Surly Bonds (Jason Conrad Thriller Series) Paperback – September 8, 2012

Turned out better then I expected. The story line ebbed and what seemed like extra material, was actually needed for the ending to come together. Good enough to make me go for number three book.

Really enjoyed reading this! Great detail, well researched, and an exciting, fun read. Finished it in about a day, look forward to the next in the series!

Giving this book three stars for an 'OK' is extremely generous, I feel, but I just couldn't quite bring myself to opt for two 'I don't like it.' Just.I really do not understand the plethora of good-to-great reviews displayed here. They give such glowing accounts that I was happy to buy the book and greatly looked forward to reading it. Alas, I was very let down. I am a very keen fan of the military aviation/ techno-thriller genre and, trust me, this book does not hit the mark. It's all over the place and such a mish-mash - it really doesn't know what it wants to be. There is so much of the book that does NOT need to be there! For the first half of the book I thought it was some sort of weird combo of romance novel and flying thriller. And on purpose! Hey, if you like the book, then that's great, but if you are a serious aficionado of great flying sequences then you'll be out of luck big time here.I kept reading because I'm stubborn and wanted to see where the author took it and how it eventually ended up. There is a WTF? twist ending which is so blatantly unsupported by all that preceded it, I could hardly believe it. I'm sorry, but any comparison (earlier reviews) to Tom Clancy, Grisham, Bruckheimer et al, is pure rubbish.The author's bio seems fascinating... while he didn't pull it off with this work of fiction, I'd bet that he could produce a much better autobiography.

Brings me back to my UPT days. Lewis should have more time elapsed for Lenny getting those tests, they don’t happen quite that fast! When is an OSI agent that dumb? Twelve people didn’t ace the test. Start with the evidence. Then they catch Jason with the goods but he has the worst test scores of the class, why not start with the top and make them the prime suspects? Lewis looses track of the fact that Jason is removed from training, and he has Matt call him in as DNIF? Really, when he’s removed from flying? Then we go on a wild ride and he gives Kathy Degato a case of the dumbs when she proves so smart. Just say “theirs a bomb in the limo”, which she finally does. Oh what a flip ending! 5

Full Disclaimer: I flew with the author from 94-96.When I first read the storyline for the book, I was skeptical that it could be a thriller. A thriller set in a training setting? Really? Knowing the author's operational experience, I wondered why he chose a training environment for the novel. Still, I was intrigued and purchased the book.I'm so very glad I did.I couldn't put it down. On a long flight, instead of sleeping (like I needed to do), I was glued to the book. Michael Lewis was able to weave Cold War memories into the book. His vision when he wrote it, make it even more relevant if you follow recent events by Russia in Europe (Hint: The Cold War is not dead).The characters in the book take on life -- a key for non-fiction. The faces, places, and timelines feel so real. As I read it, I could visualize it in my head. Lewis' first effort was a home run for me. Non-fiction is not normally my choice, but this was a great story told by a great storyteller. It felt so real.I can't wait for Lewis' next book. I hear there is one in the works. In the meantime, do yourself a favor and pick up "Surly Bonds."You will be glad you did.Christopher

Last week, I took to the airways and traveled to Europe/Central Asia. It was a neat trip, but to accomplish meant a lot of miles on an airplane. Those miles and hours afforded me the opportunity to crack open my copy of "Surly Bonds". I gotta tell you, 20 pages in and I was hooked. In fact, I read when I should have been sleeping and paid for it during my business meetings. I went to work immediately upon landing and tallied a 30-hour day and I was exhausted. The painful day one was worth it because the book and it's intriguing storyline had kept me thoroughly entertained, enthralled, and anxious to get back to my book! The many twists and turns constantly kept my attention. Michael Byars Lewis is certainly a gifted writer and I look forward with great anticipation to the release of his next book. Whether it's the next installment in Jason Conrad's adventures or a new start, I know Lewis will turn out a great book!

Being on a first name basis with a Facebook friend and fellow author I met at Killer Nashville, Mike told me because this was his first novel, so pay no mind to it being a little rough representative of his work.Didn't matter. I loved it. The man obviously knows a thing or two about flying, and does a great job weaving that knowledge into the story. He's obviously been on a scrap or two; also evident in the writing. But I love the character of Jason Conrad. Mainly, because he's so real. I know, I know...it's fiction. But great fiction. If you like airplanes, cocky pilots, Russian spies, and assassins, then this is a great way to start following this author!

I enjoyed reading this book. However, as it followed. Several different characters in different countries, sometimes it was difficult to keep track of who I was reading about.

This was a strange book that didn't know what to be about:SpyJetsCold WarOrganised crime?I finished it eventually as, as I wanted it to decide what to be... but I am not sure if it did.

For a first novel I thought it was excellent and enjoyed it very much. Lots of twists and turns with a surprise ending.