Masters of War

Read Time: 2 Minutes

Masters of War by John H. Thomas is the second instalment in the Maxx King series, picking up around six months after Thunderbird Rising and hurtling forward with even more high-octane action, shady double-crosses, and looming extraterrestrial threats. If the first book cracked open the door to the conspiracy, this one kicks it right off the hinges.

Maxx, still recovering from the events culminating in the September 11th World Trade Center disaster, is a hunted man. After being unwillingly drawn back into the conspiracies around the alien devices that could either save humanity or doom it to extinction, he’s in no mood for subtlety. Threats to his friends and loved ones will do that.

Meanwhile, the aliens aren’t too happy with humanity and have issued a quiet but terrifying ultimatum: get your act together, or we’ll “reset” the planet. Reset, in this case, sounding a lot like extinction.

Global tensions are flaring, and China and the US are playing dangerous games with the alien devices. The war in Afghanistan rages on, and Maxx is sent into the thick of it, teaming up with the FBI to stop a rogue ex-DARPA scientist trying to make things worse. Along the way, we get Taliban collusion, questionable loyalties, and more twists than you can shake a Black Ops dossier at.

Doctor Smith and Li Jing are back and as slippery as ever, seemingly working with the Taliban to advance their own ends. Every alliance in Masters of War feels like a powder keg waiting for a spark. Nobody is safe, and those with hands in the conspiracy are buried deep in power.

Like the first book, the pacing rarely lets up. From IEDs on the streets of Kabul to clandestine meetings in enemy territory, it’s a ride that doesn’t stop moving. The sci-fi elements remain present but stay on the fringes enough not to overwhelm the techno-thriller roots. Sure, there’s the contact with aliens but it’s more a looming, influencing thing but never overwhelming the thriller backbone.

Narration by Scott Fleming once again suits the material. His gravelly delivery brings the grizzled Maxx to life, and the overall production is clean and easy to listen to. No hiccups on that front. Like the first book, he’s a great fit for the series.

I’m keen to see where the third and final entry of the trilogy goes. The stakes are clearly escalating, and if this one’s any indication, we’re heading for a finale that’s going to pull no punches. Who will come out on top? Will the world have a new super power at play or be wiped out completely?

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