Savage Remorse by Macklin Grey is a tense, action-packed war drama that will have readers on the edge of their seats and turning the pages to discover the next twist in the tale. Chase Harper was an elite special forces soldier, badly wounded in Afghanistan and about to return home after a long convalescence in Germany. A final evening walk where he was mugged by two men sees his world turned upside down. In defending himself, Chase finds himself wanted by both the German police and the U.S. Army for a double homicide. Fleeing Germany, he eventually winds up in the Congo, in Africa, leading a mercenary army, known as The Detachment, for the Congolese government against rebel forces seeking to overthrow the government. When his beloved Detachment is incorrectly accused of sabotage and instigating a civilian massacre, Chase and his men find themselves in a fight for their lives against both the Nija separatists and corrupt government officials.

Savage Remorse is a powerful war story that chronicles the type of internecine warfare that occurs regularly all over the world and receives little or no coverage in the world’s media. Atrocities are committed by both politicians and idealists in many parts of the world, but it is often only the big, state-to-state wars that receive sympathy, assistance, and general public recognition. Author Macklin Grey has an extensive military background that enables him to write about the technical aspects of weapons, warfare, and intelligence with clarity, surety, and believability. The author’s portrayal of mercenaries explores the loyalty and commitment these soldiers have to their units, highlighting the complexities beyond their popular image. I appreciated the author incorporating the concept of “blood diamonds” as being the primary military funding for the rebel forces. I am sure that Chase Harper has further fascinating adventures in store, and I look forward to them in the future. This was a compelling read and one I highly recommend.

In Savage Remorse by Macklin Grey, Chase Harper was followed by young Arabs who had no idea he was a trained killer. When Chase strikes back, his actions are branded as homicide, putting both the police and U.S. military on his trail. A friend connects him with Khan Khoury, who smuggled Chase out of Europe and offered him a position in the Detachment. But the balance of power begins to shift. Someone has built up a well-trained and well-armed force, determined to reclaim what they believe is theirs. Only the Detachment stands in their way, and the mysterious leader wants them eliminated. The leader even orchestrates the crash of his aircraft to conceal his activities and silence a journalist who might reveal the truth. When a brutal massacre in Mossendjo unfolds, the blame is directed at the Detachment and threatens to shatter the unit’s reputation and leave them powerless against a ruthless enemy.

Savage Remorse by Macklin Grey was a complex and captivating read. The story was fast-paced and filled with action from the very beginning, never letting up. It felt like a thrilling ride of betrayal, death, danger, and survival. Each twist and turn kept me riveted, turning the pages as quickly as I could. I could not set the book aside, fearing I would miss something crucial. The writing was engaging and vivid, allowing me to effortlessly immerse myself in Chase and the Detachment’s world. The characters were well-crafted and relatable. Each member of the detachment had their motivations for joining the unit. The story was superbly written and captured my interest from start to finish. I enjoyed this book, and it took some time for me to adjust back to reality once I had completed it.

Jungle warfare is always messy, with an often unseen but deadly enemy, a hostile climate, and a fight for survival. Throw in mercenaries and African political intrigue, and you have Savage Remorse by Macklin Grey. Just released from a hospital in Germany and recovering from severe injuries sustained in Afghanistan, US Army Captain Chase Harper was facing a medical discharge. Awaiting his fate, he was confronted by two muggers and had to flee arrest after killing them. With the help of the mysterious Khan, an arms broker, he escaped to the Congo-Brazzaville as a mercenary. He became second in command of the Détachment, a unit fighting with the government against separatist rebel forces. Enter Emily, a persistent journalist intent on investigating denials of a looming civil war involving a weak president who clung to religion but was being manipulated by his childhood associate-turned-advisor. There were informants, betrayals, assassinations, and political intrigue of the type that can only happen in Africa. Military action abounds, and loyalties were tested. An aircraft was shot down, but by whom? A massacre was staged, and the Détachment was blamed. Their fight for survival was just beginning.

Macklin Grey uses his extensive knowledge of the military, diplomacy, international affairs, and security issues to paint a graphic picture of a conflict dominated by greed, power, and financed by diamonds. He ponders the mindset of the mercenary, which extends far beyond their role as killing machines, to the close bonds forged between brothers in arms. They are haunted by flashbacks of death, post-traumatic stress, emotions ranging from deep hurt to anger, sorrow, regret, and the need for forgiveness. Marriages and loved ones suffer, assuming there are any remaining ties to home. This is set against a background of African politics, rife with manipulation, corruption, weak leadership, coups, and tribalism. It has become a target for the superpowers looking for mineral wealth and arms dealers who fuel conflicts. Savage Remorse highlights the reality that Africa has its own rules, not readily grasped by outsiders. Anybody who understands Africa will know that the scenario portrayed is plausible, and that similar events have played out regularly since the 1960s. The writing style is detailed and punchy, the dialogue engaging, and the tension is maintained throughout this entertaining work. It is highly recommended.

Savage Remorse by Macklin Grey is part of the Chase Harper Thriller series. Readers are introduced to Chase Harper, a former U.S. Army Officer and Sky Soldier who finds himself in Germany after recovering two months prior from being shot in the Korengal Valley. He is transitioning to civilian life as his combat days are over, when he is attacked for his wallet. Things seem like a blur until Chase’s friend Brian wakes him up the next day to inform him that the men who attacked him were in critical or near-death condition. His friend gives him the name “Khan” and convinces him to leave Germany. Six years later, Chase is working for the Detachment in the Congo as a mercenary. The stakes turn from here as the Detachment is left holding the bag when someone ends up murdered.

There is a lot of action from start to finish in Savage Remorse. It’s appropriately cinematic and has all the sensory elements that balance each scene. You can feel the punches and kicks landing or the helicopters flying above the canopy of the jungle. But Macklin Grey also allows the story's quieter moments in between scenes. He shifts from the high-action scenes in the Congo to a more subdued scene where readers are introduced to Colonel Willy Mann, who finds out he’s being deployed to solve a problem in Congo-Brazzaville. Grey does a great job with scene transitions, and readers can clearly see how they all tie together. Readers also meet other interesting characters along the way that work well in the overall plot; for example, Markos, who is an advisor to the newly appointed president of the Republic of the Congo, Erik Mabila, has his own agenda and sinister plot in place. The story heats up in all the right places. Readers who enjoy similar works like The Terminal List by Jack Carr will appreciate Savage Remorse.