Title: Twin River II: Have Weapons Will Travel
Author: Michael Fields
Publisher: iUniverse
ASIN: 78-1-4917-4446-8
Pages: 307
Genre: Thriller
Reviewed by: Suzanne Gattis, Pacific Book Review
Book Review
A glimpse into where someone came from can explain a lifetime of actions. That simple truth is the overall theme that I got from this 2nd book in the trilogy from author Michael Fields. From the shadowy world of organized crime with its intricate loyalties and evils, to a small farming town with its own lurking secrets, Twin River II: Have Weapons Will Travel has dark undertones throughout. From the first chapter, you know this thriller is not going to be a simple, heartwarming read. With the tone set right away, it is hard to put down this book as you want to see how far the author will take it.The characters are well-developed by the author, and overall are not likeable figures. At times, though, you see glimpses of redeemable qualities in them. A mob hit man, Palladin, who made his first kill at the age of 13 risks his own life to save those of another and seemingly enjoys the role of looking after a young boy. Or Matt, who himself has his own tendency towards killing but has a special affection for animals and his friends. It shows that humans are complex and shaped from the environments in which they are bred.
An overlying theme of the book for me was the questions, “Why do the characters behave the way they do? What has made them come to this point?” That theme converted this book for me from a simple action, mob story into a story about life and human nature. This novel was very much a story of opposites: Good vs Evil, Life vs. Death, Truth vs. Lies. This psychological thriller not only keeps the reader on their toes with the actions of kidnapping, murder, deceit, and bullying, it also keeps them right on the brink of human emotion.
As for the writing, when looking at the characters, any author that can keep my intention when I find a character distasteful has done an amazing job developing that character. That was not only done, but done very well in this book. References made to characters in popular literature and certain entertainers readers are already familiar with gave the book, in my opinion, an interesting twist and point of reflection. I think I will not be able to read Catcher in the Rye the same way I have before after seeing the association in the book; it now has taken on a whole deeper meaning for me.
