Book Review: 24 Declassified: Storm Force by David Jacobs

David Jacobs, true crime and adventure author, skillfully weaves a tale of international intrigue and danger more intense than any of the 24 television episodes you might have seen. His writing style is brisk and kinetic... perfectly suited for an agent Jack Bauer adventure.

The plot: Going into an election year, the current administration is plagued by an oil shortage and the failures of FEMA’s rescue operations during and after the wake of a level five hurricane that decimated a coastal American city. The price of gas skyrockets at the pump, so with his approval ratings at an all time low, the President uses the implied threat of the might and muscle of the military to convince the Saudi government to produce more oil. If they comply to the wishes of Uncle Sam, helping the current administration lower gas prices – an action that could possible win the election, Islamic fundamentalists terrorists will target the Royal Princes for assassination. The shadowy figures in the Saudi government strike a deal with the terrorists. They will agree to America’s wishes and increase the flow of oil, only to use their newly found revenues to finance a multi-national terrorist attack on American soil --- one designed to cripple this nation and bring the President and his Cabinet to their knees.

What follows is riveting. The plan, one that could be implemented in reality, is both flawlessly conceived and monstrously horrific. The villains, whose sympathies varies from shades of darkest gray to pitch black, are well imagined and more than capable of killing anything that stand in the way of their Holy War of death and destruction. And if this wasn’t enough for any special agent to handle, one of the book’s more jam-packed action passages involves Bauer’s vicious battle with the terrorists in the ruins of flooded out New Orleans with another hurricane approaching!

If you are a fan of the television series, pick this book up. If you are not a fan, pick this book up and you will become one --- hurry, the clock is ticking down!

Reviewed by Riley