Heroes Proved
On the thirty-first anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, the U.S. and the world are vastly different than they were in 2001. The president of the U.S. relies on secret tactics to keep up the appearance of safety. In Houston, several Islamic terrorists kidnap a physicist from MIT who has knowledge of a hydrogen fuel cell that could eliminate the need for fossil fuels. Peter Newman, former war hero and son of a U.S. senator, knows that the physicist’s research is vital to achieving energy independence. When others who worked with the scientist die under mysterious circumstances, Newman realizes it’s up to him to stage a rescue. But the government needs to keep the kidnapping and the truth behind the abduction a secret, so Newman becomes a target with nowhere to turn. North has written an involving thriller that posits a distinctly scary future. The president and some of the government officials come across as buffoons, but Peter Newman and the heroes shine. Military-fiction fans will devour this one. --Jeff Ayers