Dogs of War by Jonathan Maberry

Jonathan Maberry’s Joe Ledger series is one of the most consistently creative and unique series around. It works as a straight up action thriller but it has just a touch of science fiction and horror to keep things interesting. Dogs of War is the latest entry in the series and proves that Joe Ledger is still going strong.

Advances in robotics and nanotechnology present a frightening new array of dangers. In the hands of a freelance terrorist with substantial resources, they can become almost apocalyptic. When Joe Ledger’s brother with the Baltimore PD gives Joe a call about a strange case, Joe hops on a plane and heads back across the country to his old stomping grounds. Meanwhile, WMDs are going off in different places around the world, and it looks like the problems are only starting. It isn’t long before Joe and the Department of Military Science (DMS) is once again in a race to save the world from destruction.

Although the Joe Ledger novels build off of events from previous books, they can still each be easily read as standalones. Joe, his team and all of the DMS is still suffering from a crisis of confidence from events in the previous novel, Kill Switch. Rebuilding their organization and their confidence is essential if they are going to have any hope of averting disaster.

Jonathan Maberry excels at the high-octane, adrenaline-pounding action. He also does a great job of humanizing his heroes, especially when the stakes are personal. Joe and other members of the DMS are often placed in serious jeopardy, and for long-time readers, you are aware that not everyone always makes it out alive. These stakes add a level of tension to every scene.

Maberry’s blend of science fiction and action continue to work well here. Imbuing his characters with a sense of humor and unflagging loyalty to one another deepens the reader’s investment in the story. Joe Ledger, Top, Bunny and all the people at DMS, not to mention Ghost (one of the greatest dog sidekicks ever) are not at the top of their game at the start of the story, but they’ll get there by the end. Dogs of War is another great entry in the Joe Ledger series and I’m looking forward to many more installments. Highly recommended.

I was fortunate to receive an advance copy of this book.

Description: Dogs of War: Robots are no longer science fiction. Autonomous, programmed to react like animals: fast, relentless, deadly. From microscopic nanobots to massive self-guided aircraft. This technology is here, it’s assessable, and it’s dangerous. What’s even scarier is that almost anyone can get their hands on it.

A freelance terrorist uses the latest generation of robot dogs to deliver WMDs into cities across America. Sophisticated military weapons systems turn on their human masters. A technological apocalypse is coming and we may be too late to stop it.

Joe Ledger and a newly rebuilt Department of Military Sciences square off against this new and terrible threat. Dogs of War pits Joe against a merciless new enemy and an army of techno-terrorists in a race to prevent a global destruction.

Let loose the Dogs of War.