Book#1

Drawing from his service in the Canadian Armed Force and years as a military intelligence officer, the author has penned a political thriller in a narrative that is gripping of operations, espionage and geopolitical tension. This debut novel places Canada at the centre of a global conflict along with its allies.

Sergeant Sebastien Ray leads JTF2’s (Joint Task Force) Alpha team on a rescue mission: free the hostages and eliminate their captors. The enemy is no ordinary zealot; he is the architect of upheaval intent to changing the entire world. The story begins with a rescue that spirals out of control…..

First, a note from the author:

“Most Canadians have never heard of them, but when a Canadian veteran and a British intelligence officer vanish in Belize, it’s JTF2 that answers the call.” This first installment recreates a version of the mission.

In “The Quiet War”, Canada may be the first target but is not the last. U.K. USA and beyond will be subjects of their own war…I simply can’t wait to see how far- reaching the tentacle of war can be.

With steady pacing and grounded heroes this thriller feels too real IMO and stands apart other geopolitical stories by showing what Canada can do when it is force to act. The narrative is active and passionate, a cinematic glimpse into the high-stake world of a quiet war: it may be drugs, trafficking, abductions even murders whatever the prime target is, hopefully someone higher up the chain of command will be there to take the right decisions.

This first installment challenges assumption about Canadian identity, strength and sovereignty…..so real in today’s world.

This is an excellent read that will have you flipping pages at the speed of light. Interesting and captivating to no end….I simply loved it.

Well-said and well-done.

A very good start to the series. An interesting and scary take on how to destabilise the governments of the west, starting with Canada. Plenty of action, with great characters. There's enough military jargon to make the story move along nicely and keep it real, without being bogged down by too much military technical info. The list of military acronyms at the start is very helpful! I enjoyed the story and look forward to more in the series.
Thanks to Netgalley, Book Whisperer, and Michael J. Lalonde for the free ARC. All opinions are my own.

The most disappointing aspect of this book is that it is the first instalment of a longer story. While it draws to a natural conclusion, and is therefore stand alone, the book clearly states that this is the start of an ongoing saga. The book also is very clear on who the good guys are an£ who are the baddies. There are few grey areas. The novel centres on the uncovering of a terrorist plot. The two people who do this, a British agent and a retired Canadian soldier are then kidnapped by the group involved in this plot. It is up to the elite Canadian joint task force 2 to effect their release from the hideaway in the rainforest in Belize. What follows is a realistic portrayal of that mission. The writing holds your attention and there is a gripping conclusion leaving you wanting to see the story complete. It’s a shame to have to wait.

The Quiet War by Michael J Lalonde is the beginning of the story of one man’s quest to take over the world, or destroy it. It is told from a Canadian point of view and is pretty much a military thriller with some espionage thrown in for fun. It is not the first time a cartel and a terrorist group have joined forces but this time Al-Najim al-Saghir was going to use the drugs to bring a country to its knees. We see hints of that at present, but his plan was much more diabolical. Enter Keira, a young MI6 operator who was hiding as a waitress in Belize. She approached Nathan, a middle aged Canadian ex-operative one night, pretending to hit on him, convincing him to meet up with a man he had recruited years earlier. That’s when it all started.

There’s a huge cast of characters as well as a slew of acronyms, all defined at the beginning for reference. From then on it is basically a military operation, along the lines of SEALS or Rangers. It is fast-paced and violent, although not that bloody as these operators are good and mostly take out their prey with one bullet to the head. The author says the story is to make people think and he accomplished that. Mistrust of government is rampant and for good reason. Frightening book.

I was invited to read The Quiet War by Book Whisperer. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #BookWhisperer #MichaelJLaLomde #TheQuietWar