This is the second book in the Alan Craik series, the first of which I read 8 years ago and as such can't really remember, that being said there's enough character background at the commencement of this book to get you up to speed - Alan Craik's a navy intelligence officer whose father was also in the navy - and he's good at his job.

This is 644 pages long, and I've only given in a mere 2 stars as the first 300 pages are d-r-y, yes there's required background for the last half of the story in there, laying the groundwork for the Yugoslavia subplot, unfolding genocide in Rwanda including a brief primer on the Hutu vs Tutsi conflict, there's an entire subplot surrounding a classified satellite weapons system as well as a racist petty officer subplot. Sure they added depth but the action side wouldn't have really suffered had they been cut. There's also a whole section where the Mike Dukas character steps away from his NCIS job to pursue war criminals in Yugoslavia and the back and forth as he chases after a particular bloke that Alan interacts with in the book opening.

In the last 344 pages is where the book actually becomes interesting, dare I say gripping - the war begins in Africa, a CIA agent friend of Alan's is taken hostage and the US Battle Group that Alan is a part of enters conflict and is split between the unfolding Yugoslavian problems and a contested launching of the satellite off the coast of Libya, whilst also providing support for Alan who is put ashore in Rwanda to rescue his friend taken hostage by the rebels.

The ending is pretty decent and almost redeems the book, but geez that first half was pretty dull and I actually found myself putting it down to merely stare out the window and trees it was so uncompelling, I am glad I persisted however as the last 344 pages were up there with Dale Brown's writing. ( )