A romping spy adventure with a great supporting cast, plenty of twists, and a touch of techno-thriller.
My rating: ★★★★☆
The first time I read this book, I was just trying to figure out what in the world—or should I say, what in the mesosphere—was going on. Since then, I’ve read it twice more just for enjoyment. That’s saying something from a discovery reader who doesn’t often re-read books once she knows how they end.
Great characters
The characters are a blast and the main reason I’ve enjoyed this book more than once. I love the banter and scheming and tension between the team members, as well as all their different personalities and, uh, talents.
I do have to admit that Talia herself isn’t my favorite character, even though she’s the protagonist. I’m not a fan of tough female officers in general, but I knew that going into this. Mainly, Talia seemed like she was either out of the loop or just being stubborn a lot of the time, so she didn’t really feel like the heroine. But her friendship with Eddie was fun to read. I really enjoyed the overall lack of romance—just a couple of potential love interests or crushes that weren’t the focus of the story.
Not that I have anything against romance, but when I want a thriller, I want a thriller, and this delivered. I was afraid the tech would come off with a sci-fi feel, but it stayed realistic. This book does require me to suspend my natural cynicism a few times and say, “Okay, this is crazy, but I’ll roll with it.” But it’s worth it.
Not just inspirational
The spiritual themes are well done, despite some resolution that happened rather fast, and I appreciate the clear message of redemption on Christ’s merit, not our own. All too often, “Christian” fiction doesn’t reference Christ himself at all, and I’m glad that wasn’t the case here. Talia’s spiritual state isn’t exactly clear, but there’s no doubt she got pointed in the right direction!
This is a thriller, so there is some “battle, murder, and sudden death.” Overall, though, the violence level is not as high as in most thrillers. My only other (minor) objection is that justice sort of got ignored in this world of con artists and burglars and assassins and gray areas. Being a thief for a good cause is still being a thief… But regardless, I highly enjoyed this and had a hard time putting it down. James Hannibal writes like he knows his stuff (which he does; just read his bio).
Heads Up
It should be noted that the second book in the series, Chasing the White Lion, contains a lot more violence and darkness than is to my taste, so I didn’t enjoy that one nearly as much as this one. However, The Gryphon Heist can be read as a stand-alone even if you choose not to continue the series.If you love action-adventure stories with a great supporting cast and just a smidge of impossibility, give this one a try.
Buy The Gryphon Heist on Amazon
If you enjoyed this book review of The Gryphon Heist by James R. Hannibal, you might also enjoy my book review of Elysium Tide by the same author. Read the review here on Goodreads or join my newsletter list for book recommendations, a free short story, author updates, and more.
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Christian historical fiction series For Liberty & Conscience brings you faith-filled adventures bursting with courageous characters and biblical truth amid the danger of America’s founding. Click a cover for details or see all books here.
Happy reading!
Jayna Baas is the author of Preacher on the Run and director of The Christian PEN: Proofreaders and Editors Network. Learn more about Jayna here or join her email list for more recommendations.