RELENTLESS
A Gray Man Novel
By Mark Greaney
Berkley
512 pgs
Imagine the cloak and dagger finesse of Ian Fleming’s James Bond spy novels blended with Tom Clancy military techno-thrillers and you get the Gray Man. Author Mark Greaney, according to the publisher’s promotional write-ups, traveled the world to research the locations of his books while at the same time studying military strategies and weapons and battlefield medicine with specialists in those respective fields. All to bring a clear authentic background to his wonderfully outrageous pulp hero, the Gray Man.
The Gray Man is the codename of Courtland Gentry, one of three unique and deadly spies known as the Poisoned Apples. They often operate independently of any official government agency, though their Spy Master is the Deputy Director of Operations for the CIA, Matthew Hanley. Gentry’s colleagues are Zach Hightower, codename Romantic, and former Russian agent Zoya Zakharova, codename Anthem. Each is a professional provocateur resigned to the life they have chosen for themselves. Each possesses a high moral center but is not averse to killing those they believe pose a threat not only to America but the entire world.
In this, the tenth book in the Gray Man series, a cunning Arab Prince has crafted an ingenious plot to manipulate the U.S. into going to war with Iran. His goal is to totally destroy the Shia caliphate. Thus he assumes convinces the current Washington Administration that he is their ally and threw a series of deft clandestine operations prepares to launch his final gambit.
Thick books today tend to put off casual readers. Be aware at 501 pgs, this is not an overnight read unless, of course, you are into speed-read. Otherwise prepare to enjoy a full course meal, as Greaney throws in not only his main plot but several juicy subplots each intriguing and complete realized. In all his narrative is a complex quilt filled with tons of exactly written action sequences comparable to any ever done on the silver screen. This is an action-adventure with capital As. We thoroughly enjoyed meeting the Gray Man and we think you will too.
