Review of Jake Fortina and the Roman Conspiracy

[Mayang Bature]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Jake Fortina and the Roman Conspiracy" by Ralph R. "Rick" Steinke.]

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3 out of 5 stars

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Lieutenant Colonel Jake Fortina and his wife, Italian Carabinieri officer Sara Simonetti-Fortina, were sent to Italy on a joint deployment. A heist in Saint Louis of the French church, masterminded by a Russian, the Wolf, resulted in the theft of paintings valued at hundreds of millions of dollars. White supremacists with illegal weapons, the Russian premier ready for a show of power, and threats of nuclear assaults on NATO countries all contribute to the mix. It is now up to intelligence and counterterrorism groups around the world, including Jake and Sara, to put an end to the chaos if possible.

I truly loved how this book started with a suspenseful buildup. From the first heist by the Wolf's Pack, I worried if they'd ever be apprehended because all leads led nowhere. It was entertaining to watch how the intelligence agencies followed all of the hints they received, one by one. The pack’s entire operation during the heist was also described excellently.

The author has the talent of good description, which added life to the entire plot. The heist's organization, as well as the equipment required to carry it out, were thoroughly discussed, which I appreciated. I learned about the several types of airborne knockout medications used in this book and why they were used in such instances, for various reasons.

I really loved the author's grasp of Italian and American history. Every cultural reference was accompanied by a brief but detailed narrative that illustrated the people's rich past. This demonstrates the amount of research and thinking that went into making this book. This characteristic was also visible while introducing the characters, allowing the reader to have an understanding of their backstories and a glimpse of their motives immediately.

Despite the fact that there was a vast description of rich history in this book, it was not well-organized and it got too much, even in dialogue. I did not like the fact that every little thing, no matter how common, would be described in dashes or in parentheses; this did not leave much room for mystery in the story. The book also used numerous long, complex sentences that were sometimes difficult to understand and required rereading. In trying to give a backstory to everything, numerous characters were introduced and the story would derail into discussing the past or some history of the cause they fought for. These factors did not allow for proper character development for most of the numerous characters introduced. Even Jake and Sara were relegated to the back seat, while most of the focus was on the intelligence agencies and the criminals.

As a result of these factors, "Jake Fortina and the Roman Conspiracy" by Ralph R. "Rick" Steinke receives 3 out of 5 stars. The plot was interesting, but it could have been executed more smoothly. A proper reedit would also be beneficial, as I spotted some clumsy errors. Fans of fascinating spy thrillers will like this book if they can overlook the aforementioned shortcomings.

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Jake Fortina and the Roman Conspiracy
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[NetMassimo]

This spy thriller has many intriguing elements. However, it's burdened with too much exposition to explain practically everything and I'm Italian, so probably I already know the bits about Italian history and culture. Regardless, thank you for your honest review!

[Julius Peters]

The intricate heist operation and the detailed planning in 'Jake Fortina and the Roman Conspiracy' showcase the author's ability to weave a complex, suspenseful plot, making it a thrilling read.