Framing the Dialogue

“The Chinese are extremely deliberate and pragmatic,’ she said.  ‘They can see the writing before anyone else has even seen the wall.  Mr. Director, they’re dying.  Their air is polluted.  Their water is polluted.  They have cut down their timber and have mined all of their minerals.  Less than 5 percent of China has arable land left suitable for agriculture.  The investments they made in North Africa have been a complete bust.  In fact, they’ve taken substantial losses.  The mines there didn’t even produce a fraction of what they had projected.  An during all this, China’s population has continued to expand while its economy has continued to slow…The Chinese know that it’s not daylight they’re seeing at the end of the tunnel.  It’s a train heading right at them.”

So that sets the tone for the latest Scot Harvath novel by one of my all-time favorite authors, Brad Thor.  A desperate China and a weak U.S. President who has weakened the country make Scot’s life hectic to say the least.  The good news is that Scot Harvath is on the case and a new administration recognizes the value of a strong America though is it too late?  Well you’ll just have to read the book to find out.

I’ve read quite a few thrillers over the past year and while they were good, I really didn’t understand how inferior they were until I got into Act of War.  I am not sure how Brad Thor keeps doing it, but I certainly hope that he never stops.  I just need Mr. Thor and Daniel Silva to stagger their releases more so I don’t get all of the good all at once.  This is an awesome novel and one that passes my sleep test…that is I lost sleep trying to finish the last pages.  It was worth every sleepless minute.