Kraken Rising (Alex Hunter #6) ★★★☆ ½

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 Title: Kraken Rising

 Series: Alex Hunter #6

 Author: Greig Beck

 Rating: 3.5 of 5 Stars

 Genre: SF

 Pages: 449

 Format: Digital Edition

Synopsis:

The Chinese try to kidnap Alex's son. They fail. The Chinese are “secretly” mining in Antarctica and come across a signal from a long lost sub that was an American stealth prototype. They send in their version of Elite Special Forces and also send warships. The Americans aren't going to let them steal even more technology and send in Alex Hunter and then another HAWC's team AND warships.

World War 3, with nukes, is about to happen.

Aimee Weir knows what's under the ice and she is supposed to guide the HAWC's team. Alex is on his own and the Chinese Special Forces have NO idea what they are in for. The mimic from Under the Dark Ice isn't dead, isn't stupid and it wants to play with its food. Eventually, all the survivors band together and flee in the missing sub. The kraken follows and fights the chinese fleet. They destroy it but are so hurt that they can't stand up to the American fleet. Everyone goes home. Just like that. Really.

Alex and Aimee and their son are all reunited and the glimmer of a family life for all 3 is possible.

The End of the Series.

My Thoughts:

This series comes full circle. In the first book Alex Hunter meets Aimee Weir and the monster under the ice and they barely escape with their lives. This time around they have something to live for, namely, their son.

My biggest complaint was how stupid 2 of the characters acted. The leader of the Chinese Special Forces was such a fanatic that everything was an American plot meant to trick him, somehow. He was almost a caricature instead of a viable human threat. The other problem character was one of the HAWC's who won't take orders from Casey and constantly questions her and undermines her. The HAWC's are supposed to be the Special Forces of the Special Forces and this guy comes across as a green marine just out of boot camp with a huge chip on his soldier. I can't see Jack Hammerson allowing someone like that into his elite unit.

Really good fights and some “old favorites” of the monster variety. The black worms that eat you from the inside out make a dramatic visit and were probably more memorable to me this time around than the kraken.

The overall plot wasn't as lean or taut as some of the others and while nothing felt like padding per se, there were times that some movements/actions/descriptions felt unnecessary.

This book ends on such a note that it could be considered the end of the series. While there might be future Alex Hunter or Son books, this was a good place for me to end. Beck hasn't written any new Alex Hunter books since this and has written other books in other series, so I suspect his interest in this character is done. It is always better to wrap things up while they're still fresh than to let them sit and stink like a week old fish.

★★★☆ ½

1. Hammer of God (Book 5.5)
2. Gorgon (Book 5)
3. Black Mountain (Book 4)
4. This Green Hell (Book 3)
5. Dark Rising (Book 2)
6. Beneath the Dark Ice (Book 1)
7. Arcadian Genesis (Book 0)