The Delta Solution by Patrick Robinson
Grade: B+
The pirate attacks taking place off the shores of Somalia have mostly flown under the radar. It's not something a lot of people have been paying attention to and isn't an obvious choice for the subject of military fiction, especially in this era of military and political thrillers dominated by Middle Eastern terrorism.
It's that reason that makes Robinson's latest stand out. It's a unique set-up and a unique story. Robinson manages to tell both sides of the story, offering an explanation (but not excuses) for why the Somalis in the book undertake piracy.
This is actually the third book in the Mack Bedford Navy SEAL series. Still, you can pick this one up and not be lost. There's a brief reference to a previous book early on, but the book easily stands on its own.
My only quibble with the book is the pacing. The book is strongest in the middle 250 (out of 328) pages. The first few chapters drag -- enough so that you may be tempted to put it down and move on to the next title on your reading list. Stick with it though, and the story really picks up throughout the middle chapters.
The conclusion feels a little rushed, though. I don't want to say much more for fear of spoiling it, but suffice it to say while it is satisfying and wraps up the storyline nicely, it all seems a little too easy.
All told, though, this is one worth checking out if you're a fan of military thrillers. It's the first of Robinson's books I've read and I'm definitely going to be looking for the others.
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