A steady diet of Tom Clancy and Robert Ludlum was a veritable feast of fine spy thrillers consumed in my younger days.

More recently, I am Pilgrim and Orphan X burst onto the spy thriller scene, with awesomely cool protoganists, fantastic don't mess with me action and yes, thrills.

In Nomad, Marc Dane can't cut the mustard as a bona fide action hero. He didn't enthrall and the plot just didn't grip me. While James Swallow's writing is solid, it failed to ignite off the page.

Nomad had some good ideas, but with bland characterisations, it is the execution that is lacking. Don't get me wrong, there is a great deal of action, typical of the genre. I just wasn't invested in the storyline as much as I tried to be and that is a cardinal sin for any thriller.

Swallow kicks off his espionage series with engrossing characters and plot line. Worth the read and looking forward to more!