A leisurely paced but absorbing story of fighting enemies on American soil.
In Powell’s thriller, Homeland Security agents race to thwart bioterrorists plotting a viral attack against the U.S.
Billionaire Aléxandros Ghoul wants the FDA to add his lab’s smallpox vaccine to the Strategic National Stockpile. When the FDA rejects it, he decides to release a “weapons grade, genetically modified smallpox variant” that is resistant to all treatments but his own vaccine. Ghoul taps German-born former French Legionnaire Bruno Rattenvanger to oversee the plan, which involves blaming the unleashed virus on someone else. Bruno, tying off loose ends as the plan rolls along, commits a murder that catches the attention of Homeland Security, which quickly realizes that a viral strike is impending. The Bioterrorism Emergency Search Team gathers evidence to determine when the attack will take place and makes plans to combat it in whatever way they can. Meanwhile, “apocalyptic televangelist” Brother John, who, convinced he’s the Witness for the Second Coming, establishes what most would call a cult in Las Vegas. (“As one of God’s witnesses, it’s my calling to prophesy about the End Times and Second Coming of Jesus Christ.”) Powell introduces a colorful assortment of villains: Ghoul, for example, has been diagnosed with prostate cancer and runs a lab that, in addition to producing vaccines, distributes cocaine and launders drug money; Bruno has a distinctive gait, as an old injury necessitates that he walks with a cane (which doubles as a weapon). In contrast, none of the heroes truly stand out. There’s no real protagonist among them, and the plot doesn’t offer much for them to do; in one lengthy scene, they listen to a doctor’s presentation on the history of smallpox while occasionally asking questions. The novel’s action is nominal, though some characters keep the story popping—including a few innocents unwittingly entangled with the baddies.
A leisurely paced but absorbing story of fighting enemies on American soil.Pub Date: April 17, 2026
ISBN: 9780962989926
Page Count: 271
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: June 17, 2026
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Fast-moving fun from start to finish.
A hijacked laser weapon threatens to ignite World War III.
The U.S. is testing the EAGL, or Enhanced Aerial Gunnery Laser, an airborne defense system that annihilates anything it hits. It’s so fast it “can shoot down a hundred ballistic missiles before they leave enemy territory,” it never runs out of ammunition, and it will “make ballistic missiles obsolete.” But a traitor named Ridley Wiles hijacks the plane that carries it, and he kills the crew. Radar contact is lost, and National Underwater and Marine Agency (NUMA) salvage experts Kurt Austin and Joe Zavala undertake an urgent mission to find or destroy the EAGL before Russia or China lay their hands on it. Meanwhile, a smuggler named Ahab who specializes in dumping toxic waste is dying. He blames Kurt and Gushan, an officer in China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA), and would like nothing better than to cause World War III before he dies. The action and excitement are damn near constant. The U.S. and China have begun joint operations on certain projects, and Kurt and Joe save Gushan’s life—barely—in the prologue. But Gushan’s superiors may later order him to hunt Americans down and kill them. He knows he owes his saviors a debt, but he is also loyal to his country and to the PLA, so he has a dilemma. The heroes are all that NUMA series readers have come to expect—smart, honorable, and resourceful under life-and-death pressure. They face attacks on the NUMA vessel Lyra, try to save a sinking ship, commandeer a cargo plane—Joe can fly it, but isn’t so sure about landing it—and hope Ahab doesn’t blow it out of the sky. As always in this series, the story is a high-stakes, brace-yourself adventure with admirable heroes who don’t shy away from the next challenge.
Fast-moving fun from start to finish.Pub Date: June 2, 2026
ISBN: 9798217184972
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: May 4, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
American honor, high-tech power, and on-the-ground bravery highlight this exciting yarn.
Deadly drones threaten chaos, and Ryans are in the thick of the fight.
A U.S. Air Force C-32A crashes near Bodrum, Turkey, killing all aboard, including the secretary of commerce. American investigators suspect sabotage, which elevates the issue up to the White House. Strangely, only 15 passengers had been aboard while 16 were listed on the manifest. Gunther Klaus, a Swiss moneyman for the Russians, was supposed to be on that plane. Code-named Fulcrum, he wants to get to the West to expose Russian chicanery. On the book’s dark side, Andrei Malenkov has a “little squadron” of drones he plans to load with radioactive cesium chloride that would change the world and make him rich. Given his intended target in northern Africa, the plan sounds plausible. Unfortunately for him, he must face Americans like series regulars Ding Chavez, John “I’m too old to die young” Clark, and Lieutenant Commander Katie “What the hell are we getting into now?” Ryan. The story is rich in weapons technology and balanced by Americans, to a one, displaying courage and solid character. At the top, President Jack Ryan tries to contain a simmering geopolitical mess by talking to an unfriendly President Nikita Yermilov. The tactical level is what readers live for—the gunfights, the explosions, the drones that hunt and kill—and always, always, another threat from a deadly adversary. The demise of the Cold War certainly didn’t end the supply of material for this Clancy-created series. In a world of constant turmoil, the Clancy crew will always be busy. There’s a sameness to the novels—the U.S., with its noble leader (alas, fictional) “trying to hold together a world that’s blowing apart,” and its noble warriors, like Katie, who “seemed to find action like a moth found light.” With this novel, thriller writer Larsen makes his first entry in the Clancy series. His style fits perfectly.
American honor, high-tech power, and on-the-ground bravery highlight this exciting yarn.Pub Date: May 19, 2026
ISBN: 9780593718094
Page Count: 448
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: April 20, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
