The Boy from Reactor 4 by Orest Stelmach

10Dec. Kindle.

I read this on my actual Kindle and the Anne book on my computer. And I couldn't sleep last night, so I sat up and read most of the night. Except during holidays, I seldom finish two in one day. My bathroom book is generally slower going.

This was one of the "100 books under 3.99" last month. It looked interesting, so I bought it and the sequel. Since book one ended with a total cliff-hanger, a practice which I find quite annoying, I haven't decided yet whether or not to go on to book two.

The general setting was a little different. I have read books with multi-lingual characters, but Nadia's collection of languages includes English, Ukrainian, and Russian. The heroine is a Ukrainian-American and she travels through Ukraine and Russia and Siberia with considerable focus on Chernobyl to rescue her nephew and ten million dollars (no discussion of how she is going to pack up and carry that much currency) or a secret formula which has the potential to change the political dynamics of the entire world. We also have the Ukrainian mafia following her to get the money (or the secret). These are extremely unpleasant folks. Surprised? The favorite toy of one of them is his cattle prod which goes with him everywhere and which he uses frequently. I'm not sure how he got it from the US into Ukraine - connections I think.

The book seemed to be one interminable chase. The bads are right behind Nadia Tesla (cool last name, at least to us tech nerds) from the time she gets the message from her uncle until they seem to have done each other in. The chase by train across the steppes of central Asia seemed to go on forever, of course, I suppose the Trans-Siberian Railway does just about go on forever.

I didn't have any trouble continuing to read, but I'm not sure I really enjoyed it. The problem may have been that it was depressing - and I was feeling pretty depressed without its assistance. I am putting the second book on hold for a while, however, maybe come spring break or summer I'll be ready for some cold reading.