John Gilstrap is probably best known for his Jonathan Grave series, having published thirteen books in the action-packed series with number fourteen, Stealth Attack, coming out this June. But after a trip to the Greenbrier Resort that included a tour of a decommissioned US Government Relocation Facility (aka bunker), he had an idea for a new series. Thus, Crimson Phoenix was born.
Crimson Phoenix kicks off with a nuclear blast. Literally. Global thermonuclear war commences, leaving the United States reeling in the aftermath of the attack. It’s an Armageddon scenario – cities destroyed in a blink of an eye, continuity of government in question, electronic devices rendered useless and digital communications impossible.
In the buildup, members of Congress and their Chiefs of Staff are whisked away to their designated bunker to ride out the attack. Victoria Emerson, a congresswoman from West Virginia, upon arrival at the facility is told she cannot bring in her children. She resigns on the spot and makes a go of things on her own…with some help from two military men assigned to protect her.
At this point, three storylines emerge:
Victoria and her crew’s survival and attempt to restore order.
Adam Emerson’s journey to reunite with his family (Adam is Victoria’s eldest son).
Congress seeking information from the outside world and attempting to govern from a bunker.
Overall, Crimson Phoenix offers an intriguing thought exercise. Can you find order from chaos and lawlessness? What does it take to be a leader in the most trying times? Do you have the stomach to make unbearable decisions that have direct correlation and possible causation of life and death? How do you figure out what’s moral in an unimaginably horrible new normal? And who gets to make those calls? Tough questions to answer, but ones that are essential to having a civilized society again in the future.
Victoria Emerson is the main conduit to these questions. Victoria is a strong female character with a solid moral compass and a desire to do good for others. She’s put to the test multiple times and the reader won’t always agree with her approach or the results, but her leadership shines through and gives other people hope. It will be interesting to watch her development, and that of the other main characters, as the series progresses.
While I liked the book, the parts about Congress bordered on being too political for my taste. However, it’s reflective of today’s political climate and does seem integral to the storyline, rather than a statement of the author’s political views. As such, it didn’t turn me off but it’s something to watch as the series progresses.
Crimson Phoenix is the start of a new series to keep an eye on. John Gilstrap is guaranteed to deliver action-packed, well-written books that don’t hold back. And with plenty of open questions that provide multiple avenues and plotlines going forward, the possibilities are endless for this series.
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