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 4th 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.
Get your copy here!
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