Jack's Run is the sequel to Zach's Lie, by Roland Smith. While it was a fast-paced and enjoyable action story, it didn't quite measure up to its predecessor, mainly due to some extremely implausible situations.
In Jack's Run, the Osborne family has been reunited in North Carolina after their escape from Elko. Joanne has graduated from high school, and moved to Los Angeles to attend UCLA and pursue a career in show business. Jack's parents want him to be safe during the trial of drug kingpin Alonzo Aznar, so they send him to stay with his sister in LA. However, as soon as Joanne settles in LA, she enters an American Idol-like competition and her face makes it onto national TV. Aznar sends his people to kidnap Joanne and Jack and take them to Argentina, with the threat that they will be killed if their father testifies in his trial.
After this, Neil Osborne decides to go rescue his kids. He ends up bringing his wife, a friend of his from the Navy, and Sam Sebesta, the mysterious ex-KGB agent custodian from Elko. They gather up the supplies they need and plan a trip to Aznar's Argentinian compound to save the kids. Meanwhile, the kids try to escape so they can save themselves.
Jack's Run was full of action and suspense, which kept it moving. However, some parts seemed beyond belief. For example, Aznar, the drug kingpin, was able to live an Al Capone-like lifestyle behind bars, obtaining technology necessary to continue running his empire. And his brother, Raphael, was over-the-top stupid, housing an 18-year-old and a 14-year-old in a room with tools they could use to escape. Sam Sebesta's solution for dealing with the Aznar brothers also seemed somewhat implausible, with a remotely triggered heart attack that can be activated at any time. Even so, this novel was fun to read, and I would recommend it for kids.
Rating: ****
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