Ajax
Stephen J.
Schrader
Reviewed by Abner Goodwin
In the first book of the trilogy, Paradigm Lost, we were
introduced to the amazing Captain Brinn. Part Nemo, and part Lucifer,
he seeks to bring about a paradigm shift by sharing technologies with
the world that would empower the powerless and destabilize the
powerful. The major world powers seek to suppress him by any means
necessary.
Ajax is the next book in the Argosy Trilogy. It picks up with a
man named Michael Sykes who has stolen Captain Brinn's identity. He
is saved from certain death at the hands of some of Brinn's numerous
enemies by Autumn Brooke, a crew member of Captain Brinn's flying
submarine, The Argo. Michael is introduced to Brinn and is made a
member of his crew because of his uncanny ability to assume the guise
of other people.
A nuclear power plant is literally broken into by a giant robot
and several uranium rods are stolen. Enter Ajax, the villain of the
story. Ajax is a mysterious entity who has created a video game which
unbeknown to the gamer, controls a real live robot.
The US military is fooled and beaten by Ajax at every turn.
Captain Brinn and his crew are drawn into the mix when they learn of
Ajax's plan to debut the game at a major convention and attack a
major amusement park with an army of robots.
Much like it's predecessor, I found this book to be a well paced,
enjoyable read. The book pulls off something that is difficult for
the second story in a trilogy: it stands on its own and doesn't make
the reader feel like the book is just filler in between the first and
third books. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun,
fast paced and easy read.