Moondogs

Fri, 05/20/2011 - 12:15pm by pkooger

Benicio heads to the Philippines to reconnect with his estranged father, a rich American businessman working overseas, in Alex Yates’ debut novel, Moondogs. Little does he know that his father has been kidnapped by a group of inept criminals who hope to sell the man to Moro terrorists. Benicio enlists the help of Reynato Ocampo, a legendary Filipino cop who has had several blockbuster films based on his real-life exploits. Ocampo is also the leader of a secret squad of super-soldiers with paranormal powers. As Benicio follows the trail of his missing father, he begins to piece together an understanding of the man his father really is.

The fast pace of the story and the outrageous shoot-’em-up action cleverly disguise the true heart of Moondogs, which is the reconciliation of a father and his son. Alex Yates takes a jumble of characters and settings and expertly forms them into one cohesive whole. With a first novel as good as this, we have a lot to look forward to from Yates.