Bradley Wright packed his latest Xander King novel, "Scourge," which is the fifth in the series, with everything a thriller needs. Perhaps the most ominous is the technology. In a random space, scientists and tech experts hurriedly develop and create a new product with a capability of performing tremendous good or bad, given who controls it. And since this is a Xander King novel, bad is the primary assumption. Xander is a rich kid. He's got it made. But he suffered tragedy early in his life and learned skills that have made him one of the better covert operatives in the literary genre. When his team encounters unexpected difficulties in what was expected to be a relatively routine operation, Xander must deal with the consequences. A fellow CIA agent working undercover gets outed as a result of his encounter gone wrong, and Xander and his team have to get her back. But this other group appears to be a step ahead at all times. Something doesn't mesh. Xander has to play catch up. And he's not happy. Wright includes a lot of plot twists, giving his readers a lot to digest. He develops a number of characters who don't reveal their motives right away. The technology Xander tries to get his hands on is scary, especially in the wrong hands. The action and intrigue keep going until the surprise ending. People get hurt. The stakes are high, so high that the bad guys might succeed in destabilizing the United States.