I enjoyed this book but read it without the 1st two installments. To get a true appreciation I imagine that reading this as the culmination of the series would be very exciting and gratifying. I did not have the investment in the characters and therefore some of the interest for me was missing. However, if readers had been following this series this last installment was probably very satisfying as an ending. Recommended for libraries and readers who have 1 and 2 of this series.

In this concluding chapter of what has been a hugely enjoyable trilogy, Ethan Monroe, leader of an elite task force, takes on Hans Bauer, figurehead, or should that be Fuhrer, of Daedalus, a far right organisation with designs on world domination. One of the most enjoyable aspects of this series and certainly of this book in particular is the levity throughout the narrative. Hans Bauer had me in mind of Alan Rickman’s portrayal of the sheriff of Nottingham, dismissive, entitled, and deeply condescending.

Ethan, on the other hand, is overflowing with self belief and presents the perfect foil against such a charismatic baddie. Other than Daedalus trying to crush the opposition, there is a hidden treasure that, if found, will take the battle to another level. Again, if I were to make a comparison here, Indiana Jones comes to mind, with the hunt for a fabled artefact that has eluded lesser men throughout the ages. It all adds up to a fast paced romp with cinematic rivals, elaborate sets and wry put downs. A great deal of fun and I’m sorry that the ride is over.

International criminal enterprises and the organizations who fight them have been a staple of thriller fiction for years. S.P.E.C.T.R.E. and MI6. Thrush and U.N.C.L.E. Cobra and G.I. Joe. Hydra and S.H.I.E.L.D. The Combine and Rubicon (from James Swallow’s excellent Marc Dane series).

The latest series to follow this fine tradition is the Daedalus series by R.D. Shah. I’ve had the privilege of reading the ARC of the final entry of this series titled After Shock, thanks to Canelo and Netgalley. After Shock follows an organization called DSV – short for Disavowed – as they try to bring down Daedalus which seeks to establish a Fourth Reich.

Actually, the book follows the remnants of DSV because in the previous book Daedalus detonated a low-yield nuke in the UN Building in New York City and managed to frame Iran and DSV as the perpetrators. So now they’re on the run from every law enforcement and intelligence agency in the world as they try to clear their name and expose Daedalus.

The book hits the ground at 100 mph and goes faster and faster as it progresses. There’s never a dull moment as we race from an underwater Nazi retreat to a seven-star hotel in Dubai to the hell-hole of North Korea and then to the nuked-out, abandoned New York City for a final confrontation. Shah belongs to the Matthew Reilly School as he keeps the pedal firmly to the metal and almost never takes a breather – but gives out exposition without stopping the action. His writing is condensed, much like a 2000AD Future Shock. Not a line is wasted and each scene serves to propel the action forward.

The book ends the series on a satisfying note. If Shah doesn’t write another book in this series that’s fine by me because as far as I am concerned no loose plot threads remain. But if he does write more, I will be sure to read those. In fact, I am going to read everything he writes from now on.