Final Strike is a gripping page turner featuring memorable characters involved in what could be a present=day political spy thriller. Hamilton, wealthy eccentric billionaire, embroiled in Russian politics and business, is stranded in a luxury hotel in Moscow. As he heads a company intent upon mining asteroids for metals, the Russians would like to keep him there. As the main asteroid only he can trace is slated to hit the Earth in 20 years, the US wants him back. Hamilton himself seems to be trying to avoid extradition as he is involved as a 'person of interest' with the FBI in a mysterious murder. Sean Falcone, a DC attorney with a background as a POW and assistant to presidents is brought in to lead a band of private 'mercenaries' (who don't like to be referred to as such) to snatch Hamilton and take him back to the US. Some nasty KGB-type Russians led by their current president begin to ruin plans by killing their inside contacts. Will the snatch work? will Falcone and his band of men survive? What is Hamilton's real game plan? Why was his Russian contact Basayev detonated along with his luxury yacht? I wanted to know more and it kept me reading well into the night. Highly recommend this book.

Everyone likes a good apocalyptic story story and this appears to fit the bill. Early on we know that the earth is threatened by an asteroid which could devastate everything if it hits. The book however concentrates on the politics for too long before getting to the business of saving the earth. That out of the way, the author builds a good picture of the horrors that could happen should Falcones team fail in their mission to get key information out of Moscow. Normally I would have rated higher but you have to be patient which I am not.

A good story which was well written, easy to get into and I would recommend it to others.

With due respect to Secretary Cohen, Final Strike is a slow developing story that I had difficulty maintaining interest. The idea of using an asteroid for mineral mining and then utilizing the technology to save the Earth from imminent destruction from another asteroid is a good one. Mr. Cohen does not write with an aggressive style nor does he give his characters believable build-up.