RAVEN’S RESURRECTION by John Trudel – Cybertech, Paranormal, Thriller

“Men sleep peacefully in their beds at night because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.” – George Orwell

The much-anticipated sequel to Raven’s Redemption is finally here! The story is set just a few weeks after we left Josie and Raven saving the President of the United States from certain death and thwarting the attempts on their own lives using some rather creative methods. The President is a true believer in Josie’s “remote viewing” talents and has her designated a national treasure, worth saving at all costs. Josie’s information can be trusted but never proven. Raven’s job is to do whatever it takes to keep her alive.

Josie’s paranormal talent makes her a target, and the safe house she and Raven occupy is compromised. Their would-be attackers leave behind clues that open links to a possible Quds base in California, and to a character from Soft Target and Privacy Wars whose mysterious kidnapping over a decade ago will challenge the team to redefine the events that took place at that time.

The story is set a couple of presidencies in the future and progresses by a series of conversations that require close attention to get the most from this novel. Characters discuss past events and perspectives as examples of ideologies, methods, and motivations dating back to the earlier administrations.

Raven’s Resurrection plunges the reader into strategic meetings for covert operations. While involving high levels of government, the team operates in the shadows: no cell phones, no recordings, not even written notes for the most part. They do, however, utilize technology created by Cybertech, because of its advanced security features. Targeted individuals need to be taken out without the threads of blame leading back to anyone on the team—especially not to the President.

Our hero is working less “rogue” now and more as a team member. Raven also realizes that he is stronger when he and Josie work together. Their relationship is maturing, and while the more intimate moments between them are off screen, readers will witness the couple’s deep tenderness toward one another, and thrill as the more strategic aspects of their lives together develop as they work on the logistics of just how best to protect one another.

Meanwhile, attempts on the President’s life are continuing. Raven’s supporters are pushing the Joint Chiefs to abide a secret committee with the curious name of “Covfefe.” This group operates off the books, deep black, to remove – not arrest – targeted individuals on the premise their elimination would weaken the enemy faster than an all-out war, with the added benefit of fewer casualties.

Meanwhile, Josie has valuable INTEL regarding an individual with whom the Russians have an interest in, in exchange for something the Americans want; a meeting ensues, but can the Russians be trusted?

Staging scenes that would be fitting for James Bond, Trudel shines in skill and talent as he gives us wildly entertaining action sequences. Smoke bombs, zappers, lethal weaponry abound! The team has irrefutably graduated from an under-funded, often fumbling, renegade cluster to a sophisticated outfit with souped-up cars, choice weapons, and a decent backup at their disposal.

This book departs from the familiar third-person narrative. The “I” voice changes from scene to scene, bringing the reader into a “point-of-view” that is as fun to imagine as it is hard, shifting readers from hero to villain. Of course, the first-person point-of-view also invites the opportunity for the unreliable narrator, which adds another layer of intrigue to this story.

Trudel provides a list of acronyms and their meanings at the beginning of the book. At the end of the book, readers will find his familiar “Factoids and Fantasies” that provide his framework of events and references (from his perspective) on which much of his work centers around. If you’ve enjoyed any of the Cybertech series, you won’t want to miss this latest installment.