A conceptually impressive, tightly wound thriller, far too many war-based novels favour action and adventure at the expense of plot but Gordon finds a more equitable balance and in doing so The Bomb Squad: Clash of The Patriots proves an absorbing and intelligent read that engages from the start.
Revolving around historical events it certainly isn’t an archetypal war novel as Gordon takes us beyond a predictable pseudo-historical slant to give his readers a more clandestine and thought-provoking perspective.
As a wartime adventure, it’s an exciting one. Laden with double-crossing and unexpected adversities that take us from New York to Cologne with Gordon demonstrating a fine eye for detail when it comes to setting up plot and characters. The plotting is tightly wound, but rather than get bogged down in painstakingly explicated motives we follow Max and Harold through a kinetic series of escalating events that immerse us in his narrative.
The test of a good thriller is when you stop thinking about the mechanics of the plot and start caring about the people and Max, in particular, has a certain offhand appeal which makes him highly endearing. More importantly, Gordon gives us characters that respect the intelligence of his readers.
Writing in an ever-popular genre is never easy and Gordon has delivered a genuine gem of a read with The Bomb Squad: Clash of The Patriots being highly recommended.