THE
PROTECTOR is not historical romance. I mean, it says "David
Morrell" right there on the cover, and when you're the author of
FIRST BLOOD (in other words, when you're the guy who invented
Rambo) your books are going to have enough explosions, karate and
the like that it's a sure bet you're not going to be mistaken for
Phil Donahue. THE PROTECTOR is no exception. However, I think the
good folks at Warner Books should shrinkwrap this bad boy with a
blood pressure cuff or some sort of warning label, because there
are so many frying pans and fires to jump into that I kept
expecting Emeril to pop up at some point, yelling "BAM!" Everything
else in THE PROTECTOR sure does.

The protector is Cavanaugh (one name does nicely, thank you), a
former Delta Force operator who is the type of guy you want to
bring to a knife or a gunfight. Cavanaugh is employed by an outfit
called Global Protective Services, the name of which is
self-explanatory. GPS is much more than a glorified bodyguard
agency, however. They not only provide hands-on protection but will
also provide a new untraceable identity. They are the best at what
they do.

Accordingly, it is only natural that Daniel Prescott, a biochemist
who has created a powerful new drug, approaches them. There are
organizations that want the drug very, very badly, as it has
potentially powerful martial applications, and they want Prescott.
Prescott is on the run and has exhausted all of his hidey-holes.
When he turns to GPS for help, it looks like a difficult but
manageable assignment, and Cavanaugh begins putting things in place
to create a whole new identity for Prescott. But when Cavanaugh's
team is suddenly and explicably wiped out and Prescott disappears,
Cavanaugh begins searching for Prescott himself in order to
discover Prescott's motivations and the motivations behind those
who are hunting him. Cavanaugh, however, is in danger on several
different fronts and reluctantly turns to the only person he can
trust to help him: his wife. But bringing her into the mix soon
proves to increase the danger level for both of them
two-fold.

Morrell does an incredible job of propelling a complex plot along a
fast-paced track full of danger that leaps out at the reader from
practically every page. But THE PROTECTOR is not just full of
explosions and karate. Morrell did yeoman's work on his research
here, and not just on firearms (though anyone seeking advice on
firearms purchases can obtain a wealth of information within these
pages). THE PROTECTOR is full of everyday survival advice, such as
how to avoid an automobile collision (hint: don't look at what you
don't want to hit, look at where you want to be to avoid the
collision) and why those movie car chases are so unrealistic.

The excitement, drama, and information contained in THE PROTECTOR,
which ushers in Morrell's fourth decade (!) of writing, may well
make it his best effort yet.