Book Review - Gray Apocalypse

Gray Apocalypse by James Murdoch
Demand Publications
350 pages
Advance Reader Copy

While not a conspiracy theorist myself I can usually suspend disbelief long enough to enjoy a good doomsday yarn. In the case of “Gray Apocalypse” there was no suspension required on my part at all. Murdoch’s prose is gripping and filled with page turning non-stop action and I was hooked after the first few pages. The story is an engrossing SF/alien invasion/X-Files/conspiracy theory meets “Footfall” meets James Rollins adventure which I thoroughly enjoyed.

The protagonist, Michael Kendon, is a Belarusian born secret agent for The Collaboration and is a skilled assassin and infinitely cunning. Kendon has compelling appeal and with a little work could easily become a reoccurring franchise character (i.e. Gabriel Allon, Robert Langdon, Doc Savage, etc.).

The story has few wasted words or actions and moves along with magnificent pacing. While never one to spoil an ending I will say that Murdoch had me turning pages at a furious rate to reach the climactic reward.

A few minor negatives

Contrived plot devices:
The astronomer whose father was a hypnotist which makes him an accomplished hypnotist how?
Killer/healer – Trained to kill snitches he becomes the world’s biggest whistle-blower.
Healer/killer - A trained operative with healing hands? Can you say experiment! Any good secret agency would have had his DNA sequenced already by the very same agency he worked for.

Clichés:
“I loved you before I ever met you!”

One huge bonus, as far as I’m concerned, was that the author was kind enough to sign my copy of the book (add a half star) and sent a personal letter asking me to review it.

4 of 5 stars

The Alternative
April 28th, 2009
Southeast Wisconsin