“Doc Savage” is not the typical hero to empathize with. In fact, as the sole student under the tutelage of “Meed”, the strictest of educators, he is destined to acquire the most clandestine of skills. He will undergo rigorous training as the ideal assassin, devoid of any say in his chosen curriculum. Accompanied by the enigmatic Professor Meed, Savage remains uncertain about the nature of his training and the expectations placed upon him.

As this story moves from past to present, we learn more about Meed’s earlier life, especially from the training she received at a young age. This reflects the goal she has now for Savage. This story is wickedly fast paced as it is truly a case of survival of the fittest.

Although I am not familiar with the Doc Savage comic books, I found the book to be quite entertaining. In fact, I was able to complete it in one sitting. It will be interesting to observe Savage’s trajectory in this series and to determine whether he will assume the role of a villain or a hero.

Many thanks to Grand Central Publishing and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

This book is the first in a series titled "Doc Savage Thriller." I read them out of order, which I do not recommend. Here in the beginning, Meed kidnaps Professor Brandt Savage to apparently build him into a physical specimen. Why she is doing this is not revealed for quite some time. The reader also learns about Meed's past through alternating flashback chapters. Putting this action together with the events from book two lead me to hope there will be more in the series. Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing an ARC.

I was an avid James Patterson reader when I was younger, and I wanted to try a book of his again. This book reminded me of a Young Adult story with easy-to-read shorter chapters with decent pacing. The story starts out slow as the action begins to pick up. The premise was interesting, but I do not think the writing was anywhere near what I have been reading lately, and I do not think I would pick up another book by him.

Thank you to NetGallery and to Grand Central Publishing for giving me a copy of the book.

Great interlinking location changes. Perfect characters. Would make a thrilling movie. A must read for all ages. Deserves 5 star rating.

I am a huge James Patterson fan and will read anything be writes, sometimes not knowing what to expect and a little frightened I might not enjoy it. I have not read a Doc Savage book nor do I know much about him but I do know I loved this book! A fast paced story that I would highly recommend for anyone that enjoys an action packed story with a little sci-fi feel. Looking forward to the next book in the series

I have been reading this author for many years. I have loved reading each book. i never hesitate to pick up one of his books as I know that I am in for a great action filled story. This book is no different. I found this book to be well written and hard to put down. The twists and turns had me coming back for more. This is a story that is where the past and present collide and two peoples lives are at stake. This is a story that is fast paced and engaging. I enjoyed how the characters pulled me into their world. Meed is one of my favorite charaters, I enjoyed her attitude and what she brought to the story. A story that has great growth and characters that bring the story to life. I highly recommend this must read story and these great authors.

Patterson is a master - a Dr on sabbatical has been chosen for a dangerous mission. It’s suspenseful and smart. I give all books I like 3 stars

My thanks to NetGalley for making an eARC of this book available to me.

If you are a Doc Savage fan, the real connections in this book start just past the halfway mark. Those connections are interesting and pretty well thought out. Unfortunately, I can't say the same for the rest of the book. Much of the writing is contrived and uninteresting, and the interactions with the police organizations at the end of the book were entirely unbelievable. I won't describe the many other places that had big problems, as I don't like doing spoilers for those few who still might want to read this book. I will say that this book was a step up from the same authors' book "The Shadow", as I couldn't even finish that one.

Upwards of four (nostalgia) stars for Doc Savage fans. Only two stars otherwise.

I liked from Meed and the professor. The determination of learning to get along with Meed, the professor scored points there. He showed the never give mind set to understand Meed and how she works. The telling of these two stories of how they came together and who they’ve become was good. I found myself though, wondering what was the story that brought them together? I was hoping the book would pick up with some excitement or some great entertainment from some really good action scenes. The book doesn’t read like a normal James Patterson book.

James Patterson does it again. The Perfect Assassin is a fast-paced thriller that will keep you wondering how this story will end. I high recommend for any James Patterson fan.

Five stars all the way around! I love when he co-authors a book with Brian Sitts. This is my new fave with them both.

I really couldn’t get into this story. It certainly was a intriguing and interesting plot.
Training a nerdy Professor to be a killing machine just was so far fetched to me. Though I did find parts of it entertaining.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Perfect Assassin
By James Patterson and Brian Sitts
Doc Savage #1

A Riveting and Suspenseful Story

SUMMARY
Past: Two beautiful six-month-old babies are kidnapped from their nursery in a small village on the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia. Their mother, Marisha, was a physicist, and her husband, Mikhail, was a brilliant mathematician. The parents and the officials were never able to find these babies. What happened to them?

Present: Anthropology Professor Brandt Savage has just been awarded a sabbatical from the University of Chicago. On his twenty-minute walk home from the college on a sub-zero, snowy day, the bespectacled Ph.D. is violently shoved head-first in the back of a green panel van. He is taken to an unknown location, where he is held prisoner by Meed. The two have a distant connection through their ancestors. She is the great grand-daughter of John Sunlight, and Savage is the grandson of the legendary action figure Doc Savage, the two of which were determined to kill each other. The demanding Meed begins an intensive training program with Savage, modifying his geeky physique into a superior physical and mental specimen, perhaps even a new superhero. But why is she doing this? Based on their family history, they should never have been in the same room together.

On one of their first missions after half a year of relentless training, Meed attempts to take Savage to the Russian training ground, where she escaped when she was 17. They run into trouble along the way. Someone has been looking for Meed. Returning to her old school is the only way to stop the killers after her and attempt to right the wrongs of those now in charge there.

REVIEW

The Perfect Assassin is riveting and suspenseful. The writing is as superior and smooth as an excellent smokey red wine. The story will keep you on your toes. It flows effortlessly and is smartly structured. The plot goes back and forth in time and uses multiple points of view. The read is quick and exciting, and the conclusion is smashing.

Both Meed and Savage’s characters are intelligent and intriguing. Meed’s character is original and unforgettable. She is the pillar of the story, and her strength, courage, and perseverance are admirable.

Author James Patterson, one of the most prolific writers of our time, and Brian Sitts have developed a new series to look forward to. Read this one now. You’ll see, by the end of this engaging story, you want more. They have managed to create not one but two dynamic characters in Meed and Savage who may perhaps in the future fulfill the code of striving to help others and “do right to all and wrong to no man.”

Thanks to Netgalley for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Publisher Grand Central Publishing
Published November 15, 2022
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com

I really liked this one a lot. The whole story was amazing. I just couldn’t put this one down. I was hooked from beginning to end. I didn’t want to stop reading this one. James Patterson is one of my favorite authors and I’ve enjoyed every book he’s written so far.

I am a huge fan of the old pulp heroes, and am conflicted about Patterson’s reboots. I felt he failed miserable with The Shadow, but his take on Doc Savage seemed more fitting to me—although it’s totally different from the source material. Still, if this helps continue the story and excites interest in the originals, I guess I’ll take it!

I’ve been a fan of James Patterson since the first Alex Cross novel, and over the years he’s created many memorable characters and taken me on many adventures. Whether adult stories like his Alex Cross or Murder Club novels, YA books like the Maximum Ride series or Witch & Wizard series, or even his Middle School series, which I read along with my nephews. He’s always entertained. These days I can’t say I’ve been able to keep up with all his releases, there are just so many! Now I know these days he doesn’t do most of the writing himself as most of his novels are now collaborations. and because of this and his collaborative process most of the new books don’t feel of his early books, don’t have the same ‘voice, what I would call ‘classic Patterson’. But that’s not the case with his latest book: The Perfect Assassin: A Doc Savage Thriller. This feels very much like those early books to me, the classic short chapters, the relentless pacing that keeps encouraging you to read just one more chapter...just one more…one more…until you look up and realize you meant to go to sleep two hours ago! That being said, there is also something quite different about this book.

But before I talk about that, let’s take a look at the subject matter for this new book. Now Doc Savage is a character that has been around for a long time. Over the years Doc Savage has appeared in magazines, books, comic books, and at least one movie. And yet, my first introduction to Doc Savage was via the old radio show. I’ll admit it, I was an odd kid. Somehow as a child I became fascinated with old time radio programs. I can’t recall how I got into them but when I was younger I had a ton of various shows on cassette tapes: Abbot and Costello, The Shadow, and yes Doc Savage. I seriously recommend checking these programs out if you can track them down (which I know these days you can find them online) Heck if nothing else the advertising done during the radio shows will make you laugh. But as I was saying, it was through those old time radio programs that I first encountered Doc Savage. I can say without a doubt, right from the first chapter of The Perfect Assassin one thing was quite clear: Patterson’s and Sitts’ Doc Savage ain’t your grandad’s Doc Savage. (Though he is related him) This is a ‘men’s adventure’ novel which at times is quite brutal. And I loved every minute of it!

Now I can’t help but say that despite the book being listed as A Doc Savage Thriller, I’m not sure I actually consider Savage to be the true main character. While he without question plays a very big role, this is actually Meed/Kira’s story, with more than half the book being about her youth/upbringing. Who’s she? Well for lack of a better description Meed is the woman who makes mild mannered Professor Savage into a kind of Captain America. And for all intents, Meed is very much like Black Widow, only the training she underwent makes Black Widow’s training seem rather tame. The story is pulpy with plenty of over the top action, parts of it actually made me think of the old movie Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins (which itself was based on the Destroyer novels). This is the perfect book for if you’re looking to take a break from reality and just want to get lost in an action adventure. As I said earlier, I loved every minute of it. And I really hope this is just the start and we’ll be seeing more Doc Savage thrillers real soon. Thanks so much to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of The Perfect Assassin.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R2INPH2PLL85PJ/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/school-for-killers-james-patterson/1140976920?ean=9781538721872&bvnotificationId=b3da5398-65d6-11ed-a864-124a1ca140ef&bvmessageType=REVIEW_APPROVED&bvrecipientDomain=gmail.com#review/228433851

There is a school on a Russian peninsula that trains children to be more than they are. Much, much more. Is this an elite preparatory school? No. Is it a state-funded school? No. This is a school started generations ago by a doctor that wanted to see what we would be like if pushed to our limits. A young girl named Meed has grown up there and is ready for her "final" exam. Will she pass? What happens if she fails? Flash forward a decade, Meed is now the teacher. She is using what she learned on a recruit. What is she training the recruit for?

James Patterson and Brian Sitts have a spell-binding story set in Russia and Chicago. Their characters are flawed, evoking sympathy. The action is non-stop with danger around every corner. Meed and her recruit have ties that remain hidden until late in the story. There is so much more that could have been revealed about their connections but it is possible that they are saving this for another book. The book doesn't tie everything up in a neat bow, the authors leave lots of dangling strings. This might disappoint some readers but I took it to mean this is just the start of these two characters' journeys.

If you are a James Patterson fan, you won't want to miss this one. A few gory scenes, violence, and danger keep this from being a young adult book. This writing combo has created a great story, I'm looking for the follow up.

A new fast paced and never ending pulse racing story from a well known and loved author.

Brant Savage is not your usual PhD person and when he’s kidnapped to train to become almost invincible, there’s only one thing he can do; find out who is Meed in reality and why was he the only one chosen for this task.
The story is like a never ending rollercoaster of suspenseful moments and some unpredictable twists.
There are a few things that I had to reread to make sure I understand what’s happening and where everything is moving forward especially when there are a few chapters told from different pov and on different parts of the world. It also contains lots of unbelievable aspects but I can totally see why the need to use them. The diary was really interesting to learn about and the overall story had me very intrigued by the ending.

Don’t miss this intense adrenaline rush thriller!

““You have only yourself.”

📖NetGalley arc

The Perfect Assassin by James Patterson is an intriguing Doc Savage thriller. Until Doc Savage can solve the mystery and get ahead of the real assassins he's in an unpredictable situation.

Every once in a while you get a book that is very difficult to put down without reading the whole book straight through. The only way I could put this down was knowing I had things to do the next day and I needed my sleep. If not for that I would have read into wee hours of the morning. What made this book interesting was something I normally do not like. The author by chapters went back and forth from present to past and back. The story was so unusual that flipping back and forth made you understand why the protagonist was the way she was. The author led you a crescendo at the end where all the pieces fell into place reminding me of a clock wheel where tines just click into place. I would highly recommend this book…… Just simply a great read!!