Heather’s Bookshelf: D.O.G.: Executive Order
Author: Robert Barlow Jr
Released: 03/31/20
Genre: War and Military Action Fiction
“Now, sniper team D.O.G. consisted of two long-time friends who were inseparable before high school graduation, and they spent their days just as they had before graduation - stalking and hunting their prey. But now the prey had changed.”
“D.O.G.: Executive Order” introduces two elite snipers, part of team D.O.G., on a mission directed from P.O.T.U.S. to take out a terrorist leader.
The mission begins like many others, but soon devolves into a nightmare. Gunnery Sergeant Zach Hinson and Sergeant First Class Jason Jones soon recognize they’re also surrounded by red flags. First, their target seems to have known they’d be coming and then their escape plan disappears. Things go from bad to worse when their captor takes out his anger on Zach’s trigger finger and P.O.T.U.S. declares the snipers K.I.A.
Fortunately, the rest of the D.O.G. has other ideas. Without official orders, they set out to find their brothers. Will Hinson and Jones make it out alive? Will they find the ones responsible? Or will their losses be too much to bare?
Trigger Warning: violence, torture, murder, adult language, suicide
Overall, I enjoyed this story. Told through multiple POVs, the book moves quickly through action sequences, conspiratorial conversations, and the repercussions of both. The story feels very “now” especially from a political take. However, the tale does not designate when it is occurring, leaving open interpretation regarding the reader’s personal leanings. The author does a nice job in giving each of the main characters (especially Hinson, Jones, and the President) a voice and a background that make their decisions and actions believable. It’s also clear in the details of the writing that the author either did his homework or had experience that provided realism to the tale (more than likely both). There’s some truly heartbreaking things that occur throughout the tale and the first 2/3 was a pretty tight story. However, the final third felt a little rushed and muddled. The ending did feel finished and resolved, and it absolutely left the possibility open for a future edition to the series.
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
OVERALL REVIEW:
A war/military tale featuring conspiracies, brothers in arms, and tragic consequences.
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Check out my interview with Robert Barlow Jr
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