By all accounts, Jack Coward possesses an ill-fitting last name. From his time in the Marine Corps to his current gig as a P.I., Coward has spent the majority of his life running toward trouble. But when the mysterious Jaffar Harraj hires him to investigate a recently-widowed woman named Giti, Coward’s ‘easy money’ soon becomes more trouble than it’s worth. Jaffar’s seemingly romantic motivations for pursuing Giti are shrouding far more sinister intentions. A high-ranking member of a terrorist organization, Jaffar intends to exploit Giti’s status as a U.S. citizen in order to infiltrate the country. Enter a newly-christened agency (NATA) and its newest recruit, Jack Coward. With the help of his longtime partner in crime (the ever-colorful Don Ziegler), Jack and the rest of NATA set out to untangle Jaffar’s nefarious plot before he can put his plan into motion.
Set in the late seventies and early eighties, Ronald A. Fabick’s action/thriller TURBULENT SKIES explores a period of time that many cite as the genesis for modern-day terrorist organizations (such as Al Qaeda). But save for a smattering of period-specific touches, Jack Coward’s first adventure bears all the hallmarks of a contemporary Tom Clancy-esque thriller. From the chapter headings and cinematic POV to the characters and their global adventure, the similarities to the other ‘Jack’ and his escapades are surprisingly transparent. Still, there’s no harm in utilizing a well-established template. Setting aside the head-scratching name assigned to the protagonist, TURBULENT SKIES eventually establishes a sense and feel all it’s own.
In fact, the book’s only glaring flaws come by way of Fabick’s unchecked ambition. As is the case with so many debut offerings, TURBULENT SKIES tends to buckle under the weight of the Vancouver-based author’s ‘everything-and-the-kitchen-sink’ approach. While the novel opens with an arresting scene involving Giti’s husband perishing in a plane crash, Jack isn’t introduced until well through the first act. And the characterization as a hard-drinking vet who just so happens to be an expert in hand-to-hand combat is a bit thin. Additionally, Jaffar’s ‘master-plan’ feels woefully underdeveloped and lacks the sophistication readers of this genre expect. Luckily, what TURBULENT SKIES lacks in nuance, it more than makes up for with action and intrigue. Despite the above issues, the book is both well-written and enjoyable. Sure, there’s a fine line between derivative and homage, but (for the most part) Fabick manages to avoid the former. And as the first installment of a (presumably) soon-to-be ongoing series, TURBULENT SKIES succeeds in establishing a roster of characters and painting an accurate picture of the sociopolitical landscape circa Nineteen Eighty.
A very good debut offering that’s a solid edit away from being great, Ronald A. Fabick’s TURBULENT SKIES makes for a worthwhile bookshelf addition for fans of the Jack Reacher/Jack Ryan-verses.
~James Weiskittel for IndieReader