Rules Of Engagement [Paperback]

RULES OF ENGAGEMENT spans several years as the younger Craik and his crackpot theory gain credibility within the Naval Intelligence community as pieces of confirmatory evidence fall into place. Finally, evolving events and opportunity combine to send Alan chasing across continents to capture his father's killer.

The jacket of this paperback lauds the novel as a "can't put down book". Although a solidly crafted yarn, it's not quite that until the last third or so when the plot picks up enough speed to justify the description. Until then, the pace is comparatively sedate as Craik matures both professionally and personally. And it isn't until then that this reader got very interested in the young officer's crusade. One major plus is the marriage of Alan to a fellow naval officer, helo pilot Rose Siciliano. It's a nice touch that Rose outranks her husband, and, furthermore, is overtly more ambitious than he to climb the command ladder. (You go, girl!) However, when the two cross operational paths at the very end, it seems too convenient a plot gimmick.

The successor to the USSR's KGB, the SVRR, plays a support role in an odd alliance with the CIA. The two spy organizations are represented by mid-level, female executives, Darya Ouspenskaya and Sally Baranowski respectively. The collaboration between the two was given too little print space, an expansion of which would have made the storyline significantly more interesting.

This is the debut potboiler by Gordon Kent, actually a pseudonym of a father-son writing team. I'll buy their next book with the expectation that it'll be even better.

This book contains a well-thought and delivered story line that is based in the history of the Persian Gulf War as well as in the imagination of the authors. I am a very critical reader and as a veteran and military historian, consider myself fairly knowledgeable on what happened and what is possible. The authors, aware that there are a great number of readers with military and intelligence experience have constructed a story line that is part military novel and part murder mystery. It is a very effective combination and one that I found entirely plausible. I think I was able to do so because the authors did not stretch credibility beyond the degree where most readers are willing to suspend disbelief. This is a novel that readers could imagine being possible in the real world.

Although the novel is a military mystery, the authors have done a fine job of developing the main characters, especially young Alan Craik, a naval officer who sets out to find out who killed his father, a Navy Commander and commanding officer of a A-6E Intruder Squadron in the days leading up to the war in the gulf. Throughout the plot, the writers provide additional characters that add to the depth of the story and these figures too, are well fleshed out and their presence is logical and necessary to move the story along.

There is a real villain in this story and he too, is well painted. As I read this novel and met all its characters, I marveled at the real talent I found between the book's covers. To be honest, I was actually very surprised that this was a first novel. My reason: it is so well done that it reads like a work produced by a writer with many books behind him. To find such well-written books and then, to find out that the book is a first effort, is a rare treat indeed. While I realize that this book is a collaborative effort, I still enjoyed it immensely and respect the talent of the team that produced it.

Whoever Gordon Kent is has won me as a fan. I don't know what their next project is, but I do know that whatever it might be, I look forward to reading it. Gentlemen, whoever you are and wherever you might be, keep up the great work! I am sure that I speak for all who will read this book and appreciate its quality when I say, "give us more."

Bravo Zulu!

Paul Connors