Anyone who reads Brad Thor knows that reading one of his books is like getting an early look at future headlines, and that’s never been more true than with his latest blockbuster novel, Rising Tiger.
Set after the events of Black Ice (2021), Thor opens his latest Scot Harvath thriller, the 21st in the series, in India where an American diplomat is murdered. Harvath, who is busy slinging lead in Afghanistan at the time, is soon pulled into the fold when Nicholas, the Carlton Group’s tech extraordinaire, calls him with new mission details. Instructed to leave all personal items behind, including his passport, Harvath winds up at the United States Embassy in Tajikistan, where he’s briefed on a dangerous matter involving another world superpower. Soon, we learn that the American diplomat was killed because of a secret mission they had been tasked with. And as a string of coordinated events begins playing out around the globe, American authorities believe that a far more sinister game is afoot, leaving Harvath, yet again, smack dab in the middle of it all.
Thrust into unfamiliar territory with limited resources and very few people he can trust, Scot Harvath must race against shadowy villains and deadly agendas, not to mention a ticking clock, to connect all the dots before it’s too late.
When it comes to beating headlines, there is nobody better than Brad Thor, who has long been the genre’s gold standard with his almost eerie-like ability to foresee conflicts before media outlets start covering them. But beyond that, Thor continues his incredible, and unprecedented, run of can’t-miss thrillers. Nobody, not even Clancy himself—one of the Godfathers of the modern-day thriller—could keep the magic alive over two decades worth of work. Then again, if you’re going to have a series that spans over twenty years, you’d better have a hero capable of shouldering the load, and Thor certainly has built that in Harvath, one of the greatest characters the genre has ever known. Always growing, developing, and fleshing out his cast—which in this book also includes newcomers Asha (an agent with RAW, India’spreimer foreign intelligence agency) and Vijay (a retired Indian law enforcement officer)—Thor once again adds layers to his characters and then takes the time to explore them. For example, Harvath’s relationship with Nicholas has come a long way. From adversaries to frienemies to partners to brothers, their complicated history only enriches their friendship now, and the same is true for the reading experience. Having a front-row seat to moments is a part of what makes this series so special.
Then there’s the action. Nothing quite beats riding shotgun with Harvath when he’s gone full beast mode on the bad guys, and here, Thor treats readers to an early sequence so explosive that it only makes sense that this book would come out the day after July 4th. Spanning several chapters and more than twenty pages, that early action scene not only reminds readers what Harvath can do, but more importantly, it sets the tone for what’s to come.
When factoring in the quality of his books on top of the longevity he’s had throughout his career, where he’s sat atop the genre for so long, nobody is doing what Thor is doing. After more than twenty books, including Rising Tiger—one of his most daring novels to date—the argument could be made that Brad Thor is the greatest political thriller novelist ever. Trust me, don’t miss this book.
Book Details
Author: Brad Thor
Series: Scot Harvath #21
Pages: 366 (Hardcover)
ISBN: 1982182156
Publisher: Atria/Emily Bestler Books
Release Date: July 5, 2022
Real Book Spy Rating: 9.5/10
Praised as “One of the hardest working, most thoughtful, and fairest reviewers out there” by #1 New York Times bestselling author Lisa Scottoline, Ryan Steck has “quickly established himself as the authority on mysteries and thrillers” (Author A.J. Tata). Steck also works full-time as a freelance editor and co-hosts the ThrillerTalk podcast when he’s not streaming and hanging out with his growing community on Twitch. His debut thriller, FIELDS OF FIRE, which #1 New York Times bestselling author Jack Carr says “will leave you speechless and begging for more,” comes out on September 6, 2022. For more information, be sure to follow him on Twitter and Facebook.