Dale Brown follows up the sensational Arctic Storm Rising adventure with a spy like history lesson on how to save the world. Brown is no slouch when it comes to writing great books, as his series have been hitting best seller lists since the early 90’s. I couldn’t pass up the chance at a second Nick Flynn journey as the first was a gripping tale of survival.
Countdown to Midnight follows Nick Flynn, one of my favorite characters following his jaunt in the Alaskan wilderness combating the Russian Spetsnaz, doing things that most people would not dare want to do. After a dark meeting with a contact at a ski resort, blood is spilled on the slopes and Flynn is left on the run vowing not to take a bullet himself. The link to the next mystery that plagues the world rests in one of the most hostile areas on Earth, but Flynn is not scared, he lives life dangerously, or else he would not be doing what he does for a career. Nor would he have joined the Quartet Directorate and made himself one of the shadowy figures the world depends on.
Flynn teams up with Laura Van Horn to place himself quietly and precisely in the confines of a country that no American would date want to be, Iran. It is not a place that most people dare to visit, much less sneak into, to find who is behind the plan to bring MIDNIGHT to fruition. Finding out why Moscow has connections to the vilified country and why they are retrofitting large commercial naval vessels to launch weapons is on the to-do list while on his foreign country vacation. The depth of deception and treachery grows deep while Flynn is tasked with risking life and limb to serve the greater good in lands far from home.
Brown delivers a sky bounding adventure with unmatched imagination. Nick Flynn is one of the characters that you feel like you have known forever but you are waiting to learn so much more about. Precise character development, a great supporting cast, and a plot that bleeds like a big screen flick keep you glued the whole time. The pace slows a bit to help set up the kickoff into violating airspace of a sovereign nation, but Nick Flynn is a damn fine character, and this was a fun read.
Follow Chris on Twitter or contact him via the site.
Purchase Countdown To Midnight
BUY A SIGNED FIRST EDITION FROM VJ BOOKS
Barrington Books
Chapter 2 Books
Murder By The Book
Once Upon A Crime
The Book Dragon
The Poisoned Pen
(Note: most indie bookstores can fulfill an order as quickly as larger retailers. Please consider contacting them for your next purchase.)
