The Island By Ben Coes

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Dewey Andreas is back, and he’s better than ever! I missed reading a full Dewey novel last year, and the much anticipated installment in the Dewey Andreas series, The Island, is the ninth in the series, Coes’s tenth book in all. Last year we got to have a fun spin-off starring Rob Tacoma, who fans of this series will know well. And this year, we get another Andreas novel packed with all of the thrilling, action-packed adventures we’ve come to expect out of Coes.  

This can be read as a standalone, although going back and reading the series will give the reader much more clarity. However, one of the things I appreciate so greatly about Coes’s writing, is his way of summarizing previous books. It has been some time since I read his debut novel, but in The Island, Coes catches the reader up, allowing you to have much knowledge of the previous novels.  

A pre-emptive attack against Andreas fails, as Iranian terrorists plan a plot to destroy Manhattan. After the failed attempt on Dewey’s life, he sneaks into Manhattan in an attempt to take down the enemy. 

Once again, Coes has created a nonstop thriller, but Coes’s incredible writing doesn’t stop there. He creates an emotional rollercoaster. I remember four years ago, I was listening the the audiobook of Trap the Devil, book number 6 in the series, as I went for a run. There is an incredibly difficult, emotional part in that novel, and I actually stopped running so I could ingest what I was hearing. Coes is unparalleled in the industry in this way. He not only created an amazing, dynamic character in Andreas, but he’s able to make him human, and he guides you along the way, forcing you to feel each and every feeling Dewey feels. He is shadowed by much tragedy, which makes him all the more interesting. This is one of my favorite characters in one of my favorite series, and *The Island* is such an awesome addition. It’s another wild ride, but you’ll love every second of it.  

If you’ve been around the thriller genre for some time, it should be no surprise to you that this book is phenomenal. If you haven’t read the series, there’s no better time to start than now. Coes delivers a pulse-pounding, gut-wrenching drag race of a thriller. It’s currently one of my favorites in the series, and it’s a must-read for this summer.


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