34 of 34 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Review for Rogue Threat, July 31, 2006
It is a rare occasion that I would purchase an action-thriller novel, much less spend time reading a selection from this genre. However, Rogue Threat captured my interest from the beginning, and I found myself spellbound for hours at a time. The author's style of writing allows the reader to enter the notorious and sadistic world of war and international conflict, while gaining a glimpse into the complexities grounded within an individual's political and personal agendas. Rocke takes you inside the minds of each character, allowing the reader to develop a deep sense of compassion or distrust for each. The author also provides the reader with an uncanny understanding and awareness of violent predators within the mist of our society through a series of twists and unimaginable dilemmas. Rogue Threat is a vital reading for those individuals whose quest is to understand the dynamics of the political, international arena. Because of his ability to captivate readers, I personally believe that we will be reading more of Rocke's work. If only he could materialize Matt...
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42 of 44 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Terrorist Novel Delivers a Knock Out Blow!, October 25, 2006
Rarely has one novel so captured my attention from the opening pages. Author Aiden Rocke delivers us a real knockout punch with his debut terrorist thriller "Rogue Threat". He does not wade through the pages but plows right ahead and into the story plot right from the beginning. His writing style is easy to follow and it is packed with adrenaline and action. It will be hard for the reader to put down once they start reading it.
The story deals with side issues such as brotherly love and revenge but the main plot makes 9-11 pale by comparison. We are talking some full scale mass destruction that is not so far fetched and that is what should scare the hell out of the readers. It is not such a fantasy plot as it appears. That realism makes the story plot move at greater speeds through the reader's brain and emotionally hook them into what is happening.
There is a mystery man whose life has been saved and who is programmed to kill a terrorist. He doesn't know who he is nor does he recall his past but his enemies know all too well. The author takes us along on his mission as we jump out of an airplane with him and begin our hunt for the "bad guys". There is enough action in this book for four novels and enough twists and turns to delight all fans of thriller novels. But the heart of the book is in the author's well developed characters. They are alive and feel like real people. His bad guys are really bad and the heroes are not perfect. However, you will find yourself rooting for Matt Garrett, our former CIA operative as he puts the pieces of the puzzle together and discovers a conspiracy.
The story is riveting entertainment at its best! One of the very best thriller novels I have read this year. The writer has talent and one can only speculate how great his next novels will be like; but this one is a must read book. It receives the MWSA's top book rating of FIVE STARS.
Posted on Book Review Pages Military Writer's Society of America
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25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good action story, bad weapons technology, April 27, 2007
The story turns on the fulcrum that America has lost its focus. 9/11 did not wake us up. A more drastic attack is required to wake up America. I agree. So does bin Laden, but for a different reason--his next goal is to kill ten million Americans. I am afraid such an attack has to succeed in order to wake us up.
The author uses an economic theory from Walt Rostow's The Economic Stages of Growth as its main theme. Interesting concept and used well by the author. Rostow's fifth stage is "High Mass Consumption"--secular spiritual stagnation. Again, I agree. America appears to be in the fifth stage.
A U.S. government official assisting the terrorist in order to wake up the country is an interesting concept, but not original. A bunch of kooks have already claimed the government imploded the twin towers. Another bunch of kooks is making a "documentary" about how the CIA(?) brought down Building 5. Such acquisitions must be true, because Rosie O'Donnell, a renowned world authority on these matters, has said so.
Rouge Threat is a good thriller in the genre of Tom Clancy's Op-Center, Power Plays or Splinter Cell series. It has an interesting plot, with several creative twists, and lots and lots of action. Like the protagonists in the above Clancy series, Matt Garrett is a superhuman hero, able to absorb huge amounts of punishment and keep on ticking.
U.S. World and New Report's review says the author is better than Tom Clancy; and that Rocke is a pseudonym for the real author: a member of the Army brass who has fought in Afghanistan. The latter may be true, but the author knows nothing about chemical and nuclear ordnance. Take everything in the book with a grain of salt. Sarin is GB nerve gas, not VX. One hundred pounds of explosive in a beer keg would destroy most of the agent when detonated. Low grade C-4? I have used a lot of C-4 and never found any to be low grade. C-4 is the best high energy explosive for everyday use, and it can take the impact of a .30 caliber rifle bullet without detonating.
My two novels provide accurate descriptions of weapons.
Rogue Threat is a good story, but the ending is predictable. Hero and girl save the world.
As an author, Aiden Rocke is comparable to Tom Clancy's spinoff series authored by: Steve Pieczenik, Martin Green, and David Michaels. Rouge Warrior compares favorably to books in their series--but not Tom Clancy.
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