SLEDGE VS. THE LABYRINTH

Debut author Horvath presents an action thriller about a mysterious and deadly organization.

Einarr “Sledge” Laukkanen has quite a resume: In addition to his ability to survive in a brutal Russian prison, where inmates were forced to fight to survive, he also played in the NBA for ten years. He now spends his days in a rugged part of Minnesota known as the Boundary Waters, working for the wealthy Maldonado. Sledge is devastating in a fight; he dislikes firearms, and his weapon of choice is a sledgehammer (of course, his fists work pretty well, too). His sometimes girlfriend, Kiira, is attacked; she’s a victim of an entity called the Labyrinth, which is something like a video game—with real people and real violence. Essentially, participants carry out assigned tasks such as kidnapping and murder for money. They’re paid in cryptocurrency via the dark web, and, when they succeed in their missions, they rise in rank. Those who fail are punished. But why would anyone target Kiira? While Sledge is able prevent Kiira from suffering further harm, he needs answers. The premise will capture readers’ interest early on: What kind of organization pays people to commit horrible crimes, and why do they do it in Minnesota? The book has plenty of action, with most confrontations leaving someone dead or grievously hurt. The story includes some fantastical elements that compromise some of the seriousness—for instance, Sledge can take down pretty much anyone he wants, and he even manages to knock out an armed guard by breaching a barricade bare-handed (“I have a hell of a punch. The fence wire exploded inward”). What chance do the bad guys have against such a foe? But there’s still a mystery to unravel alongside such silliness, and it’s one that will keep readers guessing until the very end.

An occasionally over-the-top, hyper-violent adventure that generates plenty of lasting intrigue.