have been interested in reading a Brad Taylor novel for some time now. I've received tons of recommendations and friends urging me to start his Pike Logan series. After reading Polaris Protocol I can see why it was essential to get my hands on this thrilling series.
After being initially being declined by Netgalley to read Polaris Protocol, I was certain my hopes of fulfilling this need to become acquainted with Pike Logan was DOA. With a heavy heart, I reluctantly opened a second email saying my request had been approved. I did a little jig and then sent the copy to my Kindle before the Penguin Group could change their minds.
Polaris Protocol begins with some serious GPS failures that appears to be something more than just a software/hardware mating problem. Then military is trying to keep its implications on the hush since losing a drone anywhere in Iran would be catastrophic. Skip to present day where there's more evidence that something's wrong with the North American GPS system. Is it something due to human error that can be resolved or something more sinister at bay?
On to Pike Logan and his team. What a bad-a$$! Pike and his team are handling a mission in Turkmenistan when Jennifer receives word from her brother that while on assignment, his life is in jeopardy. Jennifer is frantic and needs to bail on the current mission since she knows that her brothers voice-mail, although brief, means that he is in need of her assistance. Somehow he's gotten his self caught between two opposing Mexican drug cartels while investigating on their turf.
Eventually Pike's whole team goes out to save the precious cargo. Jennifer is in trouble and so if he brother. Let the dead bodies begin to pile up!
In a nutshell: I loved this book. Polaris Protocol moves at lightening speed, is multi-layered, and easy to follow. Brad Taylor manages to bring every scene to life. Every kick to the throat and punch in the eye was descriptive. I almost felt as if I was reading a movie. Thank you Mr. Taylor.
There are bad guys galore so in the beginning, it was a little hard to remember who was a part of what opposing gang. They were both equally menacing. Eventually, those rough patches get smoothed out as the novel progresses. Ultimately, I was just hoping nobody got their hands on the Polaris Protocol program. This program is designed to cripple North America's GPS with no trace. I have only recently become privy to how much we rely on this system. Its timing is embedded in the United States architecture in a way that is scary. Breaking into GPS could cause massive levels of damage to the very things we use daily. Imagine your bank account being wiped out. Yeah! It's like that.
The other thing that stood out for me with this novel is that Pike is a well drawn character. With Polaris Protocol being well into an already well established series, its easy for the feature character to get lost in the fray. I didn't feel that this happened at all to Pike. His struggles with managing his team as well keeping his love life with Jennifer balanced was real. It provides a level of depth to a man that seems best at being a bad-a$$. I lack the vocabulary necessary to explain just how cool Pike is and for that I apologize.
Ultimately fans of Brad Taylor's won't want to miss Polaris Protocol. If you're a fan of espionage, secret military operations, and just plain ol' bad-a$$ery please check this novel out. This is my first dance with Logan and his special team but it will definitely not be my last. ****
Copy provided by Penguin Group via Netgalley
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