The Evolution of Fear – A Stonking Thriller

Paul E. Hardisty is back with his latest book The Evolution of Fear, the follow up to his successful debut The Abrupt Physics of Dying. Wow, what a stonkingly brilliant thriller we are given, this is a solid, full on thriller and Hardisty is proving to be an excellent thriller writer.

Hardisty has created a fantastic character in Claymore Straker who is a combination of Bourne and the Terminator for being literally indestructible, the charm of Bond and the diplomatic skills of Alan B’stard! What we the reader get is a thriller that is vividly written, in clear prose, that grabs you by the throat and takes you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions which makes this book compelling and utterly gripping.

Claymore Straker is a fugitive and wanted not just by various intelligence agencies there is a price on his head from a Russian crime family. He has been accused of terrorist acts in the Middle East, he has found out his best friend has been murdered. Rania, the woman he loves, is in danger but she has disappeared and he needs to find her. He knows he has been betrayed and the world is looking for him but he needs to keep going and put an end to those who threaten him and his love.

As he escapes from Cornwall he heads in to the eye of the storm and heads to Istanbul and then to both sides of the border on Cyprus. As the circle closes around Straker he needs to be careful who he trusts with his life and that of Rania, but he needs to find the reason behind why she is missing as well as too who is holding her.

He has to fight his way from Istanbul to Cyprus where he comes in to contact with not only Greek and Turkish extremists but the Russian Mafia, which is never helpful. The closer Straker gets to the truth and Rania the more things tend to go sideways and he has to fall back on all his military training to survive.

Like his body, he finds that Cyprus is under threat from destruction, and like any politician, what have they got to hide? There is unimaginable destruction being wrought on either side of the Green Line all in the name of money, where politics is being used as a side show to hide the truth.

The Evolution of Fear is an innovative thriller that keeps the reader hooked all the way through this novel, and like Straker never gives an inch to doubt. Hardisty is wonderfully descriptive at the same time aware of the politics of the region without preaching but he is the master of the detail.

I cannot express how brilliant this thriller as it is totally engrossing, drawing you in from the start and you need to roll with the punches all the way through. Hardisty gives no quarter to doubt, you will either be right behind Straker or at least fear him, who could be described quite easily as the Master of Disaster to his enemies.

A brilliant sequel to The Abrupt Physics of Dying, The Evolution of Fear is an exceptional thriller with non-stop action and delivers on every level. A truly stunning thriller! ( )