Novel Review: Prodigal Avenger: A Story of the Secret War in Afghanistan by Tim Monynihan

 I reviewed this novel on 17/02/19 in another blog, now defunct. 

Prodigal Avenger: A Story of the Secret War in Afghanistan

 

A Covert Rescue Mission No One Expects to Succeed--Who will survive?

 

Special operator and "nice Jewish kid from Hawaii," Jake "Snake" Drecker, is intent on a mission across borders to eliminate a brutal terrorist cell. That they may or may not also be holding an American missionary hostage is unclear. The intelligence is sketchy, the objectives vague, and the chance of success slim. Jake's boss and old friend, Lieutenant Colonel Mike "Pancho" Sanchez, wonders at the mysterious motivation behind his best soldier's decisions--and about an equally mysterious rogue military unit that shows up at the worst moments to insert itself into their operations. That the CIA seems willing to sacrifice both Drecker's team and the hostage only adds to the mystery, forcing Pancho to dig deep to discover the truth behind the missionary's past. And time is running out as Drecker drags his team on a quixotic rescue operation into the very belly of the beast--a mission Drecker and Pancho both know they cannot survive unscathed.

 

Perspective by Peter:

When I first read No Greater Love: An Afghan Memoir, I was very impressed with this novella. This novella launched Moynihan as a newly published author. You would never know from reading this novel.

Now he has returned with his new novel, Prodigal Avenger. I am so glad to see this as a full-length novel. He has more than shown he can write a full-length novel. And it has not affected his writing style or any aspect of his ability to tell a story. To me, it appears he has come into his own with the length of this one.

Moynihan designed both novels as standalone. But, if you want to read them to enjoy the connection to the characters and the military world Moynihan has created, Prodigal Avenger needs to be read first followed by No Greater Love.

It was great to welcome back Lieutenant Colonel Mike "Pancho" Sanchez from No Greater Love. I had a soft spot for him from that novel, so was looking forward to seeing what lay in store for him in this new one. I was not disappointed. Moynihan has developed him further in this novel. Here we see more of the depth of his personality and character but also of his faith and relationship with Christ. But, we also see more of his military expertise that was not so evident in No Greater Love. And guess what? In both novels, I kept thinking that what I was seeing was Sanchez being modelled after the author and based on his military experiences! Not only that, but I kept seeing him as a Pastor figure! Sanchez hollers from Hawaii and the author has lived and planted a church in Honolulu. From a conversation with the author, he has confirmed that he has based Sanchez on parts of himself! Moynihan is also a Pastor. This is what makes this novel so real and relatable; real faith, believable characters, the military environment depicted as it is. And a touch of the supernatural! What better platform to depict all this than from the author's experience! Sometimes, writing based on what you know can be an author's greatest asset! In this novel and the previous one, it is that and more.

I loved the two brothers in No Greater Love, Danny and Zach Taylor, and Sanchez's relationship/mentoring of them. And Prodigal Avenger continues wiht this mentoring with a new character, Jake Drecker, who is an old friend of Sanchez'. Moynihan is on a winner with this character. He is a man's man, an action figure who has a depth of character like Sanchez, loyalty and is very patriotic. What you see is what you get. But where Sanchez stands apart from Jake is that he has faith and a relationship with the living Christ and Jake does not (well, not yet, anyway!). Both have integrity in all they do as a reflection of their character. Yet, Sanchez's has the added quality of being submitted to the Spirit and His transforming power of our heart, mind and soul.

I have already stated that Moynihan has based both novels on his faith, military experience and expertise. The same can be said for the spiritual elements of this novel. Moynihan has depicted Sanchez with how he had responded to the spiritual issues being a Christian in the military as he experienced them. His reactions to all aspects of the mission in front of them also showed his Pastor's heart is a strong basis for this. I find this impressive and it this that makes this novel shine with the others that I have already stated. Depicting Sanchez offering up heartfelt prayer supplication and requests for Divine guidance was encouraging and uplifting to my faith. I dislike the practice of Christian readers criticising authors for including actual prayers. Yet they applaud the author for depicting every other spiritual aspect as it is. Why not the prayer then? That is how it is and what Christians need to do. It also is a powerful witness to any unbeliever who may be reading the novel. I applaud Moynihan for not compromising on this and depicting as it is and being true to what the Spirit has guided him to do in his novels.

Moynihan depicts realistically the Christlike attitude and behaviour of Isidore Loewenthal and what it is like to suffer for Christ based on his faith and these characteristics. Yet, Loewenthal was persecuted in this novel for not being a Christian but being a Jew. It was this hatred for Jews that motivated his kidnapping and proposed execution. The plotline that showed him witnessing to Ali being a Muslim was heartfelt, impressive and Spirit led. From that discussion I mentioned having with the author, it is obvious that this is an example of the author's experience ministering to Muslims in his time in the military and mission trips to Pakistan and around the world since leaving the military. Again, it uplifted my spirit and faith but also challenged me!

This aforementioned plot line is an interesting and compelling one. I was taken by how Moynihan developed this. I was tense throughout the entire account of Ali being conflicted in his outward behaviour as a Muslim while trying to hide the joy and peace he experienced inwardly as a new Christian! The reasons why he had to do this evoked in me this tension. I understood his dilemma, if he was found out, he would be killed or even tortured beforehand. I was horrified when he then betrayed Loewenthal leading to his capture and torture! I wondered why he did this. Yet again, this is the dilemma Muslims who become Christian have to face against the Muslim world they now feel spiritually freed from but still physically bound to. But Moynihan showed the Christian response (based on Christ response to similar in the Bible) by Loewenthal responding with understanding compassion and love towards Ali! That is a sobering question to Christians and a real test of our faith and relationship with Christ. It was this very attitude and behaviour that was such a powerful witness to Jake when he was captured and tortured. And it was this that also helped Jake comes to terms with the relationship with his past and his father. It also encouraged him to consider the spiritual implications of this witness.

Speaking of this character, Moynihan has left it open for a sequel as the reader wonders at the end of the novel, what happens to Jake? Does he go on to other missions, what does he do with the spiritual input and witness from his wife, Sanchez, Loewenthal and the mystery and a coded message he receives while in hospital? Supernatural involvement? The question of this message and who sent it, I pray is explained in a future novel. Besides this, Moynihan had developed this character to be so relational that you are rooting for him throughout the novel. Like Sanchez, Loewenthal and Ali, you are with them as they experience all the highs, lows, challenges, successes and failures of life in a terrorist environment provokes.

I also want to know what happens to Ali? After betraying Loewenthal to the terrorists, Moynihan does not follow through with him. What happens to him after this? Does he fall back to his Muslim roots or does he repent of his betrayal, and embrace Christianity and live out his new found faith? The author is considering his fate for a future novel. It is a wait and see for this character and plot line. Again, to me it, leads another opening to a sequel.

The only other loose end, at least from my view, is that the two instances where the goat shepherds were present at crucial times of terrorist activity, these two separate missions were about to go pear-shaped and were prevented from doing so by these shepherds. Who are they? Clandestine Israeli military unit called Mista'arvim or supernatural messengers sent by God? This is one loose end I could leave as unexplained as it does not affect the plot or the final outcome of the novel as such and I am happy to accept either of these two scenarios. But my liking for the supernatural, makes me lean towards this being the explanation.

Moynihan has this to say about the supernatural/spiritual aspects of his novels,

But unlike, (our) good friend, Joe Courtemanche, I keep the spiritual stuff behind the veil and prefer to write psychological potboilers. Sort of like the way the Book of Esther is written in the Old Testament. God is barely mentioned but you can see His hand in all the events. What the Puritans called "Providence."

Reflecting on his novels, Moynihan has created them based on the faith of the Christian characters and their relationship with God. Their interaction being more of a "vertical" relationship from them to God. The Christian character lives out their faith in whatever situation they are in, employing Christian principles, attitudes and behaviour and asking for Divine intervention through prayer or it being manifested via the counsel of other Christians. Nothing wrong with this. He succeeds well in depicting it like this. 

One last aspect of this novel where Moynihan excels is the worldbuilding of the military environment. It is not over the top with military terminology or jargon, he has considered his readers in this with the provision of a Glossary of Terms. Unfortunately, I did not realise it was at the back of the novel or to even consider it to be there and I did struggle with a few of them. I was thankful for the dictionary function of the Kindle! From a comment on Facebook from a fellow retired military Christian author known to Moynihan and I, this reader confirms that this military depiction is very realistic and as it is. This forms a solid foundation that this novel is built upon. Moynihan is committed to telling it as it is on all levels and aspects so this is an asset to his writing and storytelling. One any reader will be able to trust.

I look forward even more to further works of Moynihan's worldbuilding since the release of Prodigal Avenger. He has indicated some of this to whet our appetites,

The sequel to both novels is called Double Tap Angel and will take place after both of them.

I have considered a non-linear series (sort of like Star Wars) based around the real time history of the War on Terror which I perceive to be a spiritual war in the heavenly realm.

I pray he delivers all this, from our conversation, he has a wealth of material from his military experience and Christian missions to the Muslim countries where he has ministered the Gospel.

I really appreciate reading novels like this where the author is under the guidance of the Spirit and does not compromise any spiritual standard that would work to water down the Gospel or give readers what they want and not what the Spirit wants.

In this age that is fast moving to Jesus' second coming and the end of this age, it is vital that we have Christian authors who write uncompromised like this.

I am very impressed with this novel. I pray that we do not have long to wait for the continuation of this series or the real-time history of the War on Terror that he has planned.

Highly Recommended.

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Series Review: The Baptist trilogy by Ryan David Gerard

I reviewed this series on 22/09/19 in another blog, now defunct.

Series Review of The Baptist trilogy by Ryan David Gerard.

I was asked by the author to review this trilogy many months ago. I was unable to at the time. Recently, Ryan was asking for reviews of this trilogy on Goodreads. I decided to spotlight this series and offered Ryan a guest post to talk about the grittiness of these novels and his concern about depicting Christian Fiction realistically. This became the post, Ryan David Gerard and the Challenge of Depicting Christian Fiction Realistically. From reading that post, I became even more intrigued than I was previously and found myself reading the first novel, Judge's Genesis. Before I go any further, here is what this novel is about:

In the year 2041, the world has become a worse place than we could imagine. On the brink of war, the world is on the verge of actually seeing time travel achieved in order to fix all the mistakes we've made. But, Baltimore cop, John Revele is lost inside the human condition. His passion for retribution of the innocent drives him to madness as he realizes there is not much he can do within the law. Outside of it is a different story altogether. He rises up to battle evil on the streets in a vigilante blitz, but he learns that more is going on in the spectrum of good and evil then he realized. Supernatural forces are at play and God and the devil have made an arrangement for the souls of humanity. From street thugs to mob kingpins, sex traffickers, and demonic forces, Revele brings his fight full force, but only to realize there is a much bigger war going on. In the face of evil--true evil--he will have to defeat his greatest nemesis--himself--in order to truly be ready for the next stage of the fight...

By this stage, I was so addicted and engrossed, I had to continue with the second novel, A New Testament:

In the wake of the devastating event that broke the space-time continuum, John Revele must begin to find his way through this new realm he finds himself in. With only the instructions of the mysterious Stranger, he will need to track down Jason Richter, the physicist who started all of this, in order to put time back on track.
Meanwhile, the normal realms of time and existence go on. The other versions of John and everyone else push forward--towards the series of events that sparked the anomaly in the first place.
Four years have past and John's new name; The Baptist, has become legend on the streets of Baltimore. Criminals have grown to fear the name as he and his group of friends have earned a reputation for dealing with society's worst. John's estranged wife; Clare, after putting her career case to bed, finds herself faced with a new terrorist group that could be worse than the last. As John tries to decide how far he is willing to take this mission of his, the version of himself that is trapped underneath time must convince Jason Richter to help him fix the space-time continuum.
The result spawns a whole new reality--a version of events that is different than anyone has seen before!
All the while, the ever scheming; Ranston sets up for the climax of his plan and the realization of his dark second chance...

and by this stage, I could stop here but to finish with the final instalment with Revelation:

The epic finale of John Revele's saga! Ranston has won and The Stranger is dead! While John is still trapped in prison, war rages on the outside and his group are scattered. Richter and Ken's plans to fix the space-time continuum are thwarted by the authorities, Clare is trapped north of the border and rest of the twelve are unaccounted for. Hope is been shattered with the execution of their savior, especially when He doesn't rise on the third day and expected by some. Now, each of these characters will have to rely on the help of unlikely aides and some old familiar faces, in order to find each other again. Once they do, they will mount an attack against Ranston and those who have sided with him in this war. It's an all out launch of assault against the enemy of life as the group seeks their revenge--only to realize that the vengeance was never theirs to take...Can Richter make it to Israel and set the distorted timeline right again? Can John finally see the end of all evil?--and what will this mean for the rest of the characters? Find out in this, the final instalment in The Baptist Trilogy!

When I read the guest post mentioned above, I was getting a bit concerned that this trilogy was going to be so far out of the square that I would not enjoy it or think that the author was now orbiting a different planet than ours!

However, I can see what he is talking about from that post. This is not your typical or usual Christian fiction. But, I thought it was very well done. Despite the grittiness, the occasional dark aspects, the descriptions of violence, thuggery, corruption, deception, Gerard instils a sincerity and genuineness to depict it as it is. All of the aforementioned destructive behaviours and attitudes are just as I would have expected them to be if I was involved in the world that he has created. It is not glorified, it is not added for the sake of it, or to cover up a writing deficit he has as an author. His guest post mentioned above gives some much-needed background to this trilogy and I am glad to have encouraged him to compose this. Understanding his motives for writing gleaned from this post certainly enhanced my appreciation and enjoyment of this trilogy. I would also recommend any reader to read the notes from the author at the beginning and end of each novel, especially after the finish of Revelation.

Gerard should commend himself for not compromising any part of the Gospel message, the depiction of Jesus or the demonic/satanic in this trilogy. I found his depiction of these to be of adherence to their biblical origins. Jesus is the Jesus of the Bible and of the Trinity. He is depicted as Divine, the Son of God. Satan is depicted as he is from the Bible as well. Gerard has not given him any more power, authority or dominion than we know from the Bible.

Any author who depicts the events of the Bible, in this case, the New Testament and integrates them into a modern, futuristic but dystopian world would have quite a challenge to pull it off and have it read as if it happened that way. Gerard is a master of this. There were some details that he simply could not address, (and he explains in the notes at the end of Book 3), but this does not make the plot or the worldbuilding fall into any deficit or weakness.

With each novel being in the 400-500 page range, Gerard packs a lot into each and in the overall plot of this trilogy. There are so many levels or layers. There is never a dull moment or lull in the pace of the plot throughout. All the characters come alive and you will find yourself pack of the world that Gerard has placed John Revele. This is epic dystopian fantasy. You will laugh, I found myself crying at some parts, especially the crucifixion and how the characters reacted to Jesus' death. I was infuriated and disgusted at the deceptiveness, manipulation of Ranston who represent satan incarnate. I found myself relating to all of the character's perspective and how they fitted into John's quest for justice in this world of moral corruptness, selfishness and chaos.

Gerad has used symbolism in all three novels. I challenge any reader, especially Christian ones to see who is the modern counterpart of the disciples. I correctly identified who the disciples of John, Peter, Judas, Andrew. It was not at all hard to identify Mary Magdalene. Gerard may not have done anything cryptive for this character, it was fine as it is.

It is interesting how the Bible could be seen as a battle between a good character and a bad one. Jesus versus satan. In this trilogy, Gerard has done the same thing. Satan throws Jesus a wager that if he was given a second chance he would defeat Jesus and God and be what he wanted in the beginning, to rule over everything and everyone, rule his way and sit on God's throne.

Jesus accepts and they both choose their players. Jesus chooses John Revele and satan chooses Jason Richter. Jason is a loner, hates people but loves science. John loves people and stands for justice and treating everyone fairly and as they need to be treated. Jesus "inserts" himself in their reality or world as The Stranger and just like He did in the Biblical times, He drew people to Himself and connected with them where they are and on all levels of their psyche. Satan is depicted as Paul Ranston, a master manipulator, political adviser to the two POTUS and financier of the terrorist groups who do his bidding. And the three novels show how Ranston tries to do things differently. But just when you think, Gerard is depicting this to be so, there is always a twist to prove otherwise.

And while we talk about this, Gerard is the master plot, worldbuilder and character developer. All these three fit seamlessly together to support the wager satan challenges God with. The mystique, suspense, thrills, action and adventure never let up and layer upon layer is unravelled and embeds you further into this world.

The spiritual and supernatural aspects are well done. A novel of this dimension and with this plot would not be successful without the inclusion of these two aspects. It is the underpinning foundation for it all. While there is no specific redemptive procedure that John Revele's group go through, they show transformation of character, heart and spirit from following The Stranger and living out His teachings and principles in their lives. Gerard has "copied" what the Bible has done. It does not account for how the disciples believed in Him but showed they did by following His teachings and adopting them into their lives, albeit for such a short time (3 years of His earthly ministry before being crucified). So it is in this trilogy. Gerard has depicted the Spirit instructing and encouraging John (and if I remember rightly others) in various circumstances over the course of these three novels. 

If a movie production house translated Gerard's novels into a movie with very little or no poetic licence added, this would make a sensational movie. And it would show the impact and power of the Gospel message. It would clearly define who Jesus is, who satan is and what they stand for. It would show Jesus of the Bible and what He achieved on the Cross, it would show the hatred, deceptiveness and manipulation of satan towards God/Jesus and His creation, mankind. It would show the power of the Cross and how to live victorious in Him. All this wrapped up in an action-packed, dramatic, edge of your seat thrilling account of the Gospel message. Gerard would have to be the screenplay writer or at least the chief advisor of the film's production or some other existing Christian playwright/advisor or Director.

There is so much more that a review of Gerard's novel could include. But this would make the review far too long. Suffice to say that Gerard has not written this trilogy for fun, for the entertainment value alone. He has crafted a saga here with many layers, many dynamics, many spiritual truths and Biblical ones more importantly. I love and appreciate his sincerity and genuineness to tell it as it is for all the right and commendable reasons, to give the reader something to think about and in doing so, shows what a true disciple of Jesus is. These characters are flawed and badly, the world is corrupt, morally bankrupt, messy, life's events and people's reactions to them are gritty, chaotic and irresponsible based on selfishness and warped by man's sin and rebellion against God and His ways.

I believe that Gerard has no major concerns to worry about depicting his fiction the way it is. He needs to stay true to this style and the motives he has in creating it. He truly has a God-given talent for story and being honest, truthful, sincere and genuine about it.

I am the first one to state when a novel dishonors God, undermines the Bible, promotes the demonic or the satanic as being more powerful or greater than God. This is not the case here with Gerard. He is respectful in keeping it as it is and how it should be and needs to be. He has not deviated from these criteria.

My one concern about his depiction is where The Stranger and Ranston have a physical brawl. My first reaction was, "Really?" and then I felt it went on for too long. It needed to be shorter if it had to be depicted at all. However, reading this scene reminded me of Thor fighting Thanos in Avengers: Endgame. Gerard does know how to write fight scenes! But unlike the fight scene in that movie, the Good Guy wins, but how would it be otherwise when we are talking about God?

I can see this trilogy not appealing to all Christians. And yes, those Christians who believe that Christian fiction should be sugary sweet with no violence, sex (none in this trilogy!), swearing (cussing), or depictions of Christians being flawed and showing it, will be aghast and critical of this trilogy and of Gerard. No doubt they will insist he repent of his evil ways and renounce his foray into the dark side! But to do that without giving this trilogy a fair go and a chance will be doing Gerard and his world in this trilogy an injustice and deny the Spirit a chance to minister to them. But as Gerard states in his guest post,

This series is written specifically for the world, not the church.  It’s not a typical, wholesome piece of Christian media.  It comes with one of those “explicit content” warnings on it. There is violence, in lots of police-action-style shooting and fight scenes and there is language. Because it’s all about the human condition, it is not a very pleasant subject matter. There are prostitution and drugs as well as gang and criminal activity.  None of the characters is Christian and, as such, they are written that way. It’s a story about how the rest of the world goes through life, popular beliefs about how good and evil should be handled, and how the average citizen would deal with God showing up in their life. 

and later in the post,

The bottom line is that I thought to myself; “Why can’t Christians put out a better product—a more realistic, gritty, raw and unvarnished piece of media?  A well written and well-produced story, and wouldn’t it be awesome to not worry about being safe” or “So I began to realize that I should be the one to produce something like this, instead of waiting and criticizing.”

I have no doubt that Gerard has succeded in his quest here. Christian authors can put out a better product just as he described it, realistic, gritty raw and unvarnished. I welcome more of it from Gerard. I pray he can be an inspiration to more Christian authors out there who are maybe afraid to go down this path and show fallen mankind and the world that results from this.

Highly Recommended.

If you would like to investigate The Baptist trilogy, click on the image below:

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Reviews help promote an author’s novel to potential readers and encourage the author to keep writing. Reviews also help get the author’s message (and God’s message) to the reader, whether Christian or not, who may need encouragement and support in their lives while being entertained by the story.

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Triple Time by C. Kevin Thompson

Triple Time (The Blake Meyer Thriller Series, Book 2)

A Looming Attack. A Loathsome Abduction. A Lethal Assassin. 

Supervisory Special Agent Blake Meyer has an impossible choice to make. After thwarting a massive biological attack on the continental United States, the contagion is still missing and in the hands of the enemy. So is his family. Abducted as an act of revenge.

The clock is ticking, and the chances of finding his wife and children wane with every passing second. The assassin behind it holds all the answers.

Or does she?

Three demands. Three choices.

Blake Meyer knows what must be done...but can he accomplish it before it's too late? Time is literally of the essence. And double time will not be fast enough.

The Guru's Review: 

Mama Mia! Can this series get any better? I reckon that readers of the first novel will agree that this is as good as or better than its predecessor. 

Thompson takes the reader on another action-packed, thrilling ride as the plot deepens with more twists and turns. Will the events of 1999 in Ireland ever end? What more could come out this event? When you think Thompson has revealed everything, he adds more details! And does this not deepen the plot and strengthen it so? You bet it does! Managing all these twists and turns shows Thompson to be quite a master. There are much to-ing and fro-ing from the various plot lines. While this can be problematic and annoying in other novels, Thompson avoids this. He turns this into a strength. Not only for pace but for the action and thriller aspect as well. When you start wondering about such and such, lo and behold, there is the update in the next chapter! 

Other pillars of this series are Thompson's writing talent and his creativity. This is coupled with how he has applied the influences from TV shows such as The Blacklist, Blue Bloods, 24, Criminal Minds, and even that of Star Trek. He is also a fan of Sherlock Holmes.

One thing, amongst many others, that Thompson has remained consistent, is the amount of research he has conducted. It is one thing to do this in preparation for a novel but quite another to apply this effectively to it. Another one of Thompson's strengths. He has seamlessly integrated this so that it forms a rich and solid environment that is realistic and against which this plot flows well. 

In novels such as this, it is tempting for it be constructed as plot driven rather than character driven. Like it predecessor, this novel is the latter. This allows for the exploration of Blake's emotions and reactions as a husband, father and soldier. I was really impressed how Thompson showed the conflict of emotions that Blake experienced as these three aspects/roles reacted against each other while he tried valiantly to find his family, 

Furious and frustrated, his battered mind staggered about like a bludgeoned boxer. Thoughts of the last week swirled into a hazy, static-filled mass of conflicting rhetoric. The soldier wrestled with the husband and father inside his soul as he strode down the hallway. 

Another, 

The inner struggle between the family man, the agent, and the soldier inside Blake intensified. This turmoil made him indecisive. For the first time in a long time, he didn't know what to do next. The soldier inside screamed orders: Get off your butt and find the people who kidnapped your family! They're terrorists, and they need to be shot! The agent shouted back, No! They need to be brought to justice! Capture them, and they may help you find the contagion. 

The family man-the husband and father-covered his ears with this hands as he sat in his own shower, lamenting his condition. He didn't care about the country anymore. He didn't care if his family's abductors lived or died. 

He just wanted his family back. Safe and sound. Without them, not much else mattered."

And it continued, 

With his body weary and his emotions raw and unruly, he knew that once he got into "combat mode," the soldier in him would override everything else. Getting to that state of mind was the difficult part, though. The feelings of the father inside kept getting in the way. The father wanted to kill everyone who hindered the rescue of his family. The father was about to lose his mind. And that's what the soldier could not afford to do. Nor the agent. 

And at times, he had to force the issue with himself, 

Blake closed his eyes. His emotions swelled. You have to be the soldier now. Not a husband or a father. That's too painful. There will be time for grieving later. 

There are many more examples. I found these instances heart rendering as I could relate to the husband and father side of Blake. What an overwhelming and fierce struggle it must be to have the soldier part of him fight these two sides. I was almost in tears. These examples show how well developed he has characterised Blake as the main protagonist. This is powerful writing and shows how this plot being character-driven is one of the successful pillars of this series. And while it is like this, I will drop everything to read the next instalment. I am so glad that Thompson has planned 6 books in this series. 

Great to see some favourite characters back in this instalment as well, such as Scarfano and Kelly. These two form a solid support system for Blake. I am further endeared to them as see them more as an essential part of this plot and Blake's success as the operative that he is. Yet, they do not detract from Blake being such an independent operative and self-made man's man. I am glad that at least these two will continue in the remaining series and even have larger roles as this seems to be a natural progression from the last novel to this one. 

I did not cope well with the attack on Blake's family, relatives and friends, the bombing of his household and the kidnapping of his wife and children. I hate plot lines like this but accept that this is part and parcel of this type of genre as well as real life. This kidnapping is part of the main theme of these two novels which is human trafficking. This is a subject dear to Thompson's heart. He has teamed up with World Hope International on this issue and will contribute 10% of his authorly earnings to this cause. In this novel, Thompson depicts the rawest, grittiest and most inhumane side of human trafficking compared the more political type of HT as depicted in 30 Days Hath revenge.

He has described and depicted this inhumane side of human trafficking well in this plot. Using Blake's family as its subject, he exposes the mentality and attitude of the human trafficker, 

First, make all you can while you can in one of the most hellish, heartless, and horrific business operations ever created by sinful man. Even if that means greasing some wheels and palms along the way. You may have to get out quick someday. 

Second, don't allow do-gooders to judge what you do. This business has been around forever, even in biblical times. So, if Joseph's brothers-his own flesh and blood- could sell him to a band of Midianite merchants on their way to Egypt, surely he (Morozov, human trafficker) can do this same with people with which has no relationships. 

And last but not at all least, don't look too deep into your victim's eyes. For as a trafficker, one wrong move could make you...care. Compassion is a worthless emotion. 

Thompson uses Morozov's character to exemplify these characteristics. He also shows how a human traffic network works. And this seems to be one very carefully structured mafia-type operation. Morozov's character is depicted as one evil creature motivated by money, greed, hatred, and a sadistic, contemptible disregard for human life. I fully supported Sarah in her many reactions towards him. He really pushed my buttons with his behaviour! 

Thompson also uses a main character to show what it is like for the human trafficking victim. As much as I was angered and incensed by Morozov, I was equally empathetic towards this victim. Her testimony is sad, tragic and devastating, 

......there is no crime more inhumane. Murder, stealing, rape are all single acts. Selfish acts. They are bad. but human trafficking commits all of them at once-and more. Stealing, rape, torture, drug addiction, and ultimately a slow death. And if you are fortunate enough to escape or are released, you never recover fully. How can you? Your life has been forever altered, forever, scarred, forever ruined. The memories haunted you. You wake up in the night sweating from the nightmares. And you can never get your innocence...your purity back. 

I was not surprised at the twist that occurred with one of the main characters. I was suspicious of this character in the previous novel. Seeing that this current novel ends with a cliffhanger, the full extent of the betrayal and deceit of this character will become clearer in the next instalment. This is another of the many reasons I am looking forward to Book 3. Bring on August! 

Speaking of cliffhangers and twists, the events that comprise this twist I did not see coming. It forms not only the cliffhanger but sets the entire pace and flavour for the next novel. Another part of this ending is that Blake is no closer to finding his family. Their demise is left with one highly emotional response from Sarah. 

I have the same comments about the spiritual aspects of this novel as its predecessor. From those comments, Thompson made mention on his website to these spiritual shortcomings he says, 

"HOLD ON TO YOUR HATS! BLAKE ISN'T DONE YET."

I am very encouraged with this statement. Harrison, like in the previous novel, continues to witness to Blake in various small ways. And like real life, these small opportunities can reap huge rewards in relation to one's eternal future when God has his way. 

All in all, this novel takes this series to the next level of mystery, intrigue, suspense and sets the flavour for the rest of the series. This is one great series. Thompson has found his niche in life. 

Strongly Recommended. 4.5/5 Stars.

World Building 5/5

Characters 5/5 

Spiritual Level 3/5 

Story 5/5 

Enemy Spiritual Level 0/5

Overall Rating: 4.5/5

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30 Days Hath Revenge by C. Kevin Thompson

30 Days Hath Revenge

Book 1 of the Blake Meyer Thriller Series!

A Clandestine Mission. A Cryptic Message. A Chaste Promise.

Blake Meyers dreamed of a peaceful end to a dutiful career with the FBI. Married now, his life was taking him in a new direction--a desk job. He would be an analyst. Ride it out until retirement. Be safe so he could enjoy family life.

But when a notable member of the IRA is murdered in his London flat, Blake's secretive past propels him into the middle of an international scheme so twisted and sadistic, it will take everything Blake possesses--all of it--to save the United States from a diabolical terrorist attack.

The Guru's Review: 

Reading this novel gave me yet another confirmation that just because this is a debut novel it does not have to be a dud or you feel the author needs to put in more hard yards before they publish next. 

I was immediately taken in by this novel. Not just with the plot and charactersation but with the writing. Thompson writes very well. It is immediately evident. This is one very strong asset to him as an author. His command of the English language and how he constructs it for this novel forms one very solid foundation upon which the plot, pace and charactersiation rest. It did not surprise me to discover that Thompson has won Awards for his writing, the first edition of this novel was a Silver Medalist in the Readers' Favorite 2013 Book of the Year Awards in the Christian Fiction category. 

The pace in this setting is frenetic. It never lets up. It is this that keeps you coming back for more. In some novels of this genre and calibre, it can end up with the characters being in a plot driven storyline and the main character being taken for a ride with the fast paceness of the plot. Here, the reader can feel that everything is happening to the main character or characters and they have no or not much control over what is happening to them. In this novel, Thompson has avoided this pitfall. It is very much a character driven plot. This lends itself very well to Blake being able to use his extensive experience and knowledge of his field to find out answers to the terrorist threat to his present and that of the world's population.

Just as Thompson has an excellent, competent command of the English language, the same degree of expertise can be said for the construction of this novel, the characters but especially the plot. There are no thin areas of plotlines, characterisation or pace. There is depth to all these aspects. Blake is one self-made man who knows who he is and what makes himself tick. He is extremely relational and even before the events and characters of his past start to influence him, Thompson has developed him enough to have the reader endeared to him and on his side. This bides well when the events of his past threaten him and the rest of the world. You are already on his side and rooting for him. Doing it this way establishes his credibility as a character and gives the reader the confidence to continue to read without any doubt of Thompson's development of Blake. 

Another aspect of Thompon's characterisation is the layered construction of the plot and how this affects Blake. The terrorist plot that exists in Blake's past that is now affecting his present also adds layers to the professional and personal life of Blake and his family. It sets the stage for him to show how versatile and resourceful an agent he is, in simultaneously fulfilling the responsibilities his profession as an Agent and protecting his family. 

I can see why Thompson is successful with this novel. He as researched it well and applied it effectively. Clues to this success can be found from his Amazon bio: 

He is a huge fan of the TV series "24," "The Blacklist," "Blue Bloods," "Designated Survivor," and "Criminal Minds." He loves anything to do with Star Trek, is a Sherlock Holmes fanatic, and reads lots of books.

Apart from Blake, I have a soft spot for Harrison Kelly. I really enjoyed this character. It is an asset for an author's ability to successfully depict the nationality of the character. While reading the sections involving Kelly and Blake, I felt very much at home with his mannerisms and language as Thompson has depicted Kelly as pretty much how us Australians speak and behave. 

I also enjoyed Agent Julee Scarfano. She seems a more than capable operative and is very good as being a go-between for Blake and Connell when Blake needs to bypass the restrictive rules and regulations of the FBI in order to go rogue. I hope that Thompson includes Julee in the remaining 5 novels in this series. The almost love-hate relationship between Connell and Blake adds another layer of suspense that I enjoyed. This seems to be a characteristic of novels in this military, special ops genre. I never get sick of the main character thwarting and bypassing rules and regulations to get things done in dire circumstances of a mission when rules and regulations would restrict its outcomes. Connell seems to waver between sticking to the confines of the FBI operation procedures and giving Blake what he needs within this. He fails miserably and nearly loses Blakes respect for him or at least has it damaged. 

This novel is described by Thompson and others as a Christian thriller due to its exclusion of sex, profanity and other gore. I would challenge this. These exclusions make this a clean read and that does not make it Christian. Some secular authors write clean reads with these exclusions and their novels are far from being Christian. 

What makes this a Christian thriller is the inclusion of spirituality based on Biblical themes and doctrines and who God is. There is only a little of this in this novel. I felt that if it was omitted, it would not have any great impact on the overall plot or even on Blake to whom it was directed. Consequently, this omission would have made it a clean read and indistinguishable from a secular novel. However, with this inclusion, Thompson gets Blake thinking about the meaning of life (cliche not intended!), the question of evil and its effects on the human race and where he all fits into this. There was potential there for Thompson to develop this further and as a result, develop the character of Harrison who is the sole Christian character and who provides the spiritual/ biblical input to Blake. I hope that this is included more and developed further in the sequel, Triple Time, and the remaining books 3-6 that are to come over the next few years. 

Maybe I expected more of these Biblical themes and spirituality due to the fact that Thompson is an ordained minister. I have found from reading other novels from Ministers/Pastors they have no problem including Biblical themes of redemption, salvation, evil, death, spiritual warfare, sexuality and other themes concerning the ills of this world (suffering, addictions, domestic violence, to name a few) in greater detail than what Thompson has, without it being preachy or "fire and brimstone" type narrative. 

The above is the only shortcoming I see in this novel. I have thoroughly enjoyed it and the writing ability of this author. I am glad to have approached him to write a review and be part of his launch party for this series. 

Strongly Recommended. 4/5 Stars.

World Building 5/5

Characters 5/5 

Spiritual Level 3/5 

Story 5/5 

Enemy Spiritual Level 0/5

Overall Rating: 4.5/5

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Artifacts of Conspiracy: A Warrior Spy Thriller (Volume 2) by Dony Jay

Artifacts of Conspiracy:

A Warrior Spy Thriller (Volume 2)

Reagan Rainey was eleven years old when CIA men came to his house and broke the news that his father was dead. And so for the past twenty years, he and his family believed just that. But when a Russian spy named Moses suddenly comes forward and teases a tightly held secret from the past, Rainey's world is turned upside down.

As part of the ensuing internal CIA investigation, Rainey - Delta Force special operator turned CIA operations officer - is dispatched to Great Britain to find out what really happened to his father and why. After narrowly escaping gunmen in England and an ambush in Spain, Rainey mounts his own operation that will lead readers through the spy-rich streets of Vienna and Prague and to the doorstep of Moscow. And leave Rainey staring face to face with a killer.

In his most daunting mission to date, Rainey will do whatever it takes to discover the truth. For his country, his family and himself. A truth that will challenge the very fiber of his faith and just might shake America to its core. 

Publication date: May 1st, 2017 on Amazon and where good books are sold. 

The Guru's Review:

This is the much-anticipated sequel to The Warrior Spy. This novel elevates this series to the next level. I thoroughly enjoyed this instalment. Jay seems to have improved on all aspects of his writing craft, but that is not to say that he had not established a well-crafted novel in his debut of The Warrior Spy. 

After reading these two instalments, I have come to the conclusion that this Warrior Spy series would make an excellent introduction to this genre for someone who either has not read in it or struggles to cope with the intricacies of special ops, military covert operations, clandestine activities and the special bond that exists between the members of their unit. I have read other novels in this same genre where there is so much terminology, abbreviations, acronyms, that the first two or more novels in the series act as a training ground for the reader to understand what special ops are all about. Not so with the world that Jay creates. There is fewer of such in his novels. That does not mean that Jay's depiction is any less complicated in plot, action, suspense, characterisation or the depiction of the world of the covert special ops team and their assignments. It is comparable or more so. 

I enjoy it better in Jay's world of special ops. He concentrates more on the human side of the special ops team dynamics. I find this to be a winner in this series. A breath of fresh air. 

Reagan Rainey is further depicted as a man of integrity and faith in this instalment. I love the inclusion of the actual prayers that Ray (Reagan) and Maddie pray during the times when they know that they have come to the end of their abilities and expertise and commit the future of their team's latest endeavour to God. So many times in Christian novels, the author states that there was prayer and not what it was about. Some readers and authors alike seem to consider that showing the content of the character's prayers weighs the plot down with "unnecessary spirituality" or that it will offend the unbeliever. What a sad indictment that is! If this is the case, why mention prayer at all? Why classify it as Christian fiction at all then? If that novel is supposed to be a Christian novel with Christian characters then should not prayer be a part of their everyday life? Is it not part of the Christian author and reader's lives? Why do these readers and authors dislike seeing this in novels that depict situations where we need to submit our lives and their events to the Lord? We need to show our faith to our family, friends and everyone we meet or interact with, live it out as the Bible instructs us to do. If fiction is to be seen as credible then it needs to portray life as it is no matter what or who is being depicted. Poetic licence is part of this as well.

I find it refreshing seeing the characters prayers in detail. I love hearing the prayers of my Christian brethren. It shows their heart toward God and uplifts and edifies my own love of God and His brethren. It strengthens my faith. So it does when I see the same depicted in novels. I can classify Artifacts of Conspiracy as one of these.

Christian fiction is not only to entertain but to edify and educate the reader in Christian living and increase their faith in God. Or to stimulate a faith in God if they are an unbeliever. By including prayer in his novels, Jay achieves this and more. Christian novels in the special ops/military genre, where prayer is absent, only concentrate on the abilities of the team members and the strategies of the military. To me, it sends the wrong message. You cannot have a relationship with Christ and leave Him out of your affairs, otherwise, you are living your life in your own strength and not His. On this point, Jay shows the positive effect living out his faith and being a witness to Christ has on at least two members of his team. The character of Job has his faith challenged by Ray's resolve that God has taken them this far into rescuing his father and he is not giving up on God ,

"You did what?" said Job.
"Trust me. Everything is gonna be fine."
"You seem awfully optimistic."
"Because this fight is righteous, Job. God has led us this far. I trust that He will take us the rest of the way. Not saying it'll be easy but all I can do is trust Him. That and fight like the dickens to bring my dad home. God as my witness, I'm gonna bring him home or die trying."
Another tear streaked Job's face. "Your faith is a lot stronger than mine, Ray...."

and the other when Jazz quizzes Ray about his faith and Jazz considers "....that God stuff...." to be ".....a little hokey to me." 

Ray presents the Gospel to him and applies it to their field of duty and gets Jazz thinking about the Gospel and God. Jazz still considers Ray to be a man of integrity and goodness. 

It seems that Ray's faith has formed the basis of his integrity as a man, a warrior spy and team member. 

If there is one thing that Jay has shown in both these novels, is the need for faith in this field of special ops. As he explains to Jazz when he questions Ray about God allowing believers to suffer (in relation to Ray's father), Ray answers, 

"I don't have all the answers, Jazz. God never promised that bad things wouldn't happen to good people. Think of it in terms of our world, doing what we do... No one ever told us we'd never face adversity in carrying out our objectives but it's all about how we deal wit it and overcome it. All I can tell you is that I rely on my faith to get me through the tough times. To be honest, I'd be a wck without God in my life." 

Jay raises a good point here. Using the special ops team to illustrate how to cope with what life throws at us in this fallen world, it is faith in God and being in submission to Him that gets us through these troubled times with little or no detriment to our being. How many of us end up with various mental and physical ailments when we try to do this in our own strength? Look at the degree of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder that exists amongst the civilian population from traumatic experiences (domestic abuse, rape, physical/emotional violence, acts of nature, marriage/relationship breakdown, etc) but especially those of the armed forces, and those of the police and medical fields and other related occupations? 

I pray that whether a reader is a Christian or not, that what Jay has included here will challenge both these type of readers. The former to increase their faith in God and allow Him to have His Will in their lives and the latter to have a seed of faith planted or harvested resulting in them believing who God is and their need for Him. 

I loved the further development of Maddie in this novel. This is a wise move on Jay's part and adds a further layer of complexity and depth to the plot structure for this novel and future ones. It also strengthens the team dynamics. Female readers in this genre should be pleased with this development. (I am not intentionally being politically correct here!). 

Jay uses this novel to develop the interpersonal relationship between the team members and we get the chance to become more endeared to them. The next novel should be even better in this regard as it will include Maddie's further involvement and the inclusion of one more important character. 

Again, Jay has not let the reader down with the action, suspense and intrigue concerning the plot. I would love to know the extent of his research into the construction of this novel relating to all the elements that make this one very hard to put down story. It is very well done. I agree with the comparison of The Warrior Spy to that of authors as Robert Ludlum, Brad Thor, and Vince Flynn. Jay continues this with Articles of Conspiracy. It is obvious that Jay is not plagiarizing the formula from these authors but developing his own and so he should. 

I will predict that readers of this novel with be further hooked on this series. I do see a bright future for The Warrior Spy series. Jay has more than enough infrastructure to progress this further.

Strongly Recommended.

World Building 4/5

Characters 5/5 

Spiritual Level 4/5 

Story 5/5 

Enemy Spiritual Level 0/5

Overall Rating: 4.5/5

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The Warrior Spy by Dony Jay

The Warrior Spy

The CIA has a problem. Its best clandestine operatives keep turning up dead. And now, as if things couldn't get any worse, a Defense Department scientist, specializing in high-energy lasers, has gone missing. America needs answers. And fast.

Delta Force operator Reagan Rainey, on temporary duty assignment with a secret CIA entity known as Directorate Twelve, is tasked to do just that--get answers. But to do so, he not only has to outwit and outmaneuver a dangerous cabal of foreign actors believed to be at the center of it all, he must contend with a deadly assassin who is bent on destroying him.

Relying on his bedrock faith in Almighty God, Rainey is forced to race against the clock to uncover what is really going on and why, before his beloved America is pushed to the brink of war.

The Warrior Spy is the first book in the Warrior Spy thriller series. It is jam-packed with heart-pounding action, all-out spy warfare and a new American hero that is sure to please.

It's comparable to thrillers by such authors as Robert Ludlum, Brad Thor, and Vince Flynn, while also containing a clear faith element. If you love for-God-and-country-type books, The Warrior Spy was written for you!

The Guru's Review: 

The author asked me to review this novel before it's release date in December 2015. I was unable to due to my current reviewing schedule at that stage. Having now read it, I am glad that I had kept it on my To Be Reviewed List. 

I thoroughly enjoyed The Warrior Spy. I have read many Christian military novels and I can gladly add this to my list of favourites. One thought that kept running through my mind while reading, was that Jay definitely knows how to craft a novel. Its construction is well done. He has taken heed of the mentoring that he has received. He is now proficient and "armed" to write more novels of this standard. Every author who has had a background in the military will have their own take on their life in this field. It definitely shows in their novels. It is this that adds great diversity in plot, action, suspense and knowledge of the military in this special ops genre. I have not read one like this, though. Everything has been "upped". Compared to some that I have read, the intrigue, violence, deceit, corruption, religious hatred of the West, in this case, America, is prolific in this novel. The violence more so than others. I am not saying that I endorse or condone this level of violence, nor am I saying it should not be there or watered down. Jay is portraying it as he has experienced it and making it real as possible. To do otherwise would have made this novel less realistic and credible and pretty much a joke to read. 

It is all the above that held my interest and absorbed me on the daily train journey to and from work, to the point where I almost missed my destination station many times. 

Another aspect that kept me rooted in the plot was the characterisation. All novels of this genre have an ops team with a leader, usually an alpha male. Entrance Reagan Rainey. One determined, self-made man with integrity and virtue but one who has a strong faith in God. What impressed me about him was that despite his independence of thought and action and being disciplined as a Delta soldier, he knew his boundaries when it came to exacting justice against the perpetrators. Many times, he came very close, to going further and seek revenge, but was constrained by his knowledge and obedience of God and His commands, 

As he played through several different plans, possibilities and angles, it happened. A verse from Scipture bubbed up into his thought-Deuteronomy 32:35:

Vengeance is Mine, and recompense; Their foot shall slip in due time; For the day of their calamity is at hand, And the things to come hasten upon them. 

Rainer considered his motives, reminded himself to keep them in check. he would do his best to stop the treat, prevent another 9/11, kill if need be, but not exact revenge. This was tricky to explain, but he understood the concept perfectly. He believed in it. 

This is one example of the faith that Rainey exhibits in this novel as he lives out his faith. There is a conversion scene that is quickly actioned by the recipients of Jay's quick testimony. While I felt Jay had rushed this scene, I had to realize that this was happening at an intense and critical moment where time was not their luxury. Rainey and his two new converts had only a short time for this to happen. God is not constrained by time. There were a few other occasions where Rainey had no problem praying for those under his charge. Convictions like this can only enhance this leader's integrity and respect from those in his team and his relationship with them. It gives me great consolation knowing that there is special ops personnel like Rainey in the military who are Christian and willing to act out their faith in their occupation. As we all should in our chosen profession, but more so men and women in the military. They have to lay down their lives for others either for their own or for another country. 

As Rainey states, 

Did anyone back home truly comprehend, truly appreciate the unbelievable sacrifice he and his mates as well as all of those within the intelligence and special operations communities at large were willing to make for their nation, for each other, for all that was right and good? This was the brutal reality of the world in which he and his fellow shadow warriors operated day in and day out all around the globe. A fight between good and evil.

Jay has developed the rest of the characters and the bonds/relationship between them well and relational. In some novels, you know that the other characters are very much secondary and provide a platform for the main character to be always centre stage. Not so in a novel like this. Teamwork and being a special ops unit has to have structure, discipline, and unity. When something happens to one of them, you feel for them and what their leader is going through. You understand and root for this leader and the other members of the team. You become endeared to these characters. 

Jay has also done the same to Rainey's family and closest inner circle. I enjoyed these relationships. I wondered why he had included the degree of relationship with his sister and it seems that this is the author's intention. Maddie is to play a larger role in the next novel based on its plot. I do sense that despite this, there might be another reason the author has included her in both novels. Any reader who sees how she handles herself when kidnapped should be able to join the dots. 

I am looking forward to the next installment in this series, Artifacts of Conspiracy. This will be released soon. I have an advanced reader's copy to review now. 

Strongly Recommended.

World Building 4/5 

Characters 5/5 

Spiritual Level 4/5 

Story 5/5 

Enemy Spiritual Level 0/5

Overall Rating: 4.5/5

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