Vulcan's Fire
by Harold Coyle and Barrett Tillman
   (Forge, $24.95, GV)  ISBN 978-0-7653-1373-7
***
War is Hell! Soldiers die or sustain permanent disfigurement. Governments lie or use plausible deniability to justify their behavior. Harold Coyle, who spent fourteen years in the Army and Barrett Tillman, a military historian, have put together one of the more realistic stories about 21st century ground warfare.

Michael Derringer, former Rear Admiral and member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is the CEO of Strategic Soloutions Inc. (SSI) which is a private military corporation (PMC). Derringer, a brilliant military strategist foresaw military downsizing and "right-sizing" and SSI benefitted greatly until they politically embarrassed both the CIA and State Department by helping Israel prevent uranium from being shipped from Chad to Iran.

Derringer is supported by Dr. Omar Mohammed whose father was a diplomat for the Shah of Iran. Omar is a linguist educated in Paris and London who serves as director of training for SSI.  

As Vulcan's Fire begins, SSI is approached once again by Israel. Now, they are asked to support the Druze against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. Although the mission is to improve the standard of readiness and to provide training in small arms use, infantry tactics, and defense measures, SSI's role becomes much greater as Hezbollah, led by physicist Dr. Momen and Imam Elhan have a plan to deliver suitcase bombs to the area. This clash between the mission of SSI and the terrorists provides the realistic battles which define this book.  

Coyle and Tillman provide insight into the region, informing us that Hezbollah is Lebanese in origin and was formed in 1982 after the Israeli invasion. Hezbollah means "party of God" and is increasingly involved in the Lebanese Government even attaining seats in Parliament. The Druze are monotheists who are neither Muslim nor Christian and who have resided in southern Lebanon for centuries.   

Reminiscent of today's headlines involving the battle between Israel and Hamas over Gaza and the Blackwater Security scandal (recall the largest private security contractor in Iraq), Vulcan's Fire has no main character who escapes death on multiple occasions like Gabriel Allon or Mitch Rapp. There are no romantic interludes as in Tsar. Vulcan's Fire even includes a terrorist with a conscience to distort our sense of war being black and white. Readers, be advised, this is a military thriller. 

--Jerry Solor


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