Outstanding Series, great story that is exceptionally well told
925558
This entire series is simply fantastic.  If you like ferocious zombies, nerves constantly on edge (yours as well as the characters), characters well defined and multi-facited, believable plot process, very fast pace and a story line that you could see actually how things would if zombie chaos broke out then stop whatever you are doing and read this series.  Once you start you will get sucked right in.  One last thing...the character Jillybean is the best, most original and resourceful character since Tom Cullen in S. King's "The Stand" ...m-o-o-n that spells Jillybean is number 1! - lol
512237
"Justice wrestles with the darkness and we are, each of us, caught up in the fight."

The Bower Files series is one of my top three book series of all time.  There is an element of sadness that this is the final book, but rest assured that the book won't disappoint or deviate from the rich and engaging storytelling that the rest of the series is.

It was really neat to have the story more or less centered in Charlotte, which has been my home for the last decade or so.  Learning some of the history was cool.  It also is really fun being able to clearly see in my mind locations, such as Independence Square and the statues that were described.  This was a great bonus treat.

This story brings some finality to several of the cases and individuals that have been key members of the other books.  One could read, and enjoy, this book without having read the others, but as with most series, the experience is much richer when you have the history, time and space, and understandings that come from seeing the entire story.

I'll leave the plot and storyline to the blurbs on the jacket cover and other posts.  What I really want to mention is the genius writing by Steven James as he explores one of the darker sides of "humanity".  Richard Basque and Kurt Mason have been wonderful characters.  I often wonder what it is like to write and be so intimately familiar with a serial killer, cannibal or not.  As a reader, it is impossible not to connect with these characters on some level.  While I find their acts horrific and most certainly against the moral code I try to uphold, James is able to show that these demons in the world are people.  The conflict between "good and evil" on a personal basis is a major theme through the series.  Humans have a darker side, but what allows us to survive, particularly as a society, is our ability to suppress the dark and work for the good of the whole by conforming to sets of morals and rules.

In addition to rich characters, on both sides of the law, this story (across all books) is engaging and gripping.  They are hard to set aside once you embark on the journey.  The suspense and the flow of the story are superb.  I am hard pressed to think of sections of the book that don't keep things moving across time and space.  There isn't superfluous content, but neither is the reader shortchanged by gaps to the story.

If you are looking for a suspenseful thriller series, then this is definitely an excellent option.  Given the sheer enjoyment I have had with the Bower Files, I can't wait to venture into other works by James.
4045089
(This is not a program to watch with your children) This is absolutely my favorite series that I have ever watched. The chemistry between Damian and Mike is magical. The action is nonstop, the special effects are the best. The story lines are very credible, and their procedures are accurate. Not to mention they have the best looking women who are also excellent actresses. It was a shame for this to end after four outstanding seasons.
I highly recommend watching the fabulous program!!!
2639841
Outstanding... One of the best Dramatic Series in the history of Television
4720569
I have greatly  enjoyed  this  series .  The characters  are  interesting  and  fun ,  leaving you  rooting for each one . The amazing  thing is the way each character  is woven into the others, very well thought out. The story and it's messages  are inspiring  and relate well to daily life.  Kindness, compassion  and love  for others. I highly  recommend  this  series  to you!
2603856
This series is a great, interesting and hard to put away. I wish the story hadn't ended in the fifth book because I would like to know what happens with a few of the characters as they get older. I've recommend this series to a few friends already. I hope they and anyone reading this review enjoy them as much as I did. This is a series I know I will read more than once.
4700434
excellent story and excellent series just really enjoyed it what else do you want me to say it was great
1532098
Like many other reviewers, I am devoted to this series and have read them all. If you're new to the series, this one works well alone, but the characters are so full of interest and development within the series that there will be some loss of dimension if one reads only one book. This one falls near the top of the series for me; I thought the balance between family life, complicated relationships between friends and co-workers, and a multi-faceted story were all exactly right.

I loved the way that threads connected within this story. For example, Kate's involvement in a play dealing with Alice in Wonderland was connected to the story of people who live underground, and there were many other connections between fantasy and reality throughout the book. This aspect was very special and original, and as usual, the author's gift for atmosphere and description is top-notch. This is an outstanding contribution to a fine series.
3577484
This series is compelling viewing and British drama at it's best.

Best followed after watching series 1, there have been many good reviews published on Amazon of this series, which are all very well worded.  Endeavour is so well made and period correct it draws you in and each episode is so well made.  It's the type of story you could easily watch again.  Highly recommended.
4328426
This author tells a riveting story time and time again with this series.  The characters are endearing and you feel like you are part of the unfolding story, not merely an observer.  I find myself crying out at times as if the character can hear me warning them of what's imminent.  Very enjoyable.
482769
This series is the best one I think I have ever read. With characters that have been developed in earlier books coming back in the series with a little back story for those who have not read the previous books. All books in the series can stand on their own, but read in order, they tell an incredible tale. I am always checking to see when the next book will be available and preorder it the day I see it. I devour them, they are so well written and interesting, worthwhile reading.
829379
First off, I have to admit that I made a lot of vocal complaints with this entire series as I made myself read them all. It was something I just had to make myself do, despite the times I had tried and failed in the past. Now then, with that said, I have to also admit that I am beyond glad I made myself do it and ultimately, that I let my friends's suggestions help me to decide to do it to begin with. This series as a whole is absolutely and utterly fantastic - it presents you with an entire world and a full cast of characters to love or hate, but it distinctively shows you why you should do just that each and every time. And though the politics and army talk really strained me and my attention at times, as those are not my usual type of interests when fictional, "assassin"-themed books are concerned, it again really helps build the world up around you and gives you the best feeling from all perspectives. The series as a whole is worth reading for anyone interested in fictional work and fully developed characters/plot points, and as a side note as well, the Kindle version of each book is also very well laid out and another huge plus for them.
4880757
I love this series. Having read science fiction since my pre-teen years, and having served in the military, I have expectations of military sci-fi that isn't usually met. This series not only meets my expectations, the books exceeds them. The characters are fun and interesting, they work for what they achieve, and the action makes sense. There is a lot of action in these and it is never something that requires the suspension of disbelief that happens with a lot of books. Instead, the things that happen are understandable, though exceptional. The writing is well thought out and the dialogue is conversational and never the stilted language you sometimes get in reading books that aren't printed by the big printing houses. I highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys military/futuristic science fiction. Read the books in order, grow with our hero, and understand the choices he makes and the weight it puts on him.
As of this writing, I've actually read the first book 4 times, the second 3 times, and the third 2x - because I enjoyed the first book and read it several times before the second came out and then re-read all of them in order after the third came out and I read it! I have only ever re-read several books in my life, and rarely have I read a book more than twice.
2613084
One of the best series I've ever read. Turner weaves a complex story of military and political intrigue. It's basically a twentieth-century war fought in outer space. If you're looking for accurate science you're looking in the wrong place. For a society with faster-than-light travel the weapons and C&C they use are terribly regressive in their 20th century technology, but the lack of accurate  science in no way detracts from the telling of the tale, in fact the lack of futuristic weapons and tech leaves room for the characters to develop real personas. WW2 political intrigue in outer space is what is presented here in a griping,  hard-to-put-down series of novels whose characters never become clich even when accomplishing nearly impossible feats.  "Nearly" imposible I say because they're just plausible enough for the characters to get away with. Unlike many other writers whose characters become cookie-cutter clichs with each successive story, his characters actually grow and become more complex as human beings naturally do. It's written simply enough for a junior high school student or English as a second language reader to understand without being facile.  NOT a simple feat for a writer to accomplish.  I'm greatly impressed and will eagerly continue to read all books in the series and I'm NOT easily impressed.  Richard Turner,  I'm impressed.
2004882
This is possibly the best scifi space opera/interstellar war series I have ever read. By turns, these books caused me to cry, despair, laugh, and cheer because the Man of War is one of those rare stories that you get so emotionally involved in that the characters and their struggles feel like they are your own.

Also, the Audible narration of this entire series is excellent, and well worth the $1.99/book upgrade.
1104731
This series had me hooked and hooked good. The pace is quick and the action is intense. The story is impeccable, I don't know if I feel like it's a curse or a gift to have the power imbued in her characters. I have these in print and ebook, my family follows what I read and this series is one of the first recommendations I make to students, faculty, friends and family.
1307416
Great read, Great series, Please keep them comming