Burn Out is an adrenaline roller coaster of the highest magnitude with action and violence tightly packed into a lean narrative that neither stumbles nor drags. Joshua Hood once again reminds readers of his prowess as a writer intimately familiar with all things action.
Over the years, Hood has catapulted readers into the hearts and minds of soldiers and spies, and now he introduces us to the world of US Forest Service’s elite smokejumpers via a new protagonist, Jake Slade. Smokejumpers are a different breed of rockstars as they parachute into the path of a raging fire and beat it into submission, an idea that would give goosebumps to most if not all of the readers. What starts off as a mission to beat the wildfire flaming up the mountains of California’s notorious Emerald Triangle turns into a murderous nightmare when Slade steps into a volatile situation in the fiery wilderness putting him in the crosshairs of a DEA agent hellbent on solving his final case before retirement and a team of cartel assassins who will stop at nothing to kill Slade. If fighting fires wasn’t enough, Slade must dodge the heavy rains of bullets and explosives in his path.
What I admire most about Burn Out is that it’s a thriller’s thriller. There’s no wasted moment in setting up the landscape for the non-stop action. From the very first page, we’re pulsed with generous doses of high-octane energy, first as Hood gives readers vivid insights into the work of Smokejumpers, not by narration, but by putting his protagonist in the line of fire as smokejumpers do, quite literally. That later translates into tactically-engaging close quarters combat and shootouts with healthy doses of realistic engagements that have a cinematic shine to them along with that gritty metallic taste of blood-pumping intensity. The action has a visceral quality that ties directly into how alive the characters feel.
Jake Slade is a vulnerable character whose strength comes not just from brute force but through empathy and willingness to do the right thing. Hood does Slade a solid in establishing him as a strong protagonist who has lived a hard life but isn’t a trained operative, elevating the stakes and intensity of the combat sequences. You’re brought to the edge of your seats as you read Slade do his best with the scarce resources on hand to turn the tables on his predators and it’s a glorious moment when he accomplishes that.
Burn Out is a one-sitting-read thriller that packs unrelenting action into a smart narrative with characters you’ll get a kick out of as you read along Hood’s lean and engaging prose. You’ll finish the book with your adrenaline-high satisfied and a healthy respect for smokejumpers. I bet you’ll be googling their adventures even before you’ve reached the halfway point, if you can pull yourself away from the enchanting thriller.
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