Title: Jericho’s Trumpet
Author: Robert Gallant
Publisher: Robert Gallant Books
ISBN: 978-0578208107
Pages: 287
Genre: Action & Adventure Fiction
Reviewed by: Arnold Carreiro
Hollywood Book Review
Although Jericho’s Trumpet is the sequel to author Robert Gallant’s Satan’s Stronghold, I went into this new book blind, and was pleasantly surprised to learn that not only did I not need to read the previous story to keep up with this world of high-stakes adventure, Gallant’s ability to write believable and balanced characters as well as a fast-paced action tale made for an entertaining blast from the bayous of Louisiana.
In a nutshell, a strike on a secret marsh-bound weapon smuggling operation had seemingly gone off without a hitch; that is until the seasoned agents realize that only one of the two nuclear bombs smuggled into Louisiana had been successfully recovered, and the other needs to be found before the state’s southwestern mosquito-infested swamplands becomes the next Chernobyl. What really makes Jericho’s Trumpet a genuinely engaging adventure, is that asses are getting kicked and the plot goes from zero to sixty from page one onward, and the story only takes its foot off of the gas when it’s absolutely necessary to advance the plot. You’d be hard-pressed to find an explosive action novel that keeps the momentum up as well as this book, but it’s not just the threat of venomous water moccasins, crafty hitmen, environmental threats, or a pending nuclear blast that kept me hooked; Gallant knows how to write protagonists that are well worth caring about.
The two major protagonists, Chesney Barrett and Travis Weld, are dynamic and interesting characters that have this perfect balance of badass mercenaries ready to lunge at any danger that comes their way without being built up as impervious superheroes; they have fully fleshed-out wants and needs, and their dialogue felt fluid and natural. Now that I think about it, I’d also like to read Satan’s Stronghold sometime, especially since it was strongly implied that Chesney underwent some serious character development in the previous book. While it felt like she would be a particularly capable spy from the get-go, it was interesting to see her drag her feet as she’s pulled back into the spy game at first, only to embrace her fine-tuned abilities by the end.
If you are a dynamic thrill seeker whose favorite adventure novels feature well-rounded and likable heroes that grow as the story progresses, attractive natural environments, extended periods of high-level energy, exciting twists you didn’t see coming, and charming dialogue from beginning to end, I highly recommend adding Jericho’s Trumpet and its prequel to your collection.