Review 16: 'White Tiger'

Before I start, can I just take a minute to gloat over the fact that Luke quote "loved" his last Challenge book? Thanks. Oh and bro, you're probably not up to it yet, but there's a new one coming out later in the year. More Jacky Faber adventures!

Anyway, White Tiger. I don't think I'd go straight to 'love', but I did enjoy this book. As Luke said, main character named Emma, strong female protagonist, what's not to, um, enjoy?

I did enjoy all the modern China stuff, which the author clearly knows about from personal experience, as well as the history. Cute little girl, kickarse sidekick dude, fight scenes with girls kicking butt, it had a lot of things I enjoy. It was easy to read, and moved along quite well, building up the bad guys at a nice pace. And who doesn't love a good training montage?

I have three issues with the book. The first is that I didn't realise the major battle was, you know, the major battle. I would have liked it a bit more spectacular and terrifying. The second was the way her friends kept calling her 'cold blooded'. Now I know (or at least assume) that this is to set up the reveal in one of the later books about her true nature, but come on, no-one says that! A simple, "Dude, that's cold," would have done exactly the same thing and sounded like something someone somewhere might actually have said. And finally, the fact that Emma and her insta-love boyfriend are constantly not having to say anything, they just know, words aren't needed - then stop using words to tell me words aren't needed.

Despite that final paragraph to the contrary, I did enjoy this book, and would read the sequels - if Luke could assure that Emma was not going to continue to annoy the ever-loving shit out of me.