From Publishers Weekly
Betrayal among friends and enemies is the tie that binds in Stroud's latest standout novel of terrorism and international intrigue. When Sen. Drew Langan is given a classified tip that al-Qaeda is planning a bombing in Iligan City, the Philippines, where the United Nations is conducting a peacekeeping mission, he dismisses the communication as having little to do with him. Back at home, a little late-night Web surfing and an attempt on his life convinces Drew that maybe he should be paying more attention. At the same time, his estranged son, Cole, is embarking on a covert CIA mission just north of Iligan City. Cole is under no illusions as to the nature of the conflict he's stepping into: "What was actually happening here was obvious to anyone with a functioning cortex: Iligan City was the yawning iron gate of yet another United Nations feel-good rat-fuck fiasco, a doomed-from-the-get-go cub-scout jamboree that was slowly but inexorably sinking into the blood-drenched malarial swamps of Southeast Asia." Stroud (Close Pursuit; Cuba Strait; etc.) switches between Drew's investigation and Cole's jungle adventure, heightening the tension as the two men fight for their lives on two very different battlefields. The military scenes in the jungle are superb and the stateside political intrigue suspenseful and absolutely believable. The prose is sharp, funny, exciting and bloody. This is a solid, top-shelf performance from a quality writer who never fails to deliver.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
In a hotel bar, U.S. Senator Drew Langan is handed top-secret documents with sketchy information about al-Qaeda activity in the Philippines, and before the night is over, he is stalked by an intruder who brings a knife to a gunfight. Meanwhile, his prodigal son, Cole, is sweltering on Mindanao, preparing his crack team of "repairmen" for a dicey infiltration under the noses of terrorists and UN peacekeepers, with the objective to fix some broken NSA surveillance equipment. It's a jungle out there, and father and son are both in for some nasty surprises before this juggernaut comes to rest. The action advances swiftly on all fronts, tropical greenery splashed with red as our scrappy band of covert warriors is lured into combat, while high-level intrigue seethes through the corridors of power back home. With sinuous plotting, you-are-there description, smart-ass dialogue, and a hard-boiled tone, this top-notch international thriller is a cut above most of Stroud's more popular competition. Staunchly recommended for action junkies. David Wright
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
