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Command and Control #5
Covert Action
Following their military defeat in the Battle of Taiwan, China opens a new front in the struggle for geopolitical supremacy.
As China's Belt and Road Initiative brings together the final pieces of a 1000-mile rail and road connection between China and Tehran, a series of terrorist attacks rock the fractious states of Central Asia. A declining Russia, an isolated India, and a rising Iran all have a stake in the region.
But who is behind the mysterious attacks?
President Serrano, in the midst of another election cycle, just wants the problem to disappear. He puts his trust in Don Riley, the newly appointed CIA Deputy Director of Operations, to deal with the situation.
Quietly.
As tensions escalate, Don leads a covert action to protect America’s interests in the region and blunt the Chinese economic juggernaut. What he discovers threatens to drag the United States into another international conflict.
Covert Action is a high-stakes military thriller from the minds of former submarine officer David Bruns and retired naval intelligence officer J.R. Olson. Packed with propulsive action and pulse-pounding intrigue, this explosive and timely thriller is a must-read for fans of Tom Clancy and Mark Greaney.
As China's Belt and Road Initiative brings together the final pieces of a 1000-mile rail and road connection between China and Tehran, a series of terrorist attacks rock the fractious states of Central Asia. A declining Russia, an isolated India, and a rising Iran all have a stake in the region.
But who is behind the mysterious attacks?
President Serrano, in the midst of another election cycle, just wants the problem to disappear. He puts his trust in Don Riley, the newly appointed CIA Deputy Director of Operations, to deal with the situation.
Quietly.
As tensions escalate, Don leads a covert action to protect America’s interests in the region and blunt the Chinese economic juggernaut. What he discovers threatens to drag the United States into another international conflict.
Covert Action is a high-stakes military thriller from the minds of former submarine officer David Bruns and retired naval intelligence officer J.R. Olson. Packed with propulsive action and pulse-pounding intrigue, this explosive and timely thriller is a must-read for fans of Tom Clancy and Mark Greaney.
- GenresThriller
452 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 5, 2024
972 people are currently reading
69 people want to read
About the author
David Bruns
67 books254 followersDavid Bruns (www.davidbruns.com) has served as an officer on a US Navy nuclear-powered submarine and traveled the world as a high-tech corporate itinerant. Today, he writes futuristic speculative fiction, contemporary thrillers, and everything in between.
He is the creator of the sci-fi/fantasy series, The Dream Guild Chronicles, the military sci-fi thriller Invincible, and co-author of The SynCorp Saga corporate sci-fi series. A graduate of the prestigious Clarion West Writer’s Workshop, his short fiction has appeared in more than two dozen spec fic venues, such as Compelling SciFi and Future Chronicles.
In his spare time, he co-writes national security thrillers with retired naval intelligence officer, JR Olson. Their next book, Rules of Engagement, will be released by St. Martin’s Press in June 2019.
He is the creator of the sci-fi/fantasy series, The Dream Guild Chronicles, the military sci-fi thriller Invincible, and co-author of The SynCorp Saga corporate sci-fi series. A graduate of the prestigious Clarion West Writer’s Workshop, his short fiction has appeared in more than two dozen spec fic venues, such as Compelling SciFi and Future Chronicles.
In his spare time, he co-writes national security thrillers with retired naval intelligence officer, JR Olson. Their next book, Rules of Engagement, will be released by St. Martin’s Press in June 2019.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
March 11, 2025
Love this series
This is really becoming a great series of books. Looking forward to the next book in the series, Proxy War.
This is really becoming a great series of books. Looking forward to the next book in the series, Proxy War.
February 8, 2024
"Covert Action," the latest installment in the "Command and Control" series of thrillers from David Brun and J.R. Olsen published by Severn River Publishing (who provided me with the ARC I am reviewing) will not disappoint. For those of you unfamiliar with this series, this book is Volume 5 and is every bit as well written and thought provoking as its predecessors. This particular book focuses on the four "Stans" which were formerly provinces in the Soviet Union (inherited as conquests of Imperial Russia) and looks closely at the newly evolving world order and the struggle for power and influence between the West, China (in this book just coming off a defeat in Taiwan) and the Russian Federation (again, just coming off of a defeat in its Ukrainian incursion). If you know little about these earlier developments detailed in the earlier volumes of the "Command and Control" series, they are well worth the read (I have read all of them). The action here is somewhat less kinetic and tactical in nature and much more geopolitical and grand strategy, what our ancestors called "The Great Game." That means the read is a bit slower than the intensely tactical struggles relayed in some of the earlier volumes, but the payoff is a deeper understanding of some of the challenges facing the world we live in as nascent nationalism and religious differences clash with the new imperialism of China and the desire of Russia to hold on to what is left of the Soviet Empire while dealing with a United States torn between internal political divisions and a continuing desire to balance those tensions with external threats. Obviously, while there is no shortage of espionage and covert action in this book, what it makes clear are the stakes behind "Covert Action" and the ways in which it can backfire on those who believe they are exercising control through it. I was not disappointed with the read, although it took some time, but I do feel as though I am somewhat better versed in some complex issues than I was before reading the book. I therefore recommend it to those of you who don't mind a read which stretches your understanding and enriches your appreciation of the challenges confronting all of the would be players in "The Great Game."
December 29, 2024
This is the fifth book in the exciting Command and Control series by authors David Bruns and J.R. Olson. I found this book to be well-written with well-developed and memorable characters.
This book though seemingly a little slow in the build quickly becomes an eye-opening lesson in how China projects power around the world today. Following their military defeat in the Battle of Taiwan, China opens a new front in the struggle for geopolitical supremacy.
The authors provide us with a set of well-developed characters and a plausible yet complex storyline; as a result, you have yourself a cracking international thriller.
Three years after the thrilling finale of Threat Axis, Don Riley is the Deputy Director of Operations (DDO) at the CIA, overseeing all HUMINT operations. The DO is also the entity tasked with covert operations, which means that the US government's role is not “apparent or acknowledged publicly.” Covert operations are only authorized by a Presidential Finding, which outlines the scope and purpose. (true)
Don’s eye is on the former Soviet “stans” in Central Asia where China is completing a railroad as part of the huge infrastructure project known as the "Belt and Road initiative". The government of the People's Republic of China (PRC) is about to open a major portion of its "Belt and Road Initiative" (The Belt and Road Initiative is a part of a thirty-year plan to build infrastructure reconnecting Asia and Europe together. Building airports, roads, and railways, as the wave of the future in this region. This project would bind together Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan in Central Asia. These four regions are sandwiched between Russia, Iran, and China with each having distinct cultures and histories.). This will link all the Central Asian nations to China and through Iran and Turkey to Moscow and Western Europe. But one man is causing a problem they didn't expect. He wants to merge the four "-Stans" into a super state which will be able to stand up to the PRC. The PRC has been using the "Belt" to force the countries it goes through to control them economically and politically.
The project is rocked by terror attacks, supposedly from a home-grown group. In Beijing, a military hero (General Gao Yichen) is tapped for a new assignment: Get the railroad finished on time or else.
Meanwhile, the new Russian president is shut out of economic exchanges with Central Asian leaders, one of Don’s officers is combing the region for a missing US contractor, and a charismatic doctor is becoming the face of a new Central Asia cultural unity movement.
Basically, he is looked at as the "Ghandi" (a charismatic leader) of the stans who is boosted by a female journalist who sees a big story as well as a potential love interest.
Believing the doctor can be an effective counterweight to Chinese influence, a Presidential Finding establishes a covert operation to support him. The job falls to Don, who finds it almost too easy . . .
There are many moving parts and a full score of characters. But you never get confused because Bruns and Olson have a knack for telling a character’s backstory in a very short amount of literary real estate and making it unforgettable, too. The prose is crisp and fast-moving and despite the complexity, the storyline is easy to follow.
Covert Action isn’t just an excellent addition to the series because of the level of action, or the degree of subterfuge throughout the story, heck not even because it weaves so many present-day current events in with the fiction. For me, what set this story apart from its predecessors was how it got its hooks in deeper right from the start and refused to release until the end. The first four episodes in the series hooked me and kept me until the end as well, but the way it was done in this story seemed to be more intense and the way the story unfolded left me in a perpetual state of wondering why that first death had to occur – who were they trying to conceal/protect? This turned the book into more than a military thriller, the mystery element related to that murder just took it to a different level for me.
On a five-star scale, this book by the publishing team of Bruns and Olson continues to be worthy of the vaunted five-star rating. I would have to give this novel a solid five stars with the reasoning that while this novel is not as combat-oriented as previous ones, it does magnificently turn up the tension over the course of this installment in the series. There is plenty of intrigue and mystery here with intermittent acts of violence.
The analogy is that politics is a chess game played on a world scale where one of the players is several moves ahead of everyone else and no one knows what the larger overall game is yet. Every move, and every decision, holds the weight of millions, with the ultimate prize being global influence and dominance. This, in essence, is the essence of geopolitics – a complex and fascinating game played on the world stage, where strategy, power, and the occasional blunder can tip the scales of international order.
This series and these authors have always been terrific at reading potential flashpoints in the world and crafting real-world scenarios in their fiction where it all comes to fruition. Sometimes, they come off as soothsayers given the way events in the real world unfold. Here, what they envision is frighteningly plausible and completely gripping, once again.
I found this novel (and the whole Command and Control series) to be an outstanding page-turning thriller. An exciting, enjoyable read. Strongly reminiscent of the writing of some of the great authors of this genre such as Tom Clancy, James Rosone, T.K. Blackwood, Mark Greaney, and Andrew Watts. I believe that aficionados of the political and military thriller would enjoy this book.
As a humble reviewer of novels, this is just my five cents worth.
This book though seemingly a little slow in the build quickly becomes an eye-opening lesson in how China projects power around the world today. Following their military defeat in the Battle of Taiwan, China opens a new front in the struggle for geopolitical supremacy.
The authors provide us with a set of well-developed characters and a plausible yet complex storyline; as a result, you have yourself a cracking international thriller.
Three years after the thrilling finale of Threat Axis, Don Riley is the Deputy Director of Operations (DDO) at the CIA, overseeing all HUMINT operations. The DO is also the entity tasked with covert operations, which means that the US government's role is not “apparent or acknowledged publicly.” Covert operations are only authorized by a Presidential Finding, which outlines the scope and purpose. (true)
Don’s eye is on the former Soviet “stans” in Central Asia where China is completing a railroad as part of the huge infrastructure project known as the "Belt and Road initiative". The government of the People's Republic of China (PRC) is about to open a major portion of its "Belt and Road Initiative" (The Belt and Road Initiative is a part of a thirty-year plan to build infrastructure reconnecting Asia and Europe together. Building airports, roads, and railways, as the wave of the future in this region. This project would bind together Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan in Central Asia. These four regions are sandwiched between Russia, Iran, and China with each having distinct cultures and histories.). This will link all the Central Asian nations to China and through Iran and Turkey to Moscow and Western Europe. But one man is causing a problem they didn't expect. He wants to merge the four "-Stans" into a super state which will be able to stand up to the PRC. The PRC has been using the "Belt" to force the countries it goes through to control them economically and politically.
The project is rocked by terror attacks, supposedly from a home-grown group. In Beijing, a military hero (General Gao Yichen) is tapped for a new assignment: Get the railroad finished on time or else.
Meanwhile, the new Russian president is shut out of economic exchanges with Central Asian leaders, one of Don’s officers is combing the region for a missing US contractor, and a charismatic doctor is becoming the face of a new Central Asia cultural unity movement.
Basically, he is looked at as the "Ghandi" (a charismatic leader) of the stans who is boosted by a female journalist who sees a big story as well as a potential love interest.
Believing the doctor can be an effective counterweight to Chinese influence, a Presidential Finding establishes a covert operation to support him. The job falls to Don, who finds it almost too easy . . .
There are many moving parts and a full score of characters. But you never get confused because Bruns and Olson have a knack for telling a character’s backstory in a very short amount of literary real estate and making it unforgettable, too. The prose is crisp and fast-moving and despite the complexity, the storyline is easy to follow.
Covert Action isn’t just an excellent addition to the series because of the level of action, or the degree of subterfuge throughout the story, heck not even because it weaves so many present-day current events in with the fiction. For me, what set this story apart from its predecessors was how it got its hooks in deeper right from the start and refused to release until the end. The first four episodes in the series hooked me and kept me until the end as well, but the way it was done in this story seemed to be more intense and the way the story unfolded left me in a perpetual state of wondering why that first death had to occur – who were they trying to conceal/protect? This turned the book into more than a military thriller, the mystery element related to that murder just took it to a different level for me.
On a five-star scale, this book by the publishing team of Bruns and Olson continues to be worthy of the vaunted five-star rating. I would have to give this novel a solid five stars with the reasoning that while this novel is not as combat-oriented as previous ones, it does magnificently turn up the tension over the course of this installment in the series. There is plenty of intrigue and mystery here with intermittent acts of violence.
The analogy is that politics is a chess game played on a world scale where one of the players is several moves ahead of everyone else and no one knows what the larger overall game is yet. Every move, and every decision, holds the weight of millions, with the ultimate prize being global influence and dominance. This, in essence, is the essence of geopolitics – a complex and fascinating game played on the world stage, where strategy, power, and the occasional blunder can tip the scales of international order.
This series and these authors have always been terrific at reading potential flashpoints in the world and crafting real-world scenarios in their fiction where it all comes to fruition. Sometimes, they come off as soothsayers given the way events in the real world unfold. Here, what they envision is frighteningly plausible and completely gripping, once again.
I found this novel (and the whole Command and Control series) to be an outstanding page-turning thriller. An exciting, enjoyable read. Strongly reminiscent of the writing of some of the great authors of this genre such as Tom Clancy, James Rosone, T.K. Blackwood, Mark Greaney, and Andrew Watts. I believe that aficionados of the political and military thriller would enjoy this book.
As a humble reviewer of novels, this is just my five cents worth.
February 13, 2024
Review: I just could not get into this. Continuity errors at the onset in the hangar began my lateral shift away from this novel.
So you are waiting for a plane to land, go out to meet it and someone is already in the hangar you were just in, meeting THE top chinese spy director from the just landed plane? And then, against your better judgement, you sneak around to observe and record the person that was in the hangar you were just in whom you seem to recognize, only to trip on a plot device and get thrown from a jet. Yeah. Right.
Meanwhile we are supposed to sniff and cry because he had two kids and a wife that they went into great depth about. Only to kill him off. Fug this book.
Rating: DNF
So you are waiting for a plane to land, go out to meet it and someone is already in the hangar you were just in, meeting THE top chinese spy director from the just landed plane? And then, against your better judgement, you sneak around to observe and record the person that was in the hangar you were just in whom you seem to recognize, only to trip on a plot device and get thrown from a jet. Yeah. Right.
Meanwhile we are supposed to sniff and cry because he had two kids and a wife that they went into great depth about. Only to kill him off. Fug this book.
Rating: DNF
February 16, 2024
I haven’t read any of the previous books in this series but after reading f this one, I am going to have to. I enjoyed the pace and plot of this book. The twists at the end were ones I didn’t predict and really threw me for a loop. I only wish the book didn’t junk around so much from one character to another as there were some parts that felt unnecessary and that attention could’ve been paid to the furtherance of the main plot. Overall, this was a fun read and I’d highly recommend it.
February 23, 2024
I received an ARC through "Severn Publishing" and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
This story begins with Tim, a consultant waiting for a shuttle at the airport. While he is waiting, another plane arrives and Tim hears a couple of people talking. When checking to see if that was the shuttle, he recognizes one of the men. He believes something else is going on and decides to video the two. Once he was able to see who the other man was, he then starts to leave. As he was doing so, he was met by someone and disappeared.
The story is followed by Harrison, a CIA agent and a friend of Tim, receives a call from Tim's wife asking for help. She has not heard from him for several days and was worried. Harrison agrees to help and takes a leave and travels to Central Asia where Tim was last seen. Harrison begins his hunt and is not having any luck.
The story then jumps to a scene where I Chinese General named GAO is checking a site where a train with VIPs is scheduled to perform a ceremony. While in the train control room an incident happened where Gao stepped in and saved the passengers in the train. At the same time the new Russian President was meeting with the Turkistan President to get an agreement signed. Things didn't go well for the Russian President. To make matters worse, a group known as SIF was terrorizing the area.
All of these incidents are related and play a role in the rest of the story.
Read along as Don, Harrison's boss with Harrison and other parties stepped in to bring some sort of sense to what is going on. Find out what Russia and China had their eyes set on controlling the area. Learn what all of these events had in common as the story concludes. The ending is well worth it.
This story begins with Tim, a consultant waiting for a shuttle at the airport. While he is waiting, another plane arrives and Tim hears a couple of people talking. When checking to see if that was the shuttle, he recognizes one of the men. He believes something else is going on and decides to video the two. Once he was able to see who the other man was, he then starts to leave. As he was doing so, he was met by someone and disappeared.
The story is followed by Harrison, a CIA agent and a friend of Tim, receives a call from Tim's wife asking for help. She has not heard from him for several days and was worried. Harrison agrees to help and takes a leave and travels to Central Asia where Tim was last seen. Harrison begins his hunt and is not having any luck.
The story then jumps to a scene where I Chinese General named GAO is checking a site where a train with VIPs is scheduled to perform a ceremony. While in the train control room an incident happened where Gao stepped in and saved the passengers in the train. At the same time the new Russian President was meeting with the Turkistan President to get an agreement signed. Things didn't go well for the Russian President. To make matters worse, a group known as SIF was terrorizing the area.
All of these incidents are related and play a role in the rest of the story.
Read along as Don, Harrison's boss with Harrison and other parties stepped in to bring some sort of sense to what is going on. Find out what Russia and China had their eyes set on controlling the area. Learn what all of these events had in common as the story concludes. The ending is well worth it.
December 7, 2023
Another Homerun for Messrs Bruns & Olson
I’ve come to view each new release in the Command-and-Control series by David Bruns and J.R. Olson as a glimpse into the near future. While these stories are well crafted fiction, it seems elements of each of the stories turns up in the news – after the fact. Of late I’ve begun to wonder if this pair of authors has gained access to the same time machine or prognostication device Orwell seems to have had in 1949.
Covert Action isn’t just an excellent addition to the series because of the level of action, or the degree of subterfuge throughout the story, heck not even because it weaves so much present-day current events in with the fiction. For me what set this story apart from its predecessors was how it got its hooks in deeper right from the start and refused to release unit the end. The first four episodes in the series hooked me and kept me until the end as well, but the way it was done in this story seemed to be more intense and the way the story unfolded left me in a perpetual state of wondering why that first death had to occur – who were they trying to conceal/protect? This turned the book into so much more than a military thriller, the mystery element related to that murder just took it to a different level for me.
I’m now looking forward to the sixth episode in this series. It will be interesting to see how this team is able to take the next story and elevate it past what they have accomplished in the first five stories of this series.
I received an advance reader copy of Covert Action from the publisher and chose to provide my review.
I’ve come to view each new release in the Command-and-Control series by David Bruns and J.R. Olson as a glimpse into the near future. While these stories are well crafted fiction, it seems elements of each of the stories turns up in the news – after the fact. Of late I’ve begun to wonder if this pair of authors has gained access to the same time machine or prognostication device Orwell seems to have had in 1949.
Covert Action isn’t just an excellent addition to the series because of the level of action, or the degree of subterfuge throughout the story, heck not even because it weaves so much present-day current events in with the fiction. For me what set this story apart from its predecessors was how it got its hooks in deeper right from the start and refused to release unit the end. The first four episodes in the series hooked me and kept me until the end as well, but the way it was done in this story seemed to be more intense and the way the story unfolded left me in a perpetual state of wondering why that first death had to occur – who were they trying to conceal/protect? This turned the book into so much more than a military thriller, the mystery element related to that murder just took it to a different level for me.
I’m now looking forward to the sixth episode in this series. It will be interesting to see how this team is able to take the next story and elevate it past what they have accomplished in the first five stories of this series.
I received an advance reader copy of Covert Action from the publisher and chose to provide my review.
April 8, 2024
Don Riley is back and just settling into his new position of DDO (Deputy Director of Operations) fresh of his role in the Chinese defeat at the Battle of Taiwan. An American contractor is dead after seeing a covert meeting at a Central Asian Airport. Terrorist attacks are taking place all over Central Asia throwing the region into chaos. There is a power struggle between a number of nations including Russia, India, and China as well as a new regional leader who looks to unite the region. Meanwhile in China, General Goa has been promoted to a two star general and is rising his way up the party ranks. He is tasked with overseeing a rail and road connection between China and Iran. They will be connected in a ceremony with a number of dignitaries including the Premier of China. Will Don Riley and his team be able to stop the attacks an$ discover who is behind them before it is too late.
Another excellent entry into the Command and Control series. It is fun to watch Don Riley rise through the ranks. The series reminds me a bit of Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan series although Don doesn’t tend to get into the action quite as much as Jack Ryan did. The book has the same wide scope that Mr. Clancy’s books do.
Mr. Bruns and Mr. Olson tent to be right on the edge of what is happening in the real world, so I wouldn’t be surprised if this became the next global crisis. They also know how to keep you on the edge of your seat with enough plot twists to keep you guessing.
Overall this is an excellent thriller. I would recommend reading the whole series including Covert Action.
Another excellent entry into the Command and Control series. It is fun to watch Don Riley rise through the ranks. The series reminds me a bit of Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan series although Don doesn’t tend to get into the action quite as much as Jack Ryan did. The book has the same wide scope that Mr. Clancy’s books do.
Mr. Bruns and Mr. Olson tent to be right on the edge of what is happening in the real world, so I wouldn’t be surprised if this became the next global crisis. They also know how to keep you on the edge of your seat with enough plot twists to keep you guessing.
Overall this is an excellent thriller. I would recommend reading the whole series including Covert Action.
March 14, 2024
Harrison Kohl is the DDO at the CIA when he hears from the wife of an old friend. His friend who was once an agent has gone missing in Central Asia and no one has any idea where he is or if he is in trouble. Harrison puts out feelers to everyone he knows in the Central Asian 'Stans, but no one has heard or seen his friend. Thus begins an adventure Harrison never expected to be involved in.
The government of the People's Republic of China (PRC) is about to open a major portion of its' "Belt and Road Initiative" that will link all of the Central Asian nations to China and thru Iran and Turkey to Moskow and Western Europe. But one man is causing a problem they didn't expect. He wants to merge the four "Stans together in a super state which will be able to stand up to the PRC. The PRC has been using the "Belt" to force the countries it goes thru to control them economically and politically.
Somehow his friend had gotten himself invovled with the group that is fighting against the PRC encroachment. Harrison has to decide how much the US and CIA need to get involved is supporting the anti-PRC goup and to find out what happened to his friend.
The government of the People's Republic of China (PRC) is about to open a major portion of its' "Belt and Road Initiative" that will link all of the Central Asian nations to China and thru Iran and Turkey to Moskow and Western Europe. But one man is causing a problem they didn't expect. He wants to merge the four "Stans together in a super state which will be able to stand up to the PRC. The PRC has been using the "Belt" to force the countries it goes thru to control them economically and politically.
Somehow his friend had gotten himself invovled with the group that is fighting against the PRC encroachment. Harrison has to decide how much the US and CIA need to get involved is supporting the anti-PRC goup and to find out what happened to his friend.
March 25, 2024
5/5. The focus of this excellent series moves to central Asia. Four of the ‘stans that were formerly part of the Soviet Union are drawing a lot of interest. As they form its near border, Russia wants to continue to dominate them. Through its Belt and Road initiative, China has gained influence by pouring massive amounts of money for infrastructure improvements. A charismatic leader, claiming the inhabitants are more alike than they are different, wants to unite the four countries under his leadership. A new Muslim terrorist group is raising havoc in the area through assassinations and sabotage. The United States has always been a weak player in the region, but wants to increase its presence while limiting that of Moscow and Beijing and keeping the area from becoming a global hotspot. A good look into international politics and plotting. Are there any good guys? Who are the lesser and greater evils? A lot of twists and turns and surprises.
February 13, 2024
Review: I just could not get into this. Continuity errors at the onset in the hangar began my lateral shift away from this novel.
So you are waiting for a plane to land, go out to meet it and someone is already in the hangar you were just in, meeting THE top chinese spy director from the just landed plane? And then, against your better judgement, you sneak around to observe and record the person that was in the hangar you were just in whom you seem to recognize, only to trip on a plot device and get thrown from a jet. Yeah. Right.
Meanwhile we are supposed to sniff and cry because he had two kids and a wife that they went into great depth about. Only to kill him off. Fug this book.
Rating: DNF
So you are waiting for a plane to land, go out to meet it and someone is already in the hangar you were just in, meeting THE top chinese spy director from the just landed plane? And then, against your better judgement, you sneak around to observe and record the person that was in the hangar you were just in whom you seem to recognize, only to trip on a plot device and get thrown from a jet. Yeah. Right.
Meanwhile we are supposed to sniff and cry because he had two kids and a wife that they went into great depth about. Only to kill him off. Fug this book.
Rating: DNF
March 2, 2024
This is my first exposure to these authors and it definitely did not disappoint! The authors have provided us with a set of well-developed characters and a plausible yet complex storyline; as a result, you have yourself a cracking international thriller. The main characters are portrayed as realistic and human, painted on the page with emotions, flaws, and their own convoluted histories. It is a fast-paced read that is powered by non-stop action and a taut, emotional narrative. The many twists and turns in the story make it a real page turner that makes it hard to put the book down.
Thank you to NetGalley and Severn River Publishing who provided me with a copy of this book. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and Severn River Publishing who provided me with a copy of this book. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
July 30, 2024
Interesting scenario, poor delivery
Not as good as the prequels in the series; however it has the potential to provide the sequel with a powerful lead in to contemporary cyber warfare of an AI driven military conflict. The geo-political playbook about the five “Stan’s” referring back to its transnational unity under Tamerlane is interesting but historically fraught, replacing one dictatorship with another. Action and interpersonal developments are missing in this book, which reads more like a factual summary introduction to the next book in the series, which hopefully will not disappoint as this book does.
Not as good as the prequels in the series; however it has the potential to provide the sequel with a powerful lead in to contemporary cyber warfare of an AI driven military conflict. The geo-political playbook about the five “Stan’s” referring back to its transnational unity under Tamerlane is interesting but historically fraught, replacing one dictatorship with another. Action and interpersonal developments are missing in this book, which reads more like a factual summary introduction to the next book in the series, which hopefully will not disappoint as this book does.
March 13, 2024
Covert Action (Command and Control Book 5), my eighth read from authors David Bruns & J.R. Olson. Well-written with well-developed, memorable characters. An outstanding, a great page-turning thriller. An exciting, enjoyable read. Strongly reminiscent of the writing of Tom Clancy & of the best work of Andrew Watts. I received a free Kindle copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review." The gifting of this book did not affect my opinion of it. (RIP Marley January 20, 2014 - July 24, 2018).
April 6, 2024
Yet another gripping storyline.
Excellent storyline leading you the reader into the world of spies and counter espionage in this enthralling encounter between the world Super powers and the people who are involved in the promise of freedom only to find out that they are pawns in the world of politicians who will stop at nothing to get what they want even if it means that they kill innocent civilians in the process.
I have pre ordered the next book in this series and am looking forward to reading it as soon as I can.
Excellent storyline leading you the reader into the world of spies and counter espionage in this enthralling encounter between the world Super powers and the people who are involved in the promise of freedom only to find out that they are pawns in the world of politicians who will stop at nothing to get what they want even if it means that they kill innocent civilians in the process.
I have pre ordered the next book in this series and am looking forward to reading it as soon as I can.
April 26, 2024
Could Be Today's Headlines!
Another excellent read in the Command and Control series. The plots continue to be believable and the action nonstop. The characters from both sides are well developed which helps you understand their motivations and actions. This is an outstanding series that makes it hard to wait for the next book of which I hope there will be several more down the road.
Another excellent read in the Command and Control series. The plots continue to be believable and the action nonstop. The characters from both sides are well developed which helps you understand their motivations and actions. This is an outstanding series that makes it hard to wait for the next book of which I hope there will be several more down the road.
June 23, 2024
Act II, Scene 1…..
A refreshing change of scenery and characters, with Don Riley coming on stage at strategic times and places to add that touch of continuity to this next book. The story has a freshness and crispness that will renew the loyalty the faithful readers of the entire series, as well as attract new readers to what is going to be a new branch in our story— the Central Asian “Silk Road”. And now we wait….for January 2025, and the next scene, Scene 2!
A refreshing change of scenery and characters, with Don Riley coming on stage at strategic times and places to add that touch of continuity to this next book. The story has a freshness and crispness that will renew the loyalty the faithful readers of the entire series, as well as attract new readers to what is going to be a new branch in our story— the Central Asian “Silk Road”. And now we wait….for January 2025, and the next scene, Scene 2!
March 16, 2024
What is really happening in the former Russian states?
A masterful discription of the misleading cues world leaders may create to obtain their goals of global expansion. This book has spellbinding action from the first chapter. Traitors abound! Presidential politics in Russia and the US dictate bad decisions. But the Chinese are up to something...
A masterful discription of the misleading cues world leaders may create to obtain their goals of global expansion. This book has spellbinding action from the first chapter. Traitors abound! Presidential politics in Russia and the US dictate bad decisions. But the Chinese are up to something...
September 12, 2024
Never a Letdown
These 2 guys can really punch out good thrillers. No crazy crap like some authors whose audiences must NEVER have heard a shot fired in anger. These guys may not have either but they have obviously been exposed in some way to the way operations really go down. Great writing. Semper Fi
These 2 guys can really punch out good thrillers. No crazy crap like some authors whose audiences must NEVER have heard a shot fired in anger. These guys may not have either but they have obviously been exposed in some way to the way operations really go down. Great writing. Semper Fi
August 6, 2025
So far Bruns' entire Command and Control series is excellent and this latest book I'm reading is no exception. It details an all too probable plot to destroy America by Islamofascists and the American heroes who strive to stop it.
You don't want to miss this one.
These books are so good I've already purchased the entire series.
You don't want to miss this one.
These books are so good I've already purchased the entire series.
September 1, 2025
Even at book 5 I can't put down the book
The characters are real, I'm right there with them. Straight from the front pages of current newspapers and you can follow along with talking-heads at Fox and CNN. Just started the next book, Proxy Wars. Are you following along with the book or following the news outlets? Same-Same.
The characters are real, I'm right there with them. Straight from the front pages of current newspapers and you can follow along with talking-heads at Fox and CNN. Just started the next book, Proxy Wars. Are you following along with the book or following the news outlets? Same-Same.
February 19, 2024
Thrilling what-if right out of today’s headlines. Almost reads like a war college strategy game, but with complex well developed characters. A must read for every national security policy wonk as we consider asymmetrical warfare.
March 6, 2024
A terrific military thriller, racing through the corridors of power in the USA, China and Russia. Fast-moving pace makes it hard to put down, and its roots in real world events make it very credible. I can’t wait to read the next in the series.
March 11, 2024
I received an advanced copy of this book for my honest review. This book is a great continuation of this series. The story keeps the reader guessing all the way to the ending. The characters are great as well as being believable. I can’t wait for the next book in the series.
April 4, 2024
Good start, exciting finish
Another excellent book and series. Good spy novel, just when you think you know where it is going, you don't. Looking g forward to the next in the series "Proxy War"
Another excellent book and series. Good spy novel, just when you think you know where it is going, you don't. Looking g forward to the next in the series "Proxy War"
April 15, 2024
Good ending, however, almost the entire book deals with geopolitics. I found it very slow going and barely engaging. I loved the first 4 books in this series, so I bought this one before it was published. I will look at any further books from these authors much more carefully.
May 7, 2024
Covert action
A brilliant read even Ian Fleming would be proud of the story with double agents and scenarios within the Chinese version of the CIA and more Bond type Villains than you can shake a stick at
A brilliant read even Ian Fleming would be proud of the story with double agents and scenarios within the Chinese version of the CIA and more Bond type Villains than you can shake a stick at
June 1, 2025
Ripped from tomorrows headlines
Welcome to what could be reality. Our only hope is the USAs govt comes to it's senses. Lol like that might happen while they all have their snouts in the Yen slop bucket.
Welcome to what could be reality. Our only hope is the USAs govt comes to it's senses. Lol like that might happen while they all have their snouts in the Yen slop bucket.
March 8, 2024
Each book in the series gets better. Information is well researched and follows todays headlines!
March 9, 2024
Very slow. This book is a knockoff of others similar thrillers. Nothing new.
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