Rogue Avenger

Author: John R. Hindinger

Publisher:  iUniverse

Reviewer: Rob Ballister--MWSA Board Member

Jake Slate is back, and this time he is America's only hope.

In Rogue Trident, author John R. Hindinger introduced us to Jake Slate, a renegade US Navy submariner who stole a nuclear missile submarine.  Now, years later, Jake and international arms dealer Pierre Renard are back, acting as mercenaries for the Taiwanese against the dreaded Chinese Kilo class subs.  And before long, they are dragged into hunting a rogue Pakistani submarine whose capain is bent on the nuclear destruction of both US and international assets.

Hindinger uses his submarine experience to paint a believable backdrop for a unique storyline with well-developed characters and well-paced action.  The author strikes the unique balance between too little technical detail and too much, giving just enough to solidly ground the story and make it enjoyable for both techno-thriller types and those who enjoy general military fiction.  Hindinger further demonstrates his writing skills with the introduction of a believable and relevant love interest for Slate.  Often only a detriment to military fiction and techno-thrillers, the female character of Olivia McDonald is instead a key player in the story, and the subplot between her and Jake is neither forced nor superfluous.  Easy to read, easy to understand, and easy to enjoy (even if you didn't read his first book), Rogue Avenger is definitely worth picking up and definitely hard to put down.