| If a fast paced and exciting mystery is what you | | | | ambience of the story. Knowing a friend from an |
| yearn for, "Under Cloak of Darkness" will give you | | | | enemy becomes almost impossible, thus the danger |
| everything you desire, and more. I love how author, | | | | is extreme. Often time, the only thing to temporarily |
| I. Michael Koontz, has taken his lifelong, passionate | | | | relieve Apparite from his stressful predicament is his |
| interest in Cold War espionage and military history | | | | love for the Washington Senators. |
| and put together such a well-written and thoroughly | | | | What makes the story so unique is the personality of |
| researched fictional tale. Without a doubt, the reader | | | | John Apparite and the relationship between himself, |
| will be zealously turning pages to untwist the intense | | | | the Director, and Agent J. The required aloofness |
| plot. | | | | demanded of Apparite begins to take its toll, and we |
| "Under Cloak of Darkness" takes place about 50 | | | | realize he has limitations and misgivings about killing |
| years ago and is about a former FBI agent named | | | | others. He truly has human qualities after all! But, if |
| John Apparite who is a huge fanatic of the | | | | Apparite shares these concerns, he must die. The |
| Washington Senators baseball team. He now decides | | | | demanded detachment becomes even more difficult |
| to join the most covert espionage program in | | | | when Apparite finds himself attracted to the pretty |
| existence with the promise of global travel, high pay | | | | brunette stewardess on the flight to London, |
| and higher stakes. There can be no turning back once | | | | especially when he sees her a second time. Apparite |
| the commitment has been made, and complete | | | | becomes confused when his instinct to help another |
| secrecy is of major importance. Breaking the | | | | human being interferes with what he has been |
| covenant of secrecy is immediate death. Many lives | | | | taught. Could not helping another have resulted in a |
| are dependent upon the outcome of the planned | | | | best friend and colleague remaining alive? |
| missions. The espionage program requires emotional | | | | Koontz obviously did research on the historic |
| detachment, learning to fight hand to hand combat, | | | | locations Apparite visited and the numerous facts and |
| and mastery of the use of weapons. Apparite, who | | | | figures scattered throughout the pages of "Under |
| is known as Agent E, is given some very difficult | | | | Cloak of Darkness." The descriptions of the British |
| tests to prove to his supervisor, the Director, of his | | | | Museum and the famous Reading Room were |
| readiness to progress to the mission he was hired to | | | | enticing, as were the visits to St. Paul's Cathedral. |
| perform. | | | | I have never thought of myself as being much of a |
| Apparite is given a testing mission, and the goal will | | | | fan of a thriller novel such as "Under Cloak of |
| be to engage a barroom brawl while single handedly | | | | Darkness," but I have now changed my mind. Except |
| leaving everyone in the bar unconscious. The | | | | for some parts which were a bit gruesome for my |
| additional challenge is that no one is to be killed, if | | | | taste, but which unfortunately are probably only too |
| possible. Once this test task is successfully | | | | accurate, I LOVED reading this story. "Under Cloak of |
| completed, Apparite is given his real mission. The | | | | Darkness" is not for the meek, but if you like |
| American Scientist, Robert Kramer, is developing a | | | | mystery, Cold War, and politics, I predict you will love |
| portable solid rocket-fuel which is used to fire nuclear | | | | it too! Personally, I found myself as entertained |
| warheads from submarines, and the Soviets are | | | | reading Koontz's work as I was when I read "The |
| trying to get Kramer's missile secrets for themselves. | | | | DaVinci Code." I definitely look forward to the next |
| Apparite's mission is to kill Kramer, assume his | | | | book in this series on the adventures of John |
| identity, and trick the Soviets. I don't want to reveal | | | | Apparite that I. Michael Koontz has promised us! I can |
| too much, but the adventure really takes off and | | | | hardly wait! This is definitely a must read! |
| never slows down with action and excitement on | | | | Under Cloak of Darkness: The Story of John Apparite |
| every page. All I can say is that one must read the | | | | I. |
| book to feel the complete intensity generated in the | | | | |