It seems that Mr. Thor is adhering to the old "Star Trek" movie rule, where the even numbered entries are the superior.
Honestly, this one probably tops the list and ranks as my favorite so far. It's the most gripping entry, has the most complex plot, and even veers into incorporating science and history. There are times where it almost feels like a genre shift. In any event, it still works, as Harvath has to race to stop hostile parties from releasing an ancient, deadly virus.
Said virus is freaky as heck. The scene when we're first introduced to it is a major highlight of the book. The vampire parallels and the fact that it apparently targets specific groups almost gives it an otherworldy feel. Sure, Thor's a "fact"ion guy, so there's a more mundane explanation and you know that that is going to be the case from the get-go, but it is still freaking creepy when it's playing out.
This is obviously the most researched book. As noted, it ties in both science (in regards to the virus itself) and history (Hannibal's endeavors play a pretty critical role in the plot.) It can lead to some heavy exposition dumps, but I think that the payoff was worth it.
The story also has a lot of moving parts. It all connects to some extent, but this is definitely the most elaborate of Thor's tomes. It also leads to the story having the biggest scope, which is impressive considering what went down in previous books.
Really, the only weak link was the Harvath video. Early on, he is caught assaulting someone he thinks is a terrorist. Turns out, it wasn't and the video goes public. It puts him in political hot water, but the narrative is very quick to absolve him of any wrong doing. Sure, he's the hero, but at the same time, there was some potential for introspection and growth. It gets to the point that when people bring up what happened, he just gets pissy and defensive. It's a missed opportunity, really.
The terrorist himself is a formidable adversary. The book tries to paint him as a sort of nemesis and the results are mixed. As was the case with "Path of the Assassin", he and Harvath cross paths a few times with the terrorist gaining the upper hand more than once. Unfortunately, a lot of their history has to be glossed over so the whole "nemesis" thing doesn't work as well as one would hope. The book is already pretty thick, so there really wasn't much more that could be done, but it is what it is.
Meg Cassidy is brushed off. Really, the fact that she held out as long as she did is kind of impressive. Her plot does cast a shadow, though, as Harvath directly compares what he's doing with this book's partner to how he pulled Meg into the conflict. Granted, the lady here was being directly targeted, but still.
She works out well, she's an expert on viruses, so she is able to pull her weight and provide insight into matters that are well outside of Harvath's usual wheelhouse. There's no attempt at a romance, which some might appreciate. Speaking of, I did like how Harvath's ally from "Lions" made a quick appearance to provide some assistance.
It seems like Thor has hit his stride. Will the momentum carry, or will book V be Harvath's "Final Frontier"?
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