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  By benjamincheah

  Feb 14, 2012
  This is a solid debut from Steven Hildreth Jr. Both action-packed and intelligent in equal measure, it is a distillation of the collective spirit of Tom Clancy, Robert Ludlum, Mack Bolan and Vince Flynn. The story is a blood-and-guts ride through pre-revolution Egypt. Hildreth maintains a steady pace and a narrative tension as taut as a tripwire. Hildreth paints a vivid and unflinching picture of combat. The action scenes are as rapid, brutal and decisive as a bullet to the head. Hildreth has clearly spent years refining his craft, and his research is meticulous. But this is not just a story about tactical gunplay. It is also a story about humans fighting for what they believe in. The main antagonist, Colonel Agha, is no stereotypical evil monster; he is a smart, if ruthless, soldier who is doing his duty. Zaina is a patriot whose convictions stem from a blend of passion and reason. Williams is a top-notch operator on a mission - but he also has a mind of his own. All his characters... More > are three-dimensional, and even minor ones are fleshed out and given a measure of humanity. There are a few points Hildreth could improve. The prose feels chunky in some parts: the writing in the opening sequence, in particular, is noticeably bulkier than the prose later on. Some of the dialogue feels a little over-the-top - even for characters in their circumstances. While Zaina is a civilian, she handles herself like an operator in her own right, especially near the climax. There are also a couple of points where Hildreth is telling when he should be showing, notably character reactions to certain events. Fortunately, these are minor things that won't hinder one's enjoyment of the story. Hildreth is a writer to watch. My gut says he'll be a fine inheritor to the American thriller tradition - and a man who will usher in an evolution in thriller writing.< Less
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  By Angela Markham

  Dec 30, 2011
  Hildreth’s debut novella is a fast-paced and adrenaline-infused journey through the prisons and streets of pre-revolution Egypt that had me anxiously turning each page, waiting to see what happens next. I have fallen out of love with the action/military thriller genre in recent years, but this was exactly what I needed to make me want to dive into these kinds of books all over again. The novella focuses on Ben Williams--a tough, no-nonsense, man of action and a seasoned combat veteran—and Zaina Anwar, an Egyptian activist Williams is tasked with rescuing. Zaina has been imprisoned in Egypt as a result of radical radio broadcasts and Williams, rather than performing the traditional prison break from the outside, instead infiltrates the system to assist Zaina from within the prison’s walls. But escape, as it turns out, is perhaps the easiest part of their journey. Throughout each chapter, Hildreth maintains a relentless pace, driving the story forward so that each page leaves you... More > wanting to keep turning the next. He is not an author who wastes words on lengthy descriptions of setting, characters or conflict. Every sentence is aimed precisely at driving the narrative forward. Within the confines of a novella, the approach is highly effective without ever feeling like a sacrifice. Whereas so many authors succumb to the problem of “telling, not showing” when they attempt this kind of precision, Hildreth’s world and those who populate it remain vivid and real, and the narrative never loses its sense of urgency. Hildreth also introduces his readers to a cast of supporting characters who, despite having little page time, are painted as three-dimensionally as his heroes. Of particular interest to me was Colonel Agha, Williams and Zaina’s chief warden at the Egyptian prison they escape. Rather than taking the traditional route of clichéd mindless extremist so popular in fiction today, Agha is a brilliant and devious mind I found intriguing. He is a character I would’ve very much liked to have gotten to know better. He could easily carry a novella of his own. There are a few rough points in the narrative. I found the way Williams initially finds Zaina in the prison a little too convenient, especially given the gender segregation so prominent in the Arab world. In addition, I would’ve liked them to have encountered a little more difficulty in securing a secondary ally once their initial escape route become impossible. Yes, it is a novella and yes, there are space and pacing constraints, but I would’ve like to see a little more tension during this section of the narrative. Though there are times when Williams is perhaps a bit over-the-top with the tough-talking and Zaina--a civilian--is a bit too competent in her new role as an armed fighter, the story as a whole is riveting, well-researched and vivid. I am definitely looking forward to more and longer works from this author in the future.< Less
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