By Jon Brooks
This review is long overdue.
I have been following Don Bentley since his debut novel “Without Sanction” was published in 2020.
I have subsequently purchased all four novels in his Matt Drake thriller series, the four Jack Ryan, Jr. novels he wrote for the Tom Clancy estate, and the two Mitch Rapp novels he has written for the Vince Flynn estate (a third — titled “Double Tap” — is on the way later this year).
I first read “Without Sanction” in 2023. In fact, I tweeted on March 27 of that year that I was gearing up to write my review.
My plan had been to read and review all of Bentley’s novels leading up to the publication of his novel “Capture or Kill” (his first contribution to the Mitch Rapp franchise — read my review).
So what happened? Why didn’t I stay on course?
I’m not exactly sure. A lot was going on at the time.
We were still dealing with the aftermath of my dad’s death. It was also the last month of college hockey season (we run a fan site and do a podcast in support of the University of Nebraska at Omaha Maverick Hockey team).
And — let’s face it — my mind darts from one thing to another like a cat tracking a laser pointer.
As a result of all this, I didn’t get my review done, and have been in something of a holding pattern ever since.
I’ve wanted to read and review the Matt Drake novels Bentley has penned, but the “completionist” in me couldn’t move forward until I reviewed his first contribution to the literary world.
The particulars of “Without Sanction” had started to fade in my mind during the intervening years.
I don’t often re-read novels, but a few weeks ago I said, “I think I’m going to read ‘Without Sanction’ again.”
So I spent a week doing that very thing.
I was immediately reminded what a terrific debut novel it is. (I was also reminded how many details I had forgotten.)
“Without Sanction” introduces readers to Defense Intelligence Agency case officer and former Army Ranger Matt Drake.
As the novel begins, we find our protagonist sitting at a shoe-shine stand in Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, having hallucinations about a Syrian toddler he had met while he was working with her family in the field — a family that ultimately ended up getting murdered.
As a result of his psychological trauma, our hero has abandoned both his job and his wife Laila.
It has become a Monday/Friday ritual for Drake to hang out at the stand as he attempts to reunite with his wife, who travels through the airport each week.
Each time he sees her, she morphs into a vision of Abir’s dead mother — something he just can’t deal with.
As he is sitting at the shoe-shine stand on this particular day, weighing whether or not to board the plane to D.C. with his wife, he is approached by a man with a gun and he receives a phone call from his former boss, DIA Branch Chief James Glass.
A CIA paramilitary team’s covert mission to take down a chemical weapons lab in Syria went awry, resulting in the loss of operators and a Black Hawk helicopter.
A new chemical weapon was discovered during the operation, but the team failed to get a usable sample. The facility itself wasn’t where the weapon was being developed.
The Pakistani scientist who created it, code named Einstein, contacts the intelligence community. He is willing to turn over the weapon and reveal the location of the lab.
But he will only do it on the condition that former handler Matt Drake is the individual who extracts him.
Drake, having no desire to get pulled back into his former life, soon finds himself in the Middle East.
As he maneuvers across Syria, he learns that things aren’t as they seem. The mission is anything but cut-and-dry. To make matters worse, there are forces beyond his control that would like to see the operation (and Drake) fail.
The disillusioned Drake will have to fight tooth and nail as he tries to stay alive and save the free world.
”This operation was going to be one for the record books.”
Bentley does a good job weaving various plot threads together throughout “Without Sanction.”
He uses an alternating “first person/third person” structure for the novel’s narrative.
Drake’s chapters are told in the first person point of view, employing the character’s voice in those passages.
The other chapters — largely centered around White House Chief of Staff Peter Redman — are written in the third person point of view.
You don’t often see alternating points of view in the same novel, but it is a technique that I have enjoyed in the past.
The first time I read a novel structured in such a manner was Nelson DeMille’s 2000 thriller “The Lion’s Game.” It was DeMille’s second novel featuring protagonist John Corey, and it created a distinct contrast between the protagonist and the antagonist in the story.
The technique works well in “Without Sanction.” Having read numerous novels in this genre, you’ll sometimes find that authors’ protagonists start to blur together. The first-person voice helps Matt Drake stand out among his literary peers.
The supporting cast in “Without Sanction” is also pretty compelling.
Drake’s friend, colleague, and former bodyguard Frederick Cates — call sign Frodo — is one such character.
The former Delta Force sniper was “on loan” to the DIA when he sustained debilitating injuries during an operation with Drake.
Frodo lost an arm and walks with the assistance of a cane, but the former operator still has Drake’s back (albeit, in a much different capacity).
Protagonists in these sorts of novels often have a sidekick, and Frodo is one of the more uniquely drawn characters I’ve seen in this space.
Another supporting character I enjoyed was Zain. Zain is one of Drake’s Syrian assets — a rough-and-tumble businessman who transports weapons to rebel groups across the country.
I also enjoyed the chapters featuring the “political maneuverings” in “Without Sanction.”
Watching Peter Redman (who is working to get President Jorge Gonzales re-elected) go toe-to-toe with CIA Director Beverly Castle (who has presidential aspirations of her own) reminded me of the kind of D.C. scheming we’ve seen in the best Vince Flynn and Brad Thor novels.
“Men like us don’t quit. We stay until they carry us out in a wooden box.”
Bentley also isn’t afraid to put his protagonist through the wringer.
As I mentioned earlier, Matt Drake has to fight “tooth and nail” during his operation (and sacrifices a few teeth and nails along the way). Our hero has flaws and weaknesses, and Bentley wisely avoided making his protagonist invincible (which is all too tempting in this genre).
It takes skill to do that using a first person point of view for the lead character, and Bentley did a masterful job creating doubt about Drake’s fate as he got tossed around Syria like a rag doll.
Through my affiliation with the Mitch Rapp Ambassador program, I have been able to get to know Bentley a bit in recent years. It is fun to get to meet the authors behind the books I enjoy.
Bentley’s publisher just released the cover art for his next Mitch Rapp thriller (for the Vince Flynn estate) titled “Double Tap.” I am looking forward to reading that book and am excited to see Bentley on tour later this year.
In the meantime, you might want to dive into Bentley’s Matt Drake series.
I really enjoyed “Without Sanction.” It is a solid debut that introduces a compelling protagonist in Matt Drake. The story is crisp, fast-paced, and is a great example of why I love this genre so much.
Highly recommended!
To learn more about Don Bentley, visit his website at donbentleybooks.com.
Click here to order “Without Sanction.”
Click here to order his upcoming thriller “Double Tap.”
>> If you enjoyed my review of Don Bentley’s “Without Sanction,” be sure to follow me on Twitter/X: @TheJonCrunch
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