THE PROTECTOR
David Morrell
Warner Books
Action Thriller
ISBN: 0446530689

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.

   --- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub

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