The Alias Men Review

Double Vision: The Alias Men by F.T. Bradley

HarperCollins, 2014. 978-0062104434

Synopsis: After his last mission, Linc thought his undercover junior agent days were behind him and tons of boring studying ahead of him. But when supersecret government agency Pandora wants your help, you don’t exactly have a choice. Sinister criminal Ethan Melais is on the loose in Tinseltown, and it’s up to Linc to find him. But while he’s on the job, Linc is snagged by a famous director to star in a movie. Add “trying to impress the cute Hollywood starlet Savannah Stone” to Linc’s to-do list and this mission has suddenly become more complicated. As always, Linc’s look-alike agent nemesis, Ben Green, is hot on Linc’s heels, and time is running out. Can Linc nab the thief, charm Savannah, and beat Ben at his own game? – from Amazon.com

Why I picked it up: This trilogy came back up on my radar when I was searching for a good fast-paced mystery at my library.

Why I finished it: This book has everything readers love about spy novels: action, intrigue, mystery, and lots of twists and turns along the way. What Linc thought was going to be an uneventful weekend at the Baker family reunion quickly escalates into an adventure of Hollywood proportions. Recruited to capture a man of many faces while trying out his newly discovered acting skills, Linc is surprised just how many angles a case can take. “Bond Girl” Savannah Stone’s movie history and industry knowledge proves invaluable to Linc in his mission to make it as an actor and uncover clues that will help them uncover the identity of Ethan Melais and retrieve Chaplin’s bowler hat. Alias Men is a thrilling conclusion to the trilogy that will keep readers engaged from page one and fuel their own secret agent adventures here in the real world.

Other related materials: Double Vision by F.T. Bradley; Double Vision: Code Name 711 by F.T. Bradley; Agent Colt Shore: Domino 29 by Axel Avian; Agent Colt Shore: The Games Begin by Axel Avian; Mysterious Messages: A History of Codes and Ciphers by Gary Blackwood; Upon Secrecy by Selene Castrovilla, illustrated by Jeff Crosby and Shirley Ann Jackson; The 39 Clues books; Artemis Fowl books by Eoin Colfer; Alex Rider books by Anthony Horowitz; Young Bond series by Charlie Higson;  The Genius Files: Mission Unstoppable by Dan Gutman; Spy School books by Stuart Gibbs; Secret Agent Jack Stalwart books by Elizabeth Singer Hunt

Double Vision: Code Name 711 Review

Double Vision: Code Name 711 by F.T. Bradley

HarperCollins, 2013. 978-0062104403

Synopsis: Lincoln Baker thought he was done with Pandora after his mission to Paris – turns out, he was wrong. When Agent Stark shows up in his neighborhood with a mission that is a matter of national security, Linc says yes. After all, it will get him out of his history test. But this mission is going to be more of a history lesson than he ever bargained for, and with the help of the first daughter and his double Benjamin Green, he might just make this mission a success.

Why I picked it up: The author emailed me and asked if I would be interested in writing a review, and since I love free books and fast-paced fiction, I said yes.

Why I finished it: Bradley’s follow-up to Double Vision is even more fast-paced and fun than the first. The novel, set in Washington, D.C., draws on a piece of American History with the focus of the mission on the recovery of a national artifact and the existence of the nation’s first spies, the Culper Ring. This time, Linc and Ben are competing to see who can close the case the fastest and the competition between the two works to further develop their characters. Linc is becoming much more of a spy this time around, using what he learned on his last mission and applying it to the second. He’s still somewhat sarcastic and a rule-breaker, but what twelve-year-old isn’t resistant to authority in one form or another? The ‘Bond Girl’ this time around is first daughter Amy Griffin, and she seems to match Linc prank for prank, which is probably the reason the two characters click so quickly. It is her knowledge of D.C. and her desire for some sort of life outside the White House that makes her engaging and likable. Like the first book, the story is fast-paced and action packed, keeping the reader turning the pages and salivating for more until the last pages. Bradley had given us a new hero to cheer for that deserves a place next to Charlie Higson’s young James Bond and Axel Avian’s Colt Shore.

Other related materials: Double Vision by F.T. Bradley; Agent Colt Shore: Domino 29 by Axel Avian; Mysterious Messages: A History of Codes and Ciphers by Gary Blackwood; Upon Secrecy by Selene Castrovilla, illustrated by Jeff Crosby and Shirley Ann Jackson; The Scarlet Stockings Spy by Trinka Hakes Noble, illustrated by Robert Papp; Top Secret: Shady Tales of Spies and Spying by DK Publishing; George vs. George: The American Revolution as Seen from Both Sides by Rosalyn Schanzer; The 39 Clues books; Artemis Fowl books by Eoin Colfer; Alex Rider books by Anthony Horowitz; Young Bond series by Charlie Higson;  The Genius Files: Mission Unstoppable by Dan Gutman; Spy School by Stuart Gibbs; Secret Agent Jack Stalwart books by Elizabeth Singer Hunt

Double Vision Review

Double Vision by F.T. Bradley

HarperCollins, 2012. 978-0062104373

Synopsis: After 12-year-old Linc gets into trouble yet again – this time on a school field trip – and his middle school threatens to expel him, he doesn’t think his problems could get any worse. Then he is contacted by a top secret government agency known as Pandora. Pandora can make his problems go away with the school, but only if he stands in for missing junior agent Benjamin Green, with whom he bears a twin-like resemblance. Sounds like cake, except that Linc has absolutely no training as a secret agent…and there’s more to the mission that meets the eye.

Why I picked it up: I was emailed by the author about her second book in the series, Double Vision Code Name 711 and I wanted to make sure I read the first book before I dove into the second.

Why I finished it: This book is a fantastic ride that takes the reader to the edge of their seat and beyond. I instantly liked Linc because even though he’s not exactly secret agent material, he’s got a certain amount of street smarts and charisma that enable him to finesse his way out of most situations. Paris as a setting also has a level of excitement all its own, and moves the reader and Linc out of their comfort zone as the characters zip through side streets and major landmarks to successfully compete the mission. Bradley doesn’t disappoint with her secondary characters either: the ‘Bond Girl’ Françoise is independent, motivated, and a master sneak, which keeps Linc on his toes; the baddie that doesn’t start out as a baddie is masterfully hidden and subsequently revealed, and the sinister motives alone are enough to keep turning the pages; the techie sidekick Henry is equally quirky and smart, and I would pretty much love to have any of the gadget that he creates for Linc. Fast, fun, and exciting, the book is a definite must-read for fans of the Young Bond and 39 Clues series. I’m anxious to see what is in store for Linc’s second adventure!

Other related materials: Double Vision: Code Name 711 by F.T. Bradley; Agent Colt Shore: Domino 29 by Axel Avian; The 39 Clues books; Artemis Fowl books by Eoin Colfer; Alex Rider books by Anthony Horowitz; On the Run series by Gordon Korman; Young Bond series by Charlie Higson;  The Genius Files: Mission Unstoppable by Dan Gutman; Spy School by Stuart Gibbs; The Boy Sherlock Holmes series by Shane Peacock; Foiled by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Mike Cavallaro; Secret Agent Jack Stalwart books by Elizabeth Singer Hunt