New Book Alert: Hot Wheels: Cool Assasins Book Two by J.O. Quantaman; Follow Up in Tense Exciting Series About Spies and Assassins Is Superior to the Original
By Julie Sara Porter
Bookworm Reviews
PopSugar Reading Challenge: A book with a robotic,cyborg, or AI character (Keri)
Spoilers: The first book to the Cool Assasins series, Loose Threads served mostly as exposition. It was written to pull the Reader into the intricate Futuristic world of space colonies, big government corporations that openly control Earth, and a group of misfits recruited as spies and assassins, called the Dog Breakfast Co-op(DB), that aspire to take down these corporate heads, one CEO at a time. The world building was so fascinating as it was introduced largely through the eyes of rookie, Nyssa Persson, that the action plot was slight and confusing. Mostly because it alternated with Nyssa's introduction and was set four years later from the rest of the story.
This volume in the series, Hot Wheels, appears to carry the motto, "Enough with the explaining! Let's get down to the action!" And, oh, does it deliver! Hot Wheels follows a much more straightforward plot set in 2076 than its predecessor and emerges the better for it. J.O. Quantaman gives us a DB attack on an international meeting of the CEO's called Transnats. This attack is told from the point of view of the DBs, the Transnats, and a few innocent bystanders who become more involved with the conflict the further along the plot goes.
The Transnats are certainly a corrupt nasty bunch that barely like each other let alone anyone else. They are spearheaded by W.A. "Double You" Rathbone, an antagonist who does not even appear for the meetings,b doesn't have to for the others to recognize his power. Just him listening into their conversations and his lifelike avatar being present is enough for
the others to recognize his power, even if they don't like him personally. With the hatred and mistrust amongst the Transnats, they almost don't need the DB to bring them down. Chances are, they will end up destroying each other.
They are the kind of people who you expect to find in these type of books who have these far reaching goals and darn it all, if they can't get it done. They have the money and power to control just about everything and everybody. Their plans are almost plausible. For example, a tech genius has the idea of creating an AI operating system called Ultimate Companion, or UC,t not only can be an attractive front for lonely people and extract personal information, but is also designed to shut down in 1,001 days so the consumer is forced to upgrade or buy a new one. In this day of newer faster technology and devices that seem to break down or have problems after a time, is there any doubt that could happen? This book just turns that into a conscious scheme.
The DB plot is excellent and is much better than the one in the previous book partly because it focuses on two of my favorite members of the Dog Breakfast Co-op. The first is Jen "Pix" Marov, a former circus performer who uses her acrobatic skills to climb large structures including the Personas Tower in Kuala Lumpur where the Transnats are meeting. The other character is Joanna AKA Jo and Kemosabe, a martial artist and driver who serves as Jen's getaway.
Jen and Jo are a pair of strong independent women that play off each other really well. Jen's stoic nature and dedication to her skills is tested by Jo's fast driving and intense sexuality. Whether the two are fighting antagonists, escaping to another country, or engaging in sexual byplay with some handsome sailors, they make for a great action comedy duo.
As for Nyssa, the star of the last book, well she is still a presence. She has adapted to life at the Co-op and has settled into becoming one of the gang. She harbors some guilt from her actions from the previous book and is is still hurting from previous abuse from men so her romantic life is still troubling her. However, her experience as a courtesan proves to be valuable as a honey trap. She also has a new assignment in teaching their OS, Keri, to act more human. Through Nyssa's influence, Keri is a brilliant but sarcastic AI with a quick wit and plenty of information.
Meanwhile the novel veers towards a couple of new characters. One is a truck driver, Tomas Redfoot who delivers some mysterious cargo and is confused when he learns that he will be transporting some "dogs" in the near future. Another is Raven Rocksong, a girl from the Haida Gwai band (tribe) from the Pacific Northwest. She plans to leave the band to study medicine, but an unfortunate encounter leaves her broken and paralyzed. There are brief intersections between Tomas and Raven and the others, but a deep secret is revealed that makes the connection stronger. Also, there is some foreshadowing that implies that these two lucky ducks will become closer to the DBs than originally suspected.
Hot Wheels is not only a great follow up to Loose Threads, it is superior. It took the world that was built in Threads and gave it movement, energy, and plenty of action.
