Into the Fire

Whatever "it" is that sets some writers apart for us, that certain something usually has to do with their style, plots, and voice. That description probably simplifies it too much because often there are intangibles with novels we love that separate them from the rest even as we take in the first chapter. Whether we glide into the story or whether we're compelled into the story – by a whisp or a whirl, a hint of drama, or the whispered  fatal zing of a silencer - we realize subtly or forcefully that we're in for a special tour.

Vince Flynn was not the "best" writer I've ever read in the literary sense. It wasn't his style. And technically speaking, he probably wasn't even close to passing the test for "best" writers in that he didn't observe "the rules". That fact made him extra special and endeared him to me. In one of my most recent reviews I pointed out there always seems to be a number of typos and mistakes in the final renditions of his hardcovers but the stories make up for them. And that's true. I'd gladly endure the errors to read many more Vince Flynn novels.

To the best of my knowledge, and I could be wrong, his final novel is titled The Survivor, due out in October of this year (2013). I've read the first three pages, and it's vintage Vince Flynn. I can't wait to read it, but then I dread it being the possible last fling with my hero Mitch Rapp.

What made Vince Flynn's writing so special, so vital, so, dare I say: important, is his accuracy. It's somehow easy to accept Mitch Rapp because, although his feats seem super-human, his training and fervency ring true. I mentioned a few posts ago about Mitch Rapp being an emotional character. Truly, his emotions run the gamut of a man's man. He knows how and when to suppress them, but they always surface somewhere, sometime, and even when he can't deal with them, they're still there. I've said many a time Consent To Kill was my favorite, but you could bunch several of them together to place second. Consent To Kill gives Mitch an extra dimension, and this is where Vince's writing excelled.  

Vince once told Rush Limbaugh there were maybe 60 Mitch Rapp types in service. Vince had inside knowledge, valuable and secret sources, and when reading his novels, you knew it. Authenticity poured off the pages.

Vince's only weakness – in my opinion - came in the woman he created for Mitch. She was shrill, brazen, and I hated her. I did. She generated no empathy from me.

Anyway, if you've never read any of his novels, you've missed out on some fascinating, reality-based, dynamic, exciting, genuine espionage and political thrillers. No one will equal Vince Flynn's writing and his creation of Mitch Rapp.

Father, I pray again for your comfort to his family and loved ones. So sad for those left behind. Please bless their mourning and help them to draw nearer to you in the process. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.