My Review:: The Foundation - Jack Emery 1 by Steve P. Vincent

The Foundation: Jack Emery 1 by Steve P. Vincent
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The first of the Jack Emery series, this was on my to read shelf for a long time. I started this one coz I got approved for the 3rd book in the series by NetGalley and while trawling through my kindle I realized that I had the first two books in the series already, so it was a good place the start a new series.

This one is a bit different from the military hero thrillers abundance that we have out there these days. The hero is this is a journalist and he is aware of his own mortality and his shortfalls, so there are absolutely no heroic shennanigans from him. Yes he is like a dog with the bone when he starts sniffing around a story but that's about it. It is a refreshing change where these days every normal man suddenly becomes militarique when in danger. Our hero bleeds, breaks under torture and tries to stay out of the fight by allowing the authorities to do their thing.

The plot is about a think-tank trying to remodel America in its vision. To do that they take the smart route, they try to get their people elected in the Congress and from there start a sweeping change in policies towards the neo-right. The group is ruthless with its own private military, espionage and sub societies and very loosely affliated with the Republicans. Problems arise when they try to control the media conglomerate owned by Ernest McDowell who is caught in a scandal a-la Rupert Murdoch and chooses to use his influence to propagate their own agenda. The agenda includes setting off a terrorist attack in China and pressurizing America to launch a War against China.

As in any plot, there are allies and enemies and then there are allies turned enemies. When the Foundation betrays it soldiers one time too many, there is an unlike ally available for Jack Emery to put a stop to the plans made by the Foundation.

It is a fast paced read, the plot motors along at a fairly decent pace and the diabolical women villain is as bad as she is made out to be. A cunning, shrewd and ruthless manipulator she uses every tool available at her disposal to make sure that her agenda is achieved.

The ending ties up neatly and leaves the door open for another adventure from our truth seeking journalist...