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I agree 100% that the terrorists were never much of an actual threat. They seemed very cartoonish, almost like Wile E. Coyote.

Then again, I didn't pick up this book expecting a thriller comparable to Lee Child or John Grisham, so it didn't grate me too much.

I definitely agree with you. For being "highly trained", I thought the terrorists were unrealistic. Losing a phone and not really looking for it or tracking it? Also when Colonel Rhee Su-jin cannot answer questions about her cover (where she lives in California).

Tomah wrote: ↑06 Dec 2019, 11:32 Definitely. The antagonists were quite incompetent, and the heroes scored easy wins through convenient circumstances. What sort of elite agent would leave a phone just lying around in their secret base, allowing anyone access to the computer?

Well-said! There were a few sloppy circumstances where the antagonist didn't seem quite realistic.

I agree in that there seemed to be a step aside from reality to let the good guys win.

It amazed me that the cell phone could be easily broken into, used, and was never shut off. That it was just assumed to be "misplaced" by an otherwise exceptionally organized woman, blew my mind.
It was also rather convenient that Team USA had so many connections and access to technology before Team USA was even technically involved.

It was a little too perfect, but an acceptable read.

AntoineOMEGA wrote: ↑08 Dec 2019, 10:43 I think this novel has the nonsense flaw more than many I have read but do authors do this intentionally or do they just in some cases lack the knowledge they need for making something seem more intense.

That's a good point. I think in this case, the author just lacks the knowledge on making up a realistic terrorist threat. She explains other threats with a lot of knowledge, like on the talk-show, so why she didn't make the terrorists a little more of a threat?

This book overall had a rom-com action flick feel to it to me. The good guys have everything work out, the bad guys are overwhelmingly incompetent, and lots of giggles and comedic situations keep the story light-hearted. Loosely based on facts and research, but silly enough to not leave you feeling like doomsday is upon us. I could see this as one of those over-the-top films that makes a mockery of something that could happen but probably never will and is just for fun and entertainment.

Everydayadventure15 wrote: ↑10 Dec 2019, 10:29 This book overall had a rom-com action flick feel to it to me. The good guys have everything work out, the bad guys are overwhelmingly incompetent, and lots of giggles and comedic situations keep the story light-hearted. Loosely based on facts and research, but silly enough to not leave you feeling like doomsday is upon us. I could see this as one of those over-the-top films that makes a mockery of something that could happen but probably never will and is just for fun and entertainment.

You explained it so well! This is exactly the mind-set I had when reading this book, though I read a lot of rom-coms and cozy mysteries so maybe that's why it was taken as light-hearted for me.

melissy370 wrote: ↑06 Dec 2019, 15:34 Totally agree with you. Everything seemed to fall into place too easily for Team USA. The terrorists did not come off as the smartest ones in the book. For me, this was the weakest part of the story.

I couldn't agree more. Sort of takes all the oomph out of the thrill.

The antagonists were bumbling boobs and their leader was very nearly a Vaudevillian villain twirling his mustache while chortling gleefully.
This author's characters tend to fit in neat little boxes rather than being nuanced. The Good Guys and Gals tend to be Mary Sues and Gary Stus. Going up against the Bozo Baddies, of course they are going to win.
When I see a book by this author, I know I am reading it for the sake of entertainment, not realism.

I agree with all of your points about this issue. I think that you can create a light hearted novel and still have villains who are intelligent. The phone story line was a little strange since anyone can track phones easily with any type of technology. I like the USA chant that was started by one user and it made me laugh.

Hard no for me. Everything was set so that Team USA couldn't fail, from the supposed incompetence of the terrorist group right up through the ranks to General Lee tricking Dear Leader with fake remote controls. There was no actual suspense or intrigue, no point where I felt Team USA were in any actual danger, and no point where I thought the terrorists would definitely succeed if it weren't for Team USA intervening. Add their awkward interactions with each other in, and all I really ever felt for Team USA was a general disbelief that any of them were true functioning humans. The only one of the bunch I liked was Steve and only in the short space of time before he suddenly found himself thrust into a cliched romance subplot with Sharon.

I think the USA team got a way with more than what would happen in reality. But, this is a work of fiction, so a little leniency is to be allowed, I think. The author had to resolve it somehow.

AntoineOMEGA wrote: ↑08 Dec 2019, 10:43 I think this novel has the nonsense flaw more than many I have read but do authors do this intentionally or do they just in some cases lack the knowledge they need for making something seem more intense.

There are so many sinister terrorist plot novels online that maybe the author thought that a bumbling terrorist cell would be less threatening.

mariana90 wrote: ↑08 Dec 2019, 13:11 I agree 100% that the terrorists were never much of an actual threat. They seemed very cartoonish, almost like Wile E. Coyote.

Then again, I didn't pick up this book expecting a thriller comparable to Lee Child or John Grisham, so it didn't grate me too much.

I like this characterization. How strange was the "infiltration" as a tourist? Definitely food for Warner Brothers cartoons.

It's true team USA had a soft landing. Everything worked in their favor, while the terrorists carried on ineptly. Why wasn't the shop manned, knowing it was a front for a secret lab? How could Kelly walk into an Employee only section after calling out repeatedly, even though this created a suspenseful opening of the book?