The Last Patriot

May 19, 2008
In bestseller's Thor's intriguing seventh Scot Horvath novel, Scot, a former navy SEAL who's recently quit working for Homeland Security, pursues a mystery involving a recently discovered ancient Koran. Differing from the original, this Koran suggests a secret exists that, if revealed, will change the entire nature of the warlike extremist versions of Islam. Furthermore, it has links to Thomas Jefferson and his war on Muslim pirates (think: “to the shores of Tripoli” in the Marine Corps hymn), handwritten notes in Jefferson's first-edition copy of Don Quixote
and other clues hidden in Jefferson's Monticello home. First, Scot has to make up with his boss, President Jack Rutledge, who used him badly in his previous outing, The First Commandment
, but once that's done, Scot finds himself in the thick of a furious battle. Fortunately, Scot's romance with girlfriend Tracy Hastings remains offstage. A stunning revelation on the last page will surprise even the most savvy thriller readers. 10-city author tour.

A former member of the Department of Homeland Security provides listeners with a well-researched thriller. Former Navy Seal Scott Harvath races around the world to uncover an ancient secret that could put an end to the modern face of terrorism. Narrator Armand Schultz gives a powerful, underplayed performance that captures the essence of every character. Schultz's portrayal of the story's omniscient narrator increases the tension, and he delivers expert Middle Eastern accents, as well. Overall, he commands his audience and brings Thor's heart-pounding action to the breaking point. An added bonus is a DVD, which features an author interview, bonus chapters, and a video. L.B. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine


This author has combined a terrorist plot with a story reminiscent of THE DA VINCI CODE. Thus, listeners not only get a good deal of action, but some complex plotting and history as well. George Guidall's capable reading fits perfectly with the suspenseful and historical elements, but he's a bit slow with the action sequences. Also, though one is, at first, somewhat cautious about the historical ties this plot seems to draw (the prophet Mohammed and Thomas Jefferson?), Guidall focuses attention on the protagonist, a former Navy Seal now attached to Homeland Security--and the mission to recover an artifact that, when revealed, will help stop terrorism once and for all. This, Guidall does well. A.L.H. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine