Freefall by Adam Hamdy
is the second book of a three-book series. The Pendulumhas
swung to this novel where all the main characters are trying
to survive. FBI Agent Christine Ash is still trying to prove
her conspiracy theory, English DI Patrick Bailey is trying
to recover, and war photographer John Wallace is attempting
to escape his past. Although readers can probably figure out
what is happening it is better to read book one, Pendulum.
Hamdy commented, “The first book, Pendulum,
looks at the consequences of how one person can do someone
else wrong. It deals with anger and fear. This book, Freefall,
expands upon Pendulumand explores how technology can subvert
government and financial institutions. It looks at how each
character can trust each other and the government. The third
book, Aftershock, looks at our belief system and how technology
has changed the way others can manipulate our beliefs, creating
an illusion of facts. I call it Fake News on steroids.”
The novel starts out with the horrific scene of a London journalist,
a mother having hung herself. The death triggers an investigation
that brings back together Ash, Wallace, and Bailey, hurling
them into the path of an unknown enemy. They have one rule,
“Trust no one.” Each has encountered these masked
men that target them for the kill. The investigation leads
them to discover that the Pendulum killer was not working
alone. As with the first book, the theme has Hamdy examining
the internet and its excesses.
Should there be some sort of regulation and control? Hamdy
“thinks technology is only in its infinite stage and
will end up rivaling the Industrial Revolution. No one asks
questions about what we want out of it. There are a number
of parents who are upset that their children are addicted
to social media. There is this perception that we are not
living our lives for ourselves, but for an audience. Those
on social media who are anonymous are far more rude and aggressive.
I am pretty sure if they are in front of the person they are
goading they would not behave in that way. It gives people
license to go further than they normally would.”
It becomes obvious that all three characters are still being
put through the ringer, suffering physical and emotional pain
as they find themselves in mortal danger. Suicide, attempted
beheadings and IED explosions, are all described in graphic
detail. After being captured Ash is tortured where the antagonist
breaks her, forcing her into a state of pain, fear, fatigue,
disorientation, and detachment. A book quote, “But that
machine had broken her, and trapped in the darkness, she wept
at her failure, knowing that she would do or say anything
to prevent them using it on her again.”
The protagonists have been left with physical and mental scars
from their previous encounter. Wallace is punishing himself
with guilt over his girlfriend’s death, Bailey has PTSD
from his previous experiences with the criminal, and Christine
Ash is trying to overcome childhood demons that have caused
her to have trust issues.
“I wrote those scenes having more emotional torture
than physical torture. I am a great believer that once you
read the shock the fear is caused by the reader’s imagination.
I think I only suggested the pain, but the reader takes it
from there with their mind filling in the gaps. What makes
it terrifying are the psychological aspects, the loss of control
and how it takes someone to their darkest places.”
Tragedy, conspiracies, and deadly encounters powers this adventure
and action story. It is a pulse-racing read that is relentless
and is not for the squeamish. Readers will empathize with
the three heroes, hoping beyond hope that they come out of
the danger with an emotional and physical strength.
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