Red Sky Mourning

Red Sky Mourning is the first book that I have read by Jack Carr. It is the 7th book in his Terminal List series and it was fantastic. The main character, Navy Seal sniper James Reece, races to dismantle a conspiracy that has forced the U. S. to her knees. 

The publisher's summary:

A storm is on the horizon. America’s days are numbered. A Chinese submarine has gone rogue and is navigating towards the continental United States, putting its nuclear missiles within striking distance of the West Coast. A rising Silicon Valley tech mogul with unknown allegiances is at the forefront of a revolution in quantum computing and Artificial Intelligence. A politician controlled by a foreign power is a breath away from the Oval Office.

Three seemingly disconnected events are on a collision course to ignite a power grab unlike anything the world has ever seen. The country’s only hope is a quantum computer that has gone dark, retreating to the deepest levels of the internet, learning at a rate inconceivable at her inception. But during her time in hiding, she has done more than learn. She has become a weapon. She is now positioned to act as either the country’s greatest savior or its worst enemy. She is known as “Alice” and her only connection to the outside world is to a former Navy SEAL sniper named James Reece who has left the violence of his past life behind.

I enjoyed this novel but believe it could have been at least 100 pages shorter than it's 560 pages. There were 100 pages in the first half of the story that centered on Reece's relationships with other characters. I think it was not necessary as it didn't affect the plot much. That said, if I had read the first 6 books in the series I might have a different opinion. The writing was thrilling enough for me to determine that I need to read the entire series.

James Reece is a sympathetic character. He is not as macho as other spy thriller characters which makes him seem more human. Of course, the examples of that human essence are in those 100 pages I complained about earlier. Maybe I just don't know what I am talking about here! The plot concerning China's desire to steal information from the U.S. government could have been taken off the front pages of the newspapers. Their uncaring attitude toward their citizens is on display as they plot and execute a plan to destroy one of their submarines. Again, this is another idea that could have come from the front pages of the media. The author has certainly created suspense from painting a picture of China that is realistic in western minds. 

Red Sky Mourning is a realistic portrait of how a war between the U.S. and China could unfold. The author shows us that a conventional war will never be fought again among the superpowers. Cybercrime is the future. 4 out of 5 stars.