A somewhat scary action thriller because of the possibility of reality. Medical science is advanced enough to produce this more advanced human but what if the intents of this human is evil?

This is a fast paced story as good guys try to outwit bad guys. While I did enjoy the sarcastic banter, I found it got cumbersome and repetitive. I also had difficulty keeping track of all the characters! Many of the scenes are descriptive and violent so sensitive readers take note. I felt the cat and mouse game between Zach and Charlie became unnecessarily drawn out which meant I skim read the last third of the book. Because of this, I had difficulty staying interested.

This one was a wild ride from start to finish. Charlie Moore, a not very smart serial killer, made the mistake of killing the daughter of an influential senator. Senator wants Charlie to go to prison, where he can arrange for a revenge murder. Instead, a lenient judge says Charlie’s IQ is too low for him to be tried for murder and that he can’t tell right from wrong. The Senator, working on the down low, arranges for Charlie to undergo a procedure that will raise his IQ by a few points, just enough to get the job done. Instead, his intellectual function is now off the charts, and he’s working so fast that the guys looking for him—Zach Axton, an FBI export and former military guy for one—-are racing to acatch him before his evils alter more than just individuals.

This is a good yarn and I recommend it! It had some uneven pacing, but I’ll look for the next one in the series.

Four stars! ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was definitely a thriller like none other. The storyline was intriguing yet also terrifying with recent advances in technology, and was fast paced from the first to last page. While the characters and plot were good, it was a bit too graphic in the depiction of various scenes for my taste with the foul language and detailed accounts of physical attacks on and by the characters . Overall a 3 star from me, because I felt like the ending left the characters out of sync, and didn't really make sense as to why Axton and Kelly ended up where they did. It was a good setup though for a sequel.

Free ARC from Net Galley

Zach and Charlie play out an action fueled drama with plenty of backstory to make us all keep reading. The protagonist push each other until Charlie captures the world's attention leading to an incredible final showdown. I think you will enjoy

This book was very interesting. It kept me intrigued throughout. Although I do have to admit I would have to go back and re read pages because it would not make sense to me at first.

There was certainly a lot of action and so much going on that it was almost hard to follow. The amount of detail the author tried to put into this for me made it not very enjoyable to read. It took me a while to get through it but I do not think I will revisit this author for a while.

This book. It was everything I wanted to hate but loved!!! This is a must read. It had me wanting to read more and more after every page.

Not For Squeamish Readers

Zack Axton dropped out of the living when the love of his life, Kayla, was viciously killed by a mentally deranged man. Not being sane enough to be tried, Charlie Moore is released back into the world. Kayla’s father, Bradley Reynolds, a well known politician, hires two people to use an experimental treatment to try to make Charlie sane enough for trial. When the treatment goes haywire, Charlie is transformed into a genius who can learn so rapidly that he soon has all the skills needed to take revenge on the people who belittled him. Charlie’s warped mind, however, has decided that everyone should be punished for being inferior. There is one person smart enough and talented enough to stop him, but can Zack be persuaded to come back to the living and join the hunt?

A word of caution. This book contains graphic descriptions of violence and death. It is not for the squeamish. If you can tolerate or maybe even enjoy the carnage it is a well written story that delves into the world of deranged minds and the carnage possible with a genius at the helm.

Thank you NetGalley, Mark Hacker, and Willis St. Bloom Books for an advanced copy. This is my honest review.

This book grabbed me from the first! Warning: graphic violence and torture. This book reminds me of the great authors’ works with tense and chilling looks into the minds of the killers interspersed with wry humor and lovable characters. The insight into the emotional pulse of the characters is integral to the narrative and its fast pace. The author has done his homework on the hard science to make this story believable. The action never lets up and the writing is superb. I rarely use such superlatives but this is a book I recommend at the highest level. It’s a roller coaster ride and well worth it!

I am grateful for the Advanced Review Copy and this is my honest review. Enjoy!

This review can be found on Amazon, Goodreads and StoryGraph

“Infliction Point” features dual perspectives between the main protagonist, Zach Axton, and the antagonist, Charlie Moore. The characters were complex, intriguing, and well-developed, providing a thrilling read. However, there were instances where certain scenes felt drawn out or repetitive, lessening their overall impact.

The pace of the book started off slowly, but once all the essential information was presented to the reader, it noticeably accelerated around one-third into the novel. From then on, the pace became fast-paced and full of action. While it wasn’t flawless, the book provided an engaging and exciting experience that has serious potential for adaptation into a film.

While the book was engrossing and dynamic, there were instances where certain scenes or chapters felt excessively prolonged or redundant, leading them to seem forced. Particularly, there were times when the author excessively emphasized Charlie More’s fixation on eyeballs and his internal self-praised, resulting in multiple chapters dedicated to these themes. The repetitive nature of these elements diminished their effectiveness, suggesting they would have been better served with less frequent repetition.

The most challenging aspect of the book for me was the frequency of grammatical errors. It is important to note that the rating of the book was not impacted by this, as grammatical and spelling errors can be a source of frustration for all writers and can be challenging for writers to identify their own mistakes in the work they have created. I have encountered this issue in my own writings as well.

However, the absence of quotation marks at the beginning or ending of conversations made it difficult for me to follow, leading to the need to re-read conversations multiple times. There was also an instance where the author attributed dialogue to the wrong person, but I was able to infer the correct speaker based on context clues. The book would have greatly benefited from additional editing to catch these mistakes.

Overall, this novel was thrilling and mostly captivating. I particularly appreciated the intriguing cliffhanger in the epilogue, leaving me curious about the potential direction of the sequel. The book's premise was unique, sophisticated, and thought-provoking, presenting complex themes that were engaging for readers. While the execution was strong in certain aspects, there were other areas that could benefit from further refinement, such as reducing redundancies that make the book feel overly drawn out.

Thank you, NetGalley and Willis St. Bloom Books, for my free copy of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

╵╏～Recommended if you like...～╏╵
💓 Subtle romance
💥 Action-packed books
🗪 Dual perspectives
🧠 Inside the mind of the killer
🧬 Thought-provoking plots
🩹 Flawed protagonist
👥 Well-developed characters

Zach Axton has lost his will to live and is a shadow of the Special Ops killer and FBI profiler he once was. PTSD and the murder of his fiancé has made him a recluse uncaring about life in general. When he learns that his fiance’s killer has escaped and that an experimental procedure has turned the killer into a psychopathic genius, he must pull himself together to find him before the killer destroys all in his path.

A very well set and intriguing plot with FBI Zach Axton on the prowl.
Still in the throes of despair over the murder of his fiancee, he is back in service to track down
her escaped murderer who is now out for brutal revenge on all those he believes wished him ill.
Suspense is non stop and the plot is absorbed riveting with characters that jump off the pages.
Charlie Moore, the escaped murderer, has gone from borderline mentally categorized idiot to super mind with lightening speed learning and computing skills, thanks to an experimental brain enhancing project done under top secret auspices.
Now Zach has to find him before he expects his revenge on entire cities.
Extremely brutal in spots and not necessarily important to the story.
Zach is a great but flawed character which makes him a complete success in what he does.
A little less descriptive blood effects and more hand to hand encounters would work just as well.
In my opinion.

i really enjoyed this read. It was engaging and kept me saying to myself 'one more chapter'.
The dialogue was great, not to over the top and the plot carried itself. I could see this becoming a film or show. Keep up the good work!

"Infliction Point" by Mark Hacker is a thrilling ride from start to finish. When a murderer with enhanced intelligence escapes, former FBI behavioralist Zach Axton, battling his own demons, must step up to stop him. Set against the backdrop of Austin, this novel weaves a gripping tale of pursuit and survival.

Hacker's writing is sharp and engaging, with well-developed characters and a plot that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The dynamic between Axton and his team adds depth to the story, making it more than just a chase. Fans of intense thrillers will find this book hard to put down.

First book in what has to be a series and/or movie. The story starts quickly and keeps the pace moving faster and faster. When a lenient judge rules a murderer is unfit to stand trial, the criminal undergoes a medical procedure that enhances his mental abilities. Violence, escape and pursuit ensue. We meet well conceived characters who battle their own demons as they attempt to bring justice.

This gave me so crazy vibes especially since I could see something like this actually happening. The story was funny too though just missed the mark for me.

3.5 ⭐️ Infliction Point was thriller that had me at the edge of my seat. I felt similar to how I did when I read Blake Crouch’s sci-fi books blended with The Terminal List. I easily could see this as a film or tv series, it really was suspenseful.

The chapters go between Zach Axton’s point of view and Charlie Moore’s. Zach is such a dynamic character yet has underlying complex similarities to Charlie Moore. I really enjoyed some of the side characters as well and how they impacted Zach. The dialogue of Leon, Kyle, Zach and Kelly were often humorous in the midst of dark situations.

It did feel long at times with a lot of Zach having to really work his mind to be ahead of the game. It did keep me wondering what was going to happen next from beginning to end.

Thank you to the author and Willis St. Bloom books for the ARC!