Lockdown (Ryan Lock Book 1)

For a first time book, Sean Black has me "Locked" as a fan of his work. Great job weaving 3 different scenarios into one book.Ryan Lock is not a cop or even an investigator of any kind. He is a security officer for Meditech; a lab that tests new drugs and immunizations on animals.Animal rights activists, domestic terrorism and international terrorism all play a big part in the three scenarios and there is plenty of action to be found.I will be checking out more of Sean Black's work in the near future. Thank you, Amazon for the great read.

For those who are keeping score, here are the standings on all the components I've noted most reviewers object to:(1) No paranormal/supernatural/magic components;(2) Some profanity;(3) Hint of romance;(4) No sex;(5) Mildly bloody, but not protracted, violence;(6) Some non-graphic child and animal abuse (mildly psychological and biological testing, respectively - if the latter bothers you at ALL, even simply at the mention, I might approach this one with caution);(7) No religious/alternative lifestyle agenda or promotion;(8) Not a cliffhanger ending;(9) Grammar and punctuation police, come ahead on.As other reviewers have noted, somewhat clichéd/implausible moments...the Carrie-Lock relationship seems like an afterthought...antagonists made up from the "Thriller Character Handbook" and perhaps no wow factor but it still kept me engaged, flaws I found were rather easily overlooked.I liked Lock's background coming from a different experience than most white hats and I really appreciated that his relationship (? Not much of one) with his girlfriend wasn't explicitly intimate or sexually charged, an aspect which I feel greatly detracts from most mystery/thriller novels' focus. I am not comparing the plot or the characters to those of any other author, as I feel that does a disservice to both. I was really impressed that Black actually went through the sort of training he used to make up Lock's background. Whether or not - as some reviewers have noted - this was accurately portrayed is not within my field of expertise on which to opine but it felt authentic to me.I would read more by Sean Black, I can conceive re-reading this one, I would recommend it to a friend (as long as you're not super judgmental), and I checked my e-reader inventory to see if I had more by Sean Black available; thankfully, I do.

I do like a story with a flawed hero with a good sense of good and bad, not necessarily bound by legal BS. I will definitely read more from this author.

Sean Black did more training for this novel than most active duty soldiers go through. The points that I like in a good action novel were met. Lots of action which Lockdown gave me. The Initial Phase of the novel explained the base of the story and the protagonist's background, introduced us to the antagonist without letting on how bad he really was, introduced most of the supporting characters and setup the initial action plot for the story. There were several game changers in the story to add to the suspense. While the last major plot change may have been a bit on the outside, it still fit with the overall theme of the novel and worked for me.The action scenes were plentiful and kept me engrossed in them. While maybe the dialogue was not perfect, I did not find anything that pulled me out of the story such as misspellings and glaringly incorrect grammar. The romantic interest could have been rounded out with a bit more background but was adequate. If not for the romantic interest, the hero could not have had as much help finding and eliminating the bad guy(s). The introduction of a more dangerous antagonist than the original one is not new but was done in a plausible manner.For a first shot at an action novel, Sean Black did a credible job. It is much more difficult to be a good author than a critic. Whether a story is successful is measured in sales and fan following. It appears to me that "Lockdown" is doing well.

Ryan Lock, an ex-military cop with the British military, and his partner, retired Marine, Tyrone Johnson, work as a protective security detail for Meditech, a pharmaceutical/biotechnology firm that’s embroiled in a battle with animal rights activists. When the head of the animal rights group is gunned down on the front steps of Meditech immediately after brokering an agreement with the company’s CEO, Ryan and Tyrone find themselves engaged in a fight for their lives as threads of secret plots begin to unravel.Lockdown by Sean Black is a fast-paced thriller, laced with lots of human drama, as Ryan first has to rescue the kidnapped son of an ex-Meditech scientist, and then finds himself up to his eyeballs in a conspiracy that threatens the lives of millions. Using his military skills, and the ability to cut through the emotional clutter to get the job done, Ryan faces off against the unscrupulous corporate structure that’s more concerned with the bottom line and public image than human lives and a terrorist who is willing to die to get revenge for her own suffering. The action starts on page one, and doesn’t let up until the explosive conclusion.Enough here for the most avid thriller junkie.

The story was awesome and kept me engaged from the beginning to the end. As a character I truly liked Ryan Lock and would certainly enjoy reading more in this series.My biggest complaint is not the story of quality of writing, but the very sloppy editing in the Kindle version. Throughout there was paragraph indents in the middle of a sentence or none where there should have been some.

I really struggled at the start of this book. I just couldn't get into it and my concentration was everywhere but the book.Reading when poorly is not always a good idea.Luckily i'd seen some good reviews on the book by a couple of trusted book bloggers, so i put it down for a few days and started it again when i felt a little better.Right from the start then, I liked Ryan Lock, the main character. (only liked.. so my reading blogger friend Kat, doesn't have to rip my eyes out thinking i want him)He just seemed like one of those guys you want with you if you were ever in trouble, someone you could count on. he's an ex soldier turned elite bodyguard.The story line was very good and kept you on your toes right the way through the book.I'm glad i picked the book up again, and i look forward to reading more from this author.New York. It may be Christmas in New York, but for ex-soldier turned elite bodyguard Ryan Lock, it's business as usual: his mission is to protect one of America's most ruthless businessmen. A Bloody Shoot-Out. Suddenly gunshots ring out. People run for cover. Innocent people are mown down. Amid the chaos, Lock's hunt for the killers turns into an explosive game of cat and mouse. A Deadly Secret. Lock's search for the truth takes him from the rooftops of a New York skyscraper to a heavily fortified warehouse on the Hudson where he confronts one of the world's most dangerous women. As the clock ticks towards midnight on New Year's Eve, all routes into and out of Manhattan are sealed, and Lock realises that not only is his own life in terrible danger but so are the lives of millions of others...

Book was recommended because of the other books I've been reading. Really liked the book and got hooked by it very quickly. Things where going great until the last third of the book. All of a sudden the book when into overdrive or something. Chapters because barely 2 pages long and it felt like parts had been skipped/rushed over for the reader to guess at or create for themselves. I don't mind being given some of the creative control when it comes to the imagination however it did feel like the book was being rushed towards the end. Still, enjoyed it a lot and am planning on reading the next book in the series as I enjoyed this one a lot.

Bought as present

This book had me jumping around! Action packed, with a great lead and a beautiful gal! You've read the blurb, now read the book. I have an appointment with the next instalment. TTFN ☺ Enjoy 😉.

I really like all the books I have read by this Author and know I will continue to do so.