T.C. Robson - reviewed on 8/9/2008 + 147 more book reviews

In the fourth installment of Tom Clancy's video game-spawning Splinter Cell series, Sam Fisher is up to his same old sneaky tricks with the CIA again. This time, when his brother dies of a lethal substance that, in a cup full, can kill the entirety of New York City, Fisher finds a secret operation in which a past dictatorial leader aims to take over the Kyrgyzstan government once again and rid of the hostiles that get in the way. With a combination of the substance, named PuH-19, and a manipulative, multiplying fungus, as well as two biological experts kidnapped and coaxed into perfecting the mixture of the chemicals, they basically intend to take over the world - all of which means Fisher will only get an hour nap instead of two.

The stealthy agent uses state-of-the-art, hasn't-been-invented-yet technology to track down his enemies and pick them off one by one, all the while upholding the covers of a journalist, adventurer and really sneaky tree-hider. Michaels' writing is beautifully executed with accurate terminology that all branches of the military would be proud of (and probably respond to). The action is pulse-pounding, the detail realistic and vivid, and the run-down of his mission a breeze to catch on to. However, the details regarding the biological substances and what-not can get a bit confusing, even in spite of the simplifying debriefings Fisher receives.

As the sole inner picture says, Fisher is "a one-man weapon of mass destruction," and with blown-up vehicles, ship raids, helicopter drops, anti-aircraft weaponry, trips to an abandoned sewer facility, miles and miles of running, and Sticky equipment (cameras and microphones with adhesive), he's been given all the tools (and then some) to be just that. It'll be hard to top Fisher's adventures in this installment.

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