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Coltray is the David Alexander novel that introduces his ex-special forces protagonist of the same name, and the book sets the formula in place: ex-operator, current freelance, problem in a hostile country, escalating cycle of action and retreat. The form is exactly what its readers want and Alexander handles it with the lean efficiency that the genre rewards.
The action sequences are well-staged. The political setup is competent rather than ambitious. The protagonist is the kind of laconic operator that the form has been producing since Adam Hall's Quiller novels, and Alexander gives him just enough interior life to keep you reading.
Three stars. Recommended to fans of military-thriller series who want a leaner alternative to the longer Clancy or Coonts books.
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