Damage Control [Hardcover]

For those familiar with the previous novels by Gordon Kent following the adventures of US Naval Intelligence Officer Alan Craik, Damage Control might come as a bit of a surprise. Whilst the usual cast of recurring characters, from Alan's wife Rose to NCIS investigator Mike Dukas, are all present & correct, the story itself has a slightly different feel to it.

Until now the Craik books have focused on comparatively small scale stories of political and military intrigue. Yes, there has been the odd 'large scale' event here and there, but for the most part they have avoided the world shaking events that other thrillers often use as the hooks for their stories. With Damage Control however, Gordon Kent tries his (or to be precise 'their' since the author is a pseudonym for a father & son team) hand at the sort of geo-political tale that the likes of Clancy and Coonts usually offer.

Opening with an attempted coup in India by an unknown group of Hindu fanatics, Damage Control follows the attempts of Alan Craik and his allies to trace the whereabouts of three nuclear weapons stolen during the chaos of the coup and to prevent events from spiralling out of control and into a war of global preportions. In doing so they must travel into a chaotic India that is at war with itself, risking life and limb in order to do so.

So how does Gordon Kent's attempt at broadening the scale of Alan Craik's adventures stand up? The answer is not too badly. It isn't however, an unqualified success. The key plot strand; following Alan's and his CIA agent friend Harry's efforts to find the nukes is well done. There is the usual mix of organic plotting and realistic action that we've come to expect from the author(s), along with some solid race against time thrills. The wider elements of the story however, vary in their effectiveness. Rose Sciciliano's (Alan's wife's) story, as she takes command of a group of stranded US airmen and their planes, is pretty well done, as are events on board a US aircraft carrier damaged in a sneak attack early on the story. In fact any element of the book that deals directly with military matters has the ring of authenticity to it that gives it extra strength. It is the some of the non-military bits that are weaker. The attitude of the powers that be in Washington to events in India, for example, don't come across as very realistic and seem more like the authors trying to make a political point rather than anything else. Equally the identity of the 'bad guys', their motivations, their abilities to engineer the crisis that is at the centre of events and the fact that they remain undiscovered for so long doesn't feel terribly realistic. It doesn't help that they disappear from the narrative after only a few token appearances & without explanation as to why, and don't remerge until the denoument. Finally other parts of the plot, such as the uncovering of a mole within the US navy by Dukas and his team just feel surplus to requirements (although that particular plot thread will be important in the book that follows this one) and pull the reader away from the main story.

Overall Damage Control is a book that tries something a bit different with existing characters but doesn't quite manage to pull it off. Had the idea of a coup in India been better conceived then it might have been more successful. As it is this feels like an attempt to ape the scale and ambition of other authors that hasn't had enough thought put into it to be really successful. Gordon Kent would be better advised to stick to their proven strength in future, which is writing exciting espionage thrillers set within and around the US Navy. Leave the geo-politics to other people.

The latest episode in this beautifully written and absorbing series starring a cast of highly likable, well rounded characters. These books are not just techno-thrillers for the boys, they contain much more substance than that, the lives of the participants are just as interesting as the main story line. In this case, a mutiny within the Indian armed forces causes chaos during a preplanned exercise. Can't recommend highly enough!

Damage Control is yet another excellent book by the Father and Son duo. They have a remarkable style that keeps one rivetted, and won't let you put their books down easily.

They are wonderful story tellers who use their first hand military experiences, and their detailed knowledge about their subject matter to great and vivid effect.

I'm just about to order another two in their series, and I can't wait to receive them, and get involved with their work again.

I have read:- Force Protection, and Damage Control, and both were superb.

Next up will probably be:- Top Hook and Night Trap.

Neville Wilson Jones