I love all works of Aiden Bailey for he pushes beyond the norms of thriller plots and characters to create divergent characters and fascinating stories set in the world we live in. That’s why when I came across his new work featuring an enigmatic assassin with a moral compass, I knew it would be a winner. The Trigger Man is exactly what you’d want to read when you pick up a thriller expecting copious doses of adrenaline to the drums of fast-paced car chases, shootouts, and explosions hitting you like one freight train after another. You won’t need caffeine to keep you up for it, The Trigger Man does that well enough on its own.
CIA operator Mark Pierce, codenamed Trigger Man, is hunting a despicable arms dealer across the Saharan desert when he stumbles upon a twisted conspiracy that not only pins Pierce and his handler in the bullseye but also traces back to a dark moment in their collective past. When a crazy religious fanatic and warlord is thrown into the mix along with shady mercenaries with a personal vendetta against Pierce, you’ve got the ingredients of a gritty adventure paced wonderfully to completely immerse you into a story that ensures you wouldn’t want to step off the ride at any point.
Bailey masterfully blends tactical action with grand set-pieces that remind you a bit of Cussler’s Sahara mixed with modern day emphasis on technical accuracy. From bullet-ridden car chases involving AK-47 drive-by style-shootings to cinematic battles in moving trucks, there’s a barrage of high-caliber action sequences to get your blood pumping and your energy levels higher than the clouds. It works so much better though because Bailey wisely invests in building up the characters behind the weapons to be quite life-like while still having the aspirational qualities of good men and women stuck in bad situations. The believability of characters doesn’t leave room for any distractions to ruin your reading experience. Pierce himself is an enigmatic character with origins unknown and his warrior-persona more human and vulnerable than one imagines in an action-heavy read. Not only does this make Pierce someone to resonate with, it makes for a compelling intrigue around his background which is bound to be explored bit by bit in the sequels.
If you’re a fan of The Gray Man, then get ready to love The Trigger Man. Intense action, mysterious hero, and twists after twists centered around a grim conspiracy will keep you enticed for what’s to follow, which I can assure you, is greatness.
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