Wired (Wired Book 1) - Douglas E. Richards

Title: Wired (Wired Book 1)
Author: Douglas E. Richards
Genre: Sci-Fi/Thriller
Published: 2011
Formats: Ebook

"Wired" by Douglas E. Richards is without doubt one of the most fast paced and action packed novels I have read in quite a while. I found the entire experience of reading the book quite simply fun and it kept me hooked with thrills aplenty.

The plot itself is mainly focused around a scientific discovery by a gifted scientist called Kira Miller. When she uncovers the ability to enhance the human brain beyond all current understanding she unleashes a chain of events that results in her having to go into hiding as she has been branded as a dangerous terrorist. At this point David Desh, an ex-special forces soldier, is brought in to hunt down Kira and ensure that she doesn't unleash a biological weapon upon the world. However, as David begins to close in on Kira he begins to wonder if he is actually the hunter or the hunted.

I found the plot to be enthralling and it was full of wonderful plot twists and turns that kept me guessing from start to finish. I wasn't really sure who the good guys actually were until I turned the last page and confirmed it was all over. This enjoyable and complex plotline combined well with the non-stop thrills and action scenes in a way that meant I struggled to put the book down at night.

Due to the nature of the plot, there are some scientific elements throughout the novel but I didn't find any of it to be very heavy. Richards has used some skill here to ensure that the reader can grasp the principles of the enhancement of a human brain without becoming bogged down in technical issues. In addition, I think that the scientific elements that are present were woven into the plot quite well so that the pace of the novel didn't suffer at all. Basically, I think that as long as you are a fan of popular thrillers then the science fiction aspects of the novel shouldn't affect you at all.

One little issue I did have with the novel is in regards to the style of how the story is actually told. Quite simply more than half the plotline is probably told through discussions between various characters. This isn't anything major but I think I may have enjoyed it slightly more had I actually followed the events occurring rather than having them explained to me by the characters after the fact.

In regards to the characters, I don't think they elicited any real empathy in me as they just felt a little bit stilted in their overall development. I think this was probably one of the side effects of the novel mainly telling us a fair amount of the story rather than actually taking us on the journey with the characters. To be honest though, as the plot thunders along like a roller coaster I found it quite easy to ignore this and just enjoy the ride.

Overall, I found this novel to be an exciting and entertaining thrill ride full of complex twists and action galore. I really struggled to put the book down and this to me is the hallmark of any good story. There are some flaws without a doubt but anyone looking for a fun action packed thriller should find something in this book to enjoy.

Available at:
Amazon
Amazon UK

Challenges Book Counts Towards:
Ebook Reading Challenge (Workaday Reads)