On the way home, he runs into the landlady’s daughter, who proceeds to chew him out for being late on his rent. The pill begins to work and his brain goes into overdrive. He becomes so glib that he charms the girl into bed. He then realizes that his brain has been souped up and he’s capable of analyzing any problem and finding a solution instantaneously. He’s able to write his book, he becomes a wiz stock analyst, and he gets his old girlfriend back. All is wonderful. But, he has to take the pills on a regular basis, and other people discover his secret. Then, things get very, very complicated. The complications strain even his new powers, and his race to stay ahead of the game will keep you watching.

Reaver was created from an accident involving a chemical spill (where have we heard that one before?), and he now has super strength, invulnerability, and can move three times faster than a normal human being. He can be injured, but he heals super quick, so the villains get in some good licks, even though Reaver manages to always buy enough time so he’s never completely down and out.

His fights are not the whole story though–he’s been defeated by Octagon, but manages a reprieve of two weeks, after which, he will allow Octagon to dispatch him. In that time, he does some soul searching, along with trying to catch up with an old flame who still loves him.

It’s got some good laughs in it, as well as evoking some sympathy, a la Hancock, as Reaver reveals his human side in battling both the gang of villains and his race to check off his bucket list before time is up. it’s very satisfying, much like the Hancock movie, which was great.

A small group of survivors is living off the land, foraging for food and supplies from empty houses, abandoned stores, etc., when they are waylaid by another, meaner, group of survivors. The hero’s sister is kidnapped, and the rest of the story involves trying to get her back.

It starts off as a Dead Zone kind of move, except this one has much better actors, and way more chills. It turns out that the mean group that’s holding the sister also captures other people and, because of the food shortage, they have turned into cannibals.

It’s German, but because of the fast pace and the fact that it’s action oriented, you won’t have any trouble following it. I was pleasantly surprised, and if you like thrills, suspense, and a little bit of horror, you’ll love it.

This obviously creates a lot of interest, and multiple expeditions are quickly launched, one by a drug manufacturer and one by–you guessed it–the villains. Rollins has plenty of horrible surprises in store for both parties. From killer frogs to poison smoke to giant leopards, the pace is furious. The villain’s mistress, a beautiful killer, who likes to walk around naked will give you a few chills. And there are a few more “obstacles” that I left out, for your reading pleasure.

The secret is eventually found, and it’s quite a revelation. James Rollins is no Michael Crichton, so the science is a little muddled, but in the telling of a superior adventure, it’s worth overlooking.

Enter the girl. The beast gets into a fight with a giant crocodile and almost dies. The girl comes on the scene after the horrific battle, and helps the beast recover. She happens to be a nurse, which helps the story along.

Enter the evil soldiers. They’ve been ordered to hunt down the beast. They will stop at nothing (they’re evil). The girl’s best friend gets co-opted by the army, and gets brainwashed into becoming one of their leaders. And it gets better. The girl comes across her friend while hiding the beast. All hell breaks loose. It’s a little strange, but if you like horror and syfy (like me), this will be right up your alley.

This book starts off with a similar incident. A mother dies in a car wreck, with an alcohol ratio in her blood that’s off the chart. And she’s almost a complete tee to totaler  While the true story quoted above never revealed a reasonable answer to the quandary, the story in this book comes to a dramatic conclusion that will leave you shaking your head in amazement.

As a mystery book, The Accident excels. We have many characters, a lot of bizarre secrets, a plethora of suspects, and a reason to care about the outcome. It even has an ending that’s not an ending. The author has two surprises for us, so don’t put that book down just yet.