The Orpheus Deception

February 18, 2008
Readers hungry for sex, bloody action and flag-waving patriotism will best appreciate this sequel to Stone's debut, The Echelon Vendetta
, which likewise starred CIA agent Micah Dalton. The disparate elements of this testosterone-fueled thriller gradually come together, including a stabbing in Venice; the hijacking of a freighter in the South China Sea; a rogue SAS (Special Air Service) agent, Ray Fyke, imprisoned in Singapore's notorious Changi prison; and a Serbian mafia leader with grandiose ambitions. Each piece of the puzzle carries its own carnage and enough international intrigue to effectively make Dalton and his putative allies the only ones who can salvage the situation. Stone handles with aplomb such details as weapons technology, bureaucratic bumbling and ship navigation in treacherous seas, then tests the limits of human endurance with his heroes Dalton and Fyke. Though the plot hangs together well enough, the resolution takes a gigantic suspension of disbelief and leads to a less than satisfying denouement.

Author and former military man David Stone (a pen name to protect his identity) offers the next in his series of high-stakes political thrillers that take his readers around the world at a breakneck pace. The writing is terse, clear, and thorough--giving the impression that Stone was witness to everything he recounts. Narrator Erik Davies is as believable and concise in his delivery as Stone is in his writing. Davies's grainy voice is rich and deep. In his role as CIA agent Micah Dalton he is the perfect blend of intrigue and sincerity. As the omniscient narrator, Davies commands Stone's vivid descriptions of Venice and his extensive knowledge of foreign operations. This thrilling story is sure to capture the listener's imagination. L.B. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine