The Second Life of Nick Mason

I really wanted to like this book. I thoroughly enjoyed the Lock Atist, and have read all of the McKnight novels. The Lock Artist had a vaguely similar character but you liked him even if he was a thief. I just couldn't like Nick Mason. Flawed characters are great, They arethe bedrock of the best crime fiction. But Nick Mason isn't flawed, he is totally self-absorbed to the point of psychosis. Even that would be acceptable, Richard Starks Parker series was based on a character with no remorse and no real redeemable features. The problem with this book is it tries to make you like Nick Mason or empathize with him. That wasn't possible for me. Coupled with that, much of the story seemed totally implausible or unprofessional for an experienced thief. Still, I give the book four stars. And you're probably wondering why. The book is incredibly well written, as all of Hamilton's books are, there is plenty of action and very well-drawn characters. I just didn't like any of those characters. So I would say this because a very good read, but Nick Mason is not a character I want to read more about.

From New York Times-bestselling, two-time Edgar-award-winning author Steve Hamilton comes an unforgettable new hero, a man who will walk out of prison and into a harrowing double life that is anything but free.Nick Mason has already spent five years inside a maximum security prison when an offer comes that will grant his release twenty years early. He accepts -- but the deal comes with a terrible price.Now, back on the streets, Nick Mason has a new house, a new car, money to burn, and a beautiful roommate. He's returned to society, but he's still a prisoner. Whenever his cell phone rings, day or night, Nick must answer it and follow whatever order he is given. It's the deal he made with Darius Cole, a criminal mastermind serving a double-life term who runs an empire from his prison cell.Forced to commit increasingly more dangerous crimes, hunted by the relentless detective who put him behind bars, and desperate to go straight and rebuild his life with his daughter and ex-wife, Nick will ultimately have to risk everything—his family, his sanity, and even his life—to finally break free. Highly recommended.

I've been a big fan of Steve Hamilton's Alex McKnight series ever since my wife bought me a hardcover copy of 'A Cold Day in Paradise' and told me 'Here's a new writer, you might like him.' It's been almost 20 years and the book is in tatters now, but I pull it out every now and then and re-read it - it's that good. As are most of the rest of that series. I haven't particularly liked his forays beyond Michigan's Upper Peninsula, however. I really enjoyed 'The Lock Artist', but could barely get through 'Night Work'. Sadly the same goes for Second Life. If you're a fan of hard-boiled, extremely fast- paced Chicagoland gangbangers & dirty cops story, this is for you. If you prefer something more nuanced and with a touch of humor, you might not find this a satisfying read. With any luck Alex and his Yooper buddies will show up again in a few years.

What starts as an interesting premise falls flat fairly soon. Unlike other reviewers, I didn't mind the anti-hero approach. What bothered me more was how little I cared about him. I could never really find anything intriguing or all that interesting about him. He - and to some extent all the characters - felt too trite, like a textbook definition of what their particular role should be. The story itself felt the same. As if Hamilton took jigsaw pieces from different cliched storylines and pasted them together. I like most of Hamilton's work, so perhaps I'm unduly harsh about this one, but I've come to expect better overall work from him.

I love Steve Hamilton's books - usually. As always, the writing is stellar and the story flows. That's why I finally settled on a three-star rating. My problem is that I just had a hard time liking Nick Mason. At times, Nick is sympathetic, and just when I thought he was going to make (to me) the right decision, he doesn't. To thoroughly enjoy a book I need to relate to the characters and I need for those characters to have a moral code. Nick may has one, but not one I like.

I'm of a mixed-mind about this book. I am a reader of Hamilton, haven't missed a book that I'm aware of and still believe "The Lock Artist" is one of the most inventive books I've read in recent years, but I was "thrilled," "enthralled" or "turned on" but this book. It is well done--Hamilton is good writer and knows how to write a good book. This writing is good, the characters are well-drawn, the plotting is expert, but I just wasn't captured by the story, the environment or the ideas. I realize that I am in a minority on this, and it will stop me from reading the next Hamilton book, but this is not my favorite of his works. 'Nuff said? If you like good crime thrillers, if you like Steve Hamilton, buy it and read it.

Steve Hamilton has combined two of the more interesting ideas: the hardboiled, good-guy character with that of the criminal. Traditionally, in these types of stories, the ex-con is wrongfully convicted, but with Nick Mason that is not the case. Hamilton has created his own knight errant doing bad things for the right reasons. I enjoy reading about men who battle with moral decisions that could damn them, but save the people they care about. I like the morally ambiguous moments. If you are a fan of Hammett or Chandler then you are comfortable with stories where there is no judgement from the character/author. The protagonists go about their day doing their jobs. They have their own code that guides them; and there is no interjecting of consequences, either moral or legal. Those decisions are left to the reader to think about. Nick Mason is a man who struggles, and as I have entered by fifth decade of life, I can relate. Not having all the answers is part of living an interesting existence.

Hmm... it's a good way to start a new series, I guess. I'm already all in on Steve Hamilton so this was fine and fun for me. If I was encountering him for the first time, I'm not sure I would have enjoyed this quite as much. Also "Nick Mason" is about the worst name for a convict turned samurai assassin that I can think of. It's bland, bland, bland.There are some great set pieces and some weird bits left hanging. The speed with which Mason becomes a ruthless killer in order to ensure he can see his wife and child combined with the speed with which he gives them up and starts a relationship with another civilian is all a bit daft, but I'm nitpicking. Perfectly acceptable read for lazing on the couch.

Die Geschichte um Nick Mason ist zweigeteilt: Während er in der Gegenwart versucht, mit seinem neuen Leben in Freiheit und den zugehörigen Aufgaben zurechtzukommen, holen ihn immer wieder die Ereignisse der Vergangenheit ein. Nach und nach erhielt ich dadurch einen Einblick in das, was vor 5 Jahren geschah. Dieser Teil war, insbesondere durch die Bruchstücke, die ich immer nur erhielt, sehr spannend.Die Handlung in der Gegenwart dagegen konnte mich mal mehr, mal weniger packen, auch wenn sie inhaltlich gut wiedergibt, wie Masons Alltag nun aussieht. Mir war es stellenweise einfach zu viel tristes Herumlaufen, Beobachten und Planen, um richtig spannend zu sein.Als Protagonist hat mir Nick Mason vor allem in der ersten Hälfte des Buches sehr gut gefallen. Er erscheint menschlich und glaubwürdig. Immer wieder reflektiert er seine Vergangenheit und was die Ereignisse mit seinem Leben gemacht haben, was ihn mir noch einmal näher brachte. Während seiner früheren Aktionen hat er sich eine Reihe von Regeln erarbeitet, nach denen er lebt, und festgelegt, welche Jobs er macht und was er niemals machen will. Bis hierhin alles super.Und dann kamen Coles Jobs ... Zuerst ist Mason noch reflektierend und hadert mit seinen Aufgaben. Kurz darauf ist davon nur noch wenig zu spüren. Dafür, dass er manches nie machen wollte, nimmt er das alles erstaunlich gelassen. Einen Mann, der mit seinem neuen Leben kämpft, habe ich mir irgendwie anders vorgestellt. Gegen Ende findet er seine anfängliche Charakterstärke zwar größtenteils wieder. Ein fader Nachgeschmack und Zweifel an Masons Charakter bleiben bei mir trotzdem.Apropos verlieren und wiederfinden ... Kann es sein, dass eine der Nebenfiguren zwischendurch mal vollkommen vergessen wird? Nach einem ersten Kennenlernen war Mason von ihr reichlich angetan. Über viele Seiten ist dann gar keine Rede mehr von ihr, bis sie plötzlich wieder auftaucht. Ich kann ja verstehen, dass Masons neues Leben belastend ist, aber wenn ich von jemandem so angetan bin wie er, würde ich zumindest mal an denjenigen denken.Abgesehen davon haben mir die Nebenfiguren allesamt gut gefallen und waren überzeugend. Vergessen wurde glücklicherweise ansonsten auch niemand mehr.[Spoiler!]Was ich mit dem Ende anfangen soll, weiß ich nicht so recht. Werden im Großteil des Buches ganze Tage und lange Gedankengänge beschrieben, reihen sich im Epilog plötzlich mehrere Zeitsprünge aneinander. Kurze Szenen folgen aufeinander und erzählen knapp, wie es mit Mason weitergeht. Für einen Einzelband hätte das noch okay sein können, auch wenn der Stilwechsel irritiert. Für den ersten Band einer Reihe dagegen finde ich es komplett unpassend. Das Ende scheint final, auch wenn nicht alles geklärt ist. Einen Übergang zu Band zwei stelle ich mir anders vor.[Spoiler Ende.]FAZIT"The Second Life of Nick Mason" lässt mich zwiegespalten zurück. Das Buch hat eindeutig Potential und wäre Mason konstanter in seiner Entwicklung, hätte es mir sicher noch besser gefallen. So allerdings bin ich mir aktuell nicht sicher, ob ich den zweiten Band lesen möchte.Insgesamt war das Buch okay, mehr aber leider auch nicht.

Good book. wish I read it before the resr of the series.

Exciting plot, interesting characters and lots of action in between. This is the first book I have read by this author but I intend to read more.

Excellent story teller. I will definitely read the next book. Good plot and characters. Easy reading and I just could not put the book down.