The Athena Project by Brad Thor

I'm not really one for spy/thriller novels.  I feel like they are written primarily for the testosterone set, and I've steered away from them, thinking I wouldn't really like the books.

The Athena Project proved me wrong.

This was (obviously) my first Brad Thor book, although there's a not insignificant book list in the front of which this was one of many.

This book takes place all over the globe, reminding me a bit of the Bourne movies.  South America, Czech Republic, Croatia, Venice, Denver.  Some of the premises might be technologically futuristic, but the novel starts back at the time of Nazis.  Thor might be on to something here, since I don't think all the horrible research performed by the Nazis is either fully understood or even known about today.

My favorite part of the book isn't the science though, its the inspiration for the book title.  The Athena Project is an elite group of women, only women, trained to perform clandestine operations around the globe.  Similar to the Seals or the Rangers, this is an elite group of ass-kickers.  The best part is that they are all close friends, loyal to each other, and good at their jobs.  Apparently this group was introduced in one of the Thor's other novels, and he liked the concept so much he gave them their own book.

These women are tasked to uncover information about a top secret Nazi project, long thought abandoned until the results start showing up in South America.  This takes them around Europe where they must resort to kidnapping and killing to find answers before the experiment falls into the wrong hands with catastrophic results. In America, an undercover FBI agent is trying to handle a Russian spy bent on exposing secrets at, of all unlikely locations, the Denver International Airport.  I am intrigued about looking more closely at DIA when I fly through there in December!

Since I don't have anything to compare it to, I'd say I liked the book.  Thor maybe doesn't write about women too well, but not many men can pull that off. Regardless, the book is interesting.  I hope this group of women show up in other books in the future.