“Act of War” by Brad Thor – Battles Unseen

There is seldom one specific event which launches a country into war; generally, a treacherous succession of events leads to an eventual boiling point, at which the catastrophe erupts.

 In Act of War by Brad Thor, the United States are, unbeknownst to most of course, being subjected to such a chain of events, with an attack on them seeming rather imminent.

In these darkest hours the U.S. Government calls upon their most resourceful and secretive agent, Scot Harvath, to travel to the most dangerous zones around the whole wide world, carrying out the missions not a single other person on the planet could be trusted for. However, winning the kind of war that isn't fought on battlefields is a much more complicated affair than Harvath or his superiors had anticipated.

As you can tell, Act of War doesn't pretend to be anything it's not: it is a military and espionage thriller taking place around the world, moving forward at a breakneck speed, seldom, if ever, stopping to enjoy the sights.

From the very beginning where we are dropped into the mountains of Karachi, Pakistan, following Scot and his team as they search for a high-profile Al Qaeda member, the action picks up and never stops right up until the last sentence.

In between those two there is plenty of globetrotting with multiple plot lines to follow, such as an operation in North Korea involving a SEAL team and the CIA, as well as China's political desires and ambitions.

The writing is quick and simple, being focused on conveying actions and describing them in only the right amount of detail; this is the kind of book you just end up swallowing whole.

As for the worth of the story itself, I have to admit that for the most part, I was kept on the edge of my seat and couldn't wait to turn the next page to get to the end and see how things turn out. Don't get me wrong though: the chase certainly was, at the very least, as enjoyable as the catch itself.

There is something special about watching such a cunning group of professionals achieve the unfathomable and the impossible, playing what is perhaps the bloodiest and most important game of human chess in the country's history.

The characters themselves are, were, I have to admit, a tad underdeveloped for my taste, but that is really a matter of personal preference and that character development doesn't always have to be a priority.

All things taken into consideration, even though Act of War doesn't exactly push the boundaries or limits of the genre, it does offer one of the most satisfying experiences available to readers today, succeeding in always keeping us guessing as to what the next twist will be.

If you want to read an exciting novel, one you are virtually guaranteed to enjoy from beginning to end without having your mind blown in the process, then I'd definitely recommend you check this one out.

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Brad Thor Personal site Brad Thor is an American novelist whose specialization is pretty much officially the thriller. His work The Last Patriot was nominated by the International Thriller Writers Association for the Best Thriller of the Year, while Blowback had the honor of finding a place on National Public Radio's 100 Best Ever Killer Thrillers list.