Book of The Week – Second Strike
Second Strike. Credit: Google Images
Second Strike by Ron P. Whittington is a fast paced thriller following Parker Glynn as he navigates through a terrorist attack. Starting in the aftermath of a tragedy, 9/11, Whittington tells a story of redemption through the eyes of a man who lost everything.
Second Strike is a novel that gives thrill seekers everything they are looking for, while staying in the comfort of their own homes. Whittington also gives readers, particularly Americans, a chance to fight alongside Glynn as he fights the people who wronged their countrymen.
Glynn begins as a self loathing, pitiful person who is drinking his life away until he finds new purpose in his life by becoming a hero. Using his intuition and the information from his past, he finds himself face to face with al-Qaeda.
The novel switches perspective quickly moving between characters almost every chapter, which keeps the reader on edge. As one character is flying down the freeway, Whittington changes things up by moving to the slower paced FBI agent Jaime Simmons examining a scene.
By employing different perspectives, Whittington allows for the full story to be shown; Glynn pursuing a terrorist, Simmons searching for Glynn and Morqos the terrorist explaining the plans they set out. This gives the reader a greater grasp on what is happening and keeps the pages flying.
Whittington describes everything almost to a fault. While the scenes are set beautifully, some of the narrative is a little drawn out. Whittington’s detailed paragraphs put readers directly into the scene, showing them how the place would feel. He gives you smells, décor, even temperature to really show you how the characters are feeling.
The research that went into this novel is incredible. Whittington describes every gun, boat and plane, even giving descriptions on the people in them. You feel for the innocent people lost between the pages and delve into a deeper relationship with the novel. Whittington even gives a back-story to the terrorist, in order for the reader to understand, but not sympathize with, his actions.
The only issue with the novel was the ending. Given the structure of the book the ending seemed a little sloppy, quickly sewing things up to move things along and forcing a conclusion.
Whittington gives an interesting look into real life events through a strong willed protagonist. He shows the story of a man fighting for his revenge and seeking the light on the other side of his pain. This novel is perfect for any thriller enthusiasts and makes every American feel the patriotism he puts forth.
Reviewer for bookpleasures.com
