Authors: Karl Dahl
Published: 2019
Tags: modern-day, textual, thriller, crime
Length: 195 pages
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Douglas Shea is a college student groomed to go into the family business. That family business is doing the dirty work for a faction of shadowy government operatives. As he is drawn into their world where noble, altruistic ideals are used to conceal crimes on a societal level, Doug discovers the dark reality behind official narratives.
When there is no plan to trust and Doug must choose his fate, will he meet an untimely end, like his father before him, or remain a pro with zero deaths?
The biggest problem with Faction is that it feels about 200 pages too short. It's a breezy and fast paced ride from start to finish, weaving together 20th century Pacific Northwestern college experience, weapons autism, spycraft, and much more. The main character, Doug, is likable enough if a bit of blank slate, but many of the side characters (most specifically his grandfather, Josef) are interesting enough to merit books of their own. Luckily, Faction: With the Crusaders exists to fill that particular void.
Faction is an engrossing read for pretty much the entire way through after the first couple of intro chapters, written with an accelerating pace that leaves the reader reaching the climax what seems like far too soon and finishing the book wishing it had another act or two, or perhaps an entire sequel. It hints at many themes, never overstaying its welcome on any of them and never letting them overshadow the fundamentally fun romp of a plot.
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