Thursday, November 8, 2012

Blog Tour Review of PLACEBO by Steven James



Photo Credit: Revell Books

Rating: 5 out of 5

Jevin Banks used to be a famous magician and escape artist until an unforeseen tragedy changed everything. Abandoning the career that was once his passion, Jevin put his skills to use by debunking psychics on his own television show. His latest assignment is to debunk the research findings of a quantum physicist concerning nonlocal mind-to-mind communication. But he soon discovers he's into something much bigger than he realized. He and his partner and former assistant in his stage shows Charlene find themselves wrapped up in a plot to assassinate the President. Dodging multiple attempts on their lives, Jevin and Charlene must uncover the truth about a pharmaceutical company's research into the impact people's thoughts can have over another person.

Steven James' latest novel PLACEBO has the feel of an adventure story, as well as an exploration of human nature and scientific findings in quantum physics. It all comes together to create a very interesting story. I've read several of James' previous stories, and this one is another example of his ability to craft a great story. In light of his previous stories, I appreciated that this story was less gritty than his Patrick Bowers novels.

Jevin Banks is an interesting character given his background as an escape artist, and his skills come in handy at several points in the story. The tragedy of losing his family haunts him throughout, and his inner struggle over questions of God's existence and how he feels about Charlene give him authenticity as a character.

Riah Collete is an interesting character that I found myself hoping for better things for throughout the story. The rest of the cast of characters, especially Jevin's team, really made this story work really well.

The story ends with the indication that Jevin's adventures are far from over. I'm excited about this new series from Steven James, and I'm looking forward to seeing where he takes us next.

Review copy provided by Revell Books

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