The Gray Man has returned for his 14th time in Mark Greaney’s new fiction thriller “Midnight Black.” It is a chaotic and violent romp through Eastern Europe as the protagonist works to find his way into Russia, not for the purpose of killing, but for the purpose of rescuing. Of course, since it is a “Gray Man” novel, killing comes standard for the ex-CIA agent and special forces operative Court Gentry.
In this book, Greaney continually places Gentry in the crosshairs of gangsters, mercenaries, and Russian agents of its various intelligence agencies: the FSB, GRU, and the SVR. The author has long proven gifted in the scenes of action like those seen in intense action films. And as such, the scenes are over the top, requiring the standard suspension of disbelief.
The “Gray Man” novels are works of escapism, similar to an action movie. They are designed for those who aren’t going to demand too much seriousness from a book, yet the books will attack certain serious themes, such as international terrorism, the dangers of AI, the threat of rising dictators, and the seemingly ever-present threat of nuclear war.
Character and Story
Regarding the CIA, Gentry, known as the agency’s best asset (or, at least, formerly its best asset), still has friends in the agency—high level friends—and these relationships come into play for Gentry’s rescue mission. It is a story of the undying loyalty of true friends. Gentry receives this loyalty, but also expresses it through his undeterred personal endeavor to rescue the woman he loves: the former SVR agent Zoya Zakharova. His willingness to do the impossible—enter Russia illegally, avoid and combat Russian agents, and somehow break into a prison facility in nowhere Russia—demonstrates the relative depth of the character, though perhaps not always the depth of the plot.Depth certainly is not a facet of this story. “Midnight Black” is very straightforward. Much like the character’s mission, it is singular in its narrative. There are a number of moving parts, but none that truly enhance the overall story to an intriguing level. For such a long book, one might expect twists and surprises, but for this book, one should lower those expectations.
Unlike the previous “The Chaos Agent” (the series’ 13th installment), there was uncertainty in some instances of who were the villains and who were the heroes. It kept you on the edge of your seat because the reader couldn’t guess who or when that “who” would reveal themselves as a hero or villain. Unfortunately, there are no such surprises here, and that doesn’t mean there wasn’t opportunity.
Perhaps there just wasn’t space for a plot twist. Then, why no space in a 500-plus page novel? Too much detail. Greaney inundates the reader with so much detail about weapons, how a character is feeling, and at times unnecessary dialogue that one almost has to utilize the same willpower as Gentry to move through the chapters. For the most part the book is fast-moving, but in too many spots, it becomes tough slogging.
Lots and Lots of Action
The story does wrap up nicely in a big fiery climactic conclusion, which is, as is typical for a Greaney book, fun to experience. And that is the highlight of the book: the fiery experiences. Of those, there are plenty. In fact, I can still picture these moments, just as after seeing an action film.There’s also the element of tactical and weapons knowledge, which Greaney deftly demonstrates. His knowledge of breaching doors, maneuvering in silence, and coordinating a two-pronged attack, certainly adds to the action sequences. For “Gray Man” fans, these elements may be more than enough to enjoy the read.
“Midnight Black,” however, feels like one of those books in a series that is used as a bridge to get from the previous book to the next. In defense of Greaney, however, out of 14 novels in a single series, they can’t all be number 1. For readers who are looking for a bit of escapism through intense and bloody action, “Midnight Black” will certainly fulfill that need.
