Eyes of Payne - Anthony D. Flores

In Anthony D. Flores' short story, Eyes of Payne, we meet Jack Payne, an 11th grade teacher and former CIA agent who starts the morning of September 11, 2001 blissfully unaware of the terrorist attacks happening far from his life in Los Angeles. Once the news is broken to him, he flees home in search of the details of his wife's flight from Boston, only to discover Catherine was on United Airlines flight 175, the second plane to hit the World Trade Center. Almost concurrently, other details unrelated to the tragedy emerge, and Jack discovers his marriage wasn't as unblemished as he'd thought it was. Following another foiled attack, which Jack plays a heavy hand in resolving, and torn between his new life as a single father to daughter Abigail, and a persistent, internal call for revenge, Jack is forced to make a decision about which path to take.

Eyes of Payne is fast paced and moves quickly from one action to the next. With a short story, we rarely see so much vigor packed into such a tight time frame. This pacing will definitely appeal to readers who appreciate movement and energetic storytelling, but may not tick all the boxes for those who prefer a more measured stride and an opportunity to be engrossed in layered storytelling. If you fall into the latter category, you might be better suited towards Anthony D. Flores' full length novel, Lazarus Rising, to which Eyes of Payne is the prequel.

Flores is a skilled writer with a marked talent for animated narrative and alternating conflict. With a dedication to George W. Bush kicking this story off, I would recommend Eyes of Payne to readers who are searching for a fast read to fulfill any cravings for patriotic action and bravado, because you will certainly find it here—lined with a high-speed adrenaline rush that will likely ensue for some time after you set the book down.

FOUR STARS

Amazon Links: Eyes of Payne (reviewed prequel) and Lazarus Rising


This post contains an affiliate link, which means that if you click on the Amazon link and buy the book, I may receive a commission.

A complementary copy of this book was provided on a read-to-review basis for an honest opinion, which this is. Thank you to John Galt Publishing and Sage's Blog Tours.