Executed: Extracted, Book 2

Damn that was so good. Time travel without the mind bending theoretical physics, with plenty of violence and humour. Would Stephen Hawking like it? No, probably not. So if you're a theoretical physicist or maybe just have a stick up your butt and can't just enjoy a good yarn, then this isn't for you. However, if you like plenty of action, occasional sexy goings-on and a fast paced unpredictable story then you'll love it.Of course this is all entirely pointless if you bought the first book, because you'll already know it's a great story and you're just hopping straight to the next volume.If you haven't read the first book then what are you doing here? Go read the first one!

Dialogue dialogue dialogue......someone needs to give the author a class on it. The characters are likeable but appear to have dropped about 40 IQ points since the last book. Had to start skipping some of the dialogue as it got so bad. Won't be reading the next instalment.

Okay, though the author still shows no understanding of what time travel truly is. Frankly, it is so confusing and contradictory that your brain melts if you try to follow the ramifications. So he doesn’t. Instead he focuses on a very small piece of an infinite picture. It’s badly flawed but entertaining enough, though Sara’s relentless mindlessness is irritating. Harry is still just a name but there are a couple of new characters, including Bertie, whom Terry Pratchett fans will recognize as a thinly disguised Leonard of Quirm. Overall...mediocre but inoffensive.

While I love his undead series I am being blown away with this one! The first book was good but this one was quite possibly one of the most unputdownable books I have read for ages, a new high for RR Haywood.The action flows very well for me and the concept of the time travel and all of the thought that has gone into it was pretty amazing and seemed to make sense (at least to me!). Another plus with this series is that there seem to be very few if any mistakes in the writing. Sadly most of the Undead series seems to contain errors in the writing which is ok as you can see what he meant but the Extracted series seems blemish free. Well done all around

I enjoyed the read but this book was dumbed down from the first. There was a hardcore training thread to the story that was deemed essential to the plot and it was quite well done, but the flawed return-to-the-same-time-to help-yourself bit was no surprise after book 1 but completely flawed in terms of even their own explanation of how time travel works, let alone the wider established scientific views.Having said that, even though Doctor Who doesn't do this popping back stuff, it is a good storyline and the action is well done again. The characters do develop a bit but I found Safa becoming more daft. In fact there is a sort of schizophrenia about the way the team switch from developing soft streaks in the bunker to hard nosed professionals when working, and as the characters slowly get more casual in the bunker so the leap to professional looks all the more stretched. I think most people would see the tactical flaw in the developing relationships for elite commando type teams inserted into war zones.Unlike book 1, there were a few noticeable typos in this book.On balance, it was a good read once the terms were accepted and I wanted to move straight on to book 3.

Extracted disappointed me last year. The writing quality was great, the characters were amazing and the plot had so much potential. Unfortunately, the pacing of the plot ruined it. But there was so much potential there that I was more than happy to continue the series and give it another go.I’m so glad I did. Executed was a thoroughly entertaining read. There was a perfect blend of humour and tension and, this time, the characters were allowed to develop at a natural and realistic pace.Safa, Ben and Harry are still the main three characters. Safa remains a bad-ass: her skills and fitness are second to none and she won’t pander to anyone. But, as hinted at in the first book, we get to see her more vulnerable side as she opens herself up to friendship and love.You never want to come face to face with Harry in a fight. He bests the best, with one hand, and carries on like nothing can stop him. But he has a huge heart and is ultimately a softy with a strong morals and sense of decency.This time around, however, we get to see Ben shine. He’s brave, but it is his mind that is his greatest skill-set. Without spending half the book trapped in a downward spiral, Ben really comes to life – he’s clever, funny and willing to put himself in harm’s way if that is what it takes to protect those he loves. Ben has becomeThere are some new characters this time: Miri, Ria and Emily. Miri steps into Roland’s shoes as leader, but she is cold and detached. She appears to have her own motive. I admit to not entirely being sure what it is she is trying to achieve, although that could be because it has been a while since I read the first book. I understood the underlying tension but didn’t know what it was leading to.Emily is the enemy. Except she is not. She’s their prisoner. Except she is not. Time-travel is a funny business all around. Emily tries too hard to start with, attempting to win over the team, which prevents the reader from getting to know the real her. That is soon rectified though and she becomes another likeable character.Ria is naïve and weak compared to the others. But she is instrumental to the plot and I have no doubt we will see more from her in the final book.This book is full of time-travel (and all the complexities that comes with it), war, destruction and an attempt to stop the end of the world. But it’s truly about the characters; the way they grow and bond together, their emotions and their bravery – not in the sense of gunfights, but in lowering the walls they’ve built around their hearts and taking a risk.It made me laugh, it made me hold my breath, it confused me about time-travel. What can I say: a great read!