About the Book
Mentioned in the pages of the Septuagint but lost to history, the Book of the Wars has resurfaced, and its pages hold secrets–and dangers–never before seen on earth.
Tasked with capturing the ancient text, former Navy SEAL Leif Metcalfe is finally given command of his own team. But their best efforts are ruined when a notorious Bulgarian operative known as “Viorica” snatches the volume right out from under them.
Iskra “Viorica” Todorova is determined to use the book to secure the thing that matters most–freedom. But a series of strange storms erupts around the globe and the coming dangers foretold in the text threaten crops, lives–entire nations. Though both are haunted by secrets of the past and neither trusts the other, Leif and Iskra must form an uneasy alliance to thwart impending disaster. However, the truth hidden in two-thousand-year-old words could unleash the storm of their own destruction.
Excerpt
Undisclosed location near Cuba
He’d never killed a woman in cold blood before, but now was as good a time as any.
Boots pounding the concrete as he sprinted through the bunker, former Special Warfare Operator Leif Metcalfe knew he could not let her escape. Not again. He’d never live it down. The guys wouldn’t forgive him. Everyone was sick of her ability to slip through their fingers like a well-oiled serpent.
“Runt,” came the tight, controlled voice of Director Iliescu through the comms, “I don’t have to tell you—”
“Nope”—huff-pant—“you don’t.” Nobody had to tell him what would happen. What letting her get away meant.
“Get her and get out. Radar’s lit up with a storm. AWACS is heading back. Personnel are evac’ing. GTHOOD ASAP.”
Curious. Storms had happened the first time he’d chased this chick in Greece. But it had to be big for the Airborne Warning and Control System plane to turn away. “Copy,” Leif grunted between breaths, focused on one spot—the end of the bunker tunnel where he’d seen the operative vanish. Shuffling to a slow jog, breath heavy in his lungs, he snapped up his M4A1 as he closed in. He needed Iliescu’s warning like he needed to eat another bullet. He’d get out of Dodge as soon as this operative was down.
His huffs rang loud through his comms as he slid up to the juncture. He plastered his spine to the wall. Glanced back in the direction he’d come, seeing the bobbing approach of a half dozen more men. He couldn’t wait for them. It was only thirty, maybe forty-five seconds, but that was plenty of time for her to give him the slip.
Not this time.
Review
If I were going to write a one-word review for this book, it would be intense. If I were going to write a two-word review, it would be insanely good. But since brevity has never been one of my strong points, you’re going to get a whole lot more than that.
When I say this story was intense, I mean that in every possible way. The plot is intense; the action is intense; the characters are intense; the adrenaline spike is intense! But what sucks me into this author’s books again and again is the way she delivers not only such fantastic, action-filled plots but also characters you can’t help but become deeply invested in. Her characters are some of the most complex and best-written characters I’ve encountered, especially in the suspense/thriller genre. And Iskra Todorova has just catapulted to the top of that list.
Hers is definitely not a pretty story—she’s done what she’s had to to survive, and that’s definitely shaped the woman she’s become—but that seems to be a homing beacon as far as Metcalfe men are concerned. (If you’ve read Wolfsbane, featuring Leif’s brother Canyon, you’ll know exactly what I mean.) The dynamic between Iskra and Leif is a super-charged mix of physical, intellectual, and soul-level attraction complicated by a whole host of factors, not least of which is the fact that their missions are at complete odds with one another.
And that’s only one thread to this story. Like all of Kendig’s books, she’s created a whole team of dynamic personalities and brought back one or two favourites readers will know from her Tox Files series. The banter and the camaraderie are as brilliant as ever, the mission is as intriguing as ever, and the action is in a class of its own. I’ll be counting down the days until I can get my hands on the next book in this series.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher. This has not influenced the content of my review, which is my honest and unbiased opinion.
About the Author
Ronie Kendig is an award-winning, bestselling author of over twenty titles. She grew up an Army brat, and now she and her Army-veteran husband live a short train ride from New York City with their children and retired military working dog. Ronie’s degree in psychology has helped her pen novels of intense, raw characters.
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Exactly!!!!! Fantastic review, Katie – Ronie Kendig’s novels are the best!
Sure are!