Robbie Bach is best known for founding and leading the team that created the Xbox. Today he is an entertaining storyteller and catalyzing voice who writes books and speaks to audiences on leadership, creativity, strategy, and civic issues. In 2015, he published his first book,” Xbox Revisited: A Game Plan for Corporate and Civic Renewal.”
His first novel The Wilkes Insurrection, released this week, is a contemporary thriller of anarchic obsession and heroic ambition and a perfect blend of heartless villains, complex but captivating protagonists, and political intrigue.
The Wilkes Insurrection begins with a Prologue that has an unnamed antagonist fleeing from the authorities as they are about to storm his apartment. He manages to slip by using a disguise and activates a car bomb as a distraction so he can get away.
The first chapter is then set at Newark Liberty International Airport, April 16, 2019 and John Humboldt is about to board a flight. Everything goes as planned until just outside Omaha, Nebraska, when commercial Flight 209 violently crashes onto the Offutt Air Force Base runway. While going through the wreckage, Major Tamika Smith manages to rescue a survivor who was thrown from the plane – John Humboldt. This airplane crash is just one of many acts of mayhem planned by an elusive extremist determined to destroy America at all costs.
The deadly attacks continue and are connected but there are no clear clues as to who may be to blame. A dark web hacker, Bryce Roscovitch, is just one player and he must confront his own conscience as the attacks become increasingly personal. At the center of it all is Major Tamika Smith whose own tragic past constantly haunts her and she must decide if she is willing to put it all aside for the greater good. Loved ones are lost and relationships are formed but in the end, the country is still standing.
Some of the best political thrillers take place in our current turbulent environment and The Wilkes Insurrection is no exception. Set from 2019 to the end of the past presidential election, it contains the perfect mix of villains and heroes, and even anti-heroes.
Right from the first page, the action comes at the reader full blown and does not let go. The action is fast paced and the language is easy to understand and being mostly dialogue driven, the story flows effortlessly from page to page.
While the good guys’ characters are deeply developed, complex, and relatable, Ford Wilkes, the main villain, is one dimensional with no redeeming qualities, which makes it easy for readers to dislike him. Bryce is a little more conflicted. He may understand that he is on the wrong side of the law and does not care who gets hurt, but deep down he is battling his own demons. What stands out the most is the heartbreaking moment when John Humboldt is sending his last texts to friends and family in the middle of the crash. The plane is going down but he takes the time to help and comfort the elderly couple sitting next to him.
With exciting action and interesting characters, Robbie Bach’s excellent debut novel is hard to put down until the thrilling conclusion. The Wilkes Insurrection is a classic good versus evil tale with a feel-good ending and is recommended for readers who enjoy the best of Brad Thor, David Baldacci, and Robert Ludlum. Hopefully, this will turn into a series so readers can read more about Major Tamika Smith’s heartbreaking yet heroic story.
*The author received a copy of this book for an honest review. The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to her.
SA Examiner 