COLD WAR - An Espionage Thriller with Monstrous Scares!

As a kid growing up in the 80s, I was obsessed with action films. Growing up in a rural area of Southeast Texas, surrounded by woods and dirt roads, I escaped to my imagination, which was fueled by films like DIE HARD, PREDATOR, ALIENS, BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA, ROBOCOP, and MAD MAX. I wanted every toy gun you could imagine, and my brother and I would run around the woods, literally hunting one another. We'd kick each other and throw pine cones at one another's head; we craved the excitement of near death experiences. Then we'd go back inside and pop in a VHS to inspire another adventure. We embraced sequels like long-lost family members. We loved mashups most of all. We wanted science fiction with our action, war with our comedy, and robots with our dinosaurs. It was a heck of a time to be alive.

At my current age, I'm less fascinated with guns, and I don't want to be hit in the face with another pine cone, but I still enjoy escaping into an action film, and I've developed an appreciation for novels of action, espionage, and otherworldly excitement. So imagine my elation when I read this tagline:

If you love 80s action, sci-fi and horror movies, then this book is for you! A slow burn intro quickly rockets into a nonstop action packed thriller.

This came from author Eric McClane, whom I cannot stress enough is a separate person from me, and his query to read and review his new novel, COLD WAR. The synopsis states:

WWII has ended and the occupation of Germany has begun, but the surviving Nazi resistance is still a formidable threat. A suspected clandestine stronghold is found and Allied Command orders an Army squad to infiltrate and silence the Nazi garrison that's hiding dangerously close to the Soviet controlled border. The incursion must be silent and swift, making sure not to strain the ever growing tensions with the adversarial Soviet Union and unintentionally escalate the Cold War. Unfortunately, the unsuspecting team doesn't know that something waits for them out there... something huge, vicious, and otherworldly.

 

I opted for a physical copy as I'm something of a traditionalist, and I'm immensely glad I did. This book is a literal page-turner, and I loved the sound of the leaves on my fingers as I flipped quickly to find what was becoming of our brave Army squad. The book is filled with characters that you want to root for (think Arnold's Dutch in PREDATOR), characters you revile (think Paul Reiser's Carter Burke in ALIENS), and disposable characters that you don't necessarily have anything against but you know aren't long for this world (think Al Leong in Everything He's Ever Been In Ever). 

 

It captures quite a many of our ubiquitous fascinations, from World War II, the titular Cold War, and threats from beyond the stars. It's the perfect combination of PREDATOR and EMPIRE OF THE SUN, with a claustrophobic subterranean showdown that ratchets up the tension as you feverishly flip through the climax. It's clear that McClane has a deep love and appreciation for World War II history and weaponry, and although the world-building and exposition can sometimes get a bit cumbersome, he pays off this setup with a back half that never lets its foot off the reader's throat. COLD WAR is a fast and exciting read that truly owns its 80s action film roots and will resonate with like-minded fans and historical fiction-lovers alike. It's a thrilling work of action and determination, so if you're looking for your next read, I'd suggest COLD WAR by Eric McClane. You can order it on Amazon by clicking this link.

 

Until next time, take care!

-McEric, aka Eric McClanahan-