Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book.

3.5 up to 4.

I quite enjoyed this. It is an easy read, interesting, quite gripping with some good twists, good cast of varied and unusual characters, well paced, believable and with a good ending. I have to say though that there is something a bit flat about it somehow. It is, howver, a very original idea and I think it is bold to set it in a real life, ongoing conflict.

It starts off really well with a Russian oligarch looking to hire a legendary, successful but also mysterious courier to steal a package. I liked that the operative was in plain sight, pretending to be a carer,. So far, so good, quite exciting. Then, confusingly, it all goes a bit sci fi/fantasy with the courier having unusual powers of mind reading and speed. Next minute we are in Ukraine with a Russian interrogator who is not all she seems. At first I thought it was as if two different books had been mashed together but I did keep reading and all is explained fairly believably at the end.

I did wonder if the author was not a native English speaker or if the book was translated because there are a number of rather odd turns of phrase, some errors of tense and some inconsistencies in spelling. I noticed these but they did not detract from my enjoyment of the book.

Incredible, Legendary, Obvious is a fast-paced, gritty thriller with a supernatural twist, blending high stakes with deep emotional drama. The Courier, a seemingly invincible character, brings his unique abilities to a war-torn Ukraine in pursuit of a stolen package that could change the course of a brutal conflict. While the action and character development are strong, the lack of deeper fantasy elements might leave hardcore SFF fans wanting more. That said, it’s an intense ride that balances war, suspense, and personal sacrifice, making it a gripping read for fans of action-packed thrillers.

I like this book! It is entertaining, tense, and suspenseful!!! It kept me hooked from the first page. I love the way the story flowed, and how things develop. It was so entertaining!!

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

Adam is a courier with an excellent success record. He has been hired to steal a mysterious package and deliver it to his Russian Oligarch client. While the package is swiped simply enough, delivering it to its new owner is not. Someone from his past swipes his prize and leads him on a scavenger hunt through war torn Ukraine.

Luckily, Adam has some mad skills up his sleeve. In fact, he is an “RLO,” the Russian acronym for “Incredible Legendary Obvious” which means he is a supernatural phenomenon. Adam can do things others cannot, and these skills are going to come in handy during his retrieval.

This book is a page turner with some interesting surprises. I would read the next book in the series or watch the adapted series on a streaming service, as it is a set up for either result.

Readers should be aware that this book contains some horrors of war, torture, and rape content.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the eARC!

I was looking forward to reading this book with all my fantasy-loving heart. Started reading it the very moment I was generously given the ARC and finished it in one sitting.

The book is great, it’s written in a captivating style, it’s gritty, spunky, and a deep emotional drama. It’s a James Bond meet Transporter. A courier of sorts, with some special powers, helps to change the course of war.

Wonderful character arcs, very fluidly moving from the action to the personalities, developing both smoothly and organically. I liked the MMC quite a bit and was deeply interested in his past and relationship with Eva, but the person who truly caught my attention was the enthralling Tasia. Her unenviable position, the choices she was forced to make, the sacrifices, and her constant bravery kept me intrigued to the last page.

My only criticism is that there was not enough fantasy for me. Partially it is my fault, as I come from decades of reading hard sci-fi and high fantasy, it is what I come to expect when opening an SFF-advertised book.
Incredible, Legendary, Obvious is not a true SFF novel, maybe coming closer to magical realism, however as a contemporary thriller with fantastical elements holds its own!

It also opens readers’ minds to the complex international outlook of regular citizens affected by the war.