Breach Zone by Myke Cole is the third and final book in the Shadow Ops Trilogy (though thankfully,
not the final book set in that world) where magic invades the modern life and
Cole explores the militarization, secrecy, and resulting political shitstorm of
it all. Let me simply say it – I love this series and feel that it is a great addition
to the fantasy world. These books are action-packed, fun reads that will please
many. But they also feature deep thoughts and important ethical ramifications
that echo much of what we see in the world today – the US battling terrorism,
the militarization of more and more conflict, government secrecy, cover-up, and
spying. And much more.
Breach Zone is the best yet in the series. It focuses on two characters who
have been more tangential in the previous books – Harlequin and Scylla. Their
history goes back far more than readily apparent in the first two books and a
huge confrontation come about as Scylla invades New York City with an army of
goblins and other magical creatures. Oscar Britton and Bookbinder both have
their roles in the confrontation as well, less so for Britton than Bookbinder.
As I
indicated above, I love the moral complexity of these books. Things are not
sugarcoated or boiled down sound bites and unfortunate mission accomplished
banners. Real people have real personal conflict. And the result makes Cole’s
novels stand out way beyond most other military fantasy and science fiction
stories. This trilogy is good, very good, and now all I can say is More Please!
Shadow Ops: Control Point (My Review, Indiebound, Book Depository, Amazon)
Shadow Ops: Fortress Frontier (My Review, Indiebound, Book Depository,
Amazon)
Shadow Ops: Breach Zone (Indiebound, Book Depository, Amazon)