This is the prequel to a trilogy. Tanto is a hacker and he was once bailed when he got caught. Now, he decides to do the same for DJ, a young hacker who's in deep trouble. Despite his gut warning him that he should abort and his instincts telling him client Michelle is not who she claims to be in relation to DJ, it's the principle that drives Tanto to save the young hacker. So, Tanto works with his friends, Squirrel_Lord and Mane-Eac, to carry out the rescue mission.

The chapters switch between past and present to establish the setting, further demonstrating Tanto's willingness to rescue someone he's never met before. The past also helps readers gain insight into Tanto's character. The book is written in the present tense so readers read the narrative in real time. This is a personal pleasant way to read since nothing in the future can be foreseen and readers learn what happens at the same time as the characters. This is a thrilling and suspenseful story that is quick to read.


I received a free copy and am leaving a review voluntarily.
Thank you to Hidden Gems Books and author. ( )

The story was not engaging. There was an excessive use of jargon and metaphor at every opportunity and it detracted from the readability of the story. It felt as though the author was attempting to be overly clever in their use, trying to demonstrate their familiarity with the hacker subculture. They failed to impart this successfully. Beyond these flaws, the story started from nowhere and did not conclusively resolve with any satisfaction. I wouldn't suggest this to others.

I won this book from a giveaway. I had no idea what tanto was or who the author was. That absolutely didn't matter, this book is captivating, once I got started reading it I couldn't put it down. It pulled me in, it was gripping it was a nail biter, I can't wait to read the next edition. Very well written. ( )

Good start in the Tanto series. The authors did a lot of research into coding/hacking and the Bushido warriors. It was action packed and kept you interested in what was going to happen next. Look forward to reading the next book. ( )