Assassin's Code Review (Sci-Fi Thriller)

Book cover for Assassin's Code In ASSASSIN’S CODE, the fourth book in New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Maberry’s Joe Ledger series, Joe Ledger and the DMS go on a relentless chase to stop an ancient order of killers from plunging the entire world into Holy War.

When Joe Ledger and Echo Team rescue a group of American college kids held hostage in Iran,the Iranian government then asks them to help find six nuclear bombs planted in the Mideast oil fields. These stolen WMDs will lead Joe and Echo Team into hidden vaults of forbidden knowledge, mass-murder, betrayal, and a brotherhood of genetically-engineered killers with a thirst for blood.

Accompanied by the beautiful assassin called Violin, Joe follows a series of clues to find the Book of Shadows, which contains a horrifying truth that threatens to shatter his entire worldview.

They say the truth will set you free…
Not this time.

The secrets of the Assassin’s Code will set the world ablaze. – Goodreads

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Assassin’s Code Review

Assassin’s Code was much, much better than The King of Plagues, I’m happy to report. It’s full of pulse-pounding action, tons of mystery, and oodles of snark. I don’t want to give away what the main bad guys are this time, but I will say that Maberry lays it out in a way that you can’t just shake off. I mean, you’ll laugh and go “Riiiggghhht” but by the time he’s done explaining it, you won’t think it’s so ridiculous.

I love Echo Team. Bunny and Top are the second best supporting characters I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. In terms of sci-fi thrillers, they are the best. (The others, of course, are Peabody, McNab, and Somerset from the In Death series.) I’ve started to fall in love with Ghost at this point too. Yes, he’s super-dog, but he’s Joe Ledger’s super-dog, so I’m okay with it. Plus, Ledger loves that mutt. That much is obvious. And I love to see me some puppy love!

One of the best parts about Assassin’s Code is definitely the fight between the good guys and the bad guys at the end. It’s not an understatement to say that Joe Ledger thoroughly gets the crap kicked out of him. I love the character, but Maberry definitely does it right by making sure he doesn’t escape from these situations unscathed. At one particular point, I was holding my breath as I listened. I knew, of course, that Maberry wouldn’t kill off the main character, but even knowing that I was still on edge. That’s definitely the mark of a good writer.

Oh, and for fans of Mr. Church, there’s a scene at the very end of this between him and a Grade A arserag from the previous books that will have you grinning in delight. I actually whooped and fist-pumped the first time I listened to it and got to that scene. It was beautifully done and reminds you just how dangerous Mr. Church is.

On the subject of dangerous characters, I think Mr. Church has to be one of the best bloody characters out there. Joe Ledger is dangerous. Top and Bunny are dangerous. Mr. Church – although he rarely commits violence and spends most of his time talking to people and planning things – is absolutely terrifying. The man radiates cold, calculating violence and danger on a level that Joe, Top, and Bunny together couldn’t even begin to come close to. I would gladly go toe-to-toe with the whole of Echo Team before I’d even get in the same room as a pissed off Church.

Violin, the latest lady in Joe’s life, is interesting. She’s not necessarily likable, but she’s exquisitely deadly. Its fun to read the fight scenes that involve her in Assassin’s Code, but she seems a little ‘too much’ at times. I can buy her mother, and almost every other female that appears in the Joe Ledger books, but Violin is a square peg trying to get hammered into the wrong hole.

Overall, a great entry into the series. One that holds up well to a re-listen. I’m up to Predator One (Joe Ledger #7) now, and Assassin’s Code still has some of my favorite scenes in it. (Maybe I just like to see Joe get his arse kicked?)