Hydra's Ring

Good story line as all the Outlanders and deathlands Book series. I have a large collection of both and enjoy reading them and will continue to collect and read.

Hydra's Ring is a great action adventure story set in the future, but it deals with the archelogical relics of ancient China! All the characters were interesting and the plot moved very fast, full of action and interesting places and details. Very pleased with this book!

This was my first James Axler book. Hydra's Ring was an engrossing, page-turning read. I love the mix of ancient history and mythology in this book. Fast-paced, great characters, rich background. Don't miss this one! It has it all -- action, suspense, exotic background,superb characters that are unforgettable. I can't wait to go discover all the other Outlanders books that Mark Ellis/James Axler created!

It always seems that I'm pretty much the last person to get the latest issue of Outlanders and read it. I guess maybe I should subscribe to Gold Eagle's reader service, but honestly, why bother when other than Rogue Angel, I don't read any of the titles offered by the company? I digress - I have stated before in a previous review that Outlanders follows a set formula, one that should be followed by each and every author who is either contributing or wishes to contribute to this long running series. It should include an exotic location, beautiful, intelligent women, an ancient and mystical artifact and serious conflict. It shouldn't include poorly written characters, un-researched locations or technology, rehashed characters from long dead series or even un-needed sex scenes. Of course, with Hydra's Ring, you have the former, not the latter. One of the most refreshing aspects of the novel was the distinct lack of retelling of many facts and tidbits of information that we've had to skip over for several years now. Although not earth shattering as some of the previous novels have been such as Children of the Serpent, it was still an entertaining read. An old enemy introduced way back in Wreath of Fire has made a re-appearance, and a secret he's been hiding for is revealed. Erica van Sloan also plays a pivotal role in this novel, showing the reader a side of her that few suspected existed. Lakesh's character has to deal with the consequences of his actions, and he actually manages to shine on a mission with Kane, Grant and Brigid. As usual, location plays a key factor in the novel, being set in China along the Yangtze River. Several historical locations are visited with surprising results, not to mention bloodshed. Of course ancient Annunaki technology plays a pivotal role in the novel as many of the readers have come to expect over the years. Five out of Five.

Hydra's Ring is yet another great entry in the long-running Outlanders series by Mark Ellis, filled with exotic, colorful and fascinating characters and concepts. The historical material about ancient China and the legends of Huang-di, the Yellow Emperor was a solid base on which to build this epic adventure. I have always enjoyed the way Mark Ellis weaves mythology and archeology in with science-fiction. The adversaries are epic in scope as well, from the villainous and apparentally immortal Wei Qiang (only one of his many names throughout history) to the cringing Werner Musgrave of the Millennial Consortium to Chinese river pirates. It was interesting to have Erica van Sloan return and as usual with a character created by Mark Ellis, she has a lot of different dimensions to her. As Tui Chui Jian, the Dragon Mother, she is seductive and ruthless but still admirable, which even Lakesh has to admit. But having all the Cerberus warriors back, written as they should be written, with intelligence and humor, was what made this book a completely satisfying reading experience for me. The interaction and dialogue among them was witty and sharp and sometimes very funny. It was a nice touch to have Lakesh go out into the field this time around, too. Hydra's Ring is another solid book in the Outlanders series and I still look forward to reading the novels (those written by Mark Ellis), even after all these years.