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Target Omega
Mike Garin #1
Peter Kirsanow

Dutton
May 16, 2017/ ISBN 9781101985298
Military Thriller

Reviewed by  Elise Cooper

 

Target Omega by Peter Kirsanow fills in the gap left behind by the late Vince Flynn regarding stories of political correctness. As with Mitch Rapp, this latest character, Mike Garin leaves no prisoners behind. This action-packed tale will be enjoyable for those who want America to win and not succumb to caring about the bad guy's feelings.

The author wrote the book out of frustration, wanting to return to the days when leaders put America first, "which will also favor the world. Many American politicians believe today that they were elected by the world. We need to be more concerned about keeping our children safe than for concern about radical elements. I wrote the quote in the book to reflect this, ‘How many terrorists he's killed, captured or defeated. Legal subpoenas could be deadly, but not to the terrorists.' I wish our politicians had the sensibilities of the Israelis. Israel has actually kept the world safe when it destroyed the Iraq and Syria reactors. In the past America has its hands over its ears and hopes things work out."

This first in a series opens in Pakistan where a quick reaction force is sent in to destroy a weapon of mass destruction. The sole purpose of Omega, an elite force, is to interdict, recover, or eliminate rogue weapons that can abolish mankind. But, after they return home someone is methodically finding and executing team members, including an attempt on Garin. He seeks to find out who is murdering his team and why, enlisting the help of his former business partner, a retired SEAL, Dan Dwyer, and an assistant to the National Security Advisor, Olivia Perry. This plot might remind readers of Nelson DeMille's The Lion's Game where a Libyan terrorist also killed members of a team that bombed Muammar Gaddafi's' palace.

Readers learn that Garin was a sickly child, born with a heart defect that he eventually overcame to become a Special Forces living legend for his heroic missions. He can best be described as a 1950s western cowboy who believes in right over wrong and will stop at nothing to win on behalf of justice. His determination and skills are put to the test when he finds that two of America's adversaries, Russia and Iran, are part of a horrific plot. Realizing he must destroy these conspirators before they murder him and millions of Americans, Garin leaves a path of bodies in his wake, landing him on the FBI's radar and pursued by multiple countries, local law enforcement, and one of the world's most elite snipers, Congo Knox.

Kirsanow noted, “I wanted this book to be a warning of sorts, for Americans to understand we never left the Cold War. Putin thinks it was a catastrophe that the Soviet Union collapsed and he now wants a greater Russia with most of the Soviet satellites. The Russian President in the book and Putin’s outlooks are identical. This is why I put in the quote, ‘Not everything wrong in the world is America’s fault. There are some real bad guys out there and we can’t pretend they don’t exist.’” Although this plot is foiled the wide-open ending will be the beginning of the next book where Garin must match wits with his Russian counterpart, Taras Bor.

For a debut thriller, Kirsanow delivers a very suspenseful story with hard-hitting action and larger-than-life characters. The ending and twist will leave readers wishing the next book would come out sooner than later.

Reviews of other titles in this series

Target Omega #1
Second Strike #2

Reviewed 2017
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