Chameleon

May 15, 2023
Kali Kent, a master of disguise working for Black Box--an ultrasecret CIA special ops program--pursues a superrich baddie out to help the Russians destroy the free world. Kent, like the author, a Nigeria native raised in the Bronx, has a crack team of agents backing him up. Among them is Thane, a theater actor and director who learned how to get into character as an operative while studying Method acting in New York. But ultimately, it will be up to Kent to nab Lucas van Groot, an ex-commando from South Africa whose game has been to take rich people hostage, collect ransoms, and manipulate stock markets. Now, having rebuilt an air squadron inside Afghanistan, equipping the planes with state-of-the-art stealth technology, van Groot hopes to hook up with Russia, which, having taken over Ukraine, is looking to wipe out Poland and Hungary and "decimate NATO." The U.S. president laughs at the idea. "The big bad Russkies are gonna take over the world? Like Dr. Evil?" Inside their mobile SCIF unit, the spies know better. The first novel in a projected trilogy by Adeleke, a former Navy SEAL who's also a film actor, is packed with action scenes, strategizing, and tech talk. The story tends to bog down in details, and Kent's struggles with demons from his childhood seem added on. But the book's cool efficiency and straightforward style work in its favor, and its protagonist is worth a second look in the sequel. A solid, if not gripping, fiction debut.

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February 11, 2002
Stylishly written yet desperately in need of a good kick in the pants, this plodding sequel to 1999's The Rhythm Section
marks the return of Euro-assassin Stephanie Patrick. As the story opens, Patrick has retired to southern France, trying hard to forget her past and live a normal life. Her old employer, a shadowy organization called Magenta House, persuades her to take one more assignment: find and eliminate the mastermind behind a plot to stockpile vast amounts of Marburg virus, one of the world's most feared bio-weapons. To carry out the task, Patrick reverts to her old identity, the ruthlessly efficient Petra Reuter, to whom each new contract is "just a shift at the factory." Patrick proceeds to go deep underground, moving freely between American, European and Russian capitals in her search for the terrorist. Along the way, she meets and falls hard for shady Russian business tycoon Konstantin Komarov. They join forces in the pursuit, yet along the way both discover that in the treacherous world of espionage and terrorism, loyalties often get lost in the shifting sands. Throughout, Burnell shows exceptional skill portraying mood and moments of swift action. His narrative moves smoothly between third- and first-person viewpoints, a technique adding depth and dimension to Patrick's character. His plot, however, sags badly in the middle and loses sight of its target. After enduring many scenes of anguished romance between Patrick and Komarov, many readers may find themselves forgetting what the story is about.

June 1, 2023

DEBUT Former Navy SEAL Adeleke carves out a spot in the crowded thriller genre with this electrifying debut. Elite and clandestine CIA Black Box units consist of "Chameleons," tactical operatives trained to create mission-defined characters; "Ghosts," skilled at surveillance and burglary; and "Wind," pilots and drivers who can operate and repair any vehicle that moves. When ruthless South African ex-commando Lucas DeGroot begins kidnapping high-profile hostages around the world, personally tormented Nigerian-born Chameleon Kali Kent and his close-knit unit are ordered to track down DeGroot, neutralize his mercenary army, and free the hostages. Clean and well-plotted with smoothly paced chapters, the story is sharp and fast-moving, but readers may balk initially at the continual barrage of gun-brand names and munition details. There is little character development, but the focused action more than compensates as the tale reaches a satisfying and unexpected ending. VERDICT A good beach or vacation read that will have readers rooting for another book in the "Black Box" series. Perfect for Jack Carr, Mark Greaney, and Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan fans.--James Woods Marshall

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