Tiger's Claw: A Novel
In Brown’s latest, Patrick McLanahan is back to save the world one more time. A reconnaissance plane is hit with a new type of weapon that fries the internal electronics of its target. The plane crashes into the South China Sea in an area considered international waters. Unfortunately, a coup within the Chinese government has put a new leader in power who contends those waters belong to China and is willing to do anything to make his point. McLanahan, a retired air-force general now heading a tech company that has been working on modifying older planes that don’t rely on computers, is called into action. The story grips the reader from the opening page right up to the shocking conclusion. Brown knows how to deliver action with a military slant without making it too tech-heavy for readers not familiar with the jargon (though there is a helpful glossary). Along with the compelling action, Tiger’s Claw profits from the scenes dealing with Patrick and his son, Bradley, giving this installment in the series a stronger human angle than many of its predecessors. --Jeff Ayers