The Saskia Brandt Omnibus

Grab your coffee, this is a long one. I haven't read a trilogy this engrossing in a long time. The trilogy encompasses three books, DEJA VU, FLASHBACK, and THE AMBER ROOMS. The stories were well-written, action packed and I was a bit sorry when they came to an end.

The Saskia Brandt Omnibus by Ian Hocking

Dr. Ian Hocking brings a refreshing aspect to time travel. The books are an embodiment of the terminology "technothriller". Though the Saskia Brandt Omnibus may be placed under the sci-fi category, it is most definitely in a class of it's own. I most enjoyed the fact that being a "sci-fi" book, the entire story stayed rooted on planet Earth. These three books are an obvious culmination of the time and study the author dedicated to the idea of travelling through time and addressing well-known historical data.

In DEJA VU we meet Saskia Brandt, an investigator who doesn't realize that her own actions are being dictated by someone or something else. She is in the midst of investigating David Proctor, who is accused of bombing a British facility in 2003, but he has no recollection of the incident. Proctor's genius daughter invents something that changes the course of everyone's lives. In the meantime, as Saskia finds her secretary killed at the office, she realizes that she is being hunted.

Then we smash into FLASHBACK, this is where the magic happens. As we delve into the realm of time-travel, and face human turmoil, we jump between continents and several various points in time. Saskia's character takes a bit of a backseat as the author demonstrates an intricate web of peril and outright exposure. We meet some of the characters from DEJA VU, but there are new intriguing faces that come into play. Dr. Hocking's cunning story development and quick-witted repartee made this book an absolute page turner.

And lastly, THE AMBER ROOMS. The author's vast researching skills are evident in this last book of the series. This book brings together some of the gaps from the other two books. I quite enjoyed the interesting facts about pre-revolutionary Russia placed into the story. Saskia Brandt is transported back to the last crumbling days of Tsarist Russia. Unlike the other two predecessors, this book only relies on technology to supplement the story, not to make it the main attention grabber.

The characters are well developed and brilliantly brought together. I commend Dr. Hocking for keeping the characters human. They are not above dying, feeling turmoil, or being physically and mentally injured. No one gets off unscathed. 

You can read these books independently and still find a gripping story to follow. I must admit, I finished this series in record time. I had a hard time putting it down. It's a wonder why Dr. Hocking had to self-publish these books. I would recommend this book for anyone looking for a consuming, techno-induced tale of adventure, terrorism, counter-espionage and the human condition.