Review of Family Business
Posted: 15 Dec 2021, 08:03
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Family Business" by James Jack Fauser.]
Family Business by James Jack Fauser is a spy thriller. J.J. Fauser is an agent of EUSAOCT, a European covert agency that officially doesn't exist. He travels to Palermo, Italy, together with his fellow agent Greta Lugaart for what is supposed to be a simple task to gather intelligence about possible criminal activities connected to human and drugs trafficking. However, very soon the two agents become the targets of assassination attempts even though they traveled undercover, pretending to be in Palermo for business. Who could know their real purpose? Their investigation brings them to other countries, where more danger awaits them and their fellow agents who are working with them on a case that is much bigger than they anticipated.
You might have noticed that the novel's writer and its protagonist have the same name. That's because the author claims he's an agent of EUSAOCT (European Secret Agency for Organized Crime and Terrorism) and wrote about one of his missions, which is why his point of view is told in the first person.
The author's claim is interesting and contributes to a feeling of realism for a spy thriller that's different from James Bond stories. The protagonist and his fellow EUSAOCT agents are not superhuman despite receiving special training. The story contains many intense moments, often dangerous for some characters, in which J.J. Fauser shows his emotions. He has to control those emotions because that's how he survives assassination attempts but sometimes he's scared for his life and his fellow agents. Occasionally, he literally prays that his fellow agents are alright when he loses contact with them in dangerous situations. Note that the religious element is quite marginal and just shows the protagonist's human side, so I don't think it's a problem for readers who don't share his faith.
The novel is set during the pandemic, and that's made clear many times for the consequences on the characters' activities. Setting the novel in our present also means that the characters are using state-of-the-art technologies during their missions. The story mixes intelligence gathering and fieldwork. The author skillfully uses only the details needed for readers to understand how they're using technologies, including artificial intelligence, using technical jargon only when that's required. I appreciated how the author kept the pace fast and made all the parts of the story interesting with twists and tension coming from dangerous moments, as not all intelligence is gathered using computers from a remote location.
If there's one element of the novel I didn't like very much is J.J. Fauser's relationship with women. He's attracted to his fellow agent Greta Lugaart but in Palermo, he works with a local Police Inspector. The author teases readers about the possible romantic developments but they seemed superficial to me.
My complaint is marginal compared to all the excitement that came from a terrific spy thriller with twists and surprises developed with several ramifications. What started as a journey to gather some intelligence turned into a complex international case that involved criminal organizations, secret agencies, and more.
Due to its nature, the story contains violent moments, including torture, but without brutal bits. The story includes some sex with moments when it's clear what characters are doing but the author never goes into details. I read some spy thrillers with these characteristics when I was around 16, so I think this one can be suitable for young people of that age if they're not too sensitive.
The book contains several errors that didn't detract from my enjoyment but there are more than ten of them, so I have to take a star from my rating. That's why I rate this novel 3 out of 4 stars. If you like intense spy thrillers full of twists, Family Business is a must-read.
******
Family Business
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Family Business by James Jack Fauser is a spy thriller. J.J. Fauser is an agent of EUSAOCT, a European covert agency that officially doesn't exist. He travels to Palermo, Italy, together with his fellow agent Greta Lugaart for what is supposed to be a simple task to gather intelligence about possible criminal activities connected to human and drugs trafficking. However, very soon the two agents become the targets of assassination attempts even though they traveled undercover, pretending to be in Palermo for business. Who could know their real purpose? Their investigation brings them to other countries, where more danger awaits them and their fellow agents who are working with them on a case that is much bigger than they anticipated.
You might have noticed that the novel's writer and its protagonist have the same name. That's because the author claims he's an agent of EUSAOCT (European Secret Agency for Organized Crime and Terrorism) and wrote about one of his missions, which is why his point of view is told in the first person.
The author's claim is interesting and contributes to a feeling of realism for a spy thriller that's different from James Bond stories. The protagonist and his fellow EUSAOCT agents are not superhuman despite receiving special training. The story contains many intense moments, often dangerous for some characters, in which J.J. Fauser shows his emotions. He has to control those emotions because that's how he survives assassination attempts but sometimes he's scared for his life and his fellow agents. Occasionally, he literally prays that his fellow agents are alright when he loses contact with them in dangerous situations. Note that the religious element is quite marginal and just shows the protagonist's human side, so I don't think it's a problem for readers who don't share his faith.
The novel is set during the pandemic, and that's made clear many times for the consequences on the characters' activities. Setting the novel in our present also means that the characters are using state-of-the-art technologies during their missions. The story mixes intelligence gathering and fieldwork. The author skillfully uses only the details needed for readers to understand how they're using technologies, including artificial intelligence, using technical jargon only when that's required. I appreciated how the author kept the pace fast and made all the parts of the story interesting with twists and tension coming from dangerous moments, as not all intelligence is gathered using computers from a remote location.
If there's one element of the novel I didn't like very much is J.J. Fauser's relationship with women. He's attracted to his fellow agent Greta Lugaart but in Palermo, he works with a local Police Inspector. The author teases readers about the possible romantic developments but they seemed superficial to me.
My complaint is marginal compared to all the excitement that came from a terrific spy thriller with twists and surprises developed with several ramifications. What started as a journey to gather some intelligence turned into a complex international case that involved criminal organizations, secret agencies, and more.
Due to its nature, the story contains violent moments, including torture, but without brutal bits. The story includes some sex with moments when it's clear what characters are doing but the author never goes into details. I read some spy thrillers with these characteristics when I was around 16, so I think this one can be suitable for young people of that age if they're not too sensitive.
The book contains several errors that didn't detract from my enjoyment but there are more than ten of them, so I have to take a star from my rating. That's why I rate this novel 3 out of 4 stars. If you like intense spy thrillers full of twists, Family Business is a must-read.
******
Family Business
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
be it as it may, this is definitely an exciting read for those who like spy thrillers. I hope whoever is planning the assassinations of the two agents will not succeed!
Thank you for your appreciation!