James Reece (Jack Carr) is Back!

The Review

Red Sky Mourning, with its 576 pages, initially appears daunting. However, by the end, you'll find yourself yearning for more James Reece. Jack Carr, now an established writer, showcases his comfort with this character more than ever in this installment.

Carr's appreciation for his predecessors in the thriller-suspense genre is evident. This book is filled with easter eggs that will warrant a second read. The recap of previous books in Chapter One serves as an excellent introduction for newcomers to the series.

The title pays homage to Tom Clancy, sparking memories of The Hunt for Red October, a book I devoured as a young adult. The story kicks off with a rogue Chinese submarine, setting the stage for a potential nuclear war. You can’t get anymore Clancy than that.

In his seventh book, Carr's biggest influence is Ian Fleming. It's delightful to see Reece in Bond-like situations, but his unique approach sets him apart. A slight spoiler - expect a casino, a tuxedo, and a villain dinner, but no “Reece, James Reece”. As always, Carr includes an author's note at the end, detailing the books and authors that inspired this story.

Alice, the omniscient AI powered by quantum computing, returns. When she was first introduced in Only The Dead, her role was unclear. Now, she has evolved into a character akin to Microchip from the Punisher series, serving as a valuable ally to Reece. I might be starting to have “a thing” for Alice, but it hasn’t progressed to the level of Joaquin Phoenix in “Her” or Ryan Gosling’s love of Joi in Blade Runner 2049.

Alice's appearances are enjoyable, and her developed personality feels organic to the narrative. Having transcended the uncanny valley, Alice feels incredibly lifelike. Given the advancements in widely used AI technologies like ChatGPT, it's plausible that an AI like Alice could exist in reality.

Alice plays a significant role in Red Sky Mourning. The book incorporates a wealth of technology and AI elements into the plot, but they are integrated seamlessly and don't feel forced. Alice's storyline brings to mind D.F. Jones' book "Colossus", which presents an all-knowing AI and inspired the 1970 movie "Colossus: The Forbin Project". It also recalls John Badham's 1983 film "WarGames", which features a machine capable of global destruction.

As a geek with lots of experience in large-scale data analysis, I found Carr's depiction of the complexities and applications of big data to be insightful and enlightening, especially for those unfamiliar with the topic. Andy Danreb reappears in this story, serving as our guide through all the technical explanations, with Reece acting as a newbie trying to catch on.

Excluding AI from a contemporary thriller like Carr's would make it seem outdated. In his author's note, Carr refers to past thrillers as "time machines" capturing the era and history in which they were written. Red Sky Mourning is no exception, and Alice's context within the story provides a snapshot of the time we live in.

If you're a Jack Carr fan, you'll undoubtedly race to grab this book, and it'll leave you thrilled. It's packed with all the elements you crave, including the perfect villains.

Whether you're a thriller aficionado or just hunting for an engrossing beach read, this book is a must-have. It promises a ride that won't disappoint. With its brisk pace and storyline, you'll breeze through it in no time, as it's simply unputdownable. I knocked it off in two days and now I’m sad.

Good thing there are six other books. So, buckle up and enjoy the ride!

Tweets or Zeets?