| Rogue Threat By Aiden Rocke | | | | Vice-President phoned and directed him to meet him |
| Other than for sleeping and eating, I read Rogue | | | | at the Dulles Airport in an hour. "Bizarre," Matt |
| Threat straight through! I think the most chilling thing | | | | murmured, but he didn't think he could say no to the |
| about this book is that the beauty of the author's | | | | Vice President...even though he wanted to, for he |
| words (e.g., "The ferns and shrubs reached up | | | | had lost his fiancé after she had become a |
| toward him like the hands of begging children." P. 84) | | | | senior executive assistant for a vice-presidential |
| are used for such a terrifyingly real chain of events! | | | | program he was developing. As directed, Matt got on |
| Every reader will immediately be caught up in the | | | | a plane, along with Peyton O'Hara. As Matt left the |
| story and realize that this may very well be a book | | | | Vice President, he said "think about the term, 'secular |
| predicting our future. | | | | spiritual stagnation.' Then we'll talk later." (p.18) |
| Two sets of brilliant, brave brothers--Jacques and | | | | Their plane was highjacked...Matt and Peyton then |
| Henri Ballantine and Zachary and Matt Garrett, all | | | | continued through an unbelievable chain of events |
| fighting for countries they love. The Ballantine | | | | that altogether make up one of the best action |
| brothers had their names changed when their parents | | | | thrillers I've ever read! Rocke's detail is excellent, his |
| moved to France, but when they were old enough, | | | | graphic illustrations are perfect--he...could sense that |
| they returned to their homeland to fight for their | | | | he was ripping the man's shoulder out of its socket |
| close friend, Hussein. It was there in Iraq that | | | | the way a father pulls a turkey leg off the bird on |
| Lieutenant Zachary Garrett captured General Jacques | | | | Thanksgiving."--Perfectly gruesome sometimes! (p.31) |
| Ballatine and during their struggle, Garrett had killed | | | | For, you see, Phase II had begun for America. Phase |
| Henri as he rushed to aid his brother. Jacques was | | | | I had been 9-11. |
| never able to forget the sight of his brother's head | | | | · This time, malls, athletic facilities, and other |
| being blown apart as he ran to save him. | | | | people-gathering places were the targets. |
| Matt Garrett, recovering from wounds received in | | | | · This time, more countries were involved, |
| the Philippines years later, also had nightmares, | | | | and even the drug cartels joined with them for their |
| memories, and anger as the result of not being able | | | | hatred of the rich Americans who consumed their |
| to save his brother Zachary, who had been killed | | | | drugs. While Americans bought drugs, the people |
| during combat against Al Qaeda rebels. Hatred and | | | | from their countries still lived in poor conditions where |
| anger over the loss of loved ones are not soon | | | | there was much hunger and disease. |
| forgotten or forgiven. | | | | · This time, they also had a newly designed |
| Worldwide hatred has become the norm. This story | | | | secret use for those Predators, a design that |
| of two sets of brothers is merely a typical example. | | | | brilliantly digitized pheromones that allowed control |
| Jacques Ballantine sought revenge; he would make | | | | without continued involvement of man. |
| Zachary Garrett understand what he had done by | | | | · And, this time, they had a high-level inside |
| killing his brother. Revenge was always in the back of | | | | U. S. government man." |
| his mind, controlling his actions. And when Hussein | | | | Even though there had been the 9-11 attacks, most |
| asked him to continue his fight, even if he himself | | | | of the military personnel had been sent by the |
| were captured or killed, Jacques agreed. He moved | | | | government to fight in other countries. Americans |
| to Canada and started a fishing service. Flying a | | | | had joined together after that attack, but they had |
| unique stealth-like small plane, he was able to work | | | | soon once again become complacent. Rocke has |
| year in and year out to bring in supplies and build the | | | | used the words of Walt Rostow* in highlighting what |
| complex necessary to fulfill his assignment. He | | | | has happened to Americans, that we are past the |
| became a major power force, more dangerous than | | | | fourth stage of "High Mass Consumption" and that |
| either Hussein or Bin Laden, "because he not only had | | | | we are in his idea of the final stage, secular spiritual |
| means, motive and the courage of his convictions, | | | | stagnation. "In other words, nobody cares about |
| but he was on nobody's screen." (p.17) | | | | anything but themselves [sic]..." (P. 170) |
| And even when Jacques learned that Zachary was | | | | While some may argue against the application of |
| already dead, his revenge turned toward Matt | | | | Rostow's stages, many of us have questioned the |
| Garrett. | | | | increase in consumption and the seeming decrease in |
| Matt Garrett had a visitor, Peyton O'Hara, a beautiful, | | | | care and concern for people. Is the Rogue Threat |
| tough woman who rode in on a Harley Davidson | | | | merely another exciting and suspenseful action thriller |
| Fatboy, and who had been sent by the | | | | or is the underlying storyline a real possibility of the |
| Vice-President of the United States. She wanted to | | | | future for us to consider? |
| find out all he knew about the Predator project | | | | For this reviewer, I found myself accepting it as both |
| (eighteen lost unmanned aerial vehicles). Had he seen | | | | an exceptionally well written and exciting must-read |
| them in China? Did he know where they were? | | | | tale, as well as a warning that tells important |
| Matt was still recovering from his injuries and was | | | | possibilities that should perhaps make it "mandatory |
| now being considered by the President to serve as a | | | | reading" for all Americans! |
| special assistant to the CIA Director. Matt kept quiet, | | | | What I do know is that I'm looking forward to Aiden |
| not willing to share with this stranger--until the | | | | Rocke's next novel! |