Assessment:

Plot: The paint-by-numbers patina of Valletta's narrative might well be a comfort to fans of military thrillers, but the novel's ungainly mix of murders most foul and high-tech terrorism makes for an occasionally sluggish read.

Prose/Style: The writing style meanders among stilted, implausible, wordy, and occasionally confusing; in addition, the story's pace is slowed considerably by technological information dumps--far too much detail is offered about military hardware for the average reader.

Originality: The author's attempt at a one-man-saves-the-world storyline breaks little new ground, and one intriguing element--a military conflict toppling the North Korean government--is glossed over to the novel's detriment. 

Character Development: As a savior figure, Danny Gallaher is sadly two-dimensional, and many of the story's characters are fairly generic types, with little development beyond their stereotypical military roles.

Date Submitted: August 07, 2019