Juggernaut [Paperback]

A military/mercenaries thriller, set in deepest Iraq, during the troubles there. A misfit bunch of mercenaries are after a vast pot of gold, but it is buried deep in the desert, in a highly contaminated area. Once they reach their goal, all is not as it seems. Having witnessed skeletal forms in battered and burned out army vehicles they are surprised to find some of these forms are "alive."

The story moves along at quite a pace, covering why the gold is there, battling against the zombie-like beings, and each other.

To be frank, I thought I was going to read a military conflict story and was a little disappointed at the introduction of the walking dead element. Overall, though, the scenario works fairly well, and Juggernaut is a good read.

Juggernaut is the tale of a band of mercenaries, who head to the remote Iraqi Valley 403 in order to pick up one of Saddam's bullion caches. When they arrive, it's clear that this place is more than just a remote gold-depot; the ancient citadel riddled with bullet-holes and ankle-deep in brass casings suggests that something is amiss. As the truth unfurls, it becomes clear that this place should have stayed forgotten, but will any of them make it out alive?

Adam Baker writes extremely well and has managed to engineer his second novel as a prequel to his first - the excellent Outpost - whilst remaining canon. His style is succinct, with numerous short-sentences that maintain pace & conveys urgency. He remains fixed in reality for the majority of the book, name-dropping real-world brands of weapons, ammunition and places but with a major twist that is an interesting take on an increasingly threadbare pop-culture vein.

Well written, kept me guessing and I steamed through the 400-odd pages like the eponymous juggernaut as a result - highly recommended for a thrilling pulp-read!!

Outpost, Adam Baker's debut novel, was an unexpected highlight of last year. Creepy, action-packed, with a cast of memorable characters and a darker than dark story it most definitely earned its spot on my book of the year list. When my copy of Juggernaut arrived, I have to admit that my expectations were extremely high.

Like its predecessor, Juggernaut features a strong female protagonist as its main character. Lucy leads the group of mercenaries from the front and she is just as tough as any of her male counterparts. She is ex Special Forces and her calm under pressure makes for an engrossing character. She doesn't panic, she doesn't flinch, and she just does whatever needs to be done. Like the lead character in Outpost, there is an inherent inner-strength that starts to shine through as the plot unfolds.

The rest of the mercs are a rag tag group. My personal favourite was the South African team member, Voss, who has a habit blowing things up and chewing tobacco. I have to admit I kept picturing Jesse Ventura as Blain in Predator every time he appeared. My only minor disappointment was that Voss never delivered the line "I ain't got time to bleed" in a South African accent.

The northwestern Iraqi desert is an ideal backdrop for this story. While war rages far to the south, the blistering heat, inhospitable terrain and desolate landscape creates a sense of isolation. This isn't just mercenaries against hordes of undead but also against their surroundings. As the action escalates and the odds of surviving reduce by the second there is a palpable air of desperation.

I continue to be impressed by Baker's work and Juggernaut expertly showcases a rising talent in the genre. Be prepared for a tale featuring zombies of mass destruction that seamlessly blends together political intrigue with shockingly graphic body horror.

Juggernaut functions as a prequel to Outpost and fills in some, but not all, of the intentional blanks that appeared in the first novel. The reader gets to learn at least a partial origin to the virus that is causing all the mayhem. There are also some insightful flashbacks that shed light on the shadowy government officials who are trying to control it. There are, however, still enough gaps and a tantalising epilogue that makes me think there may be at least one more novel to come. If not, I will be happy to start the campaign here and now that demands that Adam Baker writes one. Juggernaut and Outpost are both masterful works that I would recommend to any reader that enjoys absorbing horror. Mr. Baker is an author that has a flair for the apocalyptic and I'm already looking forward to his next novel.

I have my own mental checklist when it comes to zombie novels like this. I'm looking for seemingly hopeless situations, futile gestures made by characters that know they are living on borrow time, small groups facing insurmountable odds and a climax that takes has you sat on the edge of your seat. The good news is that Juggernaut delivers all of this and more. Sure there are a plethora of zombie books out there but there is a world of difference between a zombie novel and a zombie novel done well. This falls firmly into the later category.