Power Play
By Patrick Robinson
Vanguard Press
$25.00 hardcover, 336 pages, 978-1593157319 (2012)
For those unfamiliar with this author, Power Play is a continuation of the Mack Bedford series. I’ve only read one other in the series, but I have to confess that it grabbed my attention much more than this novel.
Mack Bedford is a Navy SEAL that is everything you imagine a SEAL would be like: tough, resourceful, intelligent and utterly fearless. It’s a pleasure to read about how a Navy SEAL operation is thought out and planned. This futuristic political thriller, unfortunately, had way too much technical justification for the plot and not enough action. Bedford doesn’t even enter into the plot until nearly half way through the book.
The novel centers on the response to U.S. military forces that help Israel by taking out the nuclear development in Iran. Iran’s missile defense system was planned by Russia, so in retaliation, Russia plans to launch two nuclear missiles to hit Fort Meade near the District of Columbia.
Although there are a few sub-plots running throughout the book, the main action involves the Navy Seals group lead by Bedford. (I must admit that I did enjoy the far-fetched plot involving Ireland.) Various facts about submarines and the geography of the ocean were new and interesting. The scenes with the SEALs training and going into action were realistic. But due to the slow pace in getting the action going, the novel lacked a lot of suspense just when it was needed.
Buy it on Amazon here.
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