By Jack Mars
Jack Mars can keep you safely ensconced in your seat, happily turning pages; or listening for hours as he unfolds another thriller with Reid Lawson, aka Agent Zero, at the center of it.
In Vengeance Zero, Agent Zero is out to track down a terrorist cell that has captured a highly visible "icon" of America. If that is not challenging enough, Zero is being targeted by an assassin. The assassin misses his mark, but wounds Zero in a way few things could. Now Zero is on the hunt for two culprits . . . and with vengeance on his mind.
One reviewer described this book as "unputdownable" -- that's not too far off the mark. Mars does a splendid job of bringing his characters along, including Lawson's now three daughters, Maya, Sara, and Mischa. We also see his band of brothers break up, and stay on the edge of our seats to find out if his best friend can survive a hard hit one more time.
My recommendation:
The Agent Zero series won't change your life, but it might keep you from a good night's sleep or keep you going on an overnight drive --that is what "unputdownable" does to you.
Mars' title tells you all you need to know about Agent Zero's philosophy of "justice." It's vengeance. That's sad, but not unusual for this genre.
I give Vengeance Zero four and 1/2 stars; not because it is a superb piece of literature, but because he's at the top of his craft in the espionage thriller genre. Interesting plot. Real . . . flawed characters. Believable (well . . . mostly!). The Agent Zero
