A Time For Patriots    by Dale Brown Order:  USA  Can William Morrow, 2011 (2011) Hardcover, CD, e-Book Read an Excerpt     Reviewed by Bob Walch In the military suspense genre few writers can equal former U.S. Air Force captain Dale Brown. His 23 action techno-thrillers have mesmerized legions of readers and the Nevada resident has a following other writers would die for. That large fan club will be delighted to hear Brown's latest novel, A Time For Patriots, is one of his finest to date. It is 2013 and Kenneth Phoenix has just won the White House in a bruising campaign. With the economy in a free fall and deep budget cuts gutting government programs and public safety, one has to wonder if the new president will be true to his surname and be able to raise the country out of the ashes. With private citizens banding together for protection, it comes as no surprise to find that a retired Air Force general, Pat McLanahan, has transformed a wing of the Nevada Civil Air Patrol into a group of formidable flyers bent on protecting their fellow citizens. When radioactive materials are stolen by a group dubbed the Knights of the True Republic and then an attack is launched against Reno, spreading radioactive fallout around the city, McLanahan, his son Bradley and their followers are going to have to follow up their words with actions. On the verge of anarchy and rebellion, the country is being challenged as never before. Will this band of dedicated and focused patriots save the day? Starting fast, this thriller immediately grabs the reader's attention, races ahead with abandon and never lets go. You'll race through this 376 page novel as if it were a short story. Brown knows how to squeeze every ounce of excitement out of his plots and this one will leave you gasping for breath by the time you are done. 2nd Review by Mary Ann Smyth: Times are hard in the United States. Along with an economic collapse in 2012 which has turned many Americans against their government, the threat of terrorists is ever present. Even the home grown ones are active. U.S. Air Force Lieutenant-General Patrick McLanahan, Retired (hero of a number of Dale Brown's novels) is living and working on a remote air base in Nevada with his son Bradley. Father and son are both donating time to the Civil Air Patrol. Here is where I lose the story. Anyone who flies or would like to fly, would appreciate the technical jargon that Brown injects into his plot. He is a member of the CAP himself and I take it on faith that all the information he gives is accurate. However, it proved to be a wee bit too technical for me. Once he got past how to fly and all the information a pilot must know, the story picked up and became an intriguing puzzler. Outside the base grounds, a group calling themselves Knights of the True Republic become a serious problem. Proclaiming that they are not bound by the Constitution, they decline to follow the laws of the land or pay taxes and it seems they are willing to create chaos to get their message across. Meanwhile, an explosion spews nuclear waste material in downtown Reno, endangering lives. Is there a connection to the Knights? The FBI step in and that's when the real trouble raises its head. Brad is romanced by an older FBI agent. Dirty work afoot! While Patrick tries to follow the rules set out for him, he manages to follow his own instincts and prevail. A Time For Patriots is a good read, once the story gets going. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Mystery books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews