Blurb:
When three Covert Operatives are brutally murdered while investigating a human trafficker who has taken a congressman's daughter, John Drake is called in. Driven by personal demons, he is determined to deliver his own brand of justice to this ruthless gang.
As Drake tracks the most powerful enemy he has ever faced, an already tough mission becomes nearly impossible when Drake's assignment propels him to the fulcrum of a new World War, and a CIA plot to incite conflict between the Muslim oil countries and Israel unfolds.
Haunted by trauma from his past, Drake must ultimately confront the most terrifying identity of all - his own. Can he hunt down the most dangerous man in the world and prevent a war? Or will he become the monster he hunts?
As Drake tracks the most powerful enemy he has ever faced, an already tough mission becomes nearly impossible when Drake's assignment propels him to the fulcrum of a new World War, and a CIA plot to incite conflict between the Muslim oil countries and Israel unfolds.
Haunted by trauma from his past, Drake must ultimately confront the most terrifying identity of all - his own. Can he hunt down the most dangerous man in the world and prevent a war? Or will he become the monster he hunts?
Excerpt:
Outside, Drake had moved to the north side. Men occupied all eight windows, their AK-47s at the ready. By his count, there were over twenty men remaining inside the citadel. It was time for the claymores.
When Drake hit the button, the result was devastating. All the men in the windows on the north side were shredded as thousands of steel balls passed effortlessly through the heavy wooden shutters, then through the soft tissue and bones of their bodies. After the smoke and dust had settled, Drake shouldered his weapon and sprinted toward the aqueduct grating.
Gip was back at his original position, flanking the south entrance. He continued to move to and fro, rattling off automatic fire to create the illusion that he was an entire squad. Abruptly, the earth shook with a massive explosion from the north side. He was caught by surprise. His ears rang terribly. He ceased fire and low crawled his way toward the claymore switch.
Tartus' men were bustling with panic on the south side. After the enormous explosion from the north side, the firing from the rocks had stopped.The northern entrance had obviously been compromised. After much shouting, the men outside stopped their wild firing, eventually realizing they were shooting at no targets.
Gip peeked out and saw heads or silhouettes occupying all the southern windows, rifle barrels waving back and forth across the rock formations. Although he couldn't see them, he guessed there were at least six more men hiding outside among the rocks.
Bracing himself against the sound, he fired the claymores. Again, concussion rocked the night. Body parts were strewn about the compound, falling to the ground with a sickening, wet sound. A preternatural silence followed the explosion. No gunshots, no birds, no insects, no voices; merely the ringing in his ears. Everything outside the citadel was dead.
Gip estimated about a dozen bodies in the south compound. He didn't know how many Drake had gotten on the north side, but with luck he had gotten at least the men in the windows. That left the four snipers on the roof, plus between two and five inside, plus Tartus.
Gip checked his watch. Drake would be in the aqueduct soon. It was time for phase two.
My Review:
4 stars
4 stars
While the book got off to a slow start, I was soon drawn in and
along for the ride. Just a heads up, this was definitely an action
adventure, not a thriller. For some reason, after reading the blurb I thought
this was a thriller, but once I got into the story, I found the focus was more
on the action and adventure than the intrigue (though there was plenty of
intrigue). While I was a bit disappointed, I ultimately liked the action
adventure angle more, as it worked well here.
The book was also more existential than I was expecting, as it
does put some thought into how a cold-blooded assassin is made and the morality
of it, rather than just making said assassin. It was a bit unsettling to see
glimpses of how Drake became the stony killer, especially when seeing the
connection between his personal life and his military life. The level of detail
here was unexpected and took this from a 3 star to a 4.
The only thing that kept this from being a 5 for me is because
while I loved the realism and detail in Drake's characterization, I also felt
that at times, it was unrealistic. Okay, he already has qualities that make
being an assassin easier. Fine. But to go from being a regular Joe with violent
tendencies to expert assassin right out of basic training? Slightly doubtful.
Also, the story did drag a bit at times, but ultimately that wasn't a big
problem as I still greatly enjoyed the story. If you're looking for a good
action adventure with an interesting lead, I would recommend giving Execution
of Justice a read.
Don’t forget to visit the other stops on the tour.
Author Bio and Links:
Patrick received Advanced Infantry Training while stationed at Fort Benning. This inspired him to write his first novel, Execution of Justice, a story driven by John Drake's mission to rescue innocent women from the world's most dangerous criminal. Drake's advanced military tactics prove handy when he steps right into the middle of an impending World War.
Patrick's degree in Political Science helped him incorporate the geopolitical boiling pot of the early 1970s with a military action adventure plot. His Master's degree in chemistry provided a foundation for some of the more creative military tactics used in "Execution of Justice".
Patrick has had eight poems published in the Presbyterian College annual literary magazine, Figs and Thistles, and is a member of Mensa.
Patrick's newest project, Mortal Coil, is a techno-thriller about the catastrophic possibilities of genetic engineering.
From the Author
In "Execution of Justice", I wanted to add deep characterization to the military action adventure genre, exploring concepts such as: revenge vs. forgiveness, universal vs. relative morality, self-discovery and the roots of what makes each of us who we are. Family, abuse, trauma, personal loyalties, betrayals and patriotic obligations conflict and eventually form the amalgam that is our protagonist, John Drake.
