The Quest

The Quest (The Survivalist #3) by Jerry Ahern has its merits. It's not a terrible read, but when compared to its predecessor, the pacing seems a bit off. The story doesn't flow as smoothly as one might hope. However, what really stands out and is quite concerning is the presence of sexual violence in the narrative. It's rather unexpected and jarring. One has to wonder what the author's intention was in including such content. It really detracts from the overall experience of the book. It makes one question whether the inclusion of such a disturbing element was necessary or if it could have been handled in a different way. Overall, while the book has some good aspects, the pacing issues and the presence of sexual violence make it a bit of a mixed bag.

Jerry Aherns' The Survivalist series holds a special place for me as a very guilty pleasure. The hero, John Rourke, is an absurd and exaggerated everyman's man. He is not only a doctor but also an ex-CIA agent, an arms expert, and a world-renowned survivalist. He makes a living by giving seminars on survival until World War III breaks out and America is thrown into chaos by a premeditated nuclear strike from Russia.

Jerry Aherns' prose is not overly refined. The writing style is stripped down, short, and to the point. At times, the pace can be frantic, hardly allowing the reader to catch their breath. However, Mr. Ahern manages to regain control when necessary, like reining in a bucking bronco.

My main complaint about Mr. Aherns' writing approach is his constant need to describe every weapon his main characters handle. This wouldn't be so bad if the author was more creatively descriptive and didn't rely on a dictionary-like approach. Moreover, once a weapon is described, there's no need to repeat the description every time it's picked up. It's repetitive to the extreme!

Despite these shortcomings, I find myself addicted and coming back for more. There's something about this grandiose action series that draws me in. It's a bit like eating potato chips – you just can't stop at one. The sheer craziness, ridiculousness, and mind-numbing dumbness are all part of the intrigue that makes this series so much fun. As I said earlier, it's a VERY GUILTY PLEASURE.

Old school pulp fiction is truly at its best here. The dialog is bad, but in a charmingly cheesy way. The characters are over the top, larger than life, and full of personality. And the plot holes? Well, they're so big you could drive a truck through them! But that's all part of the fun. It's like a guilty pleasure that you can't help but enjoy. You don't have to take it too seriously, just sit back, relax, and let the story carry you away. It's a throwback to a simpler time when entertainment was all about having a good time. So if you're looking for something a little different, something that doesn't take itself too seriously, then this old school pulp fiction is definitely worth checking out.

I appreciate that I'm only three books in, but there is a distinct possibility that each one of these books has virtually the same plot. It's quite concerning, really. As I've been reading through these volumes, I can't help but notice the similarities. The storylines seem to follow a very similar pattern, with only minor differences here and there. It makes me wonder if the authors are perhaps running out of original ideas or if they are simply trying to cash in on a particular formula that has worked in the past. I hope that as I continue to read, I'll discover that there is more depth and variety to these books than what I've seen so far. Otherwise, it's going to be a rather disappointing reading experience.