This thriller set on the beautiful Serengeti plains of Tanzania certainly livened up my day. BLOOD OATH is the third story featuring Special Agent Alexandra Martel. Anyone who has been following her career may know the cast already. My advice, as always in these modern gunslinger stories, is not to get too attached to anyone.
Alexandra, known as Alex, has taken some well-deserved vacation time from the CIA. She is on safari with her father and enjoying the expertise of friendly guides. Alex’s previous CIA boss, Caleb, last seen back in Virginia, turns up in what can’t be a coincidence. The pair has some unresolved romantic tension. General David Martel does not seem to have read the memo telling people with top secret knowledge where not to take a holiday. Or maybe he got careless. He is abducted. The arrogant chieftain of a warrior group whose homes were cleared for tourist development is looking for a high-value target to sell.
The Serengeti soon comes even more alive, with Russian mercenaries called the Leopard group, successors to Wagner, moving in to seize the prize. Lemarti was supposed to kill the general for them, but he opted to cash in instead by doing a trade with Russia or China. There are Chinese MSS operatives on the way, as the new Belt and Road spreads economic influence through undeveloped nations. The rebel forces treat everyone badly, but the Tanzanian army is far away, so there is nothing to stop them, nothing but Alex, Caleb and a special detachment of US forces.
While the action takes place in the open or compounds, it’s important to understand that the military spy technology is high tech indeed, from invisible surveillance drones and satellites to directed ordnance strikes. There are mentions of the economic and political situation as well, making me wonder if America and Russia are not at open war in Africa– if this book is anywhere near the truth, there would not be much difference.
I consider this an exciting read with high tension, explosions and betrayals abounding. BLOOD OATH refers to an oath Alex and David Martel made to rescue each other if it was ever needed. Author Steve Urszenyi makes good points through his father-daughter tale, such as Lemarti and his gang only turning nasty because they were shoved off ancestral ways of making a living. This culture clash makes it harder for everyone to enjoy the majestic wildlife of Africa. See if you can handle the special ops, lightning storms, and don’t forget, the hyenas.
In this action-packed thriller, Special Agent Alex Martel's fight becomes personal when her father is abducted by rebel forces.
In the heart of Africa, CIA Special Agent Alexandra Martel’s safari with her father spirals into a deadly game of betrayal when he is kidnapped by rebels. Suddenly, her peaceful Serengeti vacation transforms into a desperate race against time. As the general is held by local rebels, Russian mercenaries and Chinese MSS operatives descend on East Africa, all hunting the military secrets locked in her father’s mind.
Alex assembles an elite team to navigate the treacherous terrain, but complications arise when her CIA boss, Caleb, shows up unexpectedly, stirring feelings she’s tried to bury since her husband’s death. As competing forces close in, Alex uncovers betrayals stretching from the Serengeti to the highest levels of global intelligence. Trust becomes as scarce as water in the African savanna.
With enemies converging from all sides, Alex must embrace her darkest instincts to save her father. But in a world where allies become enemies, and nothing is as it seems, how much of herself is she willing to sacrifice to honor the bonds of blood?
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