Rules of War

Betley’s stirring fourth Logan West novel (after 2018’s Field of Valor) takes former Marine West, who heads the super-secret combat group Task Force Ares, to Venezuela in pursuit of Joshua Baker, the U.S. vice president, who has taken refuge in that country after being unmasked as a shadow leader in the Organization, a powerful international cabal seeking to destabilize the world economy. Baker manages to stay one step ahead of West and his team, who are forced to spread their resources across Venezuela—from abandoned mountain resorts to collapsed tunnels and rugged jungle canyons. During pauses in the action, the tone can get syrupy or cornball. For instance, Logan frets about his young family back home, wondering if he “can be the father I know I should be.” This is a bit incongruous coming from a man who once fed an enemy combatant to a hungry hammerhead shark. Those who enjoy a mix of heated dialogue, nearly continuous violence, and lots of military jargon will be rewarded. [em]Agent: Will Roberts, Gernert Co. (July) [/em]