This is the third and concluding book in the hit the ground running series. While reading it, I could not help but feel it felt like a high tech supernatural Hardy Boys novel. Or like a young Jason Bourne type characters. When I read reviewed book 1, Hit the Ground Running, I stated that in "some ways it reads like the 39 Clues, and in some ways it reads like Conspiracy 365 by Gabrielle Lord.” But this third volume has even more action and is more mature in content and themes than either of those two. I also described it would be a cross between a young Jack Ryan, Jason Bourne and Indiana Jones. And I did not throw out those three names lightly. And this book even more so has that same feel. If anything the action only intensifies as book three progressed. This book and the series is a cross up of adventure, action, archaeology, and this volume continues with myths and legends, and history coming to life. There is not the giant plot twist like book two, but there is some very surprising action.

Considering this is the third published work by Mark Burley it is incredibly polished. And it does a nice job of wrapping up the trilogy. It was great to see how the adventure ends for the twins Seth and Lakey. For the news that Tess receives that changes her life. For Eric and Michael. And for the adults who raised these incredible young adults.

In this volume there is extensive travel around the Mediterranean, and Europe, before a post climatic return to North America. We also get a glimpse of Eric's internal struggles again, but this time he is learning and growing. The experience of these weeks on the run are changing him. And helping him grow and mature. There are a few very intense battles. And we come to a better understanding of the history of the people under the mountain.

This was a good read and satisfactory conclusion to the series. But as readers we have become attached to the characters and I can only hope that they show up in some way or form in future stories by this author. And if not I am sure the next story Mark writes will well be worth pursuing.

This was a satisfying, although not necessarily happy, conclusion to the ‘Hit the Ground Running’ series. Virtually all of the characters in the series that are still alive (and a few not alive) congregate somewhere near Trondheim for an apocalyptic final showdown. Missing parents, children and siblings have all been reconnected, and manage somehow to stay just ahead of the authorities – and the various organisations hunting them.
My hero, Seth, gets to fly a helicopter, and his twin, Lakey, of the hollow legs, eats everything in sight. Lakey has a hobbit approach to food – every hour of the day is mealtime. Despite this, my internal picture of her is of a very skinny girl who burns through calories at an inhuman speed with her consistently high energy approach to life, her unbridled curiosity and almost manic excitement.
Eric gets to do a few more parkour moves, but is generally constricted by more mechanical means of transport. And Tess is still the amazingly calm, dependable and capable person she has been throughout.
I will miss the characters – particularly the twins, Eric and Tess – but this story needed to come to an end. Perhaps there could be an off-shoot series starring Lakey and Seth – that is, if their parents ever let them out of the house again.