The Take (Simon Riske Book 1)

First in a series of stories about Simon Riske. Develops the characters very well. The settings are very well described and believable. Recommended ++++

I purchased The Take based on Amazons recommendations formed from purchases.The man - Simon Riske - is very good in this role Christopher has given him. The plot is believable; granted the enda at the airport a little "over the top". Christophers introduction of the 2 women is plausible with Simon and the plot.Looking forward to Crown Jewel, no. 2

1st book with Simon Riske and now I'm hooked

This is at the bottom end of 4 stars - if 4 stars is 60-80%, this book is like a 65-70. That being said it is a quick read that is pretty fun. If you’re looking for a spy thriller that requires zero mental investment, this is not a bad choice.This is the literary version of a well-crafted made-for-TV movie. The author didn’t waste any time on being creative. He took well worn character tropes and plugged them into a formulaic plot. The main character is a super skilled spy with a dark past, main antagonist is a mafiosa, the action girl sidekick is a cop that doesn’t follow the rules, there are a couple of Russian oligarch/mobsters, a Russian femme fatale and a few corrupt government types. You’ve seen them all before, there really isn’t anything unique about them. They’re following a basic chase the MacGuffin plot. There is a satisfying conclusion that leaves the main character exactly where he started so as not to have an impact on the next one in the series. The other major negative for this book is the exposition heavy back stories. The author loves using unnecessary backstory as filler, like he was trying to pad the word count or something. Like the main story, these are not creative or interesting. Dull expository prose combined with generic info makes them tedious. It gets less bad as the story goes on, though, and the author focuses more on the plot. In sum - I won’t be reading any sequels, but this isn’t bad.

The Take has elements of many great stories woven into its plot ranging from The Count of Monte Christo to The Great Train Robbery to just about any Robert Ludlum or Daniel Silva novel. Yet it somehow manages to keep its story unique and fresh. The protagonist, Simon Riske, is a very complicated man who has left a secretive illegitimate past behind him and now owns and runs an exotic car restoration business. He is called upon by a man representing the US government to perform a task for a great deal of money. He turns the job down until he finds out that task will allow him to settle some old scores. The action comes fast and furious from that point involving Russian oligarchs, Saudi billionaires, a beautiful and seductive assassin, and a thoroughly entertaining supporting cast of characters. This is a great read which I can highly recommend to anyone who enjoys action thrillers.

The book started well. Good main character and the story development of how he became a “fixer”. But then it became trite with the introduction of one dimensional characters. I was bored by last part of book and struggled to finish it.

Every now and again you find a book that is extremely difficult to put down as page after page draws you in. Simon Riske, in h his introductory novel was excellent, but in this book you see much more into his character and how he handles the many situations that confront him as he struggles to solve two contrasting, but interlocking situations. I highly recommend this book as it's one of the best reads I have enjoyed in some time. I am only sorry that it'll probably be another year before I can get the next installment. I just hope that the next novel picks up where it left off. Maybe once every five years I give a novel five stars and this one definitely deserves that rating.

The Take by Christopher Reich is a well crafted thriller with an intriguing and compelling main character. Riske is a man with a criminal past who has managed to turn his life around after a stint in prison and operates a race car restoration business, but moonlights for insurance companies who are willing to turn a blind eye to his unorthodox methods that rely on his former criminal skill set. A very public robbery leads to the disappearance of a document with national security dimensions and Riske becomes involved due to his past relationship with the mastermind orchestrating the crime.While the espionage tradecraft aspects were a bit stretched (incriminating documents and photos are not that relevant in the digital age), Riske's repertoire of pick pocket skills and automobile hot wiring as well as his physicality make for an action packed adventure. The inclusion of a stereotypical Russian oligarch and a red sparrow were a bit of overreach. At the same time, Russian and US spy agency leads were both corrupt and confusing in their behavior. Riske, however carries the day and represents a great character for further adventures.While some reference to Jack Reacher has been made, Riske is more related to Snake Plissken as news of his death has been premature.

Great characters and great action. I look forward to the next book in the series.Keep them coming Christopher.Thanks.

Congrats Mr. Reich. You really work hard from The Prince of Risk to The Take there is one element That deserves appreciation to me and that is ORIGINALITY!!Now. Simon Riske/Ledoux the Phoenix like character coming from a criminal life and ascending all the way to overcome the infernal habits of thugs to become an almost straigth as an arrow individual. A High octane quasi credible Story. FULLY ENJOYABLE.WORTH READING!!BUYING NOW CROWN JEWEL.KEEP ORIGINALITY ON MR. REICH!!GREAT WORK!!

Enjoyable read from this author- will look out for the next in the series

Overall this is a decent book but I would not rate it as one of Reich's best works. Some of the character development was a bit thin compared to some of his earlier works, but the story line did hook you fairly early and it had a good tempo. Fairly believable throughout (for this type of action novel) with a few parts that were a bit stretchedRated a bit high at 4, closer to 3.5. its a good book

Christopher Reich's books are always a compelling read and this is one of his best with Simon and Nikki surrounded by other no less interesting characters in this chase for a mysterious but potentially devastating letter.