Foreword Clarion Review just gave Beyond Visual Range four stars!
Here is the full review:
Ending on a hopeful note, Beyond Visual Range is a military thriller with a tinge of political realism.
In Tom Collins’s timely novel Beyond Visual Range, drone technology collides with a political intrigue that’s reminiscent of current events.
Despite a time of great economic growth and nationwide security, President Tanner is in the hot seat amid allegations of misuse of power. The Speaker of the House leads the charge, raising allegations that Tanner violated his oath of office and ignored foreign sovereignty. In a staggering twist, a splinter group within the American military steps forward and threatens to use force if Tanner isn’t removed from office. Meanwhile, a pair of drone operators are swept up in the conspiracy, as the drones they pilot are commandeered and manipulated into striking foreign civilian targets. The commander, Major Samantha Miller, turns to Mark Rollins and his off-books team for help with preventing the future loss of life.
The book continues the adventures of Mark Rollins and the Women’s Health Club—which operates as a front for a private operations group that protects America from threats foreign and domestic—but functions as a standalone thriller. Context is revealed when needed, allowing the current issue of drone misuse and impeachment to remain in the spotlight.
Major Miller embodies the strong characterization present throughout the narrative. Ample space is given to the sudden loss of control of the drones while hinting at a mystery in Miller’s background—the accident that led to her winding up in a wheelchair. At first introduction, she seems to be noncentral, but careful backstory reveals and her professional relationship with Rollins center her as a capable, compelling lead. The primary cast—Rollins, his team, and a select group of military people and civilians—are equally developed.
Swapping between the drone threat and the impeachment proceedings, the story is well paced. In a literal twist, a threat from Earth’s orbit requires that the story enter space. Dialogue directs much movement, though exposition also comes through prose at the proper times. Intense sequences featuring military jargon stand out, and Major Miller and Rollins have distinct voices, helping to showcase events from both of their viewpoints. The book’s harrowing aerial battles and contemplative discussions are both grounded thanks to clear details and staging. However, when characters take notes or present material, unusual formatting overshadows the narrative; words run together in such spaces.
Ending on a hopeful note, Beyond Visual Range is a military thriller with a tinge of political realism.
by John. M Murray (June 8,2020)