Scott Mariani the Martyr’s Curse a Ben Hope Novel
I always love reading a Ben Hope Novel, Scott Mariani is a great storyteller, I have read most of the Ben Hope Series and am looking forward to the next installment.
The Martyr’s Curse starts as is common with Ben Hope in alcohol Ben has got fed up with the world and camped out on a mountain in France he is trying to drink himself to death as usual. Ben has a considerable number of issues as a rough rugged trope he kind of has all the issues he can find: he smokes, drinks too much, is rubbish with girls, and can’t stay in one place. I think it is very brave of Scott Mariani to include so many challenges in Ben’s life but still make a lovable hero.
Ben gets to live in a monastery on top of a mountain where he finally finds peace, he does not drink or smoke and lives a great outdoor life with the monks. This is idyllic and gives us a different insight into the character of Ben Hope. There is no violence or fighting just peace and quiet. At this point the book took rather a leap for me, I think Scott Mariani was looking for a way to start the trouble that is associated with Ben Hope but was having difficulty getting him there.
Ben is sent off to the local town to sell the beer the monks make, this is a little far-fetched in my opinion. The truck breaks down and Ben gets drunk and into a fight waking up the next morning with a new friend who helps him through the next part of the story. When he returns to the monastery all the monks are dead, this is a bit expected if you ask me. His journey then begins to find the perpetrators and deal with them in a way only Ben Hope can.
This is when Scott Mariani brings in the hallmark violence of Ben Hope, he far exceeds Jack Reacher in this respect. Once Ben is mad he is really mad, Scott has an excellent way of intertwining the violence into the story. Ben Hope’s character and Special Forces training come into play. He then races around France chasing the guys who killed his friends, the strands of the story all come together well, he has a few runs in the wrong direction but finally finds what he is looking for. The young girl who befriends him is a well-designed and built character who seems real and someone who would be able to deal with a character such as Ben Hope.
The use of old characters like the Interpol Police guy from earlier books is a great way to bring the reader into the story as we, avid Ben Hop Novel readers, feel we have prior information about this character and how he will react to Ben.
I love reading this book it gives me so many ideas for my own books, I cannot maintain the level of violence but Scott is a master of this and a master writer too so I can’t complain.
Ben and his female friend finally get to the bottom of the plot to take over the world, as usual, Ben gets the crap kicked out of him but manages to save the day. I know he has to be a lone wolf but sometimes he could have an adventure with the same girl for more than one book, however, Scott has left the door open for this in this great read.
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Mark Dawson | The Vault
James A. Ross | Hunting Teddy Roosevelt
Wayne Stinnett, John Cunnigham, Nick Sullivan, Nicholas Harvey| Graceless
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Stephen King | A Memoir of the Craft
Petter Rimmer- Echoes From the Past
Gordon Wallis | The Snowman of Zanzibar
Top Tips for an African Safari and Beach Holiday
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Top Tips for the Perfect African Safari Vehicle
The Naming of Kenya-How and Why!
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