Salford World War - Book Review
Salford World War: Could World War III Start in Salford? (Book 12)
by Mike Scantlebury
A slight error may lead to disaster and ignite serious conflicts among men and between nations. Amelia is well aware of this. She knows that her job is of paramount importance in avoiding a Salford World War.
Written by Mike Scantlebury, Salford World War revolves around Amelia “Melia” Hartliss, a secret agent. She is tasked to organize and secure the visit of a Chinese dignitary to Salford. The guest, named Mr. Ho, is a Minister of State for Business and Export in China. His visit to Salford is critical. Several people from different fronts don’t like him, and they’re determined to get rid of him.
Because of the threats in his life, Ho’s British host makes sure no untoward incident happens to him. The British government is careful not to blow its political relations with China. Particularly, it tries as much as possible to not mirror the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria on British soil.
Even as Melia and her team prepare for the arrival of their guest, Chinese restaurateurs contact Melia for varied personal reasons. Each of them conveys a message to her.
On the other hand unbeknown to Melia, other players are also at work to protect Ho’s life. Will they succeed in securing the dignitary’s life?
The Book and the Author
Salford World War is the twelfth installment of the Amelia Hartliss Mysteries. This volume is not completely stand-alone. Some characters in this book held significant roles in the previous installments, but are not defined in this volume.
Nevertheless, this volume is fast-paced and has a good plot. However, the author falls short in building up his story. Several scenes are cut abruptly, causing the first-time readers to get lost and confused in the process. Perhaps, Mike Scantlebury presumes all readers of this volume have read the first 11 installments. Sadly, it’s a poor judgment and a grave mistake. He could have resolved this issue by using a flashback. Flashbacks of the previous incidents and scenes allow first-time readers to pick up the story.
Moreover, Amelia’s persona in this volume is quite weak. But, I forgive Mike on this matter. Perhaps, the author already established her character in the first installment. Likewise, there are too many characters presented in this volume. Most of them play insignificant roles.
In addition, Salford World War does not contain enough dialogue. Rather, it consists mostly of narrations and fewer conversations between characters. Thus, the book fails to sustain the reader’s interest. Dialogues make the reading experience exciting. They captivate its readers.
Another thing that makes the story weak is that it takes longer to build up. The first two-thirds of the book is flat. It mainly consists of lengthy narration, dining, drinking, and several loose stories. It’s only in the last three chapters that the reader is treated to a full story and some action.
The Rating
Despite the setbacks, however, I sense Scantlebury’s earnest desire to recreate a certain historical event in this book. Although he fails to pull it through, I’m confident the author can improve Salford World War. The germinal idea is there. He just needs to focus on building his story well. Besides, Scantlebury is a good writer with a rich imagination.
On the technical side, the Salford World War contains several typographical and grammatical errors. I recommend thorough proofreading of the book before any further reproduction is made.
At this point, I give Salford World War a rating of 2 out of 5 stars. And, I suggest that readers first read the earlier volumes of the Amelia Hartliss Mysteries before reading this installment. You will appreciate this volume better if you get the background of the characters and the preceding events.
Because of the threats in his life, Ho’s British host makes sure no untoward incident happens to him. The British government is careful not to blow its political relations with China. Particularly, it tries as much as possible to not mirror the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria on British soil.
Even as Melia and her team prepare for the arrival of their guest, Chinese restaurateurs contact Melia for varied personal reasons. Each of them conveys a message to her.
On the other hand unbeknown to Melia, other players are also at work to protect Ho’s life. Will they succeed in securing the dignitary’s life?
The Book and the Author
Salford World War is the twelfth installment of the Amelia Hartliss Mysteries. This volume is not completely stand-alone. Some characters in this book held significant roles in the previous installments, but are not defined in this volume.
Nevertheless, this volume is fast-paced and has a good plot. However, the author falls short in building up his story. Several scenes are cut abruptly, causing the first-time readers to get lost and confused in the process. Perhaps, Mike Scantlebury presumes all readers of this volume have read the first 11 installments. Sadly, it’s a poor judgment and a grave mistake. He could have resolved this issue by using a flashback. Flashbacks of the previous incidents and scenes allow first-time readers to pick up the story.
Moreover, Amelia’s persona in this volume is quite weak. But, I forgive Mike on this matter. Perhaps, the author already established her character in the first installment. Likewise, there are too many characters presented in this volume. Most of them play insignificant roles.
In addition, Salford World War does not contain enough dialogue. Rather, it consists mostly of narrations and fewer conversations between characters. Thus, the book fails to sustain the reader’s interest. Dialogues make the reading experience exciting. They captivate its readers.
Another thing that makes the story weak is that it takes longer to build up. The first two-thirds of the book is flat. It mainly consists of lengthy narration, dining, drinking, and several loose stories. It’s only in the last three chapters that the reader is treated to a full story and some action.
The Rating
Despite the setbacks, however, I sense Scantlebury’s earnest desire to recreate a certain historical event in this book. Although he fails to pull it through, I’m confident the author can improve Salford World War. The germinal idea is there. He just needs to focus on building his story well. Besides, Scantlebury is a good writer with a rich imagination.
On the technical side, the Salford World War contains several typographical and grammatical errors. I recommend thorough proofreading of the book before any further reproduction is made.
At this point, I give Salford World War a rating of 2 out of 5 stars. And, I suggest that readers first read the earlier volumes of the Amelia Hartliss Mysteries before reading this installment. You will appreciate this volume better if you get the background of the characters and the preceding events.
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