Click Here To Purchase PERMANENT ENEMY

Author: Paul Roberts

Publisher: Action-Pak Media

ISBN: 978-0-615-29510-7

When I read Paul Roberts Permanent Enemy in one sitting I couldn't help visualizing Sylvester Stallone playing the part of the novel's protagonist Brett Collins-a CIA operative with special warrior skills who worked as an independent contractor in covert operations. In fact, he has Rambo written all over him as he courageously takes on and wipes out all the bad guys.

In Roberts's debut thriller, and I understand from reading the back cover that there will be several more of these action- packed novels, Collins is sent on a covert mission to the fictitious African country of the Republic of Dargombi to end the genocide that has been committed by the country's head of state, Hassan Itabuna and five of his henchmen. Dargombi was a former British colony and is rich in minerals. When Itabuna and his cronies seized power they were bent on pursuing an ethnic cleansing of a minority that comprised ten percent of the population but accounted for ninety percent of its wealth. Collins's mission was to get rid of Itabuna and his band of murderers. Unfortunately, all does not go off as planned and eleven of Collins's men are ambushed and decimated. However, Collins manages to escape and is saved by a stunningly gorgeous British doctor whom he falls madly in love with, Agatha Cornwell, who incidentally turns out to be a British spy.

The twist in the plot is that the covert operation was compromised by the traitorous actions of an American mercenary, some powerful US senators, the CIA Deputy Director of operations, a few rogue CIA agents at the highest level and a Federal Supreme Court judge. These buggers were all operating illegally and with impunity while using American tax dollars to fund the ethnic cleansing in return of millions of dollars in kickbacks.

After failing in his first attempt to topple Itabuna and moreover losing eleven of his men, Collins has never in his life felt such intense craving to seek revenge and even the score. “But this righteous commando knew that this was bigger than just a campaign for vengeance. More than anything else, it was about restoring hope and faith in humanity.”

In spare unflinching scenes and with a straightforward style, Roberts does an admirable job in moving his story along at a very quick and galvanizing pace-something indispensable to a good thriller. Nothing is very baffling about the plot, as we know from the very beginning who are the good and bad guys, and thus we don't have to mess with our heads in trying to figure it all out. In addition, Roberts saves his readers from the tedious task of wending their way through a confusion of narrative voices, a contrived plot, settings, and shifting time-lines. In other words, this is a novel that can be read purely for its mere entertainment. All we have to do is sit back and enjoy the rollicking ride while cheering on the lovable protagonist, who at times finds himself in great peril. And If you need a good escape, there is nothing else that effectively hits the spot than a good yarn where you can spend a few hours flaked out on the couch or perhaps on a beach chair on a sunny afternoon with a cold glass of beer or anything else that suits your fancy.