Marc Guggenheim: Overwatch

The name Marc Guggenheim is probably known more for his writing for both Marvel and DC comics, but he has made the jump to novel writing with his debut with a young CIA lawyer who doesn't know when to stop asking questions:

Being an attorney for the CIA is a dream job for Alex Garnett and he does not want to do anything to screw it up, but the CIA maybe should have done some additional tests on Alex as he is someone who doesn't mind research and when something piques his interests he doesn't let it go. When a routine litigation case leads to anything but routine, also known as murders, Alex's quests to figure out the truth heightens and he cannot let it go even when told by his superiors. As the body count begins to climb, Alex knows it is only a small amount of time before he joins the dead. He needs to find out all the information he can and expose those responsible or not only will he be dead but the World is going to enter into another war.

For a debut novel Guggenheim did the action adventure/thriller genres justice. This book is a good fast paced read that will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. There were times that it was hard to find a spot to stop. I found the plot really interesting as I am always a fan of corruption at the highest points of government and how those people justify their actions. Within Overwatch, these people do not believe that they need someone to oversee their actions, that having an someone watch over the CIA actually just gets in the way of getting everything done. They do what they think is right for the USA and do the jobs they think the government should take, especially the wet work ones. Did Guggenheim do anything different or anything new to the genre, No; but the aspects of a secret society within the federal government and the CIA were interesting and really well done. You never really know how high up the chain the corruption has taken place.

The main character is a lucky SOB. I don't think I have read a book where the main character was this Lucky, but he acknowledges this aspect and really even questions himself how he is still alive. I really enjoyed Alex's mind and his ideas as an attorney instead of a hard trained military type as this added a different flavour to the book, and different thought process. I think the attorney mind that Alex has is what gets him into trouble as he is always questioning things and really not wanting to let things go as well as see connections that others would have not. To say that Alex is tenacious is an understatement; he is persistent to the point of annoying someone and is not afraid to put his job on the line if it means getting the result he wants.

Although this is the first full length novel by Guggenheim, you can tell by the plot and story that Guggenheim has been writing in some form for a long time. He knows the ways to get a reader interested and keep them that way throughout the book. A very successful debut by Guggenheim and I would read another book by him.

Enjoy!!!

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