Brad Thor's 2006 novel Takedown is just as potentially accurate today as it was then. A terrifying thriller filled with mayhem, conspiracy, betrayal, perversion, and bona fide evil, Takedown fills the pages with confusion and irrepressible frustration amidst the onslaught of terror in Manhattan and neighboring areas of New York City.
Scot Harvath and his former military buddy Bob Herrington meet to share a night of drinking and talking but before they can get rolling on their evening, all hell breaks loose. Explosions, bridges collapsing, utter chaos in Manhattan. They leave their establishment and realize the fear and panic is spreading as traffic stops in every direction. They don't know about most of what's happening around them, but they intend to find out. Unfortunately, they're getting little information from trusted sources, and their fuses are getting shorter and shorter as they see the devastation happening around them.
Bob has some former military associates at the VA who are ready, willing, and able to take up the cause of getting to the bottom of these attacks and what helps is they also have a credible stash of weapons to take up the call of finding the perpetrators of this highly organized attack.
Consulting with one another and finally getting some information from one of Harvath's friends in the middle of it all, five of them set out to find the terrorists and eliminate them. What they don't know when they begin their search is that much of the destruction is a diversion. The subplots along the way point to high level betrayals with access to insider information. Political excuses and namby-pamby responses are overruled by a president whose daughter has been directly affected by the terror going on in and around Manhattan.
If you get queasy over messy deaths, Takedown might not be the book for you, but if you appreciate the honest portrayals of terror and the utter demonic horde mentality of the people who can pull off these events, then Takedown will give you a clear picture of those behind these evil actions.
As expected, there is tragedy and pain in the pursuit of these killers and only a fleeting justice. Leaving the story with a shocking cliffhanger, Takedown presents a realistic picture of a well-planned terrorist event on a larger scale than the terrifying and tragic 9/11 orchestration - and with a dual purpose. Seeing the vicious level of terrorists and some politicians, the battle for power and the hypocrisy of those involved, all prove to be a huge struggle and a small victory for Scot Harvath in Takedown.
Father, you know the reality of evil better than all of us. You know the hearts of every one of us on planet earth. I pray you would continue to bless the writing of Brad Thor and provide what he needs to continue to give clear pictures of the reality of evil outside of you. Please keep him safe from all harm as he dares to expose real evil. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.