Reviews

Rules of Engagement by David Bruns, J.R. Olson

ireadwhatuwrite's review against another edition

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4.0

ROE is a thrilling ride into what-if scenarios that are playing out in today’s high tech world. A cyberterrorist has been tasked with the job of muddying up the waters, so to speak, in order to encourage the sale of weapons. As scary as the prospect of government-sanctioned agents being able to easily carry out that kind action against the world’s most powerful and technical governments, even scarier is the idea that their go-to guy for that sort of work might go rogue.

When authors compare themselves to Tom Clancy, they had better deliver! I think these authors just might have managed that. I picked up a Tom Clancy novel while I was in the hospital. Not my usual genre to read, it was all the gift shop had left. It sucked me right into a decades-long enthusiasm for his work and spycraft in particular.

He was able to create a multitude of relatable characters who engendered emotional investment from the start, for good or evil purpose. He could wrangle multiple storylines that wove an astonishing butterfly effect on the outcome of the story as deftly as a baker braids strands of bread. His technical excellence was enough to both terrify and enthrall John Q. Reader.

Yes, I do believe That Bruns and Olsen have managed to tick all the boxes, and why not, with their background, they are the real-life people that Clancy spent so much effort researching and writing about in his books.

The story itself is a roller coaster ride as it switches back on itself to each of the major players. It offers a glimpse into the world we have created for safety and convenience that can so easily be used against us. The portrayal of naval combat and the BTS look at counter cyberterrorism are riveting. I am certainly looking forward to more stories including Riley and the Midshipmen. Rules of Engagement could be the start of beautiful new enthusiasm.

This book is set for release on June 25

I received a copy of this book for the purposes of an honest review.

pvn's review

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5.0

This is excellent -- Fast paced, interesting and creative plot, plus well written characters (including important female characters, which is still pretty unusual in this kind of novel). This is a very talented writing duo, and I look forward to more! Recommended.

I really appreciate the ARC for review!

indyjcl's review

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4.0

An enjoyable read

Really enjoyed this story. This was my first empress of the 2 Navy Guys and I’ll be adding them to my must read list. This story was very modern in its subject manner incorporating the cyber world/threat.
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