It’s not often that I’ll say something like this, but Dead Six is a book that disturbed me on a lot of levels.

It’s not that it isn’t a fantastic book.  There’s plenty of action.  There’s drama, there’s brilliant characters.  Lorenzo, in particular, is simply amazing, the rogue with a heart of gold written in a way that you can’t help but love him… and know that he’s an evil bastard at the same time.

What disturbs me is that the near-future setting of this novel is a bit too close for comfort.  Destabilized nations, corrupt politicians, and terrorist organizations whose goals are the destruction of everything the main characters know and love.

To make matters worse, the main characters aren’t in the know.  At the start, they’re actually in opposition to one another, which makes things hard.  Both of them are caught up in the schemes of some very bad people… and unfortunately a lot of good people get killed in the process.

The cover has a motto: Abandon All Hope.  In some ways you really have to do that at the start.  Dead Six hits the deepest fears of many veterans: abandonment, betrayal, and isolation.  It doesn’t pull any punches, either.

That said, it’s still a fantastic book.  Great humor, excellent action, and a fast-paced plot that keeps you turning pages.  Even better, it isn’t a book that holds your hand and explains everything going on.  The characters don’t know or don’t care about some of the issues that the reader may want to know.  It is up to the reader to figure those things out.

All in all, Dead Six is the start of a dark masterpiece.  A modern military thriller with far more soul than you would expect.  Check it out, read it, enjoy it, and know that the sequels only get better.