I enjoy military thrillers, and some of the best ones are written by those that lived and experienced military life first hand. Such is the case with Michael Barclay's "HILL 170". This novel is based on a real incident but Michael kicked it up a notch and created a fantastic thriller full of on-the-edge-of-your-seat suspense and espionage.

Involving the People's Republic of China and the Koreas, "HILL 170" takes place in the 1980's. With Barclay's presentation of the storyline and characters, it makes the reader wonder where the facts end and the fiction starts. He tells an impressive story that feels real and not embellished. He presents his characters in the same manner, allowing them flaws which gives them a strong sense of realism.

I was mesmerized by the storyline and found many places where I was so involved in the suspense that I had to remind myself to breathe. There were also times my was heart racing while my hand was twisting my shirt tail in sheer anticipation of the outcome of some of the action scenes. WOW! This is one book I couldn't put down and read straight through.

This book comes highly recommended! I can't wait to see what Mr. Barclay has in store for his next novel. He is definitely an author to keep an eye on. ( )