“What if the Cold War didn’t end? What if we thought it had ended,but the Soviets were just playing possum?”President Jack Rutledge in “State of the Union”
I own a lot of books. Some would say I own too many.
But really, can you ever have too many books?
Over the years, I’ve collected book series with plans to one day finish them. Like many of you, I’ll discover a talented writer, read a book in his/her series, like it, and quickly gather the rest. I have shelves and totes holding full series that are waiting patiently to be read.
At some point, you have to bite the bullet, set a deadline, and read all the books.
A lot of the people I follow on Twitter are big fans of Brad Thor’s novels. They tweet glowing reviews, plan vacations around the release of his novels, and have an unabashed enthusiasm for the 19 thrillers he has written (as of this writing).
I own all of his books, but really wanted to go back and “fill in the gaps” in order, from the beginning.
A few years ago, I read his first novel “The Lions of Lucerne” in hopes of accomplishing this task — before I had this blog. Sadly, I didn't stick with the plan, and have fallen further behind.
Thor’s next novel is titled “Near Dark” and will be released June 23, 2020. He unveiled the cover and title in January:
I decided it was time to read — and review — the 14 novels I had yet to read before “Near Dark” is released. It gives me a firm deadline (which is helpful when “binge reading” books).
First up on the docket is Thor’s third novel “State of the Union.”
This time out, dependable operative Scot Harvath is investigating the disappearance of colleague, family friend, and mentor Gary Lawlor.
Lawlor heads up an international branch of the Department of Homeland Security dubbed the Office of International Investigative Assistance (OIIA). Harvath works for the organization, and Lawlor’s sudden disappearance is cause for concern in President Jack Rutledge’s administration.
For the uninitiated, Harvath is a former U.S. Freestyle Ski Team member who studied at USC (the university Thor attended), became a U.S. Navy SEAL (serving on two SEAL teams — including the “Polar SEALS”), and was later recruited by the Secret Service to improve White House operations and security.
Readers discover in the opening pages of “State of the Union” that nefarious forces inside modern-day Russia are hatching a plan to bring the United States to its knees.
Lawlor’s disappearance is tied to that plan — a deadly plot with origins in the Cold War. (We learn about a dormant program he was involved in called “Dark Knight” that appears to be related to his disappearance.)
The scheme is put into motion days before Rutledge’s State of the Union address. As a result, the president’s head is being held over a proverbial barrel, and demands are made regarding the content of his address to the nation.
Harvath must race against the clock — traveling to Germany and points beyond — to learn the fate of Lawlor and thwart Russia’s plan.
Despite the fact that “State of the Union” was published in 2004, there is something eerily topical about the storyline for today’s readers.
Thor is adept at plotting and pacing. He sprinkles in various anecdotes and facts to add credibility to his narrative.
For example, during sequences in Berlin, Thor includes something called “ghost stations” found in Berlin’s U-bahn metro rail system.
Those metro stations were split off during the Cold War (when the Soviet Union built the wall dividing Berlin).
“Because of a quirk in geography,” writes Thor, “two of the West Berlin lines needed to pass briefly through East Berlin before circling back around to the West. It was very strange. You could ride through East Berlin and see stations like this completely abandoned except for the stern-faced soldiers standing on the platforms with machine guns.”
When I read that passage in the novel, I had to pull out my iPad Pro to do a bit of research. Sure enough, I found some interesting information about the “ghost stations.”
It was neat to be able to learn about a piece of history I was unfamiliar with before reading the novel.
It was neat to be able to learn about a piece of history I was unfamiliar with before reading the novel.
Like a number of his contemporaries, Thor manages to throw in various “tools of the trade” to enhance the verisimilitude in his novels.
Whether it is a mention of Harvath’s .40-caliber SIG Sauer P229 — or a description of a Mi-17-1V assault helicopter — Thor does a good job with the technical aspects of his stories.
As it regards the Mi-17-1V, I looked it up online (I like to be able to picture the aircraft mentioned) and found out that the helicopter is based on an airframe built in the 1970s for the Mil Mi-8 “Hip.”
It is one of two interesting helicopters featured in “State of the Union.”
It is one of two interesting helicopters featured in “State of the Union.”
When I was a kid, I enjoyed building model airplanes and developed a fascination for military aircraft. My parents bought me a copy of “Jane’s World Aircraft Recognition Manual” in 1982. So I pulled my well-worn copy off the shelf to see if I could find the Mi-8 helicopter. Sure enough, I did:
“State of the Union” epitomizes what made the “early era” Brad Thor novels great. The first three entries in the Harvath series remind me a lot of Robert Ludlum during his prime.
I should also point out that “State of the Union’s” geographic descriptions are top notch. That might have to do with Thor’s extensive knowledge of Europe developed during his time hosting the PBS series “Traveling Lite” (a show he created and produced).
I should also point out that “State of the Union’s” geographic descriptions are top notch. That might have to do with Thor’s extensive knowledge of Europe developed during his time hosting the PBS series “Traveling Lite” (a show he created and produced).
Next on the agenda is “Blowback.” I’ve read the first few chapters and I’m already intrigued. Stay tuned for my review!
If you’d like to learn more about the world of author Brad Thor, visit his website: www.bradthor.com.
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