The Art of War
By Stephen Coonts
Release Date: February 2, 3016
Ebook Available from WV Reads!
2.5 Stars - A really good novel that could have been great with a bit tighter plot. Grafton and his counterpart Carmellini are in the thick of things again but this isn't their most impressive outing. Lots of well-liked returning characters add a fun flair to this nonstop action thriller.
While this is a Jake Grafton book, it's mostly a Tommy Carmellini one. I have to applaud Coonts for managing to continue writing about a beloved action hero without making him logically seventy years old and still whipping terrorists all over the globe. This is always my go-to example of how a thriller series can utilize a mentor/protege relationship to keep readers coming back. It's fun to see characters from Grafton's world and his beloved wife Callie. But we also have Tommy who is a really fun hero. I love the switch to his first person POV. He's funny but not goofy, perfectly able to adapt to his situation. And he's not just a tough guy. He's more of an everyday man with an edge. Oh, and he used to be a thief *smirks*.
This felt like a bit of a slow starter but things certainly kick up. I came to this entry after a six years gap in reading the series. I know, yikes! Needless to say, it wasn't like picking up where I left off. Tommy and Jake's histories lend themselves just fine for popping into their stories. But there's so many side characters. Like, I did remember Sarah but not Ana. And the side stories and personalities don't all get a lot of recap. The villians get a lot of page time here, but at least they're interesting too. A lot of readers dislike Coonts' for his sometimes heavy handed political talk. But I didn't think this one had much, just the general D.C. security agency mumbo-jumbo. I'll say the plot can be hard to follow. It's not as simply constructed as perhaps a Clancy espionage style mission or conundrum. At some points, I wondered what was even happening. But it was really entertaining. I'll admit I knocked off like whole star because of the craziness in the middle. It was not needed and felt completely out of place in the story. Coonts' ideas of escalating things had me rolling my eyes. Overall though, an action packed ride here from a fun series.
(NS)
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