The Drafter (The Peri Reed Chronicles, #1)

by Kim Harrison

#1 New York Times bestselling author Kim Harrison delivers the first installment in her eagerly anticipated, sexy new suspense trilogy, featuring a special task agent at the top of her field and set in a futuristic Detroit . . .

LIVE. DIE. REPEAT.

Detroit 2030: Double-crossed by the person she loved and betrayed by the covert government organization that trained her to use her body as a weapon, Peri Reed is a renegade on the run. Don't forgive and never forget has always been Peri's creed. But her day job makes it difficult: she is a drafter, possessed of a rare, invaluable skill for altering time, yet destined to forget both the history she changed and the history she rewrote.

When Peri discovers her name is on a list of corrupt operatives, she realizes that her own life has been manipulated by the agency. Her memory of the previous three years erased, she joins forces with a mysterious rogue soldier in a deadly race to piece together the truth about her fateful final task. With only her intuition to guide her, she's on a vengeful mission to decide-who must she kill and who, including herself, can she trust?

Perfect for fans of Charlaine Harris, Patricia Briggs and Kelley Armstrong, this futuristic thriller is pacey, sexy and unforgettable

'I wouldn't miss a Kim Harrison book for anything.' - Charlaine Harris

• ISBN10: 1408707578
• ISBN13: 9781408707579
• Publish Date: 1 September 2015
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group
• Imprint: Little, Brown
• Edition: Digital original
• Format: eBook (EPUB)
• Pages: 432
• Language: English

Reviews

[Melanie]

Revisited this one for a reminder before starting The Operator.

[Berls]

I really loved this concept. I mean who hasn't thought about the ability to go back in time, even just a few seconds, to erase past mistakes? But the cost in this world - of losing your memory - is too high. Kim Harrison did a great job with Peri and the conflict and confusion she feels having her memories so vulnerable. I'm really looking forward to where this series will go next. Full review to follow

[littleread1]

I am going to call it - It's been weeks since I started this book and cannot bring myself to want to pick it back up. It isn't bad I am just not feeling it right now. So ... back to the shelf you go little book. Maybe some day down the road we will meet again.

[kimbacaffeinate]

Recommendation: I am not typically a novella fan and honestly usually skip them.  However, I strongly recommend reading the novella Sideswiped before tackling the Drafter. It takes place five years earlier and personally believe it gives us essential insight into the world and characters.

Caffeinated Breakdown of The Drafter

• World: In Harrison’s new world a small fraction of society has the ability to “draft” or move backwards in time changing history. Set in Detroit in the year 2030 Peri Reed is an agent for Opti, a secret government agency who uses drafters and anchors to handle covert operations for the government. The Alliance is a group determined to stop this agency. A drafter can revert time. However, there are limitations from range to length and it comes with risks. An anchor is the drafter’s partner. They help to stabilize the drafter and aid them in recovering lost memory. I found the concept intriguing and I liked that there were consequences for rewriting time.


• Plot: Good vs Evil, power plays, and financial gain made this thriller intense and thrusting our heroine into danger. Some in the Opti Agency are corrupt. These operatives are manipulating memories and performing unauthorized operations. Peri discovers her name on a list of corrupt operatives, and soon finds herself in danger. The plot was intense with twist and turns that had me holding my breath. An Alliance operative reaches out to Peri and she must decide whom to trust. Harrison fleshed out the world making the story feel plausible. The pacing and action scenes kept me on edge. With all the action, time shifts and suspense Harrison still managed to weave in humor and colorful characters. Deciding who the good guys were notched up the tension in this clever tale.


• Characters: Peri Reed in many ways is your typical kick-ass, take-no-prisoner heroine. She is the best of the best and has the stubborn, selfish, opinionated attitude that seems to be a package deal. She strides with purpose and is at times a little cocky. Thankfully she is not a whiner but she does struggle with listening. She tends to dive in headfirst with an "ask questions later" approach. Sound familiar? However, Harrison did a wonderful job of showing us her vulnerable and tender side allowing me to respect the operative and appreciate the woman. Jack is Peri’s lover and I found him to be a smooth talker. She depends on him and trusts him without question. Silas is an operative for the Alliance and the creator of a lot of the technology used. He hopes to save Peri and bring down Opti. Silas is a bit of a rebel but it extremely gifted from technical knowledge to his ability to work as an anchor.The man has problem working outside of the box and defying authority, in fact I think he kind of likes it.  Other secondary characters from Bill, Peri and Jack’s handler, to Fran the leader of the Alliance and her kickass daughter added depth, a little humor and helped amp up the action. While the story was action packed, Harrison’s characters were fully developed with unique voices.


• Romance: The Drafter has very little romance although Peri does have men in her life. Hints, reveals and an interesting thread hint at a possible romance in this series.


• Caffeinated Conclusion: The Drafter delivered an exciting introduction to the Peri Reed Chronicles. The world and plot felt plausible and I easily became invested in the key players. The world of drafting and anchors had my geeky side smiling and the dangers that accompany it made me shiver. I felt the story was well paced with twist and turns that kept me engaged. Harrison added humor and banter creating a nice reprieve from the intense scenes. A few twists and revelations added to my overall enjoyment and the tale ended in such a way that it left me eager for the next installment.

Copy provided by publisher. This review was originally posted on Caffeinated Book Reviewer

[Linda]

*I received a free ARC of The Drafter from Gallery Books via Edelweiss in exchange of an honest and unbiased review*

ARC received on June 25

The Drafter is a fast-paced story, in a world I would never want to live in! Peri is a very strong character, but so many people are trying to take advantage of her, leaving her with less memories of who she is, and what she's been doing.

This and all my other reviews are originally posted on my blog (un)Conventional Bookviews