A navy supply ship is downed in the Persian Gulf and members of Britain's Covert Operations and Surveillance Team, or C.O.A.S.T for short, are sent to retrieve the four thermonuclear warheads it had been carrying. However, when they're ambushed, questions arise about a possible mole in the organization. When the investigation leads them to a prominent American businessman, they quickly realize they're up against an adversary the likes of which they've never faced.

To be completely honest, I didn't expect to enjoy this quite as much as I did. I do try and read as much as possible and always try and expand my horizons but when it comes to a military based thriller, I have next to no experience. I just assumed that this genre lead to complicated plots and slow, robotic dialogue. That being said, what Xander does here is pretty impressive. While he does feed you a lot of information to digest in terms of military vernacular, he refuses to leave you feeling overwhelmed. He blends in a sharp sense of humor with fast paced action, leaving the whole experience a memorable one. In fact, reading this novel is similar to sitting down to watching a summer blockbuster! Considering Richards originally conceived this as a screenplay - the film feel certainly isn't coincidental.

The fact that this is Richards' first outing as an author is quite surprising. The storytelling is reflective of a more experienced author and that certainly gives promise to a continued career. I'm sure it also helps that he had spent some time in the armed forces which no doubt helped in the development of the C.O.A.S.T organization as well as a lot of the weaponry and military jargon.

Overall, I think C.O.A.S.T: An Act of Burial is a solid effort and a great place for me to start with this genre of fiction. The ending, without spoiling anything, leaves it open for a potential sequel or series if Richards plans to do so. Judging by how much I enjoyed myself this time around, I wouldn't be against visiting the characters again down the road.

I received this book from the author in exchange for a fair review

Cross posted at http://www.everyreadthing.com ( )

This is one of the better authors that I've read in quite some time. Often the assumption with dark material is that it's made out to shock and to create a sense of morbid interactions among the main characters, but this is anything but. The story swallows you and leaves you gasping for air. The characters are fully developed and allow for you to care for their outcomes. Finally, I felt for the characters!! I found myself stopping at the end of each chapter, thinking, and then continuing on to see what the next one would unravel; digging deeper and deeper into the reasons behind the violent murders that took place. It's an intense read, but very captivating. I would recommend this book and the author to any reader in a heartbeat. So, stop reading this review and buy the thing already. It's that good. ( )