Rogue Asset kicks off a new era of the Presidential Agent with beautifully crafted action sequences spearheaded by a brand-new protagonist who would easily stack up against John Rambo in terms of badassery and kill count.
When the US secretary of defense is abducted during a brazen kidnapping, the president decides to meet the challenge head-on by resurrecting the Presidential Agent program, bringing back the OG operative, Charley Castillo, with a slight twist; he has to train the next Presidential Agent to take over the reins. This ties into the introduction of US Marine Corps Captain P.K McCoy Jr., who is shortlisted as the most ideal candidate without his knowledge. An uneasy bond forms between mentor and mentee, one that develops gradually and naturally into a more nurturing relationship as the narrative progresses, speaking volumes for the incredible writing duo of Brain Andrews and Jeffery Wilson. The witty and ultimately warm banter between the two leads is one of the best aspects of the story.
As McCoy and Charley get on the hunt for the bad guys, stretching from Egypt to North Africa, the action is dialed up to the maximum setting, with McCoy demonstrating his Ranger training in tactically and aesthetically pleasing shootouts. The violence is not only present for delightful gratuity, but also to subtly demonstrate the asymmetrical change in spycraft and warfare where situations are more likely to go kinetic and as such require a balanced blend of an operator with both the mental acumen and the gunslinger skills to match the modern threats. The POV focuses more on building up McCoy’s character but does not overshadow Charley’s formidable and charming presence as the original Presidential Agent. His immeasurable experience with espionage tradecraft goes a long way in mentoring McCoy to sharpen his spy senses.
Andrews and Wilson bring back a beloved world of espionage characters and stories, all fueled up with enthralling twists, charismatic characters, and balls-to-the-wall action for the foreseeable future. Rogue Asset is one of the best action thrillers to finish the year with, and a must-read for fans of W.E.B Griffin’s work as well as general action thriller aficionados.
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