OK, I’m not sure what I can add to the spectacular reviews that this book is receiving.  All of the accolades are well deserved.  It is sure to be a NYT Bestseller this summer.  The only question is what place will it debut?  I’m setting the over/under at 4.  Red Metal is a long book. So, if you are thinking of taking it to the beach on family vacation, don’t plan on playing with the kids for a few days.  You will be begging them for “one more chapter”.  And be sure to wear plenty of sun screen.

The comparisons to Red Storm Rising, my favorite Clancy book, are inevitable .  Yes, Red Metal pits the US against Russia.  Certainly, there are submarine and tank battles. Of course, the complex Russian battle plan is filled with maskirovka.  Naturally, the characters are hard charging young fire pissers who exercise personal initiative to kick ass.  It is, after all, a military-techno-war thriller.  But as the commercial said: This isn’t your fathers M1 Abrams. Wait.  Yes, It kinda is.  And that is what makes this book a fun read.  Mark and Rip compare, contrast and mix Cold War NATO doctrines with the realities of 21st century technology.  Red Metal is the upgrade fans have been waiting for since 1986.  This novel is a tale of modern war, fought on multiple fronts against far more sophisticated enemies.  This conflict is not against a bunch of “goat herders with AK’s and IED’s”.  In the age of iPhone, the cyber war elements are more terrifying than all of the hardware action combined.  Pentagon war gaming has never been more entertaining.

A perfect six 🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀TLAMs