The Devil's Footprint
by Victor O'Reilly
Review by Sean Doorly
ATTENTION ALL HOLLYWOOD PRODUCERS!
Are you looking for a new blockbuster series for your studio?
Look at what James Bond and Jack Ryan have done for their respective studios.
Do I have a new "sure-fire" hit series for you -- Victor O'Reilly's Hugo Fitzduane series. ("Games of the Hangman," "Rules of the Hunt," and the newest: "The Devil's Footprint.")
I picked up Victor O'Reilly's second book, "Rules of the Hunt" in a used bookstore a few years ago. I had never heard of him. I read the book jacket -- it told the story of an Irish ex-soldier and war photographer who was involved in international terrorism and was now the target of revenge. I was intrigued.
I am not a fan of political or economic thrillers -- I'm more of "get to the action" kind of guy. O'Reilly certainly knows how to write action scenes. He pulls out all the punches and laces the action with cool, but real, gadgets.
I read "Rules" in one night. And unlike some of the other techno-thriller writers O'Reilly gets to the action early and often. Once I finished "Rules" I had to read the first book that sets up all the action. I went back to the same used bookstore and found "Games of the Hangman." I devoured that book in one night also.
His books are not all blood and guts -- there is a surprising heart beating beneath the pages of carnage. Hugo is a loving husband and father. One quirky detail is about Hugo and his son, Boots, loving to take baths with a yellow rubber duckie -- as Hugo says, "the only civilized way to take a bath."
Hugo is also a reluctant hero. He is a deadly killer but derives no pleasure from it -- he only kills to protect himself and his family.
O'Reilly's newest book "The Devil's Footprint" continues the story that began with "Games of the Hangman." In "Games," Hugo discovers a boy hanging from a tree on his ancestral island home in Ireland. Curiosity gets the better of Hugo. So he investigates why this boy was killed. Hugo finds out that a sadistic international terrorist is involved -- The Hangman. The Hangman is not too happy about Hugo's meddling.
In his second book, "Rules of the Hunt," Hugo is the target of revenge for killing the Hangman. The action is primarily staged in Japan where Hugo meets a few of his regular companions and his soon-to-be wife Kathleen. "Rules" also introduces Reiko Oshima, a ruthless terrorist and former lover of the Hangman. She is quite upset about the Hangman's death and so she hunts Hugo and his family down. Hugo fights back with overwhelming force with the help of his friends in the Irish Rangers. Oshima is seemingly killed at the end of "Rules."
But we all know you can't keep a good villain down.
Which bring us to O'Reilly's latest, "The Devil's Footprint." OSHIMA is back with a vengeance. She wants Hugo's head at any cost so she kidnaps his wife Kathleen and holds her hostage in a impenetrable fortress in Mexico. I know you are saying hokey...but O'Reilly pulls it off with a combination of technical detail and page turning action. Especially the assault on the fortress using Fast Attack vehicles called Guntracks. The whole time I am reading the siege scenes I am saying to myself "if this was done right this could be a HUGE movie." And when I say done right, I mean a decent budget, O'Reilly's direct involvement, and no Charlie Sheen -- sorry Charlie; you are the kiss of death to action movies.
OK, I did have one problem with "The Devil's Footprint" -- the whole damsel in distress storyline. I usually don't like these types of stories. I understand Hugo is the hero but maybe in the next one his wife, Kathleen, can kick some butt. Look at Sigourney Weaver in "Aliens" and Linda Hamilton in the "Terminator." It can be done.
So, all you movie producers, start with "Games of the Hangman" and proceed from there. You have a built in trilogy already -- with more on the way. ("Satan's Smile" is next.)
And if you like his novels, contact Victor O'Reilly at voreilly@iol.ie.
Tell him Sean from The Book Report got you hooked on Hugo.