Brute Force by Andy McNab


== Plot ==
This is the eleventh book in the Nick Stone series. Nick is an ex-SAS soldier. He used to work for the security services when he left but now he does his own thing.
Like always, the novel starts off with a mission from Nick's past. This time he's in Tripoli, Libya in 1987. He is sent to kill one of the Provisional IRA's top bomb makers and he also helps capture a shipload of weapons on their way to Ireland courtesy of Kernel Gaddafi.


It then switches to the present, (2007) as Nick visits the Republic of Ireland for Christmas. He is taking Tallulah and her 8 year old child, Ruby along with him. He met Tallulah and ruby in the last novel, Crossfire. Tallulah is the widow of Pete, a photographer that saved Nick's life during a fire fight in Basra.


Things don't go to plan as someone wants Nick dead. Nick has to hunt down the bad guys before they get him . . .


== My thoughts ==
I find his novels can be hit and miss. I thought this one was well written but the plot was too similar to many other IRA / terrorist type novels I've read. It reminded me of some of Jack Higgins novels. Some of the scenes when Nick is on a boat, were extremely similar to what Higgins writes about. I knew what would happen. It is a basic run of the mill IRA / terrorist revenge novel.
I did get to find out about the provisional IRA and how it worked. I also liked the fact that Nick had to work with one of his superiors from his previous novels, Colonel Lynn. The last time we met him was in book number two or three in the series. It was interesting to see him outside in the field instead of behind a desk as he normally is. There is another thing I liked. It is the nickname he gives one of his friends called Dom aka Platinum Bollocks.


Some of the characters that appear in the previous novel in this series, Crossfire, make an appearance in this also, so at a minimum I would recommend you read that first.


== Audio narration ==
This was narrated by Paul Thornley and was unabridged. I do think he has a young voice which doesn't really match Nick Stones age but he still does an acceptable job.
It is 10 hours and 15 mins in length and is on 10 CDs.


== Summary and recommendation ==
I have given this two stars. The writing style isn't bad and I would say this is better in some ways than most of his earlier novels. However, the plot is too formulaic. I have read too many IRA revenge related novels so I didn't find anything new in this.