The Mutant Files - Deadeye Paperback – 1 May 2015

Good book, just ordered the next one

Dietz never disappoints, well written, well paced and a great plot well developed characters. It's engaging and never bores you.

2 AND 1/2 STARSBesides the mutant angle, there was virtually NO sense that I was reading something nearly 50 years in the future. The guns were the same as in the present, technology was the same, vehicles were the same, even the clothing and interiors of location were the same. Dietz really dropped the ball here, because the world-building in this environment would have been amazing. Lee and Omo tracked their witnesses and crooks in mundane ways and things fell way too easily into their lap. Coincidence after coincidence occurs and our protagonists always seem to come out squeaky clean. Dietz even used the word "wild" to describe three different things on the same page. A good editor should have caught that. Even the romance felt forced with no real lead-up from Lee to even think she was interested. Here and there, the action scenes were decent, but pretty much everything should have been more exciting for the world that was described on the back of the book. I'm hesitant to read the next in the series, but I hear it gets much better. I guess I'll see.

First off I will admit I’m biased in this review because I’ve read many of Mr. Dietz’s books already and have enjoyed them.There have been some comments made about the “science” behind things. I’ve got three words for you: Alien Space Bats. (Google it) Some authors have made the conscious decision to leave the technical “why’s and wherefores’” out in order to concentrate on the story. Having been in both the military and law enforcement over 25 years in aggregate, sometimes the “cookie cutter” nature of Chiefs, supervisors etc. is exactly true.Now onto the story: I liked the ”Lone Wolf” aspect of Lee’s character and that she can be tough as nails but sensitive as well and still maintain her femininity. I also enjoyed the thinly veiled jabs at real life figures (ie. Chief Arapo = Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio). There’s a lot going on in th story to introduce and perhaps there was a lot of disparate elements seemingly shoe-horned in, but this is the first of a trilogy, so setting out the broad strokes of many areas I think is a good idea.Also, another reviewer mentioned it reminded him of “50’s era” writing… I think that’s a compliment rather than a criticism.I think this is an excellent “quick consumption” book for a light read. I’m looking forward to the next installment!

"Deadeye: Mutant Files" by William Dietz is a foray into a world that has several different themes/genres going on: police procedural, medical outbreak/aftermath, alternate history meets science fiction with some modern Old West (border towns, territories) thrown in for good measure.Dietz introduces these themes in glimpses and bypasses pulling an information dump on the reader as some authors might do. There's a lot this new book series has to offer and the author successfully gets you interested with this first installment while maintaining a quick flow to the book.Cassandra Lee is the protagonist; a detective who is at the top of her game and held down by the past - due to her own choices. I liked Lee for a number of different reasons, mainly the fact she could kick azz and take names and still maintained a human side.The actions scenes are quick and well handled, there isn't an unnecessary overkill/overflow of blood but you still get the general idea and manage to keep track of all the participants.I enjoyed "Mutant Files" and recommend this first book to anyone with an interest in police procedural mixed with science fiction that moves at a quick pace and doesn't bog down in chapters.