The author has INCREDIBLE skills when it comes to giving the reader just what they need to know, when they need to know it - and no more than that. All of the law enforcement and FBI procedures became part of the excitement instead of the dull "this-is-what-cops-do-whenever-_______________-happens". I absolutely love the way that Steven James weaves the story seamlessy between the first-person narrative of Patrick Bowers, and the third-person scenes with the other characters.
I'm not even going to try to explain the complicated plot of the book...you'll just have to read it. Now, for some level-headed pros/cons.
Pros: In this book, Steven James introduced a clearer (but still thinly-veiled) Christian element into his writing. Tessa and Lien-hua express some conflicting spiritual ideas in one conversation, surrounding the idea of mankind being able to rise above the tendency to be evil. This concept is further explored with one character discussing the murder of Abel by Cain, and how God told Cain that sin desired to master him.
One character ponders "what if someone can lift us up?" By the end of the book, Another character decides that God (though unnamed) may be able to lift us up beyond our evil nature. Tessa also thinks back to her mother's strong Christian faith and to some conversations they had about spiritual things.
Secondly, I thought that the death scenes were a little less gruesome than the first book. Fewer people died in this book, I believe. Although I think that there is a boundary to what is appropriate when it comes to describing death and killing, in my opinion it is mostly a matter of taste. And Steven James stays well within my tastes in his writing.
Cons: Patrick does a poor job of parenting his step-daughter... She dances a fine line between rebellion and submission, but more often than not she would rather have her freedom. This topic is very broad in the book (since it was introduced in book 1), so I believe that it is just part of the ongoing story between Patrick and Tessa.
Patrick and Lien-hua share an intimate moment that I was afraid would become a little TOO intimate. But it didn't. Again, I think this relationship will be developed more as the series goes on, so we'll see....
On that note, Tessa almost gets sexually assaulted, but she gets away. The scene was not graphic, but it was intense.
I may have found one typo......the word was "files" when I am pretty sure it should have been "fires".....but maybe I'm wrong. (I'm usually not this picky....but I have to really stretch to find many cons in this book).
My conclusion is that "The Rook" was even better than "The Pawn," and I hope I will be able to say the same thing after I read "The Knight."
5 out of 5 stars!
