Terry Irving (1)

My original Courier audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.

Rick Putnam is a shell-shocked veteran doing the best he can. His photographic memory won’t let him forget a single moment of the terrible events he suffered in Vietnam. His only relief is the time spent on his motorcycle at top speeds negotiating the busy streets of Washington, DC as a news station courier.

It is the height of the Watergate scandal in the early 1970s and everyone is hyper sensitive to conspiracy. Rick delivers a certain roll of film back to his news station, its disappearance and the death of the reporters raises more than a small warning. Now the same men are after him and he must find out why or become collateral damage in a much bigger cover-up.

The action continues almost non-stop through this 1970s thriller. Jack is an ordinary young man thrown into an impossible situation. He is pretty lucky, even though he doesn’t see it that way. The listener can empathize with his flaws and skills. He practically lives on his motorcycle, so when the bad guys try to run him down, the action is at its most intense.

There are several interesting characters in the story and they sound believable enough. The bad guys are two dimensionally evil, they just “do their job.” But Jack is really the focus of the story and we are deep inside his head; nightmares, doubts and even delusions. The little stability he has in his life crumbles around him quickly and we share his paranoia and anguish as the story unfolds.

The novel is performed by Bill Powers. His deep voice is a pleasure to listen to and his characters are clearly discernible. There isn’t a lot of variety in his portrayals, but it is never an issue. He’s got a great voice and does an excellent performance.

Courier Freelancer is a spy thriller with an ordinary man as the hero. We can relate to the military skills forced upon him from Vietnam and his post-traumatic stress disorder because of it. There is an interesting conspiracy twist in the Nixon investigation that seems highly probable. Overall, a highly entertaining espionage thriller full of action and intrigue. Recommended.

Audiobook was provided for review by the author via Audiobookboom dot com.… (mehr)

I liked this a lot.

The author was a motorbike courier in seventies Washington DC and then moved into TV news. Unsurprisingly then, Courier is very strong on the atmosphere both of Washington in general and of the TV news of that era in particular. I suspect many of the newsroom characters are thinly disguised cameos by the Author's former colleagues!

Courier reminded me a little of a two-wheeled Six Days of the Condor, as it has a similar setting and 'paranoid' conspiracy angle (is it paranoia if they really are out to get you?)

The main character though is more of a tough guy than in Six Days of the Condor. A Vietnam veteran just about coping with overwhelming PTSD, he backs himself and his trusty BMW motorbike to outmanoeuvre the bad guys.

Roaring and wisecracking all across Washington the hero meets a cast of helpers marginalised by 1970s US society, such as a lesbian Congressional staffer, a gay Aikido expert, a Native American activist, biker gangs and a team of very early computer hackers (using the prototype internet, ARPAnet).

With their help he unravels the conspiracy, which turns out to be political and Vietnam related, making stopping it a chance for catharsis.

The finale leaves plenty of room for a sequel and more exploration of the main characters' relationships.

Overall, recommended, particularly if you like motorbike chases!… (mehr)

In his debut novel, Courier, author Terry Irving weaves an exhilarating and fast paced political thriller with a historical twist.

Rick Putnam is a Vietnam Vet and motorcycle courier for one of Washington D.C.'s leading television stations. The Vietnam War has taken its toll on Rick, after recovering from his war wounds, he suffers from PTSD and his method of escaping his demons and the memories of the war that continue to haunt him is by riding his motorcycle at breakneck speeds down the streets and alleys of the capital. When Rick picks up a roll of news film from a correspondent and news crew, he later finds out that the film contains the potential of a very hot and damaging story, and that the correspondent and news crew have been killed. What he doesn't realize is that he's next on the killer's list. With one fast motorcycle and a little help from friends, Rick is determined to figure out who is after him and why ... a discovery that will lead him all the way to the White House!

Courier is a gritty and gripping political thriller that takes the reader on one hell of a roller coaster ride. From Vietnam to the White House, Nixon to Watergate, author Terry Irving transports the reader back to 1972 Washington D.C., an era of turmoil in US history.

The author utilizes his past media experience to weave an intriguing tale that is rich in vivid descriptions and historical information. One can only wonder if the author instilled a bit of himself into Rich, as he is also a motorcycle enthusiast who began his career as a media motorcycle courier. I loved following Rich story's, he is a realistic and flawed man who the reader can easily relate to, you can't help but feel for him as he struggles with the residue of his time in Vietnam while trying to put his life back together.

With a fascinating cast of characters; witty dialogue and gripping interactions; and a riveting action packed storyline with chase scenes, danger, political drama, exciting twists and turns, and even a romantic love story thrown into the mix; Courier is a captivating historical political thriller that will keep you on your toes and turning the pages. I could easily see this novel being made into a movie, it is a must read that won't leave you disappointed!

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by JKS Communications.

http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2014/05/courier-by-terry-irving-author...… (mehr)