For fans of high-stakes military thrillers, Claude Berube’s “The Philippine Pact: A Connor Stark Novel” has everything they can hope for: an assassination of a political leader, human trafficking, terrorism, suspenseful hijinks on the South China Sea and much more. However, you don't have to be a fan of this genre to enjoy the dazzling ride as this story has a universal appeal that will pull readers in from start to finish. Thanks to the author’s comprehensive knowledge of naval security, coupled with his immense storytelling prowess, Berube has crafted a masterfully detailed world thick with the tension of geopolitics and the murky characters who navigate them on a regular basis. What results is a compelling, fast-paced story that will keep you on the edge of your seat as you turn each page wondering how it will conclude. It’s the perfect vacation read. Highly recommended.

The story centers on a little-known but strategic Philippine island at the southern tip of the archipelago. A Philippine Navy training program conducted by a private naval company becomes tangled in a strange security incident. Events quickly spread to mainland Asia, Paris, Washington DC, and beyond. A massive reaction responsibility fell to a small, courageous team that grappled with potent adversaries to control vital shipping lanes and ensure American and Filipino national security. Building suspense, the outcome hangs in the balance until the final pages. Even then, a few omitted details presage a fourth volume in the Connor Stark series.

The book is chocked full of fascinating geographic insights and irregular conflict knowledge that only a veteran naval and national security expert could provide. The book features innovative uses of cyber-attacks, drones, electrical weapons, and misinformation warfare, which “ring true” given current 21st-century conflicts. These geopolitical and military devices impress readers with the plot’s plausibility, which separates the book from many far-fetched action thrillers.

Further, readers with historical interests will appreciate the American Revolution connection. Others will enjoy the “seat at the table” observing the government and other leaders make tough life-or-death decisions. I highly recommend The Philippine Pact to all to expand their horizons and think about what could happen in the Pacific while having fun with an enjoyable read.

The Philippine Pact is the third book in the Connor Stark series by Claude Berube, after The Aden Effect and Syren’s Song, and it’s a page-turner. It takes off running from the first page and never lets up. The author excels at writing thrillers with geopolitical affairs, and he drops Stark into escalating tensions as China encroaches on the Philippines territory. The book is well researched and completely on topic with current events. It’ll appeal to military thriller readers and is a ready-made streaming series. Amazon Prime, are you listening?