The Forsaken isn't my normal reading fodder, but I'd had a couple of slow-moving books and wanted something fast and dirty. This might be why it took a bit of getting used to. Matt Rogers writes in a very pared back minimal way. The book is hyper-violent with graphic descriptions of murdering people and injuries sustained from doing do: the orbital fracture had me wincing. There's also drug use, moralising about drug use, alcoholism, and discussions of suicide, including with methodology and dosage descriptions.

Character development isn't really a priority, though you'll probably like Logan and his new friend Alice Mason, as they kick, punch and spear their way through the hellscape they find themselves in. As for the poncy philosophy underlying why Logan is so good at killing, maybe not so much. The interesting twist was while Booth worked for the CIA, he thought he was a well-intentioned vigilante. His crisis of confidence comes from realising despite his inner feng shui hasn't stopped him from being played: "you had an extensive and easily accessible Internet search history. We knew we could use it to get you to do what you never willingly would. It's all a matter of framing." Guess the elaborate internal philosophy didn't work, it was just another version of the stories we tell ourselves to make what we are going to do anyway feel okay.

Explosive storytelling, brilliant writing and great character development bring this book alive. The novel was impossible to put down as you journeyed through adventure after adventure. Highly recommended read and worthy of five stars.

The plot held such promise, this is exactly the type of story I love to read (being a veteran) however it fell short for me due to a few things. The writing didn't feel like it flowed, many times I had to re-read a section to understand how it was relevant to the immediate moment, or plot or what it meant to the character. Because of this, it was difficult to become invested in Logan's journey. It was like I was reading a book where the author assumed I knew what was going on and gave cliff notes in parts of the chapter. Perhaps I am simply not familiar with the authors writing style however due to this, I wasn't invested in reading and learning about Logan. At times, the stakes just aren't believable either which makes certain moments feel unearned and drains the tension from those moments.

If the above (again it could just be due to myself being unfamiliar with the writing style) if this isn't a top priority for your reading requirements, it is fast paced and contains plenty of action. I think many readers would really enjoy the world of Logan!

You could give this 5 stars or 1 star, depending on what you want from your read. The plot is somewhat preposterous. Logan Booth is the main protagonist, a man who has made a career as a vigilante, knocking people off for a living, a male Eve if you like. On retirement, he is told that he has not been working as a vigilante but for the CIA. All his killings have been on contract from the CIA.

Cue a spin into self-destruction, a life not far from that of a homeless alcoholic. He meets a junkie on the streets and a streak of compassion is ignited that eventually propels him into a deep state tale of corruption at the highest level of the government. Of course, he sorts it all out, but along the way there is violence, mayhem and some twisty bits to keep you on edge. And there is enough unfinished business to generate a whole series.

If you like this sort of thing, a more violent, vicious form of Killing Eve without the humour and the class, then read it. It is a hundred-mile-an-hour tale that will pass a long-haul flight quite nicely. 5 stars if that is what you want—you won't get much better. You know the type—somewhere between James Bond, the Bourne novels, and Jack Reacher.

But, and for me, and it is a big but, if you want a believable story with well-developed characters and good writing, then give it a skip. 1 star.