be a nightmare for the assassins as their prey turns the tables on them in a scenario that seems to be straight out of a bone-chillingly horror story. That’s because their target was none other than Victor, arguably the most lethal cold-blooded assassin in the genre. Just like that, I was hooked in for a 500 page story that took me merely a day to finish because I couldn’t bring myself to put it down for anything.
Victor is the best at what he does, killing without remorse. This time, he has to do more than just kill, he has to protect the daughter of a woman he once knew, a woman he liked and respected. The daughter is targeted for an unknown reason that remains a mind-boggling mystery until the very last act. However, there is no time to think too much about the “why” when the pace is constantly ramping up with awe-striking tactical gunfights and close quarters combat in which Victor excels as he turns anything he can get his hands on into a deadly weapon. I’ve read bullets shot through eyes before but I’ve never read a protagonist kill a bad guy by pushing the barrel of a sig sauer through the eye socket before. The action is perfect for keen visualization by hardcore fans and just as pleasing for casual action readers.
As much as I love the action, the main reason I enjoyed this book so much was because of the characterization of Victor. From the very first impression, it’s evident he isn’t the nicest guy you’ll meet. He isn’t motivated by patriotism nor by a willing desire to help those less fortunate. He is the main character but you’ll be hard pressed to see him as a good guy. He is more of an anti-hero in the truest sense of the word and all the more interesting with his unpredictable but extremely logical actions. Tom Wood ensures that Victor doesn’t cross the fine line of completely switching over to the dark side but keeps him suspended in a limbo where he is neither the bad guy nor the hero. While this is a bit taxing on the reader with heavy emotions and somewhat destructive thoughts, it’s equally fun to read these traits in an assassin who truly lives up to the hype of being ultimately feared.
The main takeaway is that No Tomorrow is an extraordinarily phenomenal action-packed narrative with an unconventionally bold take on an assassin who is one of the best and most complex characters you’ll ever read. Even if you haven’t read the other books in the series, No Tomorrow is still the perfect choice if you’re in need of a spectacular read to get you energized.
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Barrington Books
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Once Upon A Crime
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