Customer Reviews

Inside the Kill Box

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Set in the early 1990s during the first Gulf War and featuring a large cast of participants all over the globe, Inside the Kill Box involves suspected betrayal a decade earlier, mysterious well-funded assassins wreaking death and destruction, a Saddam Hussain turncoat to be extracted, and an assortment of military personnel and civilians of several nationalities thrown together in various military actions. Gunnery Sergeant David Sweet, a participant in most of the conflicts, provides continuity throughout.

Organized in short scenes which switch from venue to venue, the story does not invite speed reading, at least not to me. To derive the full effect one must carefully keep track of who is who and what is what. The technological aspects are covered thoroughly and convincingly, from the procedures to the speech to the specifics of the gadgetry. I must admit, knowing the exact model of an AK-47, or the particular modifications made to a Beretta automatic did not help me enjoy the story, but those who are attracted to military procedurals might feel differently. I was gratified, at least, that all the technology and machinery did not always perform perfectly. The "fog of war" was definitely a factor, and every mission did not always end satisfactorily. That in itself was convincing. In this respect, Inside the Kill Box is an improvement upon the Tom Clancy-type tale.

Nor are well-rounded characters typically characteristic of military procedurals. Sergeant Sweet is an individual, several cuts above a Rambo-like automaton, and several other characters were fairly interesting as well. The writing style and editing were impeccable. All in all, this is an enjoyable action story which should appeal to a large readership.

Dr. Al Past is the author of the four Distant Cousin novels, a popular adventure/romance/sci-fi series, contributed the photographs for Barry Yelton's OnWings of Gentle Power, the author of a book of treble clef duets from Charles Colin, a reviewer for PODBRAM, and a member of the Independent Authors Guild. He lives on a ranch in south Texas.

I often find myself reading part of a book, losing interest and never going back. Not the case with Inside the Kill Box. It started fast and kept me engaged.

It combines an engaging story line with realistic and occasionally flawed characters, quick flow from event to event without seeming choppy, and covers plenty of technical detail without bogging down the story.

After thoroughly enjoying the story, I have recommended it to several friends, and look forward to Mr. Romanowski's next effort.

While I don't normally read military novels, Mr. Romanowski did a wonderful job with this one. It has a lot of details that would normally only be known to someone who has working knowledge of firearms and heavy ordinance, and in this aspect I felt a little bogged down while reading it. But at the same time, I can appreciate the author's attention to detail. If you're looking for a quick and entertaining read, or someone who enjoys this genre, I highly recommend this book. We're waiting for the sequel, Mike!