A much more plausible plot then the previous novel. There is nothing more dangerous than a powerful intelligence agent fuelled by the loss of his wife and child in a bombing, and also living on borrowed time and wanting his revenge before he dies. Add to this the fact that he is easily manipulated by very strong forces looking to wreak havoc in the Far East, and you have a powerful reason for The Project Team to become involved in retrieving the situation.
Nick and Selena are still puzzling over their relationship, but they still show just how much they rely on each other and, in this episode, Lamont Cameron, now recovered from serious illness, as well as a former Huey helicopter pilot with Vietnam experience. Stephanie, techno wizard, is the one who has tracked down a character they call Cobra, and it is their pursuit of him that forms the body of the story, although there is a side issue relating to lost Moghul treasure which includes The Eye of Shiva that forms the title of the book.
Plenty of action as usual, so the plot hurtles across the globe as the threat of nuclear war needs to be addressed. Well done, Mr Lukeman, on maintaining the standard. ( )

Sometimes you need a good thriller to cleanse your reading palette. Although this book is the the eighth in the series, there is no need to read the previous seven first. This book can easily be read as a stand alone but it certainly whet the appetite to know that there were more books out there with these characters.

They are all part of a group called The Project. Some terrorists have found and been using ancient gold coins to fund their operations and buy weapons. The story starts out with immediate action – a terrorist cell seizes workers in the U.S. Embassy in Cebu in the Philippines. It turns out to be a red herring operation, designed to create a world wide conflict.

The real conflict involves both personal and political scores between India and Pakistan, notably, high officials within the Indian military who have scores to settle. Central to this, is
ancient treasure. This was inadvertently discovered buried on the Khyber Pass and itself, was the subject of an ancient feud centered on the area around Kashmir.

This was a a quick read at a cracking pace that keeps the interest. It doesn't let up on the gas and there is no lull in the action. It 's also a great road map as to how ancient conflicts are able to sustain themselves for centuries.

For those looking for a reliable series in the thriller genre, any of the books with the stories and characters involved in The Project, will be sure to entertain. It appears that each will be able to stand alone so reading them out of order won't hinder your enjoyment.

Take a break from whatever your normal genre is and treat yourself to some action. You will come away reinvigorated and ready to tackle the next big novel on your list. ( )