Review - Grayson Ryder: A Thief's Thrill by M. L. Giles

Grayson Ryder is quite the bad boy. He is a pickpocket and a thief, although he only steals enough for him and his sister to get by. It’s not just a lack of job skills that keeps Grayson stealing. He enjoys the thrill and danger of it. When most of the world’s people are killed by a devastating disease, Grayson’s skills suddenly become very useful among the survivors. His ability to think quickly, size up a situation, and get in and out of places without being seen come in handy among the small groups of people trying to stay alive, but Grayson has always been a loner. That may change once Grayson meets Colton.

“Grayson Ryder: A Thief’s Thrill” is the start of a new series set in a post-apocalyptic world where a deadly outbreak has killed all but a few people and left the few survivors roaming the countryside trying to find food and shelter safe from other roving gangs, some of which are led by disturbed individuals. They’re also dealing with the trauma of seeing their loved ones die in a crazed frenzy.

Comparisons to the Mad Max movies are probably inevitable. Both stories take place in a post-apocalyptic world where the few remaining people struggle to survive. However, aside from a basic plot premise, the two stories have very little in common. Although there’s a darkness to the theme, there are many lighter moments, mostly provided by Grayson’s sarcastic wit.

The story is told entirely from Grayson’s point of view and he is quite an engaging character. He comes across as a real bad boy with a heart of gold, and a wicked tongue. His sense of humor is definitely a defensive mechanism, but he uses it to his advantage many times. All the survivors are suffering from some form of trauma from their experience of seeing friends and loved ones die in a killing frenzy. Some lose a grip on reality completely, and everyone wants answers about what happened. As a loner before the outbreak, Grayson is perhaps better prepared to survive the new world than most. But even he feels the need for human contact.

Colton is the man who makes Grayson reconsider his aversion to attachments. The two men aren’t attracted to each other at first, which is a refreshing change from the usual love-at-first-sight romance cliché. Even when things heat up between the two, it’s not your typical all-consuming affair. I got more of a good friends with benefits vibe from their relationship. It will be interesting to see where it goes in future installments of this series.

“Grayson Ryder: A Thief's Thrill” is available from Amazon (commissionable link).