Review of "The Peacemakers" by Jim Roberts

The Gang’s All Back For Another Military Adventure

I’m very impressed with the work of Jim Roberts. This is a writer who has identified a very marketable literary niche and is doing a good job carving out a readership for himself. In “Olympus Rises” Roberts introduced us to a cadre of fascinating characters and he’s brought them all back for more in “The Peacemakers.” Joe Braddock is the main focal point, but I’m getting the sense that Danny Callbeck is kind of taking these novels over. In “Olympus Rises” Danny came into the possession of a technologically advanced battle suit which turns him into a cross between Batman and Ironman. It’s interesting that modern warfare has progressed to the point where what would be called a “superhero” costume only a few decades ago is now an entirely reasonable piece of equipment soldiers might take into battle. Essentially all you’re talking about is body armor and heightened optics (Danny’s suit has some mechanical enhancements as well), and the way technology is advancing it’s pretty reasonable to assume that this is the way war will look in another decade or so.

“The Peacemakers” starts out with a mission that doesn’t go according to plan and which puts the team on probation. This allows for Roberts to give us a bit of “down time” with the characters which includes a hunting trip – which I enjoyed. With the Peacemakers out of action, the terrorist organization Olympus is allowed to advance their schemes unopposed.

The thing that makes these books great is their sense of purpose. This isn’t a series that has inflated aspirations. The goal is to tell a good military story, effectively convey the emotions of the central characters enough to make them appealing but not so much that they’re mushy, and to blow a lot of stuff up in as cool a way as you can imagine. On all levels, the mission is fully accomplished.

That being said, there are some Easter eggs thrown in there for more literary readers. I’m reminded quite a bit of Tom Clancy with these books, although with a tactical rather than analytical analysis. There is a tremendous delight in the brotherhood and sacrifices of the armed forces that would make this book an ideal selection for a 4^th of July present. It’s a quick, fun, adventurous read that anyone with an interest in guns, the military, hunting, or human drama will greatly appreciate.

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