This is a pretty engaging spy thriller novel. The main heroes Drew and Peter aren't as nigh-perfect as Land's characters usually are, though heroine Elliana operates way too much on instinct when it comes to gunning down people who may or may not be spies for the eponymous Council of Ten (of course, this genre being what it is, she's always right). It seems Jon Land is almost required by law to include one nearly unstoppable killing machine per book; here, the hook-handed giant Teeg.
The last act is far too short and over far too quickly. There's too much focus on the personal battle between Drew and his nemesis Corbano, and not enough on the actual fight against the Council. Also, regarding the Council of Ten, only five of them are identified (plus their mysterious leader, the eleventh of ten). This is definitely a cheat. We're promised "the enemies of America have joined forces," but to never find out who half of those enemies are makes the book feel somewhat of a snipe hunt. Land really dropped the ball on the "villain team-up" portion of the book.
The last act is far too short and over far too quickly. There's too much focus on the personal battle between Drew and his nemesis Corbano, and not enough on the actual fight against the Council. Also, regarding the Council of Ten, only five of them are identified (plus their mysterious leader, the eleventh of ten). This is definitely a cheat. We're promised "the enemies of America have joined forces," but to never find out who half of those enemies are makes the book feel somewhat of a snipe hunt. Land really dropped the ball on the "villain team-up" portion of the book.
