Review: "REVENGE IS A POWERFUL MOTIVATOR"  (4.5 STARS)
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 10 22, 2012
First, while this is a stand-alone novel, I think you will enjoy it more if you read the previous novel, "ARTIC WARGAMES", as there are some things that happen in the first novel that are mentioned in this one and some characters are part of both novels.  In addition, the reason for revenge comes from the first novel.  If you have read the previous novel, you will not want to miss this one, it is his best yet.Ethan Jones' latest thriller "Tripoli's Target" opens with a bang, several of them as terrorists explode several vehicles loaded with bombs throughout the hotel district in the Lebanese capital.  We know from the beginning that the one truck that did not explode was part of the plan, but the Lebanese Secret Police do not discover this during their initial investigation,  The action then continues in many of today's hot spots, Lybia, Sudan and Egypt with all the different sub-plots leading back to the bombing.The author has greatly improved his writing skills since the first Justin Hall book.  His writing is crisper, his characters are well developed and while some are not what they seem the author ties everything up by then end of the novel, leaving readers satisfied with the story.  We come to realize that while these characters may be flawed, they have made and continue to make great personal sacrifices to make the world a safer place.  I like that the author has made his protagonists Canadians, adding a fresh spin on characters that are usually part of the U.S. government.  I've enjoyed this series and look forward to reading the next Justin Hall novel.