Jimmy Coates:Killer; Harper Collins Children’s Books; 2007
Literature for Lads review:
Lets get straight to the point here – this is a cracking read! Full of action, adventure, intrigue and the odd dash of humour, Joe Craig has written a novel that will have you hooked from the very 1st chapter.
The central character in the book is of course, Jimmy Coates, who we discover almost immediately is not who he thinks he is. As he sets out to find the reasons why mysterious men are chasing him across the city of London we are treated to numerous high octane, full on action scenes, including a mesmerising helicopter chase down the Thames.
With the relentless pace and inventive plot twists you will be totally gripped by this novel. One of the tag lines on the front of the book is that it is ‘100% compulsive’- it’s a pretty apt description!
However it’s not just the adrenalin rushing action that makes this book such a good read. From the very 1st chapter there is an element of mystery to the whole story and Joe Craig continues to keep us guessing as the story progresses. Just when we think we are fully beginning to understand the strange world that Jimmy inhabits we are once again left feeling perplexed as the next part of the mystery is revealed.
The setting of the book in a UK not so different from the one we live in today also adds depth to the story. Playing out beneath the story of Jimmy and his own adventures is the tale of an Orwellian style Government and how they are shaping society for their own means. It’s a great introduction for younger readers to the whole concept of the ‘Big Brother’ society.
The Jimmy Coates series is a brilliant concept and this 1st book sees Jimmy and the other chracters explode onto the pages with a bang. By the time you turn the last page of this book I’m pretty sure you will be working out how to get hold of the next in the series.
Marks out of 10: 9
There is also loads more Jimmy Coates information at the official Jimmy Coates website