Book Review: Rising Tiger (Scot Harvath Series #21)

 

Rising Tiger, published in 2022, is the twenty-first book in the long-running series of action-adventure/spy novels by Brad Thor. As with many of the books in the series, Thor blends fictional elements with real-world events. Most of the events in the book are set in India, where Harvath is tracking the people responsible for the death of an American operative and friend. There are a few other storylines that intersect with that one, including a fictional Chinese weapon that is responsible for the real-life Havana Syndrome that affected US Intelligence agents. There are a few new characters in the book that could make appearances in subsequent novels, and several of the regular side-characters from the series appear. The most significant character omission is Solvi, Harvath's fiancée, who is mentioned but is not directly involved in any of the storylines.

The hardcover version of the book is 320 pages long (with a few additional pages of thank-yous and notes that Thor includes at the end of every book). It reads very much like his prior novels, so if you have read previous novels, this one will read as quickly or as slowly as those did. The storyline in this book is mostly self-contained. Thor does refer to events from prior books, but nothing so critical that you would not be able to follow the story in this book if you have not read the others. The only thing that you would miss is the development of the established characters. Ultimately, the book tells a good story with a nice blend of action and suspense, while incorporating some drama and humor along the way. It is absolutely worth the time to read.