Actually, Derek is now on special assignment from James Johnston, the Secretary of Homeland Security. The setting is the Cheyenne Hills Resort in Colorado Springs (probably the Broadmoor) and Derek has been undercover for eight months in anticipation of a possible terrorist attack by The Fallen Angels, led by Richard Coffee, Derek’s former friend.  Derek is now posing as a maintenance man and using the name Michael Gabriel. Russian security agent Irina Khournikova recognizes Derek and they arrange to work together again. Clearly they have had previous experiences with Coffee and each other in one of Mark Terry's prior Stillwater novels.

The action begins from page one with terrorists taking control of the guards outside the Cheyenne Hills Resort where the G-8 Summit is to be held. Soon to arrive is President Langston who has changed dramatically after the loss of his wife, children and cabinet members in a prior terrorist attack (again assuming this occurred in a prior episode). He meets with the DNI (Director of National Intelligence) Robert Mandelevo and Johnston prior to departure and suggests that Derek Stillwater may still be alive.

Mandelevo passes this info to the security people at the resort and orders them to arrest Stillwater on sight. The dignitaries arrive one by one including the Russian President and Langston. Once everyone is in place, The Fallen Angels take control of the resort, murder all of the on-site security people, and hold the G-8 leaders hostage. Enter Derek Stillwater. All this in the first few chapters.

Mark Terry has a very efficient writing style with an emphasis on action rather than character development. Luckily for the reader, Mr. Terry does not overwhelm them with technical details about weapons or political diatribes.

My enjoyment in The Fallen would perhaps have been increased if I had read The Devil's Pitchfork or The Serpent's Kiss both featuring Dr. Derek Stillwater which would have set the stage and provided more background information for The Fallen. However, it was still a great read. Derek Stillwater has both the intellect and the physical prowess to thwart his enemies and save the day.  

Thanks so very much, Mark Terry, for providing us with a new action hero, a great story and a mission to find those prior books.

--Jerry Solot