The Devil's Breath — Larry Johns

A return to the blood-soaked cauldron of Central Africa is nowhere on this world-weary mercenary soldier's wish list. But when the prize – at least for someone else - exceeds nine figures, personal preferences are removed from the equation, and a refusal to cooperate would mean arrest and trial for a murder he arguably did commit.In a country on the brink of catastrophe, ex-Special Forces commander, Martin Palmer, must attempt the overthrow of a corrupt regime. To achieve this he must assassinate the figurehead. It is the ages-old African Story.Only when he is actually in the country does he realise the truth; that whatever he does or does not achieve, he cannot be allowed to walk away. But having grabbed the tiger by its tail he now has no option but to see it through.  As friend becomes enemy, and enemy becomes friend, he drags his disparate and diminishing force – comprised mostly of home-grown mercenaries (Ascaris) - through a running conflict of attrition that cannot be allowed to produce winners.Double-cross follows betrayal, which eventually leads to internal mutiny. Palmer's command more or less disintegrates. However, against seemingly impossible odds, and aided by good fortune, he eventually completes his mission. Yet again, the country begins to tear itself apart. Palmer must now find a way to disappear back into the world.Though standalone in its own right, The Devil's Breath runs sequentially from an earlier, traditionally-published novel: A Warrior's Code, (Robert Hale, 2012) of which Books Monthly says: ...Gripping thriller - being an ex-soldier himself, Johns knows how they think and act, and his superior knowledge shows in this excellent tale......Perhaps Johns' greatest achievement is to make you care about the soulless man who kills for money, as we follow him on a thrilling adventure filled with violence, intrigue and occasional moments of rare beauty as Johns, an artist and traveller in real life, describes the drama and beauty of the African landscapes in which his story takes place...The Devil's Breath is 230,000 words