Title: Sailing Unclaimed Cargo

Author: Rick Mammoth

Genre: Action / Humor

 

There’s nothing like danger on the high seas to get a good story going. In Sailing Unclaimed Cargo, Rick Mammoth takes us straight back into the high-stakes and thrilling world of Cid Radley and his ongoing quest to transport a very important weapon back to American soil while being pursued by unknown enemies with unclear motives. Seven days on a luxury cruise ship have never felt so long.

Just like in the first novel, there is still something very cinematic in the author’s style of storytelling. The influence of heist movies is evident in the short chapters and the rapid-fire transition from one scene, or one character point of view, to another. There are three main storylines running parallel to each other in this book, and what keeps readers on the edge of their seats is the uncertainty of how it all ties together and who is the mastermind pulling all the strings.

Rick Mammoth has had the time to hone his craft. Here he channels his influences and the things that clearly inspired him to start writing into a unique storytelling style that is all his own. He allowed the story to unfold naturally, and there was a sense of continuity and cohesiveness in each chapter so that we never lose its main threads despite the introduction of multiple plot elements along the way.

The author capitalized on the book’s setting and used it to underscore the dangers of the mission. There is a reason why the great Agatha Christie liked to put her characters in settings of forced confinement. Being on a ship where characters have no choice but to bump into each other and interact, where every movement can be tracked, helped to build the tension in the unfolding story.

Although the storytelling style naturally lends itself more to plot development than character development, there were still attempts here to flesh out the protagonist and put him in situations that showed his depth and character growth. It helps that Cid is an extremely likable character. He is written in such a way that calls to mind the irreverent sarcasm and dry sense of humor of the Chandler Bings of the world, with just enough gravitas to be believable as a top-secret government agent.

Cid is not without his scars here. For most of the book, he is haunted by the loss of his mentor and friend, and it colored most of his interactions with the new characters introduced in the book. This new vulnerability could have been used to a greater extent to increase the impact of the book’s climactic, and surprisingly emotional, conclusion. However, this will hopefully be explored further in succeeding installments.

Sharp and witty, with a sparkling sense of humor that is fast becoming the author’s trademark, Sailing Unclaimed Cargo is exciting, thrilling, and just plain fun to read. It builds on the foundations of its predecessors, adding layers to a character and story we thought we knew. Rick Mammoth leaves readers with enough questions in the end to keep them invested in returning for more of Cid’s exploits, and for fans of the genre, the third book surely won’t come fast enough.

 

This Editorial Review was written by the Book Review Directory staff. To receive a similarly honest, professional review for one of your own books, click here.