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When life's journey turns one of its final corners, one finds oneself floundering for meaning or in such a state of tranquility and complacency that one lives out one's days on repeat. In Steinberg's novel, divided over three sections, he explores an intriguing conjecture: what if you could take your most harrowing moments of grief—the ones that leave scars so deep, they're invisible—and avenge them? Centered around the National Security Agency, agents Paul Stanton and Carl Sipowicz revive a shelved program that recruits those with nothing to lose and an undeniably acute connection with the mission. That mission is to eliminate "undesirables" who were instrumental in ripping away someone dear to these candidates in their younger years.
The storyline is intriguing in its meticulousness. Though a work of fiction, the element of realism and plausibility is beyond riveting. After all, countless highly trained field agents across various intelligence agencies and forces give the NSA program a seemingly infinite number of attempts to bring on just the right personnel for their task, those who have both the skills and the why. The narrative begins with a deep dive into the psychology of Kurt Schlager, a retired Marine. The very mention of an IED takes him down memory lane in Iraq and the heartbreaking loss of his fellow Marines. This is really all that is needed to sell him on an opportunity to "terminate" the terrorist weapons dealer that is responsible for his pain, Ibrahim Abdu Saleh. This unique NSA program's debut kickstarts an electrifying plot with frenetic pacing and edge-of-your-seat action to keep audiences engaged.
Whether it is Schlager disguising himself as a woman in a burqa or Liam Collins from the 160th seeking to bring justice to those who not only killed his mentor in Mogadishu but also paraded his body through the streets, the NSA operates with pinpoint precision in identifying its targets. At its core, this level of manipulation, even though for the common good, is both disturbing and deeply thought-provoking, inciting the universal "What if?" question. Running concurrently with the NSA storyline is a subplot featuring two individuals harboring secrets, Nate and Layla, who both come from deeply immersive and compelling families and backgrounds.
Overall, Steinberg spins a meaningful tale that gives the phrase "nothing to lose" an entirely different meaning. In the midst of the story, Steinberg also infuses historical context from major operations such as Operation Phantom Fury, a ferocious battle in Fallujah that sought to eradicate the insurgent stronghold. At the same time, the author strikes a fine balance between the chaos of the action and an insightful internal monologue that references works by classic authors such as Machiavelli and Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird. It serves to soften the tension building up at the end of one book only for it to reach a crescendo in the next. Steinberg's work features a novel idea combined with purposeful character development that dramatizes notorious wars such as the Battle of Mogadishu and the Battle of Fallujah, making for a simultaneously enriching and entertaining experience.
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