I went into Drone Strike with high expectations, and I was extremely pleased by the end. With a realistic, contemporary, and adrenaline pumping threat scenario centered around the horrific idea of a weapons-capable UAV done hijacked by an enemy state with a nefarious agenda that goes beyond simply reverse engineering the UAV, the high stakes up-shift the action, the characters, and the thrills. Couple the narrative with a kickass protagonist that is Joe Matthews, and you have a must-read action thriller.
I enjoy how the story picks up not too far after the events of the first book, so that the events of the first book still resonate within both the readers and the characters, and continue to evolve the characters with the horrifying events of the first book in a humbling manner. The prospect of Russia, a country without any weapons-capable UAVs daringly hacking and hijacking a US Reaper drone with a sinister purpose to turn the middle eastern nations and the entire world against America while deepening Russian roots into the Middle East feels like not too far-fetched. It is a bold plan, and so is its undertaking, making for an unpredictable and exciting read. The elements of Protective outfits, as the one Joe Matthews leads, for case officers of CIA as well as diplomatic members and foreign assets are written with the finesse that comes from strong research and first-hand experiences. The research into Drone capabilities and the technology behind the drones of different countries adds to the plausibility of the bold narrative of the book as well as engages readers with interesting bits of information for general knowledge of the current geopolitical situations and drone technology.
After Tehran’s Vengeance, I was looking forward to high quality action sequences, and those were exactly what were delivered. The book offers shootouts and hand-to-hand combat involving technically and tactically sound sequences written with the vigor of capturing the chaotic and dangerous crux of firefights and close quarters combat. Joe Matthews is as lethal with his bare hands as he is with his Glock 19 and HK 416. Each member of Joe Matthews’ outfit felt well described and imbued with distinctive personalities that made it easy for me to relate to the characters. Each team member holds his/her weight in the narrative. From the very first brutal shootout, it is clear that no one is safe in a firefight, lending to the unpredictability of the entire narrative.
One of the best things about Drone Strike is how easy and natural it feels to read through the book. The sentences are written with an ease about them, written in a way that one can read through them fast while keeping track of everything that happens in the story.
Drone Strike is not a simple action thriller. The emotions run high in the story, with the idea of members of Protective Outfits putting their lives on the lines to protect their principles conveyed in such a heartfelt manner that one can not help but be one with the characters and admire the bravery of real-life members of Protective outfits.
Drone Strike kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I would describe Drone Strike as an action-packed, geopolitical, character-driven, audacious and contemporary narrative thriller that does not let up for even a little bit. This is a book that must be read only when the plans for the next few days are cleared out, because it would be impossible to put the book down. I tried to evaluate anything that I felt could be done better with the book, but I came up empty. Drone Strike is as great an action thriller with a fantastic protagonist and superb storyline as a thriller can get.
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