Double Blind

The nonstop antics of this eco-action adventure bring together industrialist arch-villains, congressional caricatures, potbellied militiamen, rogue ArmyRanger-killers-for-hire, undercover FBI agents, Bigfoot and wisecracking Fish and Wildlife swat teams for a backwoods war game that aims for laughs over suspense and occasionally hits both targets. Foiled once too often by Fish and Wildlife superagents, ICER, a committee of ecologically unfriendly businessmen, plays politics to pit the F&W special operations team against an Oregonian backwoods militia, which ICER has hired mercenary Aran Wintersole to train. Lucky for the good guys, their leader, Henry Lightstone, goes undercover to suss out the militia (and in the meantime hits it off with local innkeeper, postmistress and reputed witch Karla and her pet panther). A run-in with Wintersole seals his cover and Henry is recruited to help train the seedy militia being mobilized to lure the F&W agents (supposedly including Lightstone) into a trap. Goddard (Balefire; Prey) gives a lighthearted romp in the woods that should appeal to his fans--and also to readers who have enjoyed Cussler's Dirk Pitt series. (Nov.)