Shadow Ops: Fortress Frontier

In this follow-up to 2011’s Shadow Ops; Control Point, which introduced an alternate Earth where magic use is permitted only under military auspices, Col. Alan Bookbinder is diagnosed with unrealized but potentially dangerous magical talents and reassigned to Forward Operating Base Frontier, America’s insecure foothold in the realm from which magic originates. Matters go from bad to worse when a mutiny leaves Bookbinder unexpectedly in charge of a besieged fortress unable to communicate with humanity’s home world. The one hope is an Indian base over 1,000 miles away on the far side of fiercely hostile territory. Although the book feels padded, like a pulp tale stretched out to double the length, and the world is full of clichéd corruption and misery, this action-filled adventure holds the reader’s attention with occasional glimmers of hope that someday the oppressed magic-users might finally force those in power to respect them. Agent: Joshua Bilmes, JABberwocky Literary Agency. (Feb.)