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Shadow
Catcher, by James R. Hannibal, is a high tech military thriller
that can compete with any Dale Brown or Tom Clancy book. It
has action packed scenes that are very realistic and shows
how intelligence and the military can interact to complete
a mission against the Chinese threat.
What makes this novel noteworthy is that the author incorporates
action-packed scenes with words of warning. He is hoping to
make an impact on issues such as drunk driving, PTSD, and
the generational gap between those in their twenties and those
forty years plus. A powerful quote from the book, "How
you left the Hog's Breath Saloon stumbling drunk, how you
allowed your teammate to drive despite his extreme intoxication,
and how you lay passed out in your own vomit while Staff Sergeant
Haugen breathed his last." The author noted, "Hopefully
parents with teenagers will encourage them to read this book
since it is an action thriller that includes warnings throughout
the plot. I did not put foul language and sex in it. By doing
this parents can share my books with their children and can
use it as an opening to discuss certain issues."
In addition, the author gives a realistic description of PTSD
by showing how main character Nick is unable to sleep, has
uncontrolled anger, and nightmares where he grips his wife
to the point of almost breaking her arm because he thought
of her as an attacker. Underlying this is the anger Nick feels
towards a young twenty-year-old, Ethan Quinn. Typical of some
of the younger generation, Ethan is shown as arrogant, a know-it-all
who seems to lack respect and social skills yet becomes the
hero. Hannibal stated, "My hope is that people in their
forties and beyond would not like Quinn initially, but my
readers in their twenties would take his side. This is a theme
in my book, old versus new."
At the core of the action-packed plot is Nick Baron, a leader
in the Triple Seven Chase team, a clandestine Special Forces
unit that deploys on orders from the Joint Chiefs and the
President. After the CIA intercepts a call signal from an
American operative in China, long thought dead, this team
is given the perilous task of retrieving the captive soldier
from the Chinese wilderness. The only chance for the mission's
success is to use the latest type of plane, Shadow Catcher,
a small stealth airplane that can be dropped from a larger
stealth airplane. Because it can only hold a few people, only
Nick and his team are dropped into harms way.
Hannibal draws upon his own experiences as a stealth pilot
to ensure a realistic plot line. He stated, "I wrote
it to give readers an alert about those hawkish Chinese military
figures and how they are dangerous. They are expanding in
the Pacific and attacking us in many ways. I was part of the
'show of force' exercise in the Pacific that was supposed
to say we are still a power to be reckoned with. China is
a rising threat and is absolutely an adversary. I believe
they have no US interests at heart and their main goal is
dominance. We are beholden to them since they have bought
up 23% of our debt. We are not focused on countering China,
nor do we stand up to their expansion in the South China Sea.
I also put the quote in my book about politicians because
they are just a bunch of blabbers who should be involved as
little as possible regarding military operations."
In addition to the book there is a Stealth Ops App (http://road.ie/stealthops)
that includes a bonus story and hints about the secret codes
hidden in the book. Shadow Catcher is not only an entertaining
novel but it is thought provoking regarding a number of important
issues. It has a riveting plot and characters that explores
modern technology, the dangers of China, and the intelligence
world.
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